Weekly Reports 3rd - 7th September 2007

03/09/2007
Weather: Sunny and warm
Min temp: 11*C Max temp: 28*C

07:30 We filled up the AFTW vehicle with diesel. While doing this we spotted 6x Waterbuck on their way to the dam at the base of the mountain
08:00 Did yesterday's report.

09:00 We went to Ladysmith to get the PC fixed as it was giving too much trouble. We also found out then that the wrong doors for the school had to be reordered. It will probably be here next week then.

13:30 Got back from Ladysmith and set up the PC, it looks to be ok now.

14:30 We headed to the Ryefield - 2 Breeding groups of Impala's and a bachelor group, some Blue Cranes, 2 x Egyptian Geese, Hadeda and Sacred Ibis and some 8 Warthogs. We also saw 2 x Long-crested Eagles in a tree just across the river.

14:50 On the other side of the Ryefield we saw a Black-shouldered Kite in a tree.

15:10 Headed to the dam at the base of the mountain

15:20 There was only an Impala ewe having a drink.

15:30 We headed up the mountain to have a look around. There were some zebra's but they ran off and we were unable to count them

16:00 The 15 Blesbok on the right hand side seem to be enjoying the new growth from the field fire.

16:30 We headed back home.

04/09/2007

Weather : Sunny and windy
Min temp : 12*C Max temp: 31*C

07:30 Did yesterday's report

08:30 Headed for the mountain.

09:00 On the right hand side top of the mountain the 15 Blesbok are looking good.

09:15 Just as we were starting to go down the back of the mountain we saw 2 x Female Mountain reedbuck.

09:55 At the back of the mountain near the N3 close to the 2nd dam we saw 4 x Kudu cows and a 2 year old bull.

10:05 Further down the road we saw another 3 x Mountain Reedbuck and another Kudu Bull.

10:25 On the side of the hill on the road towards the show lodge a duiker female was lying in the grass.

10:30 Near the big dip on the way to the lodge 4 x Giraffes. Vera and 3 adults.

10:40 We saw 4 more giraffes by the show lodge. Stompie and her mom, Speedy and Bossie and her mom.

11:15 There was an Impala group near the pond at the house.

12:00 We went to Geluk to go clear some roads. Summer is starting now and everything grows with new enthusiasm, so we just did a few touch ups. We will probably do it more often now.

12:10 There was a rock Monitor sunbathing in the road on Geluk. It ran off as we got closer.

12:20 Geluk - Martial Eagle in the sky.

13:45 We were done with the road and headed back to Gevonden.

14:00 Hannes took a hike down the big stream but did not see anything interesting.

14:00 I headed to the dam at the base of the mountain.

14:15 There was a lone Impala ewe, 2 x Egyptian Geese, a Warthog, a Reed Cormorant and a Long-crested Eagle at the dam. I spent some time there to see if anything else turns up, but was unlucky.

15:00 Left the dam and headed for the Ryefield.

15:20 There were the 3 usual Impala groups, 3 Blesbok, and some Warthogs and Hadeda Ibis. Also some Blue cranes.

15:30 The Hartebeest turned up on the Ryefield and started grazing as soon as they were on it.

15:40 On the other side of the Ryefield there was 2 x Egyptian Geese.

16:00 Left the Ryefield. All the animals on the Ryefield were relaxed and just grazing.


05/09/2007
Weather : Sunny
Min temp : 16*C Max temp: 32*C

07:30 Did yesterday's report.

08:00 Headed for the mountain.

08:30 Saw a Kudu Bull and 4 x Mountain Reedbuck near the dam on the top of the mountain.

08:40 15 Blesbok on top right hand side of the mountain looking good.

08:50 Another Kudu Bull on the side of the mountain as we headed down towards the back of the mountain.

09:00 We headed down the mountain to the back to do some cleaning up. There is always some rubbish blowing from the N3 onto UmPhafa.

09:50 8 x Kudu bulls near the 2nd dam at the back.

10:05 Near the first dam round the back we saw another 3 x Kudu's. A young bull, a calf and a cow.

10:25 Just at the turn off towards the lodge a Kudu cow and 4 x Mountain Reedbuck.

10:35 In the valley near the road to the lodge we saw 2 x Kudu cows and a calf.

10:40 Near the big dip 2 x Giraffes browsing.

10:50 On the plateau near the show lodge we spotted Stompie and Bossie near the road by themselves. They were quite relaxed and did not seem bothered by us driving so close by them.

11:30 We headed to the dam at the base of the mountain.

11:40 We saw the 9 Hartebeest on our way there.

12:10 At the dam we saw at least 4 x Waterbuck. We are sure the rest were close but we were unable to see them in the thick bush. We did see the large male, the rest were female.

12:40 Headed to the Ryefield. There we saw the usual. About 40 Blue cranes, the 3 usual Impala groups, 3 x Blesbok, 6 x Zebras and loads of Warthog enjoying the mud.

13:30 Did some work on the footage of the last couple of weeks.

16:00 Will work on it again tomorrow to try and finish it.


06/09/2007

Weather : Sunny
Min temp : 17*C Max temp: 31*C

07:30 Did yesterday's report

08:30 Went to the Ryefield. The usual 3 x groups of Impala, 2 x Egyptian Geese, 3 x Blesbok and about 40 Blue cranes.

08:55 Near the Tugela by the Ryefield we saw a Brownhooded Kingfisher.

09:25 We headed to the dam at the base of the mountain and saw 2 x Egyptian Geese, a male and female Impala, Duiker and a Secretary bird. There was also a Giant Kingfisher in the tree.

10:00 We left the dam and went to start the pump for the centre pivot.

10:50 We went to Geluk with Mike. He wanted to show us a possible Egyptian Geese nesting site. We will keep and eye on it. We did not see the Geese but saw the nest.

12:15 We went to the dam at the base of the mountain again and stayed there to see if anything turned up.

13:30 7 Zebra's turned up at the dam. They stayed in the trees, they were a little unsure of the vehicle.

13:40 2 Warthogs joined in and did not seem too bothered by the vehicle as they had a great time in the mud. The Zebras then came down for a drink.

14:00 Eventually both the Zebra's and the Warthogs left. We headed back.

14:10 Worked on the footage some more.

15:50 We headed up towards the lodge and saw 4 x nice big Kudu bulls. Biltong was one of them.

16:00 Headed back home.


07/09/2007
Weather : Cloudy morning
Min temp : 17*C Max temp: 30*C

07:30 Did yesterday's report

08:00 We went to the Ryefield to fix the sprayer head that came off the centre pivot. The 3 usual Impala groups were there. Also the 3 Blesbok and 9 Hartebeest

08:50 We put a Game Block out for the animals. There were 6 x Zebra, a small group of Impala and some Waterbuck in the clearing near the donga halfway to the mountain.

08:55 As we headed back to the Ryefield with the sprayer head we came across 2 x Warthogs (male and female).

09:30 We went to check on the Egyptian Geese on Geluk. The pair was there but there was no indication that the nest was theirs.

10:00 After getting all we needed to fix the sprayer head we went back to the Ryefield.

10:45 The Blue Cranes arrived on the field.

11:15 We headed up the mountain.

11:35 3 x Mountain Reedbuck in the middle on top of mountain.

11:40 On the top right hand side of the mountain all 15 Blesbok look well.

11:50 Not too far down the back of the mountain we saw 2 x Kudu bulls browsing on the acacia's

12:40 Near the 2nd dam at the back of the mountain we saw a Duiker female and 4 x Mountain Reedbuck.

13:20 3 x Kudu's near the big dip on the way to the show lodge.

13:40 We headed to the dam at the base of the mountain and saw Bossie and Stompie on our way there. There were 6 x Zebra's at the dam and 2 x Egyptian Geese.

14:20 We took a hike back to the dam to see if any more animals went there for a drink. Without the vehicle scaring them off. We were there for about and hour and nothing came back for a drink. We had a look around to see if we could see the Giraffes, but we could not find them.

16:00 Came back to the farm house.