Bernt & Rufie arrived on 1st October. They will be with us for the next few weeks. Bernt is an old friend & colleague of Delana's, they have worked on several environmental projects together & he visited us last year in Sabie Park. He enjoyed the trip so much, that he came back for more!
Bernt, Rufie & Delana
We spent the evening chatting & generally catching up.
Southern Right Whale
Plenty of them on show opposite our house.
Bernt, in his position!
I conducted an early morning sea watch on 2nd. It was yet again very quiet, with only 1 White-chinned Petrel & 1 Giant Petrel sp. seen. The first Barn Swallows were noted. When one thinks where we actually are here, (at the southern tip of Africa), they are pretty early.
Klein Paradise
This dam normally holds quite a few waterbirds.
However, today the water levels were too high.
Would be birders!
Ruthie & Bernt
African Spoonbill
Yellow Bishop
We then did some birding around the nearby farm of Klein Paradise. Even though it is only 2kms from Pearly it has some different habitats & can be good for waterbirds. However, the dam level was very high & little of note was recorded. It was a very enjoyable mornings outing though.
Plenty of plants sprouting on the bare earth.
We think that this is a King Protea.
In the afternoon we drove up to the Agulhas National Park. It was mainly to assess the damage from recent fires. Delana & myself have never seen it so open before. Flowers were sprouting again. It was a nice couple of hours walking & driving around.
Carol: never forgotten.
Justin & Nicci in the UK.
Today would have been my late wife Carol's birthday. Myself & the girls always raise a glass or two in her memory.
Southern Right Whale.
Rock Hyrax
Seen opposite the cafe.
The next day we all went for breakfast at Cafe on the Rocks at De Kelders. There were several Southern Right Whales in the bay, but all a little too far out for decent shots. A few African Black Swifts were zooming around, but I failed to obtain any photos.
Niklas with his Mum & Dad.
Delana preparing food.
On the 4th October Bernt & Rufie drove to Cape Town to pick up their son Nicholas who had just flown in from Sweden & he will be with us for the next few weeks.
The next day I conducted a sea watch. The highlight being 2 African Penguins, but they were two far out for photos.
Distant Grey Rhebok
They have adapted to farmland
Blue Crane
The southern most tip of Africa:
looking into nowhere!
It really is a beautiful stretch of coastline.
On the 6th October we all drove the back roads to Cape Agulhas, the southern most tip of Africa. We were very lucky with the weather & everyone enjoyed the day out.
We packed on 7th & set out on our three day drive north on the 8th October. Our visitors enjoyed four days on their own around Cape Town & met up with us again in Skukuza for the next leg of their journey.
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