18/06/2007
Weather : Sunny
Temp max: 19*C Temp min : 04*C
07:30 07:45 Turn off to ryefield
Group of Bachelor Impalas mock fighting
08:10 Ryefield
2 x Egyptian geese near field
08:15 Ryefield
About 30 ewes and 1 ram on the field (Impala)
08:25 Ryefield
Saw about 12 Blue Cranes land on the field
08:40 2 ponds near gate
Watched a Malachite Kingfisher feeding. Catching its food
08:50 2 ponds near gate
We then noticed a Brownhooded Kingfisher in a tree nearby
09:00 We went up the road towards the mountain near gate but we did not see any animals there except the more familiar birds
09:30 We tried to id a bird in the road without much luck unfortunately
09:35 area between 2 ponds and big stream
another group of Impalas
10:00 Dam near base of mountain
Saw only 3 giraffes and some Zebra's about 100m up from the giraffes
We spent about 2 hours at the dam to see if anything interesting would show up
10:25 A duiker female came down toward the dam but turned back, she seemed to be a bit uncertain about the vehicle
10:30 The redknobbed coots came out onto the water for a bath
10:40 The little female Duiker came back and this time went down to the water for a drink
11:15 We saw a peregrine Falcon in a tree close by the dam
11:35 We saw another Brownhooded Kingfisher
11:40 3 x Kudu's (2 x cows, 1 x calf) came down for a drink as well. The two cows took turns drinking, one always on the lookout.
12:00 The Zebras had moved down closer to the giraffes
12:15 On way back from dam 15 Impalas
12:30 road to mountain
We saw a lone zebra stallion but are pretty sure the rest is close by. Also saw a Giraffe cow and the calf, both look well. In the distance we could now count 7 giraffes near the dam instead of 3, which bring the total number of giraffes seen today to 9
13:30 Went round the back of the mountain and over towards the show lodge
13:40 Saw 1 x Kudu Bull and 4 cows just at back of mountain near road
14:00 Saw 4 x nice Kudu Bulls
14:30 On way back home saw 2 x Redbilled Oxpeckers, one of which had a yellow ring on the left and silver ring on the right foot. This is very good news as these were specially released birds. They were on a group of Impalas at the pond near the house
15:00 Today's report
16:00 We went round the back of the mountain again but did not turn of toward the lodge
16:20 saw 1 x Common Reedbuck
16:45 We saw 10 of the giraffes. They moved round during the course of the day and we also saw 10 x Zebras with them
17:00 Lone giraffe quite a bit further on. The giraffes do not usually spent their time here so it was a surprise to find them at the back
17:30 We turned back toward home
17:50 There was a group of Impalas near the show lodge
Hannes also took the gameviewer in for a service during the course of the day
19/06/2007
Weather : Overcast
Temp max: 14*C Temp min : 08*C
07:30 Dug a trench for a cable up at the show lodge
09:00 We spent the day clearing a road at Geluk for the new vehicle to go through safely
14:00 On our way back from road clearing we saw a Kudu cow and calf on Geluk
14:30 We took a drive to the ryefields and saw 5 x Blesbok, the bachelor Impalas and another big group of Impalas. We also saw 4 x Warthogs on the field. And some Hadeda Ibis and the 2 Egyptian Geese always around.
14:45 We saw 6 of the 14 released Zebras. (3 x foals) near the big stream. They look to be in good condition
14:50 The usual Impala group was near the pond by the house drinking water. Also a Brownhooded Kingfisher and the resident reed cormorant
15:00 We went to the dam near the base of the mountain and saw 2 x Female Duikers. One of which we are sure was the one drinking yesterday
15:25 Saw 5 x Impalas on way back from the dam
Hannes and Mike took the motor out of the pump, it seems to have burned out and needs to be fixed.
Report
19/06/2007 NIGHT DRIVE
20:00 20:00 Close to house
6 x Zebra's - These are the released ones always hanging around the house. Also the usual group of Impalas near the house
20:10 On our way to field
2 x female Common Reedbuck in the field close to house
20:20 On field
a Porcupine running across the road at the field
20:30 On field
Very strangely we only saw 1 x female mountain reedbuck and no Duikers on the field
20:45 On Ryefield
We were very fortunate to have seen 11 Bushpig. This is the first sighting of Bushpig and we are really happy. There were 5 piglets and 6 adults. At first we thought them to be warthogs but we soon realised they were bushpigs
20:50 On Ryefield
1 x common Reedbuck and a very big group of Impalas
21:00 On Ryefield
We saw 10 x Hartebeest. We spent some time there as it looked to us that one of the Hartebeest might have been injured. We will try to look for them again in the morning to confirm as it was too difficult to properly see if it was injured
21:10 On road towards 2 ponds
We saw a young Aardvark just next to the road. Also a rare sighting
21:20 There was nothing at the 2 ponds near the main gate
21:30 Near big stream
A group of bachelor Impalas
21:45 On way to dam near
A Whitefaced Owl flew over us as we drove along base of mountain
21:50 Near dam
About 5 x Impalas near the dam
21:55 At dam near base of mountain
There were only 2 Egyptian Geese on the dam
22:00 on way back from dam a Duiker hiding in the grass
22:20 On road up to mountain
We saw a Black-backed Jackal for the first time in weeks. Even though you can here them around, for some reason we have not seen them much lately
22:35 Further up the road
A Fierynecked Nightjar laying in the road
22:45 On our way back towards home
We saw 12 Giraffes on our way back to the house. 2 calves were there and looking good. There was quite a large group of Zebra's with the Giraffes at this time. They were quite vocal as well.
22:55 Near home
We saw another little Duiker male trying to make himself small in the grass
23:00 Back at home
20/06/2007
Weather : Overcast
Temp max: 14*C Temp min : 06*C
07:30
Did last night’s report and sorted some photos of the previous day
09:00 09:00
Hammerkop and Reed Cormorant at ponds near house
09:10 Near Big stream
Lone Hartebeest. We could not see the rest or the injures one
09:15 On way to Ryefield
group of bachelor Impala's
09:20 Ryefield
There were some more Impala bachelors and many Impalas on the field
09:25 ryefield
4 x Blue Cranes flew over the field
09:35 Grass next to Ryefield
Flock of Redshouldered Widow males and females
09:40 other side of road from ryefield
5 x Blesbok. They ran towards the ryefield. There were about 14 Black and Pied crows in the area
09:50 Donga on way to mountain 1 x male Duiker
10:00 We saw 7 x zebras and 11 of the giraffes. We spent half hour watching them and discovered that one of the females had given birth again
So there is a new baby Giraffe on UmPhafa. We are not sure of the sex but think it might be a little male. It seems to be a couple of weeks old both mum and calf look healthy
10:45 Top of mountain middle
We saw 11 Zebra's on top of the mountain (4 foals)
11:00 top of mountain right side
14 Blesbok on top near fence on firebreak
11:15 1 x Duiker on our way down from mountain
11:30 back home
12:00 -14:00 Took a walk up the Big stream and only saw some Impala's and 2 x Warthogs
14:00 - 16:00 Spend some time getting video footage on the pc and going through some photos. We tried to see if we could find out the sex of the new baby giraffe. We will go on a night drive again tonight to see if we can get some pictures of the bushpigs.
20/06/2007 NIGHT DRIVE
19:00 19:15 Ryefield
Porcupine on the field as well as the usual Impalas and 3 x Hartebeest
19:25 On main road from Ryefield
Impala groups on both the left and the right side of the main road close to the ryefield
19:40 Saw an animal in the bush but was unable to id it. It might have been a Duiker.
19:50 On road toward back of mountain
1 x Cape Vulture next to the road. A very strange sight
Field closest to house 4 x Common Reedbuck
20:05 On way to back of mountain
a Duiker in the bushes
20:10 On way to back of mountain
Another Duiker
20:30 We took the turn off toward the show lodge and saw a Kudu bull next to the road
20:35 Road toward Lodge
Another Kudu Bull sleeping under some trees
20:40 Road toward Lodge
Yet another Kudu bull further up the road
20:55 Near Lodge
Here we saw 5 x Kudu cows sleeping under some trees
21/06/2007
Weather : Sunny
Temp max: 18*C Temp min : 05*C
07:30 Report from last night
08:00 08:30 Near Ryefield
Longcrested Eagle in a tree
08:20 on Ryefield
Small group of Impala's on the field. Not many animals on the field this morning. We might return later in the day to see if any other animals came down to feed
08:30 On top of a tree on main road
A Blackheaded Heron sitting high up in a tree in the sun
08:40 On our way back from mountain on road close to main gate
2 x single Bachelors (one of which was the 1.5 horned one) and a little further on an Impala group in under some acacias
09:05 On our way to the mountain top
We saw 7 of the Giraffes, but unfortunately not the new calf. We did however see 2 Redbilled Oxpeckers. One had a yellow ring on the left and a silver one on the right foot
09:15 Near top next to road
1 x Kudu Bull quite close to the road
09:20 Just on top of the mountain
4 x Kudu Bulls. One was the one horned one
09:25 Bit further on
a Forktailed Drongo in a tree, its face red from the aloe flowers. Almost thought we were looking at an unidentified bird
09:55 We went down the back of the mountain towards the back and saw a Duiker when we just started going down
10:10 As the road started to even out
Another Duiker female in the brush
10:15 Back of the mountain
Another Duiker, this time a little male under a tree
10:25 Near N3 close to the turn off towards lodge
Blackheaded Heron feeding in the area
10:30 About 200m onward
We saw a Secretary bird feeding on something. We tried to get closer but it moved further along. It seem that a Pied crow was giving it some trouble, as it kept trying to get its food
10:35 On way to lodge not far from turnoff
Duiker female walking in the distance
10:45 halfway to lodge
Kudu cow and calf
11:00 near lodge
3 x Kudu Bulls
11:30 Went down to the dam near the base of the mountain to see if we can see anything there today. We spent about an hour and a bit there but nothing turned up
13:00 Near big stream
6 of the 14 Zebras again. (3 foals, 3 adults) They were very calm as we drove by.
13:20 We went back to the ryefield to see what animals there were this time of the day. The usual Impala group was down there (big group) The Blesbok also came down to feed. 5 of them. At this time there was 5 Warthogs on the field (1 female, 4 piglets)
13:50 3 More Warthogs joined the others on the ryefield (1 boar, 2 sows)
14:00 Later on they were joined by 2 more. This time there was a bit of a scuffle as some males took each other on.
14:05 1 more joined the others but from the other side. A young boar. It kept it's distance from the bigger boars
14:15 This was the last one to join before we left the field. Most of the Warthogs ran off when we started the vehicle again
14:30 We saw a Spotted Dikkop in a small shrub next to the road. Dikkop's can be seen at day, but it is much more likely to see them at night
15:00 Did the report for today
15:35 A dead zebra foal was found near the base of the mountain. It was probably killed by Black-backed jackals
Saturday, 30 June 2007
Weekly Report 11th June - 15th June 2007
11/06/2007
Weather : Sunny / windy
Temp max: 19*C Temp min : 05*C
07:30 Got everything ready to finish the firebreak at the back at the N3 highway.
08:30 When we got there the wind was blowing something awful, another day we cannot burn on account of the weather.
09:30 Tugela river
28 x Impala
10:00 Drop the guys of at Tugela river to ringbark some Saringa trees.
