Langebaan Flamingoes

The final stop in our travels in South Africa was Langebaan where we stayed at the Quiver Tree B&B for 2 nights. This was a fabulous stop with great rooms and lovely pool and BBQ area. The breakfasts were  generous and Glen a great host. We had visited Langebaan a few times in the 1980s when living in Cape Town and had especially fond memories of a holiday at Churchaven when a friend and I windsurfed up the lagoon to Langebaan and back. The other clear memory was of seeing flocks of flamingoes flying and my one photographic aim was to try and get a decent flamingo picture, hopefully a flight shot.

On our first morning, Edin and I made an early start before breakfast to get our bearings and were heading in toward the lagoon when we saw a flock of Greater Flamingoes flying across the road and dropping in to land on the golf course at Langebaan Country Estate. I wasn’t sure what sort of reception we would get driving up to the security boom at the entrance but I think the security guard decided we just nuts at wanting to go and look at birds but felt we were mad and not bad so let us pass. We geared up quickly and dashed down the fairway to the lake where the flamingoes were, deciding that asking forgiveness rather than permission would achieve our objective better. Fortunately there were no players on the course yet, otherwise I guess that they could have been upset with us trespassing. We managed to isolate the birds against a clean background of water and achieved some reasonable images. Heading back up to the clubhouse the manger and a couple of members were keen to talk to us but seemed as excited to see photographers interested in the birds as we were excited to be photographing the birds and they gave us some good tips on other spots to visit. Dashing back to the Quiver Tree we were just in time for a delicious breakfast and had already had a great day by finding some Langebaan flamingoes.

Edin photographing Greater Flamingoes at Langebaan Country Estate
Edin photographing Greater Flamingoes at Langebaan Country Estate
Greater Flamingo flock - Langebaan Country Estate
Greater Flamingo flock – Langebaan Country Estate
Greater Flamingoes - Langebaan Country Estate
Greater Flamingoes – Langebaan Country Estate
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