In Gonubie, you can combine beach activities with picnic spots and birdwatching. The experiences have different focuses: at Gonubie Beach, the emphasis is on beach walks and water activities; at the river, it is on picnics and nature watching. The surrounding area also offers coastal riparian forests and a variety of forest bird species. If you are planning a stay, these differences can help you choose your focus—whether the beach, the river or the birdlife.
Beach activities at Gonubie Beach
Gonubie Beach is suitable for walks along the beachfront promenade, kayaking and beach runs. There is also a tidal pool where you can swim. This offers a choice of different ways to enjoy the water: a walk along the promenade, a kayaking activity, a run on the beach or a swim in the tidal pool. Gonubie Beach received Blue Flag pilot status. When planning your visit, you can therefore consider the beach both in terms of the activities described and this status.
River and picnic spots
The Gonubie River is close to Main Road in Gonubie. At the Gonubie River Picnic Spot, there are places under the trees to picnic by the river and watch birds. This named location brings together two different interests: taking a break with a picnic and enjoying the birdlife.
There are braai and picnic facilities along Tidewaters Drive. The riverside picnic spot and the facilities along the road offer different options for an outdoor break; you can choose between them according to your preferred focus.
Early-morning birdwatching
In the open areas of the picnic spot, Red-capped Robin-chats and Chorister Robin-chats regularly forage together in the early morning. This observation is about more than just the species: it also concerns their behaviour and timing, as they forage early in the day. If you would like to include birdwatching in your day’s plans, this offers a specific morning focus. The two species occur together; their presence can vary seasonally.
Birdlife in the surrounding area
The endemic Knysna Woodpecker and Knysna Warbler live in the coastal riparian forests on both sides of the Gqunube River. The best way to find both species is by listening for their calls. Other forest bird species in the surrounding area include the Olive Woodpecker, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler, Narina Trogon, Grey Cuckooshrike and Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher. The forests offer a different birdwatching focus from the open areas of the picnic spot: here, the calls of two endemic species are a particularly helpful clue.
Approximately 160 bird species occur in the areas around Gonubie Mouth Bird Sanctuary, including several notable endemic species. This is an approximate figure and refers to the surrounding areas. It offers a broader overview than the specific sighting of the two Robin-chats at the picnic spot.
Birdwatchers can therefore explore different scales: an early-morning feeding observation in open areas, identifying species by their calls in the coastal riparian forests, and an approximate overview of bird species in the area around the Sanctuary. Together with the beach activities and riverside picnic facilities, this lets you explore Gonubie according to your interests, without conflating the different locations and types of observation.
For the broader travel overview: East London.
