We have at last settled into the long, lazy days of summer - lazy in that there are more daylight hours to enjoy the outdoor life and watch the birds down at the rocks here in Kommetjie. The terns that occupy the island in summer fly en masse along the coastline at high tide, their roosting place covered by the sea, and presumably this is when they take the opportunity to catch a few fish - they are always together, seldom moving far from the flock whether resting or flying in their odd way - like fighter jets wiggling from side to side as they close in on their target.
The oystercatchers must have moved to a quieter spot, away from the disturbance of the summer crowds - a bit of a misnomer as Kommetjie could not be called crowded - but let's call it a greater human and canine presence on the rocks - as I haven't seen many for a long time. Perhaps new feeding grounds have been found.
The flamingos that have given us all such a treat over the last year are also staying well away from the Kom and prefer the back reaches of Noordhoek beach, where only racehorses and local riders are likely to be in their vicinity. Hopefully they will come back in the next few weeks to pose for the photographers - the confines of the Kom are perfect for close-up shots of these most elegant of birds.
The sea is a sparkling, clear blue and the clouds have long disappeared after an early morning blanketing of the Peninsula. The heavy swells from the passing cold front are also gone and no sound comes from the shoreline as the southeaster carries all sounds out to sea. Schoolchildren enjoy their last day at the beach for the long summer holidays - school starts this week and life returns to some semblance of normality.
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