The best spots are at the
Cape of Good Hope, Cape Point in the Cape of Good Hope reserve,
and the village of Kommetjie on the Peninsula's Atlantic seaboard.
Even the casual seawatcher is bound to see a sprinkling of
Cape Cormorant, Cape Gannet, White-chinned Petrel and Sooty
Shearwater just offshore. If there is a strong wind, Shy and
Black-browed Albatrosses may also be seen, with regular appearances
made by Sub-Antarctic Skua, Northern and Southern Giant Petrels,
Yellow-nosed Albatross, Wilson's Storm Petrel and Broad-Billed
Prion.
In spring, summer and autumn, the persistent southeasterly
winds produce good seawatching and the best vantage points
are Glencairn and Cape Point. Glencairn, made famous by dedicated
seawatcher Mike Fraser, is a small suburb on the east coast
of the Peninsula found between Fish Hoek and Simon's Town.
The best vantage point here is the whale-watching site 1 km
north of the railway station. The seawatching is best in spring
and late summer (October and February-March) on the first
or second day of the southeaster. Birds are blown into False
Bay and are best viewed in the late afternoon as they move
south, out of the bay. Most common are Cape Gannet, Arctic
Skua, Sooty Shearwater and White-chinned Petrel. Less common
but regular nonetheless are Pomarine Skua and Cory's Shearwater.
Scarcer still are Soft-plumaged Petrel, Great Shearwater and
Long-tailed Skua.
In summer, scan offshore from the Mouille Point Lighthouse,
just west of Cape Town's Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
for distant flocks of Sabine's Gull (October to April), Cape
Gannet, White-chinned Petrel, Arctic Skua and Swift Tern.
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