Weekly Report 9th - 13th July

09/07/2007
Weather : Sunny
Max Temp : 11*C Min Temp : 05*C

07:30 Last weeks report and e-emails

08:30 We headed up the mountain first today and came across a Black-backed Jackal in the road on our way up

8:45 Just before we started up the slope we saw a slender Mongoose crossing the road ahead of us

08:55 On our way up 6 x Kudu's (3 cows, 1 x calf, 2 very young bulls)

09:00 On top in middle area Mountain Reedbuck

09:05 We saw the 14 Blesbok over in their usual spot on the right hand side of the top of the mountain

09:20 When we headed down the mountain we saw 3 x mountain reedbuck (2 males, 1 female), one we saw earlier

09:45 Just at the bottom of the mountain we saw the old Kudu bull that usually stay in this area.

10:15 Round the back of the mountain We spotted another Slender Mongoose just next to the road. Very close to this there was a Longcrested Eagle in a tree

10:20 Back of the mountain near N3 Duiker female

10:30 On our way to show lodge near the turn off we saw a male Duiker in the donga

10:40 Near the show lodge at big dip 5 X Kudu cows browsing on the acacia's

10:55 Near show lodge in clearing on the hill we saw 10 Giraffes, (2 older calves looking healthy)

11:05 We headed down to the Ryefield. Near the Big stream there was a Bachelor Impala group of about 14

11:10 There were 4 Blesbok, 66 Blue Cranes, more than 15 Hadeda Ibis, 1 x Warthog and 47 Impalas on the Ryefield this morning

11:50 We headed up towards the dam at the base of the mountain, but did not see anything. On our way back though we saw 7 Hartebeest on the other side of the Donga.

13:00 We took a hike up toward the show lodge in search of the Giraffes in the area.

14:30 Found the Giraffes near the Lodge in the bushes spent some time with them.

15:10 Searched the area to see if We could find the new calf and it's mother. The other giraffes had moved down towards the lodge

15:30 We found the mother in the valley near the top, but was unable to see the calf. We followed the cow for a while.

15:50 We eventually saw the calf as the cow started moving up the hill away from the valley. We could not see it properly, just that it looked ok.

16:30 Hiked back home


10/07/2007
Weather : Sunny
Max Temp : 19*C Min Temp : 03*C

07:30 Did report and some paperwork

08:20 Near big stream About 20 bachelors near the stream

10:30 We headed round the back of the mountain past the lodge first and found the Giraffe cow with the calf near the lodge. We tried to identify the calf but it was lying down in the grass.

10:45 Further up the road we saw 2 x giraffe male play fighting, there was another male nearby

10:55 We went round the back, but we did not see any animals today. We headed up the mountain

11:45 In the middle area on top we did see a Duiker female

11:50 On the usual spot on the right hand side of the mountain were the 14 Blesbok.

12:10 We drove down the front side of the mountain and at the base of the mountain we saw 6 x Zebras near the road

12:25 Near the donga on our way back we spotted 7 more Giraffes browsing, the 2 older calves included

12:40 Ryefield 4 x Warthog (1 boar, 3 sows), 34 Bachelor Impalas, 38 Impala ewes with a ram, 4 Blesbok another 5 x Warthog (1 sow, 4 piglets), and 72 Blue cranes

13:30 Took a hike towards mountain and down the stream at the base but did not see anything special. Spent some time with the Giraffes on my way up.

15:45 Headed home

14:10 Hannes took the decorators around some of UmPhafa. They headed up the mountain

14:30 They saw 5 Giraffe on their way up. The others were just out of sight.

15:20 By the dam near the house they saw a Spoonbill

15:30 Ryefield The usual Impalas, 5 x Warthogs, 4 x Blesbok and 2 Longcrested Eagles

16:00 He took them back and they headed back to Durban


11/07/2007
Weather : Sunny
Max Temp : 23*C Min Temp : 03*C

07:30 Yesterday's Report

08:00 We headed up to the mountain. Just on top of the mountain we saw a Gymnogene in a tree.

