Went atlassing along the McGregor road a while ago and came across what appeared to be a huge dune that had been carved away by a river - guess the sea-level must have been a lot higher once as it's now at least 80 km from here.
Stopping on the side of the road to have a "listen" I noticed a pair of Blue Cranes striding magestically across a field. My attention was momentarily diverted and when I looked back they appeared to be dancing, jumping up into the air flapping their wings and kicking their legs. Only then did I see the menacing black form that was causing the fuss. A Verreaux's eagle was mantling over the carcass of a chick which it had obvoiusly just snaffled in front of the parents and they were trying to drive it off. The eagle unable to take off with its' outsized prey and had to defend itself by spreading its' wings and lunging repeatedly, causing them to back away. They continued to hover calling anxiously to no avail, then part two of the drama started. A Secretarybird wandered in stage left and decided the eagles' prey was just what it was looking for and began a concerted attack. Just for good measure a pair of Pied Crows arrived to see what they could scrounge. This was all happening about 300 m from where I was parked so the photo isn't great, however the eagle eventually prevailed and I left it munching the unfortunate chick.
Another morning was spent up in the hills where I spotted a splash of colour in the field near an abandoned farm. Closer inspection revealed a splendid poppy, cannot imagine where it came from unless the local dagga growers have decided to go into something a bit more hardcore.
A patch of fynbos was littered with these sunshiney daisies Euryops tenuissimus..
Other than vines there are large orchards where most of the trees are allowed some freedom but these peaches are trained to a ridiculous degree - they look like they've been crucified. Went for a stroll around the golf course and noticed a group of workers in another grove. Took a while to figure it out but they were "thinning out" and at least half the fruit was on the ground - guess the bees are too efficient.
Shortly after moving to the new site I noticed a little fairy ring of arctotis had popped up through the lawn - enter the men with mowers which left me cursing as I'd wanted to get a pic. No worries mate, two days later they were back.
Robertson, like many other villages in this area has it's share of beautiful old buildings, this one particularly appealed - the date on the gable is 1869.
Between here and McGregor is Vroulikheid Nature Reserve situated in this magical valley.
I spent a couple of hours birding and while there I was delighted to renew my acquaintance with a Booted Eagle - not once but three times, though it was probably the same bird. Though their plumage is variable they have a trademark, two white patches at the wing root that look like headlights when they turn.
The predominant tree species is Acacia karoo and one young specimen took self protection to the extreme.
The Wine on the River festival happened over last weekend and as the camp was totally full I'd arranged to leave the Beast in storage while I gapped to the Tankwa Karoo. Between here and Worcester another of those "wow" moments occurred...............
................and again deep in the Karoo.
Accommodation was provided at the delectably quirky Gannaga Lodge and owner Johann greets all his guests with "Welcome to the middle of nowhere". As the fourth generation of Visagie, he didn't have any interest in farming so sold off all but 20 hectares to SANParks, converted the outbuildings and became a publican. He confided that most people in the Karoo will speak English if they have to: "But remember that it's not a second language, it's a foreign language". As Saturday was busy he was joined by Rrrrobert, a retired judge from Edinburgh who has a house in Middlepos 28 km down the road and is pretty fluent in Afrikaans. He spends six months a year "back home" and says by the time he gets back he's forgotten most of it.
A few kilometers along an atrocious road brings one to the edge of a gorge carved out by the Renoster River, not quite Grand Canyon but impressive, looking downstream..........
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................and up. The Tankwa Karoo NP started out as a 14 000ha. farm and currently stands at 147 000 ha. as more and more farms have been added. SANParks are still buying as the aim is to create a corrodor from here to the Cederberg Mountains to allow free movement for the leopard population. There are only males in the Tankwa so they currently have to make their way across farms whose owners are quite trigger happy.
The Cape Clapper Larks were in full voice and really entertained with their lovely display consisting of a steep climb whilst clapping their wings, followed by a swoop back down while emitting a long drawn out whistle.
Five of the lodges rooms are in Oupa se Huis that grandad build in the 20's, my room was previously the kitchen.
Getting to Gannaga involves negotiating 140 k's of mostly good dirt road but the last 20 require a kidney belt, particularly the pass right at the end.
When stopping to take the photo above this little fellow came and settled nearby a Karoo Widow and a lifer for me, hey bird lifers are extremely scare so I'll take what I can get.
A whole day was spent in a fruitless search for Burchell's Courser which was the main reason for the visit but I did end up at Oudebaaskraal Dam which is the largest dam in South Africa built with private funds but apparently SANparks wants to blow a hole in the wall as it's not "natural".
On the way back to "civilization" I very nearly ran over one of these magnificent creatures - a Cape Cobra. Didn't have time to get a pic before it ducked so had to resort to the internet.
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