10:20 Ryefield
40 x Impala
11:15 Back of mountain N3 side
2 x Rock Dassies or Rock Hyrax / Procavia capensis
12:30 Near showlodge
1 x Kudu bull
13:15 At house
Crested Barbet, Forktail Drongo, Fiscal flycatcher
13:45 Pond at foot of mountain
6 x Zebra
14:00 Road to mountain
13 x Impala ewes
14:40 Top of mountain
2 x Chinspot Batis
15:40 Pond near house
5 x Zebra
16:00 2 Ponds near main gate
2 x Warthogs
16:20 Monitor Valley
1 x Longcrested Eagle, 7 x Pied Crows
12/06/2007
Weather : Sunny / windy
Temp max: 20 *C Temp min : 06 *C
07:30 Went over the previous days work
08:00 Ryefield
27 x Impalas 5 x Blesbuck
08:50 Tugela river at ryefield
Saw dog tracks all over the riverbank
09:00 Tugela river
1 x Common Stonechat, 2 x Reed Cormorant
09:35 Tugela river
2 x African Black ducks
10:00 Ryefield
3 x Warthogs
13:15 Road to pond at foot of mountain
11 x Giraffes, 10 x Zebras
14:00 Pond at foot of mountain
1 x Grey duiker
14:30 Tugela river at back
28 x Impala ewes
14:45 Tugela river at back
23 x Pied Crows feeding on the pecan nuts from the pecan nut trees.
15:00 Road to house
1 x Blackshouldered Kite
13/06/2007
Weather : Sunny
Temp max: 19 *C Temp min : 07 *C
07:30 08:00 Road to main gate
5 x Blesbuck making their way to the ryefield
08:50 Cloustens
1 x Black-backed Jackal
10:20 Pond near house
6 x Zebra - 3 adults, 3 juveniles, 20 x Impala - 15 females, 5 males
10:30 Pond near house
2 x Redbilled Oxpeckers
10:55 Other side of Tugela on ploughed field
13 x Blue Cranes
11:00 Back of showlodge
1 x Black-Crowned Tchagra
11:30 N3 Highway side of farm
1 x Kudu cow, 1 x Grey Duiker female
12:00 Finished burning the back section firebreaks along the N3 Highway side next to fence.
12:10
1 x Jackal Buzzard at the burn site
14:50 Ryefield
6 x Warthogs - 2 adults, 4 juveniles, 5 x Blesbuck, 1 x Brownhooded Kingfisher
15:05 2 Ponds near main gate
2 x South African Shelducks / Tadorna cana - male and female 1 x Malachite Kingfisher
15:20 2 Ponds near main gate
4 x Yellow-fronted Canary
15:40 Thornveld at mountain
4 x Red Hartebeest
14/06/2007
Weather : Sunny
Temp max: 19 *C Temp min : 06 *C
07:30 08:00 Chameleon Valley
5 x Zebras
08:50 Geluk
16 x Impalas
10:00 Geluk
6 x Greenspotted Wood-Dove
10:15 Geluk
1 x Slender Mongoose
12:25 Geluk
1 x Kudu Bull
13:45 Road to main gate
1 x Grey Duiker
15:00 Road to mountain
5 x Warthogs
16:30 Pond at house
2 x African Blackducks
16:45 Ryefield
17 x Helmeted Guineafowl, 3 x Warthogs
17:00 Thornveld at base of mountain
1 x Red Hartebeest, 7 x Zebras, 9 x Giraffes
15/06/2007
Weather : Sunny
Temp max: 18 *C Temp min : 05 *C
07:30 - 11:45
Fixing the water pipe that leads to the house
12:00 Cloustens
2 x Vervet Monkeys / Chlorocebus aethiops
12:45 Ryefield
14 x Warthogs, 5 x Blesbuck, 9 x Guineafowl,
70 x Impala
13:10 Thornveld below mountain
8 x Giraffes
13:15 Pond near house
1 x Giant Kingfisher, 1 x Familiar Chat
13:30 - 15:15
Finished fixing and cleaning pipe and valve of tank that provides water for the house
16:00 Top of mountain
4 x Cape Weavers
16:25 Top of mountain on burn site
14 x Blesbuck
16:50 Road down from mountain
1 x Grey Duiker
Weather : Sunny / windy
Temp max: 19*C Temp min : 05*C
07:30 Got everything ready to finish the firebreak at the back at the N3 highway.
08:30 When we got there the wind was blowing something awful, another day we cannot burn on account of the weather.
09:30 Tugela river
28 x Impala
10:00 Drop the guys of at Tugela river to ringbark some Saringa trees.
10:20 Ryefield
40 x Impala
11:15 Back of mountain N3 side
2 x Rock Dassies or Rock Hyrax / Procavia capensis
12:30 Near showlodge
1 x Kudu bull
13:15 At house
Crested Barbet, Forktail Drongo, Fiscal flycatcher
13:45 Pond at foot of mountain
6 x Zebra
14:00 Road to mountain
13 x Impala ewes
14:40 Top of mountain
2 x Chinspot Batis
15:40 Pond near house
5 x Zebra
16:00 2 Ponds near main gate
2 x Warthogs
16:20 Monitor Valley
1 x Longcrested Eagle, 7 x Pied Crows
12/06/2007
Weather : Sunny / windy
Temp max: 20 *C Temp min : 06 *C
07:30 Went over the previous days work
08:00 Ryefield
27 x Impalas 5 x Blesbuck
08:50 Tugela river at ryefield
Saw dog tracks all over the riverbank
09:00 Tugela river
1 x Common Stonechat, 2 x Reed Cormorant
09:35 Tugela river
2 x African Black ducks
10:00 Ryefield
3 x Warthogs
13:15 Road to pond at foot of mountain
11 x Giraffes, 10 x Zebras
14:00 Pond at foot of mountain
1 x Grey duiker
14:30 Tugela river at back
28 x Impala ewes
14:45 Tugela river at back
23 x Pied Crows feeding on the pecan nuts from the pecan nut trees.
15:00 Road to house
1 x Blackshouldered Kite
13/06/2007
Weather : Sunny
Temp max: 19 *C Temp min : 07 *C
07:30 08:00 Road to main gate
5 x Blesbuck making their way to the ryefield
08:50 Cloustens
1 x Black-backed Jackal
10:20 Pond near house
6 x Zebra - 3 adults, 3 juveniles, 20 x Impala - 15 females, 5 males
10:30 Pond near house
2 x Redbilled Oxpeckers
10:55 Other side of Tugela on ploughed field
13 x Blue Cranes
11:00 Back of showlodge
1 x Black-Crowned Tchagra
11:30 N3 Highway side of farm
1 x Kudu cow, 1 x Grey Duiker female
12:00 Finished burning the back section firebreaks along the N3 Highway side next to fence.
12:10
1 x Jackal Buzzard at the burn site
14:50 Ryefield
6 x Warthogs - 2 adults, 4 juveniles, 5 x Blesbuck, 1 x Brownhooded Kingfisher
15:05 2 Ponds near main gate
2 x South African Shelducks / Tadorna cana - male and female 1 x Malachite Kingfisher
15:20 2 Ponds near main gate
4 x Yellow-fronted Canary
15:40 Thornveld at mountain
4 x Red Hartebeest
14/06/2007
Weather : Sunny
Temp max: 19 *C Temp min : 06 *C
07:30 08:00 Chameleon Valley
5 x Zebras
08:50 Geluk
16 x Impalas
10:00 Geluk
6 x Greenspotted Wood-Dove
10:15 Geluk
1 x Slender Mongoose
12:25 Geluk
1 x Kudu Bull
13:45 Road to main gate
1 x Grey Duiker
15:00 Road to mountain
5 x Warthogs
16:30 Pond at house
2 x African Blackducks
16:45 Ryefield
17 x Helmeted Guineafowl, 3 x Warthogs
17:00 Thornveld at base of mountain
1 x Red Hartebeest, 7 x Zebras, 9 x Giraffes
15/06/2007
Weather : Sunny
Temp max: 18 *C Temp min : 05 *C
07:30 - 11:45
Fixing the water pipe that leads to the house
12:00 Cloustens
2 x Vervet Monkeys / Chlorocebus aethiops
12:45 Ryefield
14 x Warthogs, 5 x Blesbuck, 9 x Guineafowl,
70 x Impala
13:10 Thornveld below mountain
8 x Giraffes
13:15 Pond near house
1 x Giant Kingfisher, 1 x Familiar Chat
13:30 - 15:15
Finished fixing and cleaning pipe and valve of tank that provides water for the house
16:00 Top of mountain
4 x Cape Weavers
16:25 Top of mountain on burn site
14 x Blesbuck
16:50 Road down from mountain
1 x Grey Duiker
Sunday, 17 June 2007
Weekly Report 4th - 8th June 2007
04/06/2007
Weather : Sunny / windy
Temp max: 20 *C Temp min : 08 *C
07:30 Went over the weekends photo's I took of birds and animals, got a beautiful shot of the sunset at Cloustens Farm. Got everything ready for the next firebreak at the N3 highway side.
09:00 Went to burn site, the day was perfect for burning breaks, no wind.
09:45 Started burning. We burnt for about 20 min, when the wind picked-up and we decided to stop and try at another location at the back of the mountain at the N3 highway. When we got there the wind had turned and was too strong. Phoned the weather station to get a report on the weather, wind is going to be blow till Thursday. We are going to continue that side on Thursday.
12:00 Saw the Giraffes on the way back at the base of the mountain
12:00 Base of mountain 11 x Giraffes, 6 x Zebra
12:45 Went to top of mountain, saw the Giraffes and Zebra on the way, they moved to the other side of the mountain.
13:45 Top of mountain 11 x Blesbuck (Very windy up there)
14:30 Went to Ryefield, one of the sprayers had broken, fixing it.
14:45 Ryefield 5 x Blesbuck, 1 x Blackheaded,Heron, 22 x Impala rams ( Group of bachelors ),14 x Hadeda Ibis
15:00 Tugela river at Ryefield, 1 x Perigrine Falcon chasing ( hunting )Turtle Dove.
15:20 Monitor Valley 13 x Impala rams ( another group of bachelors ).
16:00 Arrived home, sorting photo's on computer and writing the daysreport.
05/06/2007Weather : Sunny / windy
Temp max: 24 *C Temp min : 10 *C
08:00 Meeting
10:00 Monitor Valle 6 x Zebra ( 3 adults, 3 babies )
10:20 Near Ryefield 32 x Impalas ( 1 male, 25 females, 6 juveniles )
10:30 Ryefield 5 x Blesbuck,19 x Impalas,34 x Hadeda Ibis,Have not seen the Blue Cranes for a while now.
11:10 Pond near house The Zebra we released are settling in there,they look very calm.
12:45 Road near monitor valley 5 x Waterbuck ( 1 male, 4 females ),
13:00 Went with Mike to see where the firebreak has to be finished at theback of Geluk Farm, spent the rest of the day there. Fixed the roadup there for the tractor and vehicles that we are going to need forthe burning of the firebreak. Saw most of Geluk Farm just to know the area at the back there. Really nice there. Saw 1 x Kudu female and lots of Duiker and Warthog tracks.
16:10 Geluk Farm 2 x Warthogs, 1 x Emerald spotted Wood-Dove
16:25 Arrived home.
06/06/2007
Weather : Cloudy / Raining
Temp max: 23 *C Temp min : 14 *C
07:30 Went over yesterdays work.
08:00 Went to Cloustens to check on the progress of the fence.
08:30 Checked the fence, it is coming on well, could not burn firebreakstoday because of the weather, it was raining the whole day.
09:00 Spent some time marking and making holes for the fences cornerposts.
10:00 Ryefield 27 x Impalas ( 1 male, 22 females, 4 juveniles ),1 x Blesbuck
11:00 Took the gameviewer to drag a tree out of the road, that fell downand was blocking the road, went well, got the tree out of the way.11:30 Pond near ft of mountain 7 x Hartebeest ( 6 adults, 1 juvenile )
12:00 Road to top of mountain 1 x Hartebeest male,1 x Giraffe male
12:30 Side of mountain at showlodge 5 x Zebra ( It is some of the newone we released, they look in good condition ). There are 6 xZebra from the released group of 14 that is settling in nicely next to the house at the pond, 3 females and 3 juveniles. We are very happy and glad, they all look in great condition.
