Wake to an African Fish Eagle. Sleep to the Sound of the Lagoon.

The iconic call carries across the water at dawn. Perches in tall trees along the northern shore and hunts the open lagoon — often visible from the terrace.

Pink flocks appear when conditions suit — sometimes dozens standing in the shallows visible from the garden. An unforgettable lagoon sighting.

Wades methodically through the shallows, sweeping its spatula bill through the water. Best seen from kayak at low tide in the upper lagoon.

Dives repeatedly in the deeper central channel. Non-breeding birds are present from autumn — often in small rafts on the open water.

Large flocks fly low over the water in characteristic lines. Also roosts in numbers at the lagoon mouth — spectacular at dusk.

A patient hunter along the water's edge. Often stands motionless at the garden boundary where the lawn meets the lagoon.

Hovers over the water with remarkable precision before plunging for fish. One of the most reliably entertaining species on the lagoon.

A South African endemic dabbling duck, often seen filtering shallow water near reed beds. Best found by kayak in the upper estuary.

The male's extraordinarily long tail makes it unmistakable. Common in flowering Protea fynbos on the slopes above Fisherhaven and in Fernkloof.

A jewel of the fynbos — vivid green, orange and yellow — found wherever Erica and Protea are in flower. Endemic to the Cape Floristic Region.

One of several Palearctic waders that use the lagoon in summer. Long-legged and elegant, it probes the mud at the lagoon edge alongside resident waders.

A near-threatened endemic of South African shores. The combination of all-black plumage and vivid orange bill makes it one of the most striking coastal birds in the region.