Rocherpan Nature Reserve
Western Cape · Best Winter and spring for birds and flowers
5 places
Go Birdingfrom Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)
Ruff
Calidris pugnax
The ruff (Calidris pugnax) is a medium-sized wading bird that breeds in marshes and wet meadows across northern Eurasia.
Species insights
When to visit
Recorded year-round
Recorded in every month, so no month is the wrong month to look. We would rather say that than invent a best time.
Best monthsAny month
Recorded in Western Cape~163 records
Curve from 602 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property and not from this province. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.
Where you'll find it
Gauteng and beyond
Provinces where Ruff is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
602 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Ruff
Stays that give back
Across the Western Cape
Keurbooms River Nature Reserve
Keurbooms River Nature Reserve
Ruff recorded here · Forest biome
From R 2,170 a night
Coot, Shoveler, Egret & Moorhen Cottages
Rocherpan Nature Reserve
Ruff recorded here · Fynbos biome
From R 1,990 a night
Melkkamer Homestead, De Hoop
De Hoop Nature Reserve
Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Fynbos biome · Bontebok · Southern right whale
Price on request
Kingfisher Cottage
Rocherpan Nature Reserve
Ruff recorded here · Fynbos biome
From R 1,500 a night
Flamingo Cottage
Rocherpan Nature Reserve
Ruff recorded here · Fynbos biome
From R 1,430 a night
De Hoop Collection
De Hoop Nature Reserve
Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Fynbos biome · Bontebok · Southern right whale
Price on request
Oystercatcher Cottage
Rocherpan Nature Reserve
Ruff recorded here · Fynbos biome
From R 1,430 a night
Sandpiper Cottage
Rocherpan Nature Reserve
Ruff recorded here · Fynbos biome
From R 1,430 a night
The Whale Trail (De Hoop)
De Hoop Nature Reserve
Ruff recorded here · Fynbos biome · Bontebok · Southern right whale
From R 6,460 a night
Damara Trail (De Mond)
De Mond Nature Reserve
Ruff recorded here · Fynbos biome
From R 3,690 a night
More stays nearby
Coastal Retreat
Benguela Cove, Hermanus
Birder friendly · Fynbos biome
Gives back to Walker Bay Fynbos Conservancy and 1 other
From R 14,985 a night
Thabile Lodge
Oudtshoorn
Succulent Karoo biome · Spekboom
Gives back to Wolwekraal Nature Reserve
From R 1,400 a night
Bitou River Lodge
Wittedrift, Plettenberg Bay
Forest biome
Gives back to National Sea Rescue Institute
From R 2,250 a night
Bartholomeus Klip Farmhouse
Riebeek Valley, Riebeek West
Birder friendly · Fynbos biome · Black wildebeest · Bontebok
Gives back to BirdLife South Africa
From R 5,636 a night
Franschhoek Country House & Villas
Franschhoek
Fynbos biome · English oak
Gives back to Cape Leopard Trust
From R 6,195 a night
Babylonstoren
Klapmuts, Simondium
Angulate tortoise · Wild olive
Price on request
Welgelegen House by RETURN Africa
Gardens, Cape Town
Fynbos biome · English oak
From R 2,800 a night
An African Story by RETURN Africa
Bakoven, Cape Town
Fynbos biome
From R 9,900 a night
La Clé Lodge & Villas
Franschhoek
Fynbos biome · English oak
Price on request
Schoone Oordt Country House
Swellendam
Fynbos biome
Gives back to Barrydale Hospice
From R 4,355 a night
Plumbago Cottage - Stanford Country Cottages
Stanford
Fynbos biome
Gives back to Walker Bay Fynbos Conservancy and 1 other
From R 2,850 a night
Coot Club
Stanford
Birder friendly · Fynbos biome · White milkwood · Southern right whale
Gives back to Walker Bay Fynbos Conservancy
Price on request
Lauradale
Stellenbosch
Fynbos biome · English oak
Gives back to Cape Leopard Trust
From R 1,465 a night
Moonshine on Whiskey Creek
The Crags, Plettenberg Bay
Fynbos biome
Gives back to National Sea Rescue Institute
From R 1,950 a night
The Whale Coast
Next stop
Southern right whales, sea cliffs, and Hermanus's harbour town
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Ruff
Hosts have recorded the Ruff at stays in or beside Rocherpan Nature Reserve, De Hoop Nature Reserve and De Mond Nature Reserve.
Best hours of the day
- The first hours after sunrise, and late afternoon. Birds call and feed most in the cool.
- Midday. Quieter, especially in summer heat.
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
Species
Calidris pugnax
Records
602
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Ruff on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Ruff in Western Cape?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Ruff at stays in or beside Rocherpan Nature Reserve, De Hoop Nature Reserve, De Mond Nature Reserve and Keurbooms River Nature Reserve. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the Ruff in South Africa?
The Ruff is most recorded in Gauteng (32% of records), Western Cape (27% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (14% of records), based on 602 iNaturalist observations. 10 places to stay on Spekboom in Western Cape have recorded the Ruff on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Ruff?
The Ruff is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Rocherpan Nature Reserve: Winter and spring for birds and flowers, Jun-Oct; De Hoop Nature Reserve: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; De Mond Nature Reserve: Summer for terns and waders, Oct-Mar; Keurbooms River Nature Reserve: year-round. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Ruff?
The ruff (Calidris pugnax) is a medium-sized wading bird that breeds in marshes and wet meadows across northern Eurasia. This highly gregarious sandpiper is migratory and sometimes forms huge flocks in its winter grounds, which include southern and western Europe, Africa, southern Asia and Australia.