13:30 Top of mountain 11 x Blesbuck at the burn sitewhere we made the fire breaks.14:30 Went to Cloustens
14:50 Mountain at Cloustens near road at Tugela river - Vervet Monkeys in the bushes near the river, could not see them, but you could hear their calls and screams
14:55 Mountain at Cloustens 2 x Kudu females ( 1 adult, 1 juvenile )
15:25 Mountain at Cloustens 2 x Kudu males
15:35 Mountain at Cloustens Little Bee-Eater / Merops pusillus
16:00 Mountain at Cloustens 1 x Grey Duiker
16:35 Mountain at Cloustens Saw a Buffalo Thorn tree that hasbeen knibbled at the bottom by a porcupine, took some photo's.
17:15 Arrived home.5 mm of rain today
07/06/2007
Weather : Sunny Temp max: 19 *C Temp min : 05 *C
07:30 Yesterday's report
08:00 Got everything ready for the burning of the firebreaks
08:30 Went back to the N3 side next to the fence
09:00 Started the fire, but the grass was too wet from previous day's rain.It burned really slow
10:45 It was starting to get drier so we burned more intensely
11:25 Burnt about 900m along the fence, saw a White Stork on the burntareas and it was joined by 4 Blackheaded Herons12:00 Stopped after 1.8km
12:10 Went back home to fill watercarts and firefighters
12:50 Moved to a new location and saw 3 x Jackal Buzzards on the way
13:30 Got to the cornerpost at back next to N3 and started the fire for thefirebreak again
15:10 We stopped burning as the wind was starting to pick up and it gottoo risky to keep burning
15:45 Got back home and saw 6 x Cape Vultures and 1 xBlackshouldered Kite along the way
08/06/2007
Weather : Sunny
Temp max: 10 *C Temp min : 04 *C
07:30 Yesterday's Report and put the capture clips on cd
08:30 Prepared the new vehicle for the farm. We took the canopy off. Didsome road clearing for new vehicle, trimmed branches
10:00 Pond near house Hammerkop10:25 Road to Ryefield 3 x Adult Egyptian Mongoose running
10:30 Ryefield 5 x Blesbok and a big group of Impalas
10:35 Ryefields Hadeda Ibis and a BrownhoodedKingfisher
10:45 On way from Ryefield 4 x Warthogs just next to road
10:50 Went up the road toward Saw nothing on way upmountain, near gate
11:10 On way back down 6 Zebras which includes 1 x foal and a l lone Hartebeest
12:20 On road up the Mountain We saw some of the Giraffes when wewent up the mountain but could not count them
12:35 Near base of mountain 1 x Kudu Bull, 1 x cow and 3 calves
13:10 On top of mountain Yellowbreasted Pipit (Anthus chloris)
14:00 Went down the back of mountain
15:00 Back of mountain 2 x Blackheaded Herons feeding on thefirebreak
15:15 Further along 1 x Kudu bull, 3 cows and 1 x calf
15:35 On way to farm back from Longcrested Eagle in a treemountain
16:00 Back homeFact of the week : Blesbok rams mark their home ranges with dung middens. The territorial ram anoints his face in them so that the scent marks him as the dominant male in the area
Weather : Sunny / windy
Temp max: 20 *C Temp min : 08 *C
07:30 Went over the weekends photo's I took of birds and animals, got a beautiful shot of the sunset at Cloustens Farm. Got everything ready for the next firebreak at the N3 highway side.
09:00 Went to burn site, the day was perfect for burning breaks, no wind.
09:45 Started burning. We burnt for about 20 min, when the wind picked-up and we decided to stop and try at another location at the back of the mountain at the N3 highway. When we got there the wind had turned and was too strong. Phoned the weather station to get a report on the weather, wind is going to be blow till Thursday. We are going to continue that side on Thursday.
12:00 Saw the Giraffes on the way back at the base of the mountain
12:00 Base of mountain 11 x Giraffes, 6 x Zebra
12:45 Went to top of mountain, saw the Giraffes and Zebra on the way, they moved to the other side of the mountain.
13:45 Top of mountain 11 x Blesbuck (Very windy up there)
14:30 Went to Ryefield, one of the sprayers had broken, fixing it.
14:45 Ryefield 5 x Blesbuck, 1 x Blackheaded,Heron, 22 x Impala rams ( Group of bachelors ),14 x Hadeda Ibis
15:00 Tugela river at Ryefield, 1 x Perigrine Falcon chasing ( hunting )Turtle Dove.
15:20 Monitor Valley 13 x Impala rams ( another group of bachelors ).
16:00 Arrived home, sorting photo's on computer and writing the daysreport.
05/06/2007Weather : Sunny / windy
Temp max: 24 *C Temp min : 10 *C
08:00 Meeting
10:00 Monitor Valle 6 x Zebra ( 3 adults, 3 babies )
10:20 Near Ryefield 32 x Impalas ( 1 male, 25 females, 6 juveniles )
10:30 Ryefield 5 x Blesbuck,19 x Impalas,34 x Hadeda Ibis,Have not seen the Blue Cranes for a while now.
11:10 Pond near house The Zebra we released are settling in there,they look very calm.
12:45 Road near monitor valley 5 x Waterbuck ( 1 male, 4 females ),
13:00 Went with Mike to see where the firebreak has to be finished at theback of Geluk Farm, spent the rest of the day there. Fixed the roadup there for the tractor and vehicles that we are going to need forthe burning of the firebreak. Saw most of Geluk Farm just to know the area at the back there. Really nice there. Saw 1 x Kudu female and lots of Duiker and Warthog tracks.
16:10 Geluk Farm 2 x Warthogs, 1 x Emerald spotted Wood-Dove
16:25 Arrived home.
06/06/2007
Weather : Cloudy / Raining
Temp max: 23 *C Temp min : 14 *C
07:30 Went over yesterdays work.
08:00 Went to Cloustens to check on the progress of the fence.
08:30 Checked the fence, it is coming on well, could not burn firebreakstoday because of the weather, it was raining the whole day.
09:00 Spent some time marking and making holes for the fences cornerposts.
10:00 Ryefield 27 x Impalas ( 1 male, 22 females, 4 juveniles ),1 x Blesbuck
11:00 Took the gameviewer to drag a tree out of the road, that fell downand was blocking the road, went well, got the tree out of the way.11:30 Pond near ft of mountain 7 x Hartebeest ( 6 adults, 1 juvenile )
12:00 Road to top of mountain 1 x Hartebeest male,1 x Giraffe male
12:30 Side of mountain at showlodge 5 x Zebra ( It is some of the newone we released, they look in good condition ). There are 6 xZebra from the released group of 14 that is settling in nicely next to the house at the pond, 3 females and 3 juveniles. We are very happy and glad, they all look in great condition.
13:30 Top of mountain 11 x Blesbuck at the burn sitewhere we made the fire breaks.14:30 Went to Cloustens
14:50 Mountain at Cloustens near road at Tugela river - Vervet Monkeys in the bushes near the river, could not see them, but you could hear their calls and screams
14:55 Mountain at Cloustens 2 x Kudu females ( 1 adult, 1 juvenile )
15:25 Mountain at Cloustens 2 x Kudu males
15:35 Mountain at Cloustens Little Bee-Eater / Merops pusillus
16:00 Mountain at Cloustens 1 x Grey Duiker
16:35 Mountain at Cloustens Saw a Buffalo Thorn tree that hasbeen knibbled at the bottom by a porcupine, took some photo's.
17:15 Arrived home.5 mm of rain today
07/06/2007
Weather : Sunny Temp max: 19 *C Temp min : 05 *C
07:30 Yesterday's report
08:00 Got everything ready for the burning of the firebreaks
08:30 Went back to the N3 side next to the fence
09:00 Started the fire, but the grass was too wet from previous day's rain.It burned really slow
10:45 It was starting to get drier so we burned more intensely
11:25 Burnt about 900m along the fence, saw a White Stork on the burntareas and it was joined by 4 Blackheaded Herons12:00 Stopped after 1.8km
12:10 Went back home to fill watercarts and firefighters
12:50 Moved to a new location and saw 3 x Jackal Buzzards on the way
13:30 Got to the cornerpost at back next to N3 and started the fire for thefirebreak again
15:10 We stopped burning as the wind was starting to pick up and it gottoo risky to keep burning
15:45 Got back home and saw 6 x Cape Vultures and 1 xBlackshouldered Kite along the way
08/06/2007
Weather : Sunny
Temp max: 10 *C Temp min : 04 *C
07:30 Yesterday's Report and put the capture clips on cd
08:30 Prepared the new vehicle for the farm. We took the canopy off. Didsome road clearing for new vehicle, trimmed branches
10:00 Pond near house Hammerkop10:25 Road to Ryefield 3 x Adult Egyptian Mongoose running
10:30 Ryefield 5 x Blesbok and a big group of Impalas
10:35 Ryefields Hadeda Ibis and a BrownhoodedKingfisher
10:45 On way from Ryefield 4 x Warthogs just next to road
10:50 Went up the road toward Saw nothing on way upmountain, near gate
11:10 On way back down 6 Zebras which includes 1 x foal and a l lone Hartebeest
12:20 On road up the Mountain We saw some of the Giraffes when wewent up the mountain but could not count them
12:35 Near base of mountain 1 x Kudu Bull, 1 x cow and 3 calves
13:10 On top of mountain Yellowbreasted Pipit (Anthus chloris)
14:00 Went down the back of mountain
15:00 Back of mountain 2 x Blackheaded Herons feeding on thefirebreak
15:15 Further along 1 x Kudu bull, 3 cows and 1 x calf
15:35 On way to farm back from Longcrested Eagle in a treemountain
16:00 Back homeFact of the week : Blesbok rams mark their home ranges with dung middens. The territorial ram anoints his face in them so that the scent marks him as the dominant male in the area
Weekly Report 28th May - 1st June
28/05/2007
Weather : Sunny
Temp max: 20 *C Temp min : 08 *C
08:00 08:30 Pond near house
2 x African Blackducks, 1 x Hammerkop, 1 x Brownhooded Kingfisher
09:00 Ryefield 66 x Blue Cranes - Saw the broken legged crane again
Today, 2 x Grey (Southern) Crowned Crane /
Balearica regulorum, 2 x Egyptian geese, 1 x Hadeda Ibis, 3 x Impala females,1 x Warthog, Loads of Greater Cane Rats / Thryonomys swiderianus in the grass next to ryefield
Drove to Geluk farm to walk around there and see what I can find.
09:50 Geluk farm 1 x Grey Duiker female
10:00 Geluk farm 2 x Impala males
10.30 Geluk farm 1 x Green ( Emerald ), spotted Wood Dove
10:40 Geluk farm 1 x Grey Duiker male, 1 x Hammerkop
10:45 Geluk farm 1 x Mocking Cliff-Chat female
10:50 Geluk farm Saw some nice fresh monitor tracks and I followed
them for a while to find 2 x big Monitor lizards, on the banks of a dried out stream.
11:45 Geluk farm 5 x Kudus - 3 adults and 2 juv.
12:00 Geluk farm Walked in a dry stream when I saw a swarm of
bees moving over head.
12:25 Geluk farm Walked to the end of the stream to a pond next to
the mountain saw: 2 x Egyptian geese, 2 x African Blackducks,1 x Warthog wallowing in the mud.
13:00 Got back to the Gameviewer to go back, when a big Hammerkop
flew about 2 meters over head. Stopped at ryefield to check on things.
13:30 Ryefield 67 x Blue cranes, 58 x Impala, 10 x Hadeda Ibis
2 x Black Crows
Stopped at monitor valley to walk to Tugela river, saw the usual birds and the monitors at their den at the Tugela.
15:30 Road to pond at 3 x Kudus - 1 male and 2 females
ft. of mountain
16:00 Near pond at 3 x Giraffes
ft. of mountain
16:10 Pond at ft of mountain 8 x Warthogs - 4 adults and 4 juv
8 x Impala females
29/05/2007
Weather : Sunny
Temp max: 21 *C Temp min : 04 *C
07:30 - 10:00 Writing report and identifying birds and insects from photo's
taken the day before.
