24
Aug
Finally after 4 years of silent prayer the Chief of our village has given us the land. We are now busy fencing the area down to the dam and across the river. Hopefully the ever present thumping of axes chopping of Jackalberry, Maroela, WIld Fig and Apple leaf will soon cease. The fence cover the eastern side down to the dam and on the west it join our land down across and along the river to the dam. It is a 1 square kilometer area, not much but significant, for protecting waterbirds, Fish eagles, night heron’s and many small animal species - most of all the inlet to the dam where a huge heronry exsist and where the indemic fish species breed. This will be our mayor area for conservation and environmental awareness project - here in the middle of a rural area.
22
Jun
Good news is that the Ground Hornbills are increasing in numbers on private land! During visits to some Game farmers in our area I have come upon three groups of Ground Hornbills. One farmer has to cover the glass panes on his doors with cloth as the hornbills see themselves reflected in the glass and assumes that it is a rival male -he then pecks at the “rival” untill the glass pane breaks…
04
May
After a rainstorm I heard strange birdlike calls from the garden. It end up not being birds at all but three Genet kittens washed out from their tree-den and deserted by their mother. Shivering from the cold and covered by ticks and flees they looked helpless and with not much of a future. We washed them with tick shampoo and soon they were asleep rubbed in a towel. Later that day we took them to Daktari Wildlife rehabilitation and education center www.daktaribushschool.org/
They are looking very well after the kittens with the help of their dog whom adopted the kittens as her own. She is very protective and don’t let any strangers near them.
A few weeks later when I entered our rabbit pen I found a Rock Python. It had the tell tale buldge of a rabbit in it’s stomach. Not being able to exit the hole it enetered through because of the buldge I put the dog box in front of it and it slithered in.
The other rabbits came to investigate or to greet their old friend - anyway the python was to full to pay any attention. Having a full tummy it slept in the box for 3 weeks before I took it to Daktari. The snake escaped it’s pen at Daktari and dissapeared into the bush - a protected wildlife area.
04
Jan
End of November Jean-Marc Lustrat visited from France and recently Eugenio Capella and Cristian Jensen Marcet from Spain were her with their partners. While Jean-Marc had no trouble to see all the forest species, Eugenio and Christian missed the Bat Hawk (this is a first time miss for me as well). A highlight for me was when we saw the Starred Robin and a troop of Samango monkeys in the valley above our house!!
28
Dec
The Paradise Flycatcher chicks are hatching all around the garden and the poor adults are having a tough time feeding all the hungry mouths. Summer has been very hot so far and the rainfall far apart. Here in Limpopo it is Mango, Papaya, Guava and Litchi time and we are enjoying the variety of fruits available.
I have hosted several birdwatchers from all over and it has been a successful birding time with the Bat Hawk, Taita Falcon and Blackfronted Bush shrike showing up as usual.
01
Jul
Two Screaching owl chicks were founded in a building which was being repaired. I took them in and now they are two months older. A dog box made an easy owl box which we put up on a pole in the garden. The box has to be closed in the day because the Gymnogene visits the garden frequently. Late afternoon I take them out and let them fly back to the box to establish the box as their place of security and to get familiar with their surroundings, the dogs and the children,
15
May
Winter (June and July) day temperatures average 25C here in Limpopo . Today was 30C. The first real cold front will hit Cape town tonight and will cool down things here with one or two degrees in a few days. Although the summer rains have stopped The garden still looks fine and green and the waterfall in the mountain above the house is down to trickle.
The Brownhooded Kingfisher is once again king of the garden for the winter until summer comes and the Woodland kingfishers take over kingship.
