Welcome to Somerset West Bird Club
Upcoming Events
Monthly Meeting September 2026 – Corrie du Toit: Dragonflies
Our September meeting is on Thursday September 3. Our speaker is Corrie Du Toit, with a talk entitled Elegant Dragons and Dainty Damsels. Come and learn more about these beautiful and fascinating insects.
18:30 for 19:00, Somerset West Library Hall.
Please wear your badge.
Visitors welcome, R10 charge for visitors, which goes toward our PA system.
Refreshments and raffle available for small fee.
Car park attendant on duty.
Bird Watch / Count September 2026 – Dick Dent
Bird Watch / Count
Saturday September 12: Meet at 15:00: Dick Dent
Every month we welcome anyone who would like to join a birding walk at one of our local spots. We also count and record birds, but if you just want to join and enjoy the birds, that’s fine! We alternate between Dick Dent Sanctuary and Paardevlei.
Birdwatching / Counting at Dick Dent Bird Sanctuary and Paardevlei – April till September at 15h00; October till March at 16h00.
Dick Dent – park at the church, c/o Woltemade and Jennings Streets, Strand.
Paardevlei – park at Cheetah Sanctuary [34.091037°S, 18.813905°E]. Meet at the gate to the vlei adjacent to Lorenzo Marx coffee shop.
Outing September 2026 – Vergelegen
Saturday September 19 – We will visit Vergelegen Estate in Somerset West. This is always a popular outing as we get to access parts of the estate that are not usually open to the public. More details e.g. meeting time to follow.
Bird of the Year 2026
BirdLife South Africa announced that the Black Harrier is Bird of the Year 2026.
This is great news for us as its core range is in the Western Cape, and it is the most threatened near-endemic raptor in the country. As Bird of the Year we should see a focus on preserving this magnificent bird.
Click on the title to learn more.
Garden Birds Project
The purpose of the Garden Birds Project is to keep track of the birds we’re seeing in our gardens in and around the Helderberg Basin.
Click here for more information and to get involved.
Injured Birds
It’s always distressing when you find an injured bird – fortunately, there are some folks who are able and willing to assist.
Click here for more information.