Skywatch Friday - Maitland River Mouth

The Maitland River mouth is definitely my favourite beach in this area, with its wide open spaces and the view across St Francis Bay. 

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Skywatch Friday - Cloudy skies and boiling seas

The sea was boiling, the sky was cloudy and the wind was howling and there in the enormity of the vista is a fisherman. I pity the poor fellow, not because of the weather, but because I know what these rocks mean to fishermen. I lost many kilogrammes of lead sinkers while fishing along this shoreline. But then I remember......... I recovered the sinkers from these rocks during spring low tides and merely returned them, from whence they came. So what's new? The cycle continues.

Visit Skywatch for many more great pictures from around the world.

Skywatch Friday - Maitland River Mouth

The Maitland River mouth is one of my favourite place's in the Port Elizabeth area, with its wide unspoilt beach. A visit here is never disappointing and last Sunday was no exception. It was a warm and sunny winter's day and when the sun started going down, we were treated to a magnificent sunset.

A group of model aircraft enthusiasts were out in full-force flying their model aircraft and gliders. A few of them can be seen flying into the sunset.

For more wonderful pictures from around the world visit Skywatch.

Sky Watch Friday - Sunset at Maitland River Mouth

If you want a good sunset or just a walk on the beach then the Maitland River Mouth, near Beachview, is the place. This is a view across St Francis Bay, looking towards Jeffreys Bay.

For more great pictures from around the world, visit the Sky Watch site. Just wait until after 19h30 Greenwich Mean Time, when the link is activated.

Ecological Day - Oystercatchers

Oystercatchers are usually seen in pairs but may gather in flocks of up to 40 birds from October to March. I have been coming to the Maitland River Mouth for the past 35 years and I do not recollect seeing oyster caters gathering there in such large numbers in the past.

To me this is an indication of an environment that is conducive to ensuring a growth in their numbers.
There are apparently less than 5 000 of birds left in the world and is the only oystercatcher that breeds in Africa.
It is the encroachment of man in their habitat that is making their continued existence so vulnerable.
Oystercatchers mate for life and may live for up to 35 years. They do not breed until they are three years old.

Its nest is a scrape in the dune. Two eggs are usually laid during summer, at the height of the holiday seasons. The eggs and nest are not easily visible to the untrained eye and eggs can easily be trampled on, which makes them very vulnerable.

The birds eat limpets and mussels and not oysters. The birds can only feed at low tide and do so at day and night. Because of their highly selective feeding area they are much more susceptible to human activity than most shore birds

This brings me to my question, “Why mess up their habitat with another big development. The Cape coast has already been spoilt by the developers, which is why I agree with the sentiments expressed in this sign. What impact will this have on the oystercatcher’s habitat? It will undoubtedly spoil one of our last wide open beaches – a place where you can come and enjoy nature, peace and solitude.

Let’s retain some unspoilt wide open spaces for posterity.

For more ecological day posts, visit Sonia at Leaves of Grass.

Sky Watch Friday - Take your pick

Delicate manoeuvre by the Westbank aerobatics team at last weeks airshow

Oyster Catchers feeding at the tide line at the Maitland River Mouth beach last night

Reflections and red sky - Wednesday ABC

This picture comes from one of my favourite sunset series, when the family went on a fishing excursion to the Maitland River mouth and were treated to a magnificent sunset. Maitland also has one of the most beautiful beaches in the area. It is wide and stretches foe miles down the coast.

By the way, no one caught any fish, but it was still a fun evening - until I discovered I had locked my keys in my car.

Maitland River Mouth

I joined the family who had all gone fishing at the Matland River Mouth this afternoon. When I arrived the sun was setting over Cape St Francis. I never went fishing, but got some good pics. Except for locking my keys in my car, it was a good evening.