10:00 10:10 Monitor valley 3 x Giraffes, 2 males 1 female
10:20 Ryefield 30 x Impala, 65 x Blue Cranes ,1x Lanner Falcon
1 x Peregrine Falcon, The Lanner Falcon was harassing
the Peregrine Falcon in the air, beautiful arial skills was
displayed by both falcons.
11:00 Ryefield 1 x Forktailed Drongo, 2 x Longcrested Eagles, they
were very vocal flying from tree to tree, maybe breeding
pair, 2 x Black Crows, 1 x Brownhooded Kingfisher
11:30 Fence near main gate 1 x Cape Robin, 1 x Natal Francolin,
1 x Forkedtail Drongo
12:00 - Took lots of pictures of birds for the website and identification at home.
12:20 - Arrived home
12:30 - 16:00 Spent rest of the day identifying the photo's of the birds
and insects and writing the report.
Birds photographed: Cardinal Woodpecker
Blackeyed Bulbul
Kurrichane Thrush / Turdus libonyanus
Cape Turtle-Dove
Black-Collared Barbet
Blue Waxbill
Southern Boubou
Pin-tailed Whydah female
Crested Barbet
Forktailed Drongo
Longcrested Eagles - Nice photo of both sitting on the top branches of a tree.
Blue Cranes
Insects photographed: Snouted Harvested Termites / Trinervitermes
Cockroach / Deropeltis erythrocephala
Whipscorpion from the Order Amblypygi
30/05/2007
Weather : Sunny
Temp max: 21 *C Temp min : 05 *C
07:30 Got everything ready for the burning of the firebreak on mountain next to fence
08:00 Depart for mountain
08:40 Started burning - Burned about 800m along the fence on top of mountain, where the Blesbok are -
- 14x Blesbuck
- 1x Kudu at corner post
10:45 Finished burning
11:30 Got back to house - went to main gate for the arrival of the 5
female waterbuck that is going to be released on the reserve.
- 3x adults
- 2x sub-adults
12:00 Truck arrived - animals conditions checked by vet before release –
Released successfully.
12:20 Ryefield: - 47x Blue Cranes
- 5x Blesbuck
- 50x Impala
12:50 Monitor Valley - 5x Giraffe (drinking water)
13:00 At House - Bachelor group Impala
13:35 Got call that 14 Zebra arriving to be released on reserve:
- 10 females ( 4 young)
- 4 males
15:00 Zebras arrived, checked by vet, all in good condition
15:25 Successfully released.
15:40 Saw 1x female Zebra near release sight, could hear released Zebra
group calling each other for regrouping.
Am very happy with the success in the release of the 2 antelope species, and will continue in monitoring on a daily basis (if possible).
31/05/2007
Weather : Sunny
Temp max: 21 *C Temp min : 07 *C
07:30 Got everything ready to finish the next stage of the firebreak up at
the mountain
08:00 Left for the mountain, saw 5 x Zebra on the way near the show
lodge at the bottom, it was 5 of the Zebra we released yesterday, they look calm and settled in and you can hear their plaintive two-phase barking brays as they call to each other.
08:40 Got to the top, but it was too windy to burn a firebreak, had to turn
back.
09:20 Went to Geluk farm to test burn down there, too see if the wind was
going to allow us to burn down there, burned a little patch, but it got
too dangerous to carry on, the wind was swirling too much, so we
stopped. Decided to change plans, went to check the game fence for damage, saw 2 places that needed fixing. ( Kudu messed up the fence at Cloustens Farm on the road )
11:00 Fixed the Fence
12:30 Returned to main gate for arrival of 5 x Waterbuck females that is
set to be released on Elworthy Farm.
13:30 Waterbuck arrived, we checked their condition, looked good,
successful release.
14:30 Went to Cloustens with Ed and Mike, to look for a good place to make
the main road for the reserve. Got a photo of a Strangular Fig tree
strangling a Paperbark Acacia on Cloustens.
15:30 Cloustens farm 5 x Kudus, 2 Females, 3 Males
16:45 Cloustens farm 1 x Grey Duiker
17:15 Cloustens farm 1 x Common Reedbuck
17:30 Returned home.
01/06/2007
Weather : Sunny
Temp max: 23 *C Temp min : 08 *C
07:30 Wrote Report of previous day and went over yesterdays work.
09:00 Left for Cloustens farm.
09:30 Walked 7km at back of mountain on Cloustens where they are
going to build the lodges and hotel. Mike, Ed and I were walking around to look for the best place to build a road to get around to all the building sites. Saw 1 x Grey Duiker while walking around up there, the terrain is very rocky and to build a road up there will be
difficult but possible. In the 2 days we were their we walked 13km
around the area.
12:30 Got back to Gameviewer
13:00 Road back to house 4 x Kudus, 3 Sub-adults, 1 Juvenile
near ryefield
13:10 Ryefield 45 x Impala
25 x Blue Cranes
10 x Hadeda Ibis
1 x Warthog
14:45 Arrived home, went over the places we thought will be a good place to build the roads, got GPS locations for them. Going to go back Monday and see if we can find better terrain or places we missed. But so far it looks good.
16:00 Finished report.
FACT OF THE WEEK : The Hammerkop is the only member of its family and is confined to Africa and Madagascar.
Weather : Sunny
Temp max: 20 *C Temp min : 08 *C
08:00 08:30 Pond near house
2 x African Blackducks, 1 x Hammerkop, 1 x Brownhooded Kingfisher
09:00 Ryefield 66 x Blue Cranes - Saw the broken legged crane again
Today, 2 x Grey (Southern) Crowned Crane /
Balearica regulorum, 2 x Egyptian geese, 1 x Hadeda Ibis, 3 x Impala females,1 x Warthog, Loads of Greater Cane Rats / Thryonomys swiderianus in the grass next to ryefield
Drove to Geluk farm to walk around there and see what I can find.
09:50 Geluk farm 1 x Grey Duiker female
10:00 Geluk farm 2 x Impala males
10.30 Geluk farm 1 x Green ( Emerald ), spotted Wood Dove
10:40 Geluk farm 1 x Grey Duiker male, 1 x Hammerkop
10:45 Geluk farm 1 x Mocking Cliff-Chat female
10:50 Geluk farm Saw some nice fresh monitor tracks and I followed
them for a while to find 2 x big Monitor lizards, on the banks of a dried out stream.
11:45 Geluk farm 5 x Kudus - 3 adults and 2 juv.
12:00 Geluk farm Walked in a dry stream when I saw a swarm of
bees moving over head.
12:25 Geluk farm Walked to the end of the stream to a pond next to
the mountain saw: 2 x Egyptian geese, 2 x African Blackducks,1 x Warthog wallowing in the mud.
13:00 Got back to the Gameviewer to go back, when a big Hammerkop
flew about 2 meters over head. Stopped at ryefield to check on things.
13:30 Ryefield 67 x Blue cranes, 58 x Impala, 10 x Hadeda Ibis
2 x Black Crows
Stopped at monitor valley to walk to Tugela river, saw the usual birds and the monitors at their den at the Tugela.
15:30 Road to pond at 3 x Kudus - 1 male and 2 females
ft. of mountain
16:00 Near pond at 3 x Giraffes
ft. of mountain
16:10 Pond at ft of mountain 8 x Warthogs - 4 adults and 4 juv
8 x Impala females
29/05/2007
Weather : Sunny
Temp max: 21 *C Temp min : 04 *C
07:30 - 10:00 Writing report and identifying birds and insects from photo's
taken the day before.
10:00 10:10 Monitor valley 3 x Giraffes, 2 males 1 female
10:20 Ryefield 30 x Impala, 65 x Blue Cranes ,1x Lanner Falcon
1 x Peregrine Falcon, The Lanner Falcon was harassing
the Peregrine Falcon in the air, beautiful arial skills was
displayed by both falcons.
11:00 Ryefield 1 x Forktailed Drongo, 2 x Longcrested Eagles, they
were very vocal flying from tree to tree, maybe breeding
pair, 2 x Black Crows, 1 x Brownhooded Kingfisher
11:30 Fence near main gate 1 x Cape Robin, 1 x Natal Francolin,
1 x Forkedtail Drongo
12:00 - Took lots of pictures of birds for the website and identification at home.
12:20 - Arrived home
12:30 - 16:00 Spent rest of the day identifying the photo's of the birds
and insects and writing the report.
Birds photographed: Cardinal Woodpecker
Blackeyed Bulbul
Kurrichane Thrush / Turdus libonyanus
Cape Turtle-Dove
Black-Collared Barbet
Blue Waxbill
Southern Boubou
Pin-tailed Whydah female
Crested Barbet
Forktailed Drongo
Longcrested Eagles - Nice photo of both sitting on the top branches of a tree.
Blue Cranes
Insects photographed: Snouted Harvested Termites / Trinervitermes
Cockroach / Deropeltis erythrocephala
Whipscorpion from the Order Amblypygi
30/05/2007
Weather : Sunny
Temp max: 21 *C Temp min : 05 *C
07:30 Got everything ready for the burning of the firebreak on mountain next to fence
08:00 Depart for mountain
08:40 Started burning - Burned about 800m along the fence on top of mountain, where the Blesbok are -
- 14x Blesbuck
- 1x Kudu at corner post
10:45 Finished burning
11:30 Got back to house - went to main gate for the arrival of the 5
female waterbuck that is going to be released on the reserve.
- 3x adults
- 2x sub-adults
12:00 Truck arrived - animals conditions checked by vet before release –
Released successfully.
12:20 Ryefield: - 47x Blue Cranes
- 5x Blesbuck
- 50x Impala
12:50 Monitor Valley - 5x Giraffe (drinking water)
13:00 At House - Bachelor group Impala
13:35 Got call that 14 Zebra arriving to be released on reserve:
- 10 females ( 4 young)
- 4 males
15:00 Zebras arrived, checked by vet, all in good condition
15:25 Successfully released.
15:40 Saw 1x female Zebra near release sight, could hear released Zebra
group calling each other for regrouping.
Am very happy with the success in the release of the 2 antelope species, and will continue in monitoring on a daily basis (if possible).
31/05/2007
Weather : Sunny
Temp max: 21 *C Temp min : 07 *C
07:30 Got everything ready to finish the next stage of the firebreak up at
the mountain
08:00 Left for the mountain, saw 5 x Zebra on the way near the show
lodge at the bottom, it was 5 of the Zebra we released yesterday, they look calm and settled in and you can hear their plaintive two-phase barking brays as they call to each other.
08:40 Got to the top, but it was too windy to burn a firebreak, had to turn
back.
09:20 Went to Geluk farm to test burn down there, too see if the wind was
going to allow us to burn down there, burned a little patch, but it got
too dangerous to carry on, the wind was swirling too much, so we
stopped. Decided to change plans, went to check the game fence for damage, saw 2 places that needed fixing. ( Kudu messed up the fence at Cloustens Farm on the road )
11:00 Fixed the Fence
12:30 Returned to main gate for arrival of 5 x Waterbuck females that is
set to be released on Elworthy Farm.
13:30 Waterbuck arrived, we checked their condition, looked good,
successful release.
14:30 Went to Cloustens with Ed and Mike, to look for a good place to make
the main road for the reserve. Got a photo of a Strangular Fig tree
strangling a Paperbark Acacia on Cloustens.
15:30 Cloustens farm 5 x Kudus, 2 Females, 3 Males
16:45 Cloustens farm 1 x Grey Duiker
17:15 Cloustens farm 1 x Common Reedbuck
17:30 Returned home.
01/06/2007
Weather : Sunny
Temp max: 23 *C Temp min : 08 *C
07:30 Wrote Report of previous day and went over yesterdays work.
09:00 Left for Cloustens farm.
09:30 Walked 7km at back of mountain on Cloustens where they are
going to build the lodges and hotel. Mike, Ed and I were walking around to look for the best place to build a road to get around to all the building sites. Saw 1 x Grey Duiker while walking around up there, the terrain is very rocky and to build a road up there will be
difficult but possible. In the 2 days we were their we walked 13km
around the area.