08:40 Right hand side of mountain 3 x Mountain Reedbuck on the hill

08:45 Not too far from there on the right hand side as well, we saw some of the Blesbok. We were unable to count them all,

09:10 On our way back down 2 x Grey Duiker females in the bushes at the base of the mountain near the road

10:00 - 13:00 We went to Ladysmith to take a tyre in for a puncture. We also went to Colenso School to discuss the research student and sports equipment needed.

13:15 Near show lodge We saw 2 of the Giraffes. The progress on the lodge is looking good

14:00 Cloustons 2 x Shelley’s Francolin's. New road about 150m since last Wednesday

15:00 Ryefield 42 x Blue Cranes, 5 x Blesbok, and the usual group of Impalas

15:30 Went home and did some paperwork


12/07/2007
Weather : Sunny
Max Temp : 22*C Min Temp : 05*C

07:30 Near big stream 2 x Warthogs and just on the other side a group of Impala bachelors

08:20 We went to Mike's Lodge on Geluk to have a look around, but could not see anything.

09:00 We went to Colenso school to discuss the sport fields. We will take Mike there tomorrow to see how we will improve this

10:40 We headed up to the new road to see it's progress, 50m since yesterday

11:30 Ryefield There were 11 Warthogs, 4 Blesbok, 71 Blue cranes and the usual 70+ Impalas.

12:00 We went to the show lodge to see if we could spot the Hartebeest, but were unable to see them. We were able to spot 3 Giraffes near the base of the mountain near the border fence

13:00 I hiked towards the dam to see if I could locate the Hartebeest, Hannes headed toward the mountain up the road near the main gate.

13:20 Hannes saw the Hartebeest at the foot of the mountain in the thornveld

13:50 Just on the other side of the dam I came across 4 x Zebras

14:00 The Hartebeest started moving in the direction of the Ryefield

14:20 Near Ryefield on the road 1 x Warthog boar

14:30 The 3 giraffes had moved up to the road near the mountain

14:45 3 x kudu bulls near the show lodge

15:00 I walked down the stream from the dam towards the river and about halfway down came across 3 x Spotted Eagle Owls

15:30 I headed back home to do yesterday's report


NIGHT DRIVE:

18:30 On road to mountain, close to house we saw a Spotted Dikkop in the road

18:45 Near the Donga on the way to mountain we saw some of the giraffes on the left side of the road and a Black-backed Jackal in the road ahead of us, they were very vocal last night

19:00 When we came back down we headed to the dam at the base of the mountain. There were only 2 Egyptian Geese on the dam

19:20 We headed toward the lodge and near the farm house we found the 6 released Zebras that usually hangs around in this area at night ( 3 foals, 2 mares and a stallion)

19:30 Halfway up to the show lodge on the right side of the road we saw a group of 8 Mountain Reedbuck in the grass

19:45 On the other side of hill near the lodge we saw a female Duiker lying in the grass.

19:50 Halfway between the lodge and big dip on our way back we saw another Duiker

20:00 We were on our way to the Ryefield when we saw a Small spotted Genet in the road, it ran across and into the field

20:10 Just at the turnoff to the Ryefield, by the stream we saw another Small spotted Genet in the road. It headed down into the dry stream and into a pipe going under the road.

20:20 On the Ryefield we saw 6 x Porcupines, a Spotted Dikkop, at least 2 Hartebeest and the usual group of Impalas. There were 2 Black-backed Jackals and 4 x Common reedbuck (1 ram, 1 ewe, 2 lambs) as well.


13/07/2007
Weather : Sunny
Max Temp : 20*C Min Temp : 05*C

07:30 Yesterday and last night's report. Hannes and Mike took the Vehicle to change the oil and filter.

08:30 Hannes helped Mike burn the last of the firebreaks.

10:00 They went to Ethuleni School to see what can be done about the sports field.

10:30 Took a hike up towards the mountain and down one of the streams. Saw 3 Giraffes near the donga on the way up.

11:45 Saw a monitor Lizard in the stream I came down.

13:00 We put the signs on the vehicle. Looks very nice.