It's over three months since I last posted so though nothing much has happened, I thought I'd better make the effort. Still stunned by the single point victories of their last three games but it's all the Springboks needed to become World Champions for the fourth time. Incredible.
For most of the time I have been laid low by this horrible thing called COPD. Though incurable, treatment has got me to the point where I am able to breathe reasonably well and can just about manage a walk around the block. Have been able to get out on occasion, once to the ever rewarding Marievale Bird Sanctuary where I found this gorgeous little black-winged kite searching for breakfast.
Not often that you find a common moorhen away from water but this one seemed to be having a fruitful time.
Always opportunistic, this ring-necked (Cape turtle) dove decided to make a nest in the top of a pole.
Aside from showy jacarandas, these trees that I'm sure I once knew the name of, were displaying their splendid yellow blossoms.
To break the Boksburg monotony I arranged a trip to Whiteriver to visit friends and get into Kruger. On my first morning in the park I saw what I thought was a log lying in the middle of the road, but as I approached, the log rose and nonchalantly strolled off! Naturally my camera started acting up so was forced to use my cell phone.......
........not bad though. Such a magnificent specimen.....a cheetah if anyone is unsure, always a breath-taking sight.
Though there were, as always, many species of bird the lack of a camera meant the only other thing I could get a picture of was this superb kudu.
On a motorcycle ride to the northern suburbs, I came across Northcliff Hill where a small patch of rocky hillside has escaped development and is now a nature area and lookout point. Johannesburg is not exactly beautiful but the tree-lined northern areas do provide relief from the concrete jungle. Here looking north-east towards Randburg...................
............and here west towards Krugersdorp.
The removal of a couple of trees from my garden that were just a bit too much, necessitated a visit to a nursery to find some replacement shrubs. What an eye-opener that was, it's probably 20 years since I last bought anything in the plant line and the prices blew my mind. Couldn't resist these amazing petunias which now greet me every morning at my front door.
Had a hankering to visit Cullinan as the village looked very quaint and the history surrounding the finding of the world's biggest diamond was also a draw. Found reasonable, self-catering accommodation on a game farm called Ma Tala Tala but the weather turned foul on my first morning there. Decided to head for the village rather than take a walk and while it was every bit as quaint as I imagined all the interesting areas were closed as it was Monday.
Ah well back to the ranch for a walk that turned into a hike and nearly finished me off! The rooms were well appointed...........
...............but quite why the camp was fenced in was a mystery as there was nothing dangerous on the farm.
An outing to Reitvlei Nature Reserve near Pretoria turned interesting when I came out of a hide and met this fellow no more than 10 metres from the boardwalk. Retired to the hide for a while but he was still grazing contentedly so snuck past with many a backward glance and made it safely to the bakkie.
Guess even birds have bad-hair days! This is a long-tailed widowbird and he is moulting into his breeding finery after spending the winter looking very much like a female of the species.
At a river crossing this wattled lapwing was looking rather harassed, couldn't ascertain why though.
In the river a pair of yellow-billed ducks were doing the bottoms-up, dabbling routine......
.......and under a nearby willow a rhino was dozing, blissfully unaware of it's endangered status. Not something you expect 30 kilometres from the centre of Pretoria.
Further on a male ostrich was doing everything in his power to persuade his lady friend to share his affections, which she eventually did - lucky fellow!
Not as plentiful as in some parts, but this vlei lily Crinum moorii (I think) was singularly splendid.
Also noticeable were the freshly dug burrows of what I believe to be springhares though at this time of day they would be asleep.
Also on parade were a handful of red hartebeest with their odd shaped horns.