12:30 Got back to Gameviewer
13:00 Road back to house 4 x Kudus, 3 Sub-adults, 1 Juvenile
near ryefield
13:10 Ryefield 45 x Impala
25 x Blue Cranes
10 x Hadeda Ibis
1 x Warthog
14:45 Arrived home, went over the places we thought will be a good place to build the roads, got GPS locations for them. Going to go back Monday and see if we can find better terrain or places we missed. But so far it looks good.
16:00 Finished report.
FACT OF THE WEEK : The Hammerkop is the only member of its family and is confined to Africa and Madagascar.
Wednesday, 6 June 2007
Weekly Reports 21st - 25th May 2007
21st May
Weather - Sunny but windy
Temp Max 21*C / Min 07*C
8.00
Took Richard to see Colenso School. Videoed school and new fencing
Near the house - 1 Group of Impalas
At Rye fields - 5 Blesbok, 45 Impalas and a little way on 3 Impala Bachelors
Rye fields - 1 Warthog near road and 2 Warthog Boars fighting in middle of field
Near 2 ponds house - Slender Mongoose running across road
Near show lodge - A Secretary bird was feeding in the grass
Fields near house - Group of Impalas
15.00
Noticed smoke over mountain - turned out to be a big veld fire, luckily it was on other side on N3 and far from UmPhafa
22nd May
Weather - Sunny but cold
Temp max - 17*C min - 11*C
Dee spent most of the day getting Richards’s video footage ready and on CD
8.30
Rye fields - 6 Blue Cranes and 9 Hadeda Ibis and 40 Impalas on other side of field
Big stream leading to Tugela - Eagle Owl
Tugela River - 2 Nile Monitors
Big stream - Unidentified toad near the area where we saw the Owl
Big stream towards mountain - Walked about 400 m up and found snake shedding in a hole in the dry bed. Fierynecked Nightjar. We walked to the end of the dry stream near the foot of the mountain and then walked back through the bushveld to the Gameviewer. On our way back we came across an old Zulu hut. It had no roof but the walls were still standing
Night Drive
Weather - cold
19.00
Field near house - 2 Duikers and big herd of Impala on field
Rye Fields - 5 Blesbok then 4 more few minutes later
We did not see anything else for rest of the trip
23rd May
Weather - Sunny but cold
Temp Max 16*C / Min 2*C
8.30
Walked down mountain on N3 Highway side - nice dense rocky areas, signs of Kudu, Mountain Reedbuck and Scrubhares. Took us about 1.5 hours to walk half way down mountain because of the rocky dense conditions
Dry Stream bed - Chinspot Batis and Greater Double Collard Sunbird
Got to a nice rock face on side of mountain - expect will be a nice waterfall come the rainy season. Signs of Porcupine and a Porcupine den. Found pottery shards between the rock crevices, may be clay pots of earlier settlers or Zulu pottery. Sent them away for dating. Took some nice photos and video footage
Hiked back to game viewer on a different route - 2 Kudu bulls
On way back - Lots of Pied Crows and a Longcrested Eagle
Ryegrass field - group of Impala and Bachelor Impala, 6 Blue Cranes, 1 Warthog
2Ponds near main gate - 6 Giraffes (baby looks wonderfully healthy), 5 Zebra stallions
24th May
Weather - Sunny but cold
Temp Max 15*C / Min 2*C
Meeting from 8.00 in regards to releasing Elang, Zebra on Elworthy farm on Wednesday
12.00
Ryegrass - 15 Blue Cranes, 5 Blesbok, 45 Impalas
Geluk Farm - 3 Kudu's. Kudu cow chewing on a bone, probably looking for some trace element out of the bone. That is called Osteophagy - the practice of eating bones by an animal in who the behaviour is not common, for example, an antelope
Walked up the mountain on Geluk farm for any rock paintings, saw Blackeyed Bulbulls and loads of Hoopoe, Duiker and Kudu tracks
No rock paintings so far
Geluk Farm - 4 Red billed Oxpeckers on a cow, 4 Impala rams, 2 Greenspotted Wood Dove, 1 male Warthog
Ryegrass field - 2 Warthogs males, 15 Blue Cranes, Heron, 1Blackheaded and juvenile Impalas, 11 Impala rams
Foot of mountain - 7 Giraffes
25th May
Weather - Sunny but cold
Temp Max 17*C / Min 4*C
8.00
Foot of mountain - 7 Red Hartebeest
Stream that leads to Tugela - 1 Duiker male
Pond at foot of mountain - Brownhooded Kingfisher, Malachite Kingfisher
Road back from pond - Neddicky, Fiscal Flycatcher, Blackeyed Bulbulls
Near house - 11 Impala females, 3 x Impala juvenile both males
Road leading to Rye field - 6 Giraffes 2 males, 2 females, & two young ones. 1 Zebra follows the Young Giraffe around. Can hear Blue Cranes n the rye field, very vocal today
Rye fields - 31 Blue Cranes, one badly broken leg, 36 Impalas
2 Ponds near gate - 1 Warthog
Near main gate on road - 4 Kudu females
Went home to get Richard ready for trip home, and write report, it was a pleasure to have Richard here and we hope to see him again someday
FACT OF THEWEEK: the Blackheaded Centipede-eater feeds exclusively on centipedes, occasionally centipedes manage to kill and eat the snake instead.
Q. Is the Blackheaded Centipede-eater venomous or not?
A. Yes, but only mildly venomous, and no danger to man.
Weather - Sunny but windy
Temp Max 21*C / Min 07*C
8.00
Took Richard to see Colenso School. Videoed school and new fencing
Near the house - 1 Group of Impalas
At Rye fields - 5 Blesbok, 45 Impalas and a little way on 3 Impala Bachelors
Rye fields - 1 Warthog near road and 2 Warthog Boars fighting in middle of field
Near 2 ponds house - Slender Mongoose running across road
Near show lodge - A Secretary bird was feeding in the grass
Fields near house - Group of Impalas
15.00
Noticed smoke over mountain - turned out to be a big veld fire, luckily it was on other side on N3 and far from UmPhafa
22nd May
Weather - Sunny but cold
Temp max - 17*C min - 11*C
Dee spent most of the day getting Richards’s video footage ready and on CD
8.30
Rye fields - 6 Blue Cranes and 9 Hadeda Ibis and 40 Impalas on other side of field
Big stream leading to Tugela - Eagle Owl
Tugela River - 2 Nile Monitors
Big stream - Unidentified toad near the area where we saw the Owl
Big stream towards mountain - Walked about 400 m up and found snake shedding in a hole in the dry bed. Fierynecked Nightjar. We walked to the end of the dry stream near the foot of the mountain and then walked back through the bushveld to the Gameviewer. On our way back we came across an old Zulu hut. It had no roof but the walls were still standing
Night Drive
Weather - cold
19.00
Field near house - 2 Duikers and big herd of Impala on field
Rye Fields - 5 Blesbok then 4 more few minutes later
We did not see anything else for rest of the trip
23rd May
Weather - Sunny but cold
Temp Max 16*C / Min 2*C
8.30
Walked down mountain on N3 Highway side - nice dense rocky areas, signs of Kudu, Mountain Reedbuck and Scrubhares. Took us about 1.5 hours to walk half way down mountain because of the rocky dense conditions
Dry Stream bed - Chinspot Batis and Greater Double Collard Sunbird
Got to a nice rock face on side of mountain - expect will be a nice waterfall come the rainy season. Signs of Porcupine and a Porcupine den. Found pottery shards between the rock crevices, may be clay pots of earlier settlers or Zulu pottery. Sent them away for dating. Took some nice photos and video footage
Hiked back to game viewer on a different route - 2 Kudu bulls
On way back - Lots of Pied Crows and a Longcrested Eagle
Ryegrass field - group of Impala and Bachelor Impala, 6 Blue Cranes, 1 Warthog
2Ponds near main gate - 6 Giraffes (baby looks wonderfully healthy), 5 Zebra stallions
24th May
Weather - Sunny but cold
Temp Max 15*C / Min 2*C
Meeting from 8.00 in regards to releasing Elang, Zebra on Elworthy farm on Wednesday
12.00
Ryegrass - 15 Blue Cranes, 5 Blesbok, 45 Impalas
Geluk Farm - 3 Kudu's. Kudu cow chewing on a bone, probably looking for some trace element out of the bone. That is called Osteophagy - the practice of eating bones by an animal in who the behaviour is not common, for example, an antelope
Walked up the mountain on Geluk farm for any rock paintings, saw Blackeyed Bulbulls and loads of Hoopoe, Duiker and Kudu tracks
No rock paintings so far
Geluk Farm - 4 Red billed Oxpeckers on a cow, 4 Impala rams, 2 Greenspotted Wood Dove, 1 male Warthog
Ryegrass field - 2 Warthogs males, 15 Blue Cranes, Heron, 1Blackheaded and juvenile Impalas, 11 Impala rams
Foot of mountain - 7 Giraffes
25th May
Weather - Sunny but cold
Temp Max 17*C / Min 4*C
8.00
Foot of mountain - 7 Red Hartebeest
Stream that leads to Tugela - 1 Duiker male
Pond at foot of mountain - Brownhooded Kingfisher, Malachite Kingfisher
Road back from pond - Neddicky, Fiscal Flycatcher, Blackeyed Bulbulls
Near house - 11 Impala females, 3 x Impala juvenile both males
Road leading to Rye field - 6 Giraffes 2 males, 2 females, & two young ones. 1 Zebra follows the Young Giraffe around. Can hear Blue Cranes n the rye field, very vocal today
Rye fields - 31 Blue Cranes, one badly broken leg, 36 Impalas
2 Ponds near gate - 1 Warthog
Near main gate on road - 4 Kudu females
Went home to get Richard ready for trip home, and write report, it was a pleasure to have Richard here and we hope to see him again someday
FACT OF THEWEEK: the Blackheaded Centipede-eater feeds exclusively on centipedes, occasionally centipedes manage to kill and eat the snake instead.
Q. Is the Blackheaded Centipede-eater venomous or not?
A. Yes, but only mildly venomous, and no danger to man.
Tuesday, 5 June 2007
Weekly Report 14th - 20th May 2007
14th May
Weather - Sunny
8.00
Reports emailed and photos sorted
Went to Vertrek to have a look around and spent approx 4 hours there
Spoonbill on our way back from Clouston's near main gate at 2 ponds feeding in water
Saw: Trapdoor Spider, Wahlberg's Snake-eyed Skink, Lesser Dwarf Shrew
13.00
Up tree at the entrance to Vertrek - 1 Southern Tree Agama Lizard
Took a hike up the mountain over at Vertrek. Spent approx 3 hours. Lots of Wahlberg's Snake-eyed Skins, Baboon Spider, Centipedes
16.20
Home - identified following insects - Hike Elegant Grasshopper, Elegant Grass-mimicking
Grasshopper, Millipede Assassin
15th May
Weather - Sunny
Temp Max: 28*C Min 15 *C
4.30
Near house - Impala Bachelors sleeping, loads of Scrubhare around
Fields near house - 3 x Duiker, I Porcupine, 3 Common Reedbuck
Near planted fields - 1 Flap-necked Chameleon
Planted fields - 2 Impala Rams
Close to road - 1 Duiker male
2 Ponds near main gate - 2 African Black Ducks
Way back near planted fields - Impala group 2 starting to graze and browse
Further along road - 1 Fierynecked Nightjar
Near dam at base of mountain - Whitefaced Owl in tree
Dam - 2 x Redknobbed Coots
Road towards mountain - 1 Giraffe calf near road, Impala group 3
7.00
Home doing report
Went hiking again up towards the mountain and took a stream down back towards farmhouse, took about 4 hours. Tried to get some photos of insects for identifying, did not see many things.
Base of mountain - 11 Giraffes including the two calves, they were relaxed even though we were on foot, also saw Duiker in same area
Hannes took a different route today
Near house - Natal Francolin
Tugela River - 2 Monitor Lizards
Steam leading to Tugela - 2 Spotted Dikop
12.00
Home - identified the following insects today Red Driver Ant, Fire Ant, Holopterna Alata
Sorted out the report and some more photos
16th May
Weather Sunny
Temp max 20*C min 15*C
7.30
Spent most of the day having some trouble with my PC trying to copy photographs to disc. Spoke to KZN wildlife about a Rock Python that needs to be released on Gevonden. The snake has not eaten anything yet but is drinking water. We hope to release it in September. The snake was shot and has been recovering
Hannes and Richard went hiking
Road to mountain - 4 Giraffes
On hill near show lodge - Scorpion
Saw a possible Jackal or Porcupine den, and when they inspected the area they found a snare near the hole and removed it
Identified a Giant Jewel Beetle
Night Drive
20.00
Near base of mountain - Duiker in grass
Mountain road - 5 Kudu
Top of mountain - Spider on almost every aloe - same species, Blesbok in their usual spot
On top near fence - 3 Reedbuck
Way back down - Mouse/Rat in tree
Down mountain road - 1 Chameleon
Halfway to house - 1 Kudu cow
17th May
7.30
Wrote last night report
Round back of mountain and down the front - half eaten mole in he road, very fresh, and another half eaten rodent, rat or mouse about 100 meters from mole. Also fresh kill, little earlier than mole
Back of mountain up hill - Kudu cow
First pond towards mountain - 1 Duiker, Blackheaded Oriole
Top of mountain - Grey Duiker, little female
Way down - another lone Kudu, in a Aloe - female Southern Rock Agama
20th May
Weather - very windy and cool
17.30
2 ponds near gate - Male Waterbuck having a drink
On planted fields - Impala enjoying ryegrass
On road home - Bachelor Impalas
Near house - Another group of Impalas and lone Kudu cow
Weather - Sunny
8.00
Reports emailed and photos sorted
Went to Vertrek to have a look around and spent approx 4 hours there
Spoonbill on our way back from Clouston's near main gate at 2 ponds feeding in water
Saw: Trapdoor Spider, Wahlberg's Snake-eyed Skink, Lesser Dwarf Shrew
13.00
Up tree at the entrance to Vertrek - 1 Southern Tree Agama Lizard
Took a hike up the mountain over at Vertrek. Spent approx 3 hours. Lots of Wahlberg's Snake-eyed Skins, Baboon Spider, Centipedes
16.20
Home - identified following insects - Hike Elegant Grasshopper, Elegant Grass-mimicking
Grasshopper, Millipede Assassin
15th May
Weather - Sunny
Temp Max: 28*C Min 15 *C
4.30
Near house - Impala Bachelors sleeping, loads of Scrubhare around
Fields near house - 3 x Duiker, I Porcupine, 3 Common Reedbuck
Near planted fields - 1 Flap-necked Chameleon
Planted fields - 2 Impala Rams
Close to road - 1 Duiker male
2 Ponds near main gate - 2 African Black Ducks
Way back near planted fields - Impala group 2 starting to graze and browse
Further along road - 1 Fierynecked Nightjar
Near dam at base of mountain - Whitefaced Owl in tree
Dam - 2 x Redknobbed Coots
Road towards mountain - 1 Giraffe calf near road, Impala group 3
7.00
Home doing report
Went hiking again up towards the mountain and took a stream down back towards farmhouse, took about 4 hours. Tried to get some photos of insects for identifying, did not see many things.
Base of mountain - 11 Giraffes including the two calves, they were relaxed even though we were on foot, also saw Duiker in same area
Hannes took a different route today
Near house - Natal Francolin
Tugela River - 2 Monitor Lizards
Steam leading to Tugela - 2 Spotted Dikop
12.00
Home - identified the following insects today Red Driver Ant, Fire Ant, Holopterna Alata
Sorted out the report and some more photos
16th May
Weather Sunny
Temp max 20*C min 15*C
7.30
Spent most of the day having some trouble with my PC trying to copy photographs to disc. Spoke to KZN wildlife about a Rock Python that needs to be released on Gevonden. The snake has not eaten anything yet but is drinking water. We hope to release it in September. The snake was shot and has been recovering
Hannes and Richard went hiking
Road to mountain - 4 Giraffes
On hill near show lodge - Scorpion
Saw a possible Jackal or Porcupine den, and when they inspected the area they found a snare near the hole and removed it
Identified a Giant Jewel Beetle
Night Drive
20.00
Near base of mountain - Duiker in grass
Mountain road - 5 Kudu
Top of mountain - Spider on almost every aloe - same species, Blesbok in their usual spot
On top near fence - 3 Reedbuck
Way back down - Mouse/Rat in tree
Down mountain road - 1 Chameleon
Halfway to house - 1 Kudu cow
17th May
7.30
Wrote last night report
Round back of mountain and down the front - half eaten mole in he road, very fresh, and another half eaten rodent, rat or mouse about 100 meters from mole. Also fresh kill, little earlier than mole
Back of mountain up hill - Kudu cow
First pond towards mountain - 1 Duiker, Blackheaded Oriole
Top of mountain - Grey Duiker, little female
Way down - another lone Kudu, in a Aloe - female Southern Rock Agama
20th May
Weather - very windy and cool
17.30
2 ponds near gate - Male Waterbuck having a drink
On planted fields - Impala enjoying ryegrass
On road home - Bachelor Impalas
Near house - Another group of Impalas and lone Kudu cow
Monday, 4 June 2007
Weekly Report 7th - 11th May 2007
7th May
Weather - Cool in morning, sunny
7.45
Near 2 ponds - Impalas
Mountain side of pond - We have not seen the 2 Egyptian Geese with the 6 remaining goslings since the Mongoose attacked the goslings last week
We went to the woods today to do some road clearning for the Gameviewer. We did not see many animals
Kittlitz's Plover
As the bush lodge - 1Dabchick, 1 Blackheaded Heron, 2 African Black Ducks, 8 Yellowbilled Ducks, 2 Egyptian Geese. Impala on hillside
Way back from lodge - Grey Duiker under an Acacia
Way up mountian - 3 Kudu cows
Way back from top - Greenspotted Wood-Dove
Near big stream near house - Only 1 Giraffe
Near pond by house - Impalas
On pond by house - 1 Hammerkop, 1 Giant Kingfisher, 1 Reed Cormorant
13.25
Near house - Young Warthog
On our way back - Redbilled Oxpecker
Planted Fields - nothing but some Pied Crows and Hadeda Ibis
Base of mountain near gate - lone Giraffe from earlier. Not too far off Hartebeest - but unable to count them
Road towards mountain - Lone Kudu by the Donga
Base of mountain - 5 Kudu
Way back - 1 Duiker (female)
8th May
Weather - Cool in the morning, sunny
Spent the day with Charles and a representitive from KZN Wildlife. They discussed wildlife releases on UmPhafa, especially the Rhino that AFTW want to release on Elworthy. We took them on a gamedrive in the Gameviewer around Elworthy and had 3 sightings of Kudu, 2 Duikers, 10 of the Giraffes, lone Hartebeest that is always in this area, with a group of Impala. Richard Hazelgrove arrived at UmPhafa and we took him grocery shopping
Night Drive
21.00
Other side of main gate - First sighting of Aardvark, but unfortunately it was the other side of main gate
Fields near house - Small Impala group (9), 4 Grey Duikers. Took Richard and went looking for Chameleons
Fields near house - found first and only Chameleon
Big stream - 2 Giraffes
Spent the rest of the night looking for more Chameleons but could nto find any. The Jackals were very vocal at about midnight
9th May
Weather - Cool in the morning, sunny
Spent the morning trying again to get video footage on CD
Dam near base - Water Monitor
Identified a Blackcrowned Tchagra
Planted fields - Impala group with 1 ram, 2 young rams close to the as well, they are constantly being chased off by the big ram
Base of mountain - 7 Giraffes at base
Big stream to Tugela - 1 Agama (lizard)
At Tugela- biggest Water Monitor we have seen so far. About 1.4 m
Other side of Tugela - 2 Water Monitors
Near the house - 1 Red Sided Skink and an Impala group
10th May
Weather - Cool in the morning, sunny
8.00
Went to near base of mountain and took a walk up. 3 Giraffes and not far from them 5 Zebras
Road to mountain - 1 Slender Mongoose
On top of mountain - 5 Blesbok, 2 Blesbok on other side of fence as well as 1 Hartebeest
On top of mountain - 3 Mountain Reedbuck
In sky over N3 tar road - 3 Cape Vultures
Unidentified Snake seen
Blackheaded Centipede eater or Cape Centipede eater
Actually managed to get the video footage to CD and can now be sent to Colchester Zoo
11th May
Weather - Cool in the morning, sunny
8.00
Pond near house - lots of Yelloweyed Canaries in the long grass
Near house other side of pond - Impala group with 1 single ram
Planted fields - 2 Egyptian Geese
Just left of planted fields - 1 Warthog boar eating long grass and a Longcrested Eagle in a tree
In grass next to road - Lots of Common Waxbills
2 ponds near main gate - 1 Brownhooded Kingfisher, Kudu cow
Spent some time at 2 ponds - Fiscal Shrike fighting a Blackcrowned Tchagra, Streakyheaded Canaries, Cape Wagtails, Cape Turtle Doves
2 ponds near main gate - Impala group (3) with one ram
Walk back from 2 ponds near road in a dead tree- 2 Cardinal Woodpeckers
Near planted fields closer to road - Impala group (2) 1 ram
Big stream towards mountain - 1 big Warthog boar. Most of the usual birds but nothing else in the stream
Near house - Juv. Fortailed Drongo
Road towards back of mountain - Ground Agama Lizard and Wolf Spider
Near N3 highway - Baboon Spider
Further towards back of mountain - Lesser Dwarf Shrew
Near show lodge - Longcrested Eagle
Near road on way to farm house - Blackbacked Puffback and a Redface Mousebird
Indentifed the following insects: Dotted Veld Antlion, Yellow Pansy, Green Milkwood Locust, Vinegar Flies, Paper Wasps, Broad-bordered Grass Yellow, Bagwork, African Monarch, Spotted Joker, Topaz Blue, Cockroach Family
12th May
Weather - Cool in the morning, sunny
8.30
Planted fields - Check progress of reygrass. Saw Impalas on field testing the grass
Dam near base of mountain - Saw the residing Monitor Lizard and 2 African Black Ducks
Put the pump off at the field and on the way back saw a Blackheaded Heron and a Reed Cormaornat
2 Ponds near gate - Blackcollard Barbet
Near house by pond - Brownhooded Kingfisher
Near base of mountain - 7 Hartebeest, could not see the 2 calves
Fencing : By Wednesday the fencing team had finished to the Geluk/Vertrek boundary, a distance of just over a kilometer. The rest of the week was spent stripping down the old cattle fence, cutting down trees and starting to neaten up between the fence and the districk road.
RAINFALL - No rainfall all this week
NUMBER OF BIRDS IDENTIFIED SO FAR: 123
Weather - Cool in morning, sunny
7.45
Near 2 ponds - Impalas
Mountain side of pond - We have not seen the 2 Egyptian Geese with the 6 remaining goslings since the Mongoose attacked the goslings last week
We went to the woods today to do some road clearning for the Gameviewer. We did not see many animals
Kittlitz's Plover
As the bush lodge - 1Dabchick, 1 Blackheaded Heron, 2 African Black Ducks, 8 Yellowbilled Ducks, 2 Egyptian Geese. Impala on hillside
Way back from lodge - Grey Duiker under an Acacia
Way up mountian - 3 Kudu cows
Way back from top - Greenspotted Wood-Dove
Near big stream near house - Only 1 Giraffe
Near pond by house - Impalas
On pond by house - 1 Hammerkop, 1 Giant Kingfisher, 1 Reed Cormorant
13.25
Near house - Young Warthog
On our way back - Redbilled Oxpecker
Planted Fields - nothing but some Pied Crows and Hadeda Ibis
Base of mountain near gate - lone Giraffe from earlier. Not too far off Hartebeest - but unable to count them
Road towards mountain - Lone Kudu by the Donga
Base of mountain - 5 Kudu
Way back - 1 Duiker (female)
8th May
Weather - Cool in the morning, sunny
Spent the day with Charles and a representitive from KZN Wildlife. They discussed wildlife releases on UmPhafa, especially the Rhino that AFTW want to release on Elworthy. We took them on a gamedrive in the Gameviewer around Elworthy and had 3 sightings of Kudu, 2 Duikers, 10 of the Giraffes, lone Hartebeest that is always in this area, with a group of Impala. Richard Hazelgrove arrived at UmPhafa and we took him grocery shopping
Night Drive
21.00
Other side of main gate - First sighting of Aardvark, but unfortunately it was the other side of main gate
Fields near house - Small Impala group (9), 4 Grey Duikers. Took Richard and went looking for Chameleons
Fields near house - found first and only Chameleon
Big stream - 2 Giraffes
Spent the rest of the night looking for more Chameleons but could nto find any. The Jackals were very vocal at about midnight
9th May
Weather - Cool in the morning, sunny
Spent the morning trying again to get video footage on CD
Dam near base - Water Monitor
Identified a Blackcrowned Tchagra
Planted fields - Impala group with 1 ram, 2 young rams close to the as well, they are constantly being chased off by the big ram
Base of mountain - 7 Giraffes at base
Big stream to Tugela - 1 Agama (lizard)
At Tugela- biggest Water Monitor we have seen so far. About 1.4 m
Other side of Tugela - 2 Water Monitors
Near the house - 1 Red Sided Skink and an Impala group
10th May
Weather - Cool in the morning, sunny
8.00
Went to near base of mountain and took a walk up. 3 Giraffes and not far from them 5 Zebras
Road to mountain - 1 Slender Mongoose
On top of mountain - 5 Blesbok, 2 Blesbok on other side of fence as well as 1 Hartebeest
On top of mountain - 3 Mountain Reedbuck
In sky over N3 tar road - 3 Cape Vultures
Unidentified Snake seen
Blackheaded Centipede eater or Cape Centipede eater
Actually managed to get the video footage to CD and can now be sent to Colchester Zoo
11th May
Weather - Cool in the morning, sunny
8.00
Pond near house - lots of Yelloweyed Canaries in the long grass
Near house other side of pond - Impala group with 1 single ram
Planted fields - 2 Egyptian Geese
Just left of planted fields - 1 Warthog boar eating long grass and a Longcrested Eagle in a tree
In grass next to road - Lots of Common Waxbills
2 ponds near main gate - 1 Brownhooded Kingfisher, Kudu cow
Spent some time at 2 ponds - Fiscal Shrike fighting a Blackcrowned Tchagra, Streakyheaded Canaries, Cape Wagtails, Cape Turtle Doves
2 ponds near main gate - Impala group (3) with one ram
Walk back from 2 ponds near road in a dead tree- 2 Cardinal Woodpeckers
Near planted fields closer to road - Impala group (2) 1 ram
Big stream towards mountain - 1 big Warthog boar. Most of the usual birds but nothing else in the stream
Near house - Juv. Fortailed Drongo
Road towards back of mountain - Ground Agama Lizard and Wolf Spider
Near N3 highway - Baboon Spider
Further towards back of mountain - Lesser Dwarf Shrew
Near show lodge - Longcrested Eagle
Near road on way to farm house - Blackbacked Puffback and a Redface Mousebird
Indentifed the following insects: Dotted Veld Antlion, Yellow Pansy, Green Milkwood Locust, Vinegar Flies, Paper Wasps, Broad-bordered Grass Yellow, Bagwork, African Monarch, Spotted Joker, Topaz Blue, Cockroach Family
12th May
Weather - Cool in the morning, sunny
8.30
Planted fields - Check progress of reygrass. Saw Impalas on field testing the grass
Dam near base of mountain - Saw the residing Monitor Lizard and 2 African Black Ducks
Put the pump off at the field and on the way back saw a Blackheaded Heron and a Reed Cormaornat
2 Ponds near gate - Blackcollard Barbet
Near house by pond - Brownhooded Kingfisher
Near base of mountain - 7 Hartebeest, could not see the 2 calves
Fencing : By Wednesday the fencing team had finished to the Geluk/Vertrek boundary, a distance of just over a kilometer. The rest of the week was spent stripping down the old cattle fence, cutting down trees and starting to neaten up between the fence and the districk road.
RAINFALL - No rainfall all this week
NUMBER OF BIRDS IDENTIFIED SO FAR: 123
Sunday, 3 June 2007
Weekly Report 23 - 29th April 2007
23rd April
Weather - Sunny
7.45
Field near house - Duiker
Back of the mountain - no animals at all. Identified some birds, 2 new ones - Blackcrowned Tchagra, Wailing Cisticola, rest the same - Stone Chat Bully Canary, Golden Breasted Bunting, Longcrested Eagles, Pied Crows, Blackeyed Bulbul, Bule Waxbills
13.00
The Creche Impala were near the house and stayed all day
Big stream, gate side - the whole Giraffe group was there
Ploughed fields - Some of the Bachelors there, I was quite close to them, so they are getting use to the gameviewer
4 Shelley's Francolin on the fields as well as some Hadeda Ibis
2 Ponds near gate - Main Impalas were there. Group is not as big as it used to be. Most of the impalas are forming new smaller groups
On the pond - 2 Adult Egyptian Geese with 8 Goslings
Road towards mountains - nothing to see but had some vehicle trouble and was stuck for 10 minutes, eventually got the Gameveiwer started and got back safely
Mike helped us with the Gameviewer - now working fine
24th April
Weather - Sunny
7.45
Went to clear some more road for the Gameviewer at the new road going from the top of the hill near the lodge. Unfortunately we had some more trouble with the Gameviewer and stuck for an hour. Mike came, filter clogged.
Near lodge on way road clearing - 14 Impalas grazing
On road - A young Kudu Bull
We went bird watching for 1 1/2 hours - Cape White-eye, Streakyheaded Canary, Blackeyed Bulbul, Swee Waxbill, Cape Robin, Pied Barbet, Speckled Mousebird, Brownheaded kingfisher, Bully Canary Cardinal Woodpecker, Brownhooded Kingfisher
Walked back to house due to problem with vehicle - 1 Duiker near the road at back of mountain, another Duiker near the river not far from frist, a Spotted Bushsnake near the river, Lots of Pied Crows everywhere again, 3 Egyptian Mongoose on the road, a mother and two youngsters, another Cardinal Woodpecker and a Brownhooded Kingfisher
Also saw the Reed Cormrant today that is usually on the pond near the house
14.00
New filter in Gamewviewer, on way to vehicle saw 10 of the Giraffes and all looked healthy
Call from one of the gameguards who found a dead male Duiker in the dam near the base of the mountain. It seems to have been caught by a Caracal and got away somehow, ran into the dam and drowned. It looks like it could have happened about a week ago
On way to dam we saw 4 Kudus
Night Drive
18.30
Fields near house - 3 Mountain Reedbuck, 4 Duikers lying in the grass
On road to ploughed fields - 1 Fierynecked Nightjar
Near ploughed fields - 5 Adult Warthogs digging for bulbs and roots and chasing each other around. They didn't seem bothered by us.
Ploughed fields - Some Impalas - but since group broke up we couldn't tell which group it was
Further down - 1 Black-backed Jackal
2 Ponds near gate - 2 Yellowbilled Ducks and the Egyptian geese with goslings sleeping under the females wings
Weather - Sunny
7.45
Field near house - Duiker
Back of the mountain - no animals at all. Identified some birds, 2 new ones - Blackcrowned Tchagra, Wailing Cisticola, rest the same - Stone Chat Bully Canary, Golden Breasted Bunting, Longcrested Eagles, Pied Crows, Blackeyed Bulbul, Bule Waxbills
13.00
The Creche Impala were near the house and stayed all day
Big stream, gate side - the whole Giraffe group was there
Ploughed fields - Some of the Bachelors there, I was quite close to them, so they are getting use to the gameviewer
4 Shelley's Francolin on the fields as well as some Hadeda Ibis
2 Ponds near gate - Main Impalas were there. Group is not as big as it used to be. Most of the impalas are forming new smaller groups
On the pond - 2 Adult Egyptian Geese with 8 Goslings
Road towards mountains - nothing to see but had some vehicle trouble and was stuck for 10 minutes, eventually got the Gameveiwer started and got back safely
Mike helped us with the Gameviewer - now working fine
24th April
Weather - Sunny
7.45
Went to clear some more road for the Gameviewer at the new road going from the top of the hill near the lodge. Unfortunately we had some more trouble with the Gameviewer and stuck for an hour. Mike came, filter clogged.
Near lodge on way road clearing - 14 Impalas grazing
On road - A young Kudu Bull
We went bird watching for 1 1/2 hours - Cape White-eye, Streakyheaded Canary, Blackeyed Bulbul, Swee Waxbill, Cape Robin, Pied Barbet, Speckled Mousebird, Brownheaded kingfisher, Bully Canary Cardinal Woodpecker, Brownhooded Kingfisher
Walked back to house due to problem with vehicle - 1 Duiker near the road at back of mountain, another Duiker near the river not far from frist, a Spotted Bushsnake near the river, Lots of Pied Crows everywhere again, 3 Egyptian Mongoose on the road, a mother and two youngsters, another Cardinal Woodpecker and a Brownhooded Kingfisher
Also saw the Reed Cormrant today that is usually on the pond near the house
14.00
New filter in Gamewviewer, on way to vehicle saw 10 of the Giraffes and all looked healthy
Call from one of the gameguards who found a dead male Duiker in the dam near the base of the mountain. It seems to have been caught by a Caracal and got away somehow, ran into the dam and drowned. It looks like it could have happened about a week ago
On way to dam we saw 4 Kudus
Night Drive
18.30
Fields near house - 3 Mountain Reedbuck, 4 Duikers lying in the grass
On road to ploughed fields - 1 Fierynecked Nightjar
Near ploughed fields - 5 Adult Warthogs digging for bulbs and roots and chasing each other around. They didn't seem bothered by us.
Ploughed fields - Some Impalas - but since group broke up we couldn't tell which group it was
Further down - 1 Black-backed Jackal
2 Ponds near gate - 2 Yellowbilled Ducks and the Egyptian geese with goslings sleeping under the females wings
Past the house - 1 Whitefaced Owl on a post
Dam near base of mountain - Went back to see carcass, nothing had happened to it, untouched
Road up to mountain - 2 Duikers on way up and 5 Kudus (3 bulls, 2 cows - the bull with the single horn was there)
Home - Barn Owl in tree
25th April
Weather - Sunny but cool in the morning
8.00
Did report and sorted photos
Dam near base of mountain - Carcass, stomach had been eaten and some of the soft parts. Legs, head and ribs left. It was dragged some way further from where we took it out. There was a Longrested Eagle by dam
2 Ponds near gate - Only Egyptian Geese with goslings, could only count 7 today
Up road towards mountain near gate - Only some Impalas on way up and down
Fields were planted and is being fertilised today so no animals on the fields. Did see an Orangethroated Longclaw
Impala rams scattered all over the road to the gate
Up mountain - 5 Zebras on right side on way up. Common Reedbuck on the left side top of mountain and 4 Mountain Reedbuck not too far off
Right side of mountain - 3 more Mountain Reedbuck (male, female and younster)
13.20
Finally saw all 12 Zebras - all look fine (3 foals seem to be doing well). Also on top of mountain 16 of the Blesbok. Group of Kudus on way down (2 bulls)
In distance towards the gate - I Hartebeest and 7 of the Giraffes
Home - Kudu bull with the one horn in distance near the mountain
26th April
Weather - Windy and cool
8.00
Walk around the back - Could only spot Egyptian Mongoose again. Some Impalas and some mountain Reedbuck
Went to Colenso School to pick up the list we asked for and see how things were there
27th April
Weather - Cool in the morning, looked like a cold front, very windy
10.00
Helped Mike put up the new tank
28th April
Weather - Cold and wet
13.00
Fields towards gate area - Only Egyptian Geese with their goslings on the pond. We spent some time with the Impalas grazing near the field. There were some Sacred Ibis on the fertilised field
Road towards mountain - nothing but Impala rams lying in grass. It was a cold and rainy day so not many animals
Saw 6 Warthogs (family) and some Shelley's Francolin
Spent some time trying to identify new birds but only saw the usual. Only new bird was the Sacred Ibis
29th April
Weather - Cold day
16.30
Road towards mountain - 7 of the Hartebeest
On way back - 5 Zebra Stallions
Went up towards the lodge to see if I could see the Giraffes. Have not seen them in a while
UMPHAFA FACT OF THE WEEK
The male Giraffe has better developed horns and those of the female's and sometimes even grows a third horn on the forehead. A Giraffes tongue is about 45 cm long
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Q. How many vertebrae does a Giraffe have?
A. 7 - the same as any mammal, they are just really big!
Weekly Report 16 - 20th April 2007
16th April
Weather - Misty & cool a.m. / Sunny & warm p.m.
7.30
Giraffes were spotted opposite lodge
Spent day clearing roads to make safe for gameviewer to get through
Saw Kudu calf, cow and bull on our way back. The bull seemed a little lame on his back right leg
Also saw a little mouse peeping out of its nest between the grass
15.00
Walked up to the big stream towards dam and saw many blue waxbills, blackeyed bulbul and some familar chats
We saw lots of tracks - Spotted Necked Otter, Impala, Giraffe, Kudu, Duiker, Blac-backed Jackal
Saw a Warthog sow with 2 piglets digging for roots and bulbs and two water mongoose
17th April
Weather - Sunny and bright
7.30
Near Donga Road we saw 10 Impalas - newly formed group (1 x ram, 6x ewe, 3 youngsters)
On slope of mountain - Spotted Skaapsteker
Top of mountain - 12 Zebras and three foals
On way back - 3 Giraffes seen at the base of mountain in a clearing
Near big stream by road - Bachelor group browsing on the Acacia's
Further on - saw the rest of the bachelors which had broken off from the group and are on their own
Also saw 5 Zebras with 3 Giraffes from earlier
Took a walk up to the dam and down the big stream - Big lone Kudu Bull on way to dam
Dam near base of mountain - usual birds spotted - Blackheaded Oriole, Olive Thrush, Woodhoopoe, Cape White-eye, Thickbilled Weaver, Cardinal Woodpecker, House Sparrow and the two Redknobbed Coot always found on the dam
A water monito swam in the dam and some terrapins sunbathing
A lone Impala ram came right up to us (5m) without realising we were there, it was very inquisitive and got quite a fright when it realised we were not part of the scenery
12.30
We moved on to the stream - a female Duiker, a Spotted Eagle Owl, 2 Nightjars we could not id and another lone Impala ram
Walked back to the farmhouse - saw the usual birds and crows everywhere
18th April
Weather - Overcast with rain
8.35
Main group had split into 4 groups we could see. The bachelor Impalas were also split up this morning
No animals at ploughed fields
Not many animals around on account of the weather
We went to Colenso School to meet with Cindy, the headmistress, to discuss the ideas from Colchester Zoo and Stanway School
11.30
Spent rest of day getting the photos ready for Charles to take to Colchester Zoo on his trip to England
15.45
By Kraal - found new bird - Streakyheaded Canary, the usual Yelloweyed Canary, Cape Robin, Cardinal Woodpecker, Crested Barbet
Hannes Worked with Ed and Mike (UDP)
19th April
Weather - Overcast
The DFA people were here today
7.45
Kraal Area - Birdwatching but no new birds
Near big stream on field side - 2 Impala rams
Nothing at ploughed fields but some Pied Crows
Up towards the mountain, near main gate and our way back saw about 11 of the Bachelors relaxing
At the two ponds near the main gate we saw the Creche, they had moved down from the lodge area down to gate area. We spent some time there to get them more use to us being there.
Way back - 2 Warthogs, saw the rest of the bachelors and spent some time with them they were mock fighting and enjoying the browse
Went to the dam near base of mountain - only saw 2 Water Monitors and a Reed Cormorant
Went on the road to the mountain passed the donga, where we found 8 of the Giraffes and 3 Zebras. 2 Calves looks good. We could not see the other 4 Giraffes or the other 2 Zebras - but thick bushes, so we are sure they are around
Drove up to Show Lodge but didn't see anything of interest
DFA people arrived, Gameviewer used for UDP
Night Drive
Weather - Partly cloudy
Fork in road going up to lodge - small Spotted Genet
Fields near house - 4 Mountain Reedbuck in field and 2 Grey Duikers
On road near big stream - 1 Porcupine and some Bachelor Impalas
On way towards ploughed fields - another small Spotted Genet
On ploughed fields - 3 x Black-backed Jackals on right side of field hunting for mice
Middle of plough - Fierynecked Nightjar on field
Further infield - 2 Porcupines and about 10 Bachelors
On road to dam - Grass Owl in a tree
Nothing at dam
Road up to mountain - Giraffes in same area as earlier, Cape Eagle Owl on a termite mound
Further up the road - Serval standing up on his hind legs trying to see what we were. It took off into the bushes.
We saw 25 Chameleons throughout the trip
20th April
Weather - Sunny
Found an Acacia Tree that we count not quite ID, turned out to be a Hook Thorn Acacia
7.45
We headed up the mountain again to clear the road for the gameviewer and went down the back clearing some more road - on way up saw the Giraffes in the same spot as yesterday
On the trip we saw 8 of the Zebras and 5 Mountain Reedbuck on top of the mountain, We also saw 3 x Kudus (1 x bull, 2 x cows)
Round back of the mountain we only saw 2 Duikers (ewe with lamb)
Near big stream - 2 x Impala rams
Ploughed fields - 2 x Impala rams and some of the main group on the left side, no rams with them
Road to mountain near main gate - only saw some Bachelor Impalas
On way back - 1 Impala ram with 4 ewes
Base of mountain - 15 Kudus (2bulls)
Nothing at the dam
12.00
On road to gate- 7 Warthogs (family of 6 and a lone boar)
Ploughed fields - Only two lone Bachelor Impalas
Ponds near gates - The Egyptian Geese with the 8 Goslings - the Creche Impala also near the dam
2 Longcrested Eagles in the sky and a Blackheaded Heron at the pond near the house
Weather - Misty & cool a.m. / Sunny & warm p.m.
7.30
Giraffes were spotted opposite lodge
Spent day clearing roads to make safe for gameviewer to get through
Saw Kudu calf, cow and bull on our way back. The bull seemed a little lame on his back right leg
Also saw a little mouse peeping out of its nest between the grass
15.00
Walked up to the big stream towards dam and saw many blue waxbills, blackeyed bulbul and some familar chats
We saw lots of tracks - Spotted Necked Otter, Impala, Giraffe, Kudu, Duiker, Blac-backed Jackal
Saw a Warthog sow with 2 piglets digging for roots and bulbs and two water mongoose
17th April
Weather - Sunny and bright
7.30
Near Donga Road we saw 10 Impalas - newly formed group (1 x ram, 6x ewe, 3 youngsters)
On slope of mountain - Spotted Skaapsteker
Top of mountain - 12 Zebras and three foals
On way back - 3 Giraffes seen at the base of mountain in a clearing
Near big stream by road - Bachelor group browsing on the Acacia's
Further on - saw the rest of the bachelors which had broken off from the group and are on their own
Also saw 5 Zebras with 3 Giraffes from earlier
Took a walk up to the dam and down the big stream - Big lone Kudu Bull on way to dam
Dam near base of mountain - usual birds spotted - Blackheaded Oriole, Olive Thrush, Woodhoopoe, Cape White-eye, Thickbilled Weaver, Cardinal Woodpecker, House Sparrow and the two Redknobbed Coot always found on the dam
A water monito swam in the dam and some terrapins sunbathing
A lone Impala ram came right up to us (5m) without realising we were there, it was very inquisitive and got quite a fright when it realised we were not part of the scenery
12.30
We moved on to the stream - a female Duiker, a Spotted Eagle Owl, 2 Nightjars we could not id and another lone Impala ram
Walked back to the farmhouse - saw the usual birds and crows everywhere
18th April
Weather - Overcast with rain
8.35
Main group had split into 4 groups we could see. The bachelor Impalas were also split up this morning
No animals at ploughed fields
Not many animals around on account of the weather
We went to Colenso School to meet with Cindy, the headmistress, to discuss the ideas from Colchester Zoo and Stanway School
11.30
Spent rest of day getting the photos ready for Charles to take to Colchester Zoo on his trip to England
15.45
By Kraal - found new bird - Streakyheaded Canary, the usual Yelloweyed Canary, Cape Robin, Cardinal Woodpecker, Crested Barbet
Hannes Worked with Ed and Mike (UDP)
19th April
Weather - Overcast
The DFA people were here today
7.45
Kraal Area - Birdwatching but no new birds
Near big stream on field side - 2 Impala rams
Nothing at ploughed fields but some Pied Crows
Up towards the mountain, near main gate and our way back saw about 11 of the Bachelors relaxing
At the two ponds near the main gate we saw the Creche, they had moved down from the lodge area down to gate area. We spent some time there to get them more use to us being there.
Way back - 2 Warthogs, saw the rest of the bachelors and spent some time with them they were mock fighting and enjoying the browse
Went to the dam near base of mountain - only saw 2 Water Monitors and a Reed Cormorant
Went on the road to the mountain passed the donga, where we found 8 of the Giraffes and 3 Zebras. 2 Calves looks good. We could not see the other 4 Giraffes or the other 2 Zebras - but thick bushes, so we are sure they are around
Drove up to Show Lodge but didn't see anything of interest
DFA people arrived, Gameviewer used for UDP
Night Drive
Weather - Partly cloudy
Fork in road going up to lodge - small Spotted Genet
Fields near house - 4 Mountain Reedbuck in field and 2 Grey Duikers
On road near big stream - 1 Porcupine and some Bachelor Impalas
On way towards ploughed fields - another small Spotted Genet
On ploughed fields - 3 x Black-backed Jackals on right side of field hunting for mice
Middle of plough - Fierynecked Nightjar on field
Further infield - 2 Porcupines and about 10 Bachelors
On road to dam - Grass Owl in a tree
Nothing at dam
Road up to mountain - Giraffes in same area as earlier, Cape Eagle Owl on a termite mound
Further up the road - Serval standing up on his hind legs trying to see what we were. It took off into the bushes.
We saw 25 Chameleons throughout the trip
20th April
Weather - Sunny
Found an Acacia Tree that we count not quite ID, turned out to be a Hook Thorn Acacia
7.45
We headed up the mountain again to clear the road for the gameviewer and went down the back clearing some more road - on way up saw the Giraffes in the same spot as yesterday
On the trip we saw 8 of the Zebras and 5 Mountain Reedbuck on top of the mountain, We also saw 3 x Kudus (1 x bull, 2 x cows)
Round back of the mountain we only saw 2 Duikers (ewe with lamb)
Near big stream - 2 x Impala rams
Ploughed fields - 2 x Impala rams and some of the main group on the left side, no rams with them
Road to mountain near main gate - only saw some Bachelor Impalas
On way back - 1 Impala ram with 4 ewes
Base of mountain - 15 Kudus (2bulls)
Nothing at the dam
12.00
On road to gate- 7 Warthogs (family of 6 and a lone boar)
Ploughed fields - Only two lone Bachelor Impalas
Ponds near gates - The Egyptian Geese with the 8 Goslings - the Creche Impala also near the dam
2 Longcrested Eagles in the sky and a Blackheaded Heron at the pond near the house
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