After a pleasant overnight stay with Sue and Giles on the north coast, I flew back to Joburg and then headed to Hlalanathi to be reunited with the Beast, which had been installed on site with a majestic view of the Amphitheatre.
That evening I was visited by a family of dusky flycatchers who like cats always seem to "sit fat"
Under the eaves of the ladies ablution block, white-rumped swifts had commandeered a swallow nest to breed in and were visiting it regularly to feed their ravenous offspring - let's just say they are not easy to photograph.
On a previous visit to Kloof I'd met with Bill Nortjie who had persuaded Richard Boon to use the tens of thousands of pictures he has already taken of trees for an artificial intelligence based app to identify our local species. However they are going to need masses more and I was asked if I'd be interested in supplying them. Do bears defecate in the woods? As a trial run Richard had supplied over 600 slides of various species of the sersia genus to a computer boffin and it was suggested that I start getting a few of my own pics that could be used to see if the system worked. Hence I immediately signed up for a months' accommodation and moved to a site with a different view...................
...........though definitely not unpleasant. The main attraction was the thatched area which provided a convenient parking place for the bike.
All but one sersia species in our area have compound leaves with three leaflets (i.e tri-foliate), however that does not mean that all tri-foliate leaves belong to sersias as I soon found out!
On the way back to camp I happened upon this young caracal who wasn't quite sure what to make of the bakkie or the idiot leaning out of it snapping away.......
........and I still haven't managed to get a really good picture of a bird that shares my name, the yellow bishop.
The hunt for another local rarity led me to Eland Valley near Underberg where I stayed overnight in a little wooden cabin overlooking a dam. The information brochure informed me that - canoes are available and awes may be obtained from reception! The crag in the background.........
.....................was understandably called Castle Rock.
Though I only briefly saw the red-footed kestrel I was chasing, a banded martin kindly sat for long enough to get it's portrait.
Nice to see the southern berg again but unfortunately the only decent campsite in the area is at the end of a 34 km dirt road. As for the central berg, I made the mistake taking the road that passes White Mountain and Giant's Castle and it was diabolical, so I doubt that they are getting many visitors.
...............and a very wet night left a female violet-backed starling a little bedraggled. She is so different from the male that they could be mistaken for different species.
Near the Mahai Campsite this golden-breasted bunting was out seeking breakfast......
.......while on the buddlia, these smartly dressed fellows were having a quick snack, think they are probably Colorado beetles so not indigenous.
Another invader, a morning glory Ipomoea purpurea, is such a stunning blue that you can easily forgive it!
And Witchweed Striga elegans, with it's bright red flowers, is actually a herb that parasitises grasses and so is not very popular with maize farmers.
Another foray into Royal Natal saw me traversing Otto's Trail where I came across this massive cabbage tree Cussonia paniculata which must be even older than me!
A little further on a sweet melody halted my progress and after much frustration I located the source - a juvenile chorister robin.
Another delightful trill turned out to be a yellow-throated woodland warbler and that name is a lot longer than the bird. Their preferred habitat is high in the forest canopy, hence the vent view.
Took a ride one afternoon along the road to The Cavern Hotel and spent some time at this pleasant spot where the river drops into a large natural pool.
For several days I chased a very loud and persistent brubru whose call sounds just like one of those old fashioned cricket telephones. A small member of the shrike family, this one was obviously in search of a mate and though he was loud, he was not very obliging.
Agatha, who I had met at Bonamanzi about this time last year, sent me a video of her new campsite which I recognized as Monk's Cowl just around the corner, so we met for lunch. A few days later she was in Hlalanathi and being Afrikaas was keen to get to see Retief se Klip and the Kaalvoet Meisie which I have mentioned previously in this journal. After taking her to both sites I suggested an outing to Golden Gate and she was kind enough to provide a picnic. I had hoped that the Dinosaur Park had been completed as she is very interested in fossils but alas, three years down the line...... The road up to the camp passes some impressive dolomite cliffs.......
................monoliths and..................
.............dykes, but the campsite where I stayed on my last visit, is unfortunately right next to a busy road that runs through the park.
To better appreciate the grandeur we took a stroll along the road and were astounded to see people appear at the top of this. I assume there is an easier way up round the back!
While the hotel seemed to be open there weren't many guests around.
On an evening prior to the heavens opening once again, I sent Titus the drone aloft to capture this from my campsite looking over the golf course towards Van Reenen's Pass about 30 km distant.
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