21St November 2012
LOL!! Or should that be “nuts”?
Late yesterday afternoon the storm clouds started gathering and a strong wind came up. I was thankful that it seemed as if we were going to get some rain at last and cool things down a bit but after a lot of thunder and lightning, it blew over and someone else got the benefit of it. It did however cool down so I went for a long walk along the river bank. When I arrived back at the car, the side opposite to the direction of the wind was black and on closer inspection found it was covered with literally thousands of gnats!! I have never seen so many together before. Clever fellows to get out of the wind but did they have to use my car?? LOL!!
22nd November, 2012
I have to decide where to go from here and it is a difficult one......
23rd November 2012
Woke up and decided to head for my “home from home”..... yes, you guessed it ..... Kruger National Park. What a wonderful feeling it always is to drive in the gates. I am not sure how long I am going to be here as I am hoping to go to all the camps.
If you want to know what a trip here will be like, please follow my link to the first chapter on the series I did called Home away from Home and then on the right hand side of my blog, you will see the other links to the other chapters. This is an amazing place and always worth visiting.
http://saphotographs.blogspot.com/2009/05/home-away-from-home-part-1.html
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Sudwala Caves
Looming above the beautifully wooded valley of the bustling mountain torrent known as the "Houtbosloop", there is a majestic massif known as Mankelexele (Crag on crag / Rock upon rock) In the great massif dolomite rock there is one of the most astonishing caves in Southern Africa, an as yet unplumbed complex of passages and giant chambers extending into the mysterious heart of the mountain.
The Sudwala Caves are the oldest known caves in the world, and as such, are a `must-see' on the itinerary of any visitor to Mpumalanga. These incredible caverns lie in the Drakensberg escarpment which separates the Highveld from the lowlands of Mpumalanga.
The caves are situated in Pre-cumbrian dolomite rocks of the Malmani Group, formed over a period of some 3000 million years, capturing in stone a time when the area was covered by warm shallow in-land seas. These are amongst the second oldest known sedimentary rocks on the earth, and represented in the cave are fossils of the first oxygen producing plants on the earth, Collenia.
One can clearly see in the different layers and textures in the rock a reflection of the result of the different weather patterns taking place in the building of an ancient seabed. Besides the awesome rock displays the caverns also boast an array of calcium formations, aged but