Every day in Sedgefield is a gift. The weather here shifts faster than you can blink, one moment it’s calm, the next a breeze sweeps through. Just before sunset, I stroll along an island in the lagoon, soaking in what I reckon is the finest weather our region sees this time of year. My eyes scan the water and sky, hoping to spot birds gliding overhead or wading along the shore.

The tide’s still pushing in, and I notice several Grunters tailing in the shallows over the sandbanks. A little further out, Garrick dart after smaller fish near the water grass edges. As I walk, the resident Water Thick-knees catch wind of me. They skitter along the shoreline, their pale grey wings and streak

ed plumage blending seamlessly with the brown, sandy banks where they hunt for crabs, mollusks, and small fish. The setting sun casts golden rays across their vermiculated upper wings: a photographer’s dream as the light dips behind the western dunes. Besides the early morning sunrise, this golden hour is the best time to lose yourself in nature. Words can’t quite capture the serenity, the feeling of being woven into the wild.

On my way back a few Caspian Terns, known locally as “Reusesterretjies”, skim the water’s surface, diving for the shoals of small fish fleeing the Garrick. These striking birds, the largest terns in our region, are easy to spot with their hefty size and vivid red bills. Nearby, a Little Egret, Grey Heron, and Little Grebe bask in the last slivers of daylight. The Garden Route, nestled in South Africa’s Western Cape, is a birding paradise, and moments like these show why.

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