A living tapestry
under the forest
canopy

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Late sun breaking through the tree canopy over a road inside Dunkirk Estate

Under the forest canopy

Life at Dunkirk is shaped by the indigenous coastal forest, where peaceful trails, abundant birdlife and open green spaces become part of your nature ritual.

Thoughtfully integrated into 42 acres of indigenous coastal forest, the estate was built around the trees rather than through them. The result is shade over the roads, birdsong in the mornings, and gardens that look settled rather than newly planted.

Four children and a bicycle at the lily-covered edge of one of the estate dams
Weaver nests hanging from a branch, silhouetted against a golden sky

Birdlife

Home to more than 150 recorded bird species, Dunkirk is a haven for birdlife. Residents regularly spot Narina Trogons, Crowned Eagles, African Fish Eagles, Woolly-necked Storks and colourful kingfishers throughout the estate. The estate’s tranquil dams are home to ducks and other waterbirds, bringing an ever-present sense of life to the landscape.

A Bushbuck ram standing among the undergrowth of the estate forest

Wildlife

The forest provides a sanctuary for bushbuck and grey duiker, while rare forest orchids flourish at the roots of the trees. If you pause quietly near the estate clubhouse, you may even be lucky enough to spot a young bushbuck grazing nearby.

Owls

The forest canopy is home to resident Spotted Eagle-Owls, often found roosting in pairs through the day, picked out by their ear tufts and striking yellow eyes. They come into their own at dusk, when their soft, two-note hoot carries across the estate as they begin the night's hunt. On a quiet evening they are heard far more often than they are seen.

A pair of Spotted Eagle-Owls perched on a branch in the estate forest
A resident walking along the timber boardwalk through the forest

Forest Boardwalk

Follow the timber boardwalks through the forest, where every walk reveals something new. Along the way you’ll discover tranquil dams for catch-and-release fishing, and the beautiful greenery that makes this landscape so special.

Discover Dunkirk

Walk the forest and the trails before you decide.

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Bird species

More than 150 species have been recorded at Dunkirk. These are some of the ones residents see and hear most often — play a call to listen.

  • African Fish Eagle

    African Fish Eagle

    Instantly recognisable by its ringing call and bold chestnut, black and white markings. Most often seen perched close to open water.

  • Long-crested Eagle

    Long-crested Eagle

    The tall, wispy crest makes this raptor easy to name. Look for it perched high on a bare branch, or circling over open woodland and savanna in search of prey.

  • African Crowned Eagle

    African Crowned Eagle

    One of the most powerful eagles on the continent, boldly marked in black and white. It hunts inside forest rather than over open ground, so the canopy here suits it.

  • Grey Crowned Crane

    Grey Crowned Crane

    Unmistakable for the spray of golden feathers on its head. A bird of wetlands and grassland, best known for its elaborate courtship dance.

  • Cape Wagtail

    Cape Wagtail

    A slim, long-tailed bird with a brown back, pale underparts and a dark band across the chest. The white outer tail feathers show clearly in flight. It favours open ground near water and feeds as it walks, tail bobbing the whole time.

  • Fork-tailed Drongo

    Fork-tailed Drongo

    Named for the deep fork in its tail, and quick and acrobatic on the wing. A gifted mimic, it copies the calls of other birds to startle them off a meal and take it for itself.

  • Moorhen

    Moorhen

    A familiar waterbird, picked out by the red shield on its forehead and the yellow tip to its bill. It does well in wetlands and forages in the shallows.

  • Black Flycatcher

    Black Flycatcher

    Glossy black from bill to tail, and restless with it. An insect hunter that works open woodland and the edges of the forest.

  • Fiscal Shrike

    Fiscal Shrike

    Crisply marked in black and white, with a hooked bill. It earned the name butcher bird from its habit of wedging prey onto thorns.

  • Thick-billed Weaver

    Thick-billed Weaver

    Heavy-billed and a fine builder, weaving tightly worked nests. Males are largely black with a pale bill; females are brown and streaked.

  • Masked Weaver

    Masked Weaver

    In breeding season the males turn bright yellow behind a black face mask. Both sexes are known for the care that goes into their woven nests.

  • Olive Thrush

    Olive Thrush

    Olive-brown above with warm orange below, and as much at home in a garden as in forest. Its song is among the most tuneful you will hear on the estate.

  • Black-headed Oriole

    Black-headed Oriole

    Vivid yellow with a black head and a coral-red bill. Easier to hear than to see: the call is a rich, liquid whistle from somewhere up in the canopy.

  • Cape Robin

    Cape Robin

    A garden regular, marked by an orange breast and a clean white stripe above the eye. Its song is varied and rarely sung the same way twice.

  • African Paradise Flycatcher

    African Paradise Flycatcher

    An inter-African migrant, arriving in September or early October and leaving again in March or early April. Only 17cm of bird, though a male trailing his full tail can measure 37cm.

  • Yellow-billed Kite

    Yellow-billed Kite

    The forked tail and easy, tilting glide give it away. A bird of prey most often seen drifting over open ground and woodland.

  • Speckled Mousebird

    Speckled Mousebird

    Sociable and rarely alone, usually passing through in small parties. Softly speckled, with a tail longer than the rest of it.