A familiar refrain of mine about the general lack of raptors doesn't apply in these parts with five species being seen regularly and the common (steppe) buzzard appears to be the most err....common. These guys come all the way from their breeding grounds in and around steppes of Russia to enliven our summer months.
Went out for a walk in the vineyards and simply had to take this as it reminded me of a couple of clowns currently power!
On the other side of the Kasteelberg is a road that skirts the slopes and provides some good birding including this rather natty capped wheatear.
Apparently an artist from Cape Town was commissioned to paint a picture of the Verreaux's (black) eagles which nest in the area and this is what she produced. A local wag added added the correction.
When taking the previous picture I noticed a clump of our local version of the sweet pea Dipogon lignosus.
At a picnic site surrounded by natural vegetation, I was accosted by a family of Karoo scrub robins, this little fellow being one of the offspring. They really have an attitude and strut around like sergeants major with a ramrod posture, barking orders at all and sundry..
At the entrance to Bain's Kloof Pass is a height restriction warning.............
............this being the reason! When the original road was completed, wagons were the only form of transport, so why waste time and energy removing what became known as Dacre se Preekstoel (pulpit) after the local priest delivered a sermon here during the opening ceremony.
Similar in size to a head of broccoli, the False Karoo Hymenolepsis erithmoides were prolific, though false Karoo what is anyone's guess!
Just past the summit I fortunately happened upon a crystal trickle which slaked a thirst generated by an addled brain forgetting to bring water.
On through the picturesque Slanghoek valley vineyards surrounded by mountains........
........then up over Du Toit's Pass and a view of the Paarl Valley and surprise, surprise, more vineyards.
At a comfort stop (as the ever correct Americans call it) I heard the distinctive sounds of an orange-breasted sunbird and discovered what it was visiting.....Erica discolour. I consider it an achievement just to be able to recognise an Erica species let alone identify it. Let me elaborate, the Field Guide to Fynbos shows around 30 of the 660 odd species that occur locally, so even though I'm reasonably sure this is discolor it's neigh on impossible to be certain.
\
............crimson and black varietals represented.
Further up the pass I came to the delightfully named Joubert's Gat. As gat in Afrikaans is used to refer to two different sorts of hole, I'll leave you to ponder which was being alluded to here.
Upon my return, something rather dramatic was up. The vineyard Allseverloren (all is lost) was apparently named after a fire destroyed the farm house and it appeared to be in danger of the same thing happening once more. Fortunately the neighbours rallied around and the fire was diverted but nevertheless burned for nearly two days..............
.....................right over the top and down the other side. At the summit it had the appearance of a volcanic eruption.
Only noticed this amazing aloe in the garden, when it sprouted a pair of flower stems that were nearly 2 m long. The book enabled me to identify it as A comosa, a species that only occurs naturally much further up the west coast.
Was rudely awoken by chopper blades just after six one morning, closer inspection revealed spraying in progress - these guys like to get going early.
An interesting bit of local history involves the "Post office" tree, a 300+ year old wild olive Olea europaea, which is now impossible to photograph without including some part of the power pylon Eskom callously planted next to it. The nearest railway station was at Hermon, a few kilometers away, and the rather idle postman would only drive his cart as far as this tree, then he blew a horn to let the burghers know a delivery had been made.
Driving to Wellington one morning I overtook the famous Blue Train, which is apparently the epitome of luxury and it costs a fortune to ride from Pretoria to Cape Town. Thought the ambiance was rather marred by the filthy, orange "Spoories" locomotives.
For those of you who haven't yet been introduced, this is Diego and while I may be biased he's got to be the coolest cat around..... I mean how laid back is this pose? Sally and Nicholas have adopted him on my behalf for the 70th year of my existence and though he currently resides near Hluhluwe, I'm certainly going to make every effort to visit him at least once.
\
