During my 3 months Sabbatical in 2012 I got to take a trip to the Eastern Cape, then on to Cape Town and then up the West Coast and finally through the Northern Cape. My starting point was camping at Wilderness National Park - and from here I was able to visit the spectacular town of Knysna. Here are some scenery pics from the way down, at the National Park, and in and around Knysna. Oh, and some birding pics thrown in as well.

The drive from Beaufort West to George was spectacular. Here are some scenery shots of the rock formations along the way:

It was something else to see the Ostrich farms around Oudtshoorn - rather sad to think that these birds are all destined to end up on someone's braai!

I camped for three nights at Wilderness National Park - a stunning place to stay. Here are some scenery shots followed by some bird pics I took in and around the campsite:

These nocturnal Bush Pigs would visit the campsite every night and turn over every rubbish bin - I managed to wake up a few times when I heard them outside my tent and get a few pics:

On my last morning in the park I took a walk to the waterfall - it was great fun using the pontoon to get across the river on the way to the waterfall.

The birding highlight of this part of my trip happened at the National Park. I had wasted 3 hours the previous day at Victoria Bay trying to coax a Knysna Warbler out of the thickets and it only gave me fleeting glimpses as it moved in the shadows - not enough to claim it for my life list. The next morning while walking to the Waterfall I heard it's unmistakable call from thickets and thought, "Oh, boy, here we go again!" But this time, I played it's call on my phone and Voila out it came singing it's lungs out! What an experience!!!

This little chap (Yellow-throated Woodland-Warbler) never sat still for a single minute. I have never seen a bird able to do a 180 degree turn on a branch that is so quick that you are almost unable to see it spin around.

Some other sightings on the way to and from the waterfall (I heard Buff-spotted Flufftail calling all morning but never got even a glimpse - let alone a photo):

On the second day I drove to Knysna to visit Woodburne Pans and The Heads - the scenery was spectacular but kinda overshadowed the bird life:

From Wilderness I made my way to Groot Brak River and then on to De Hoop National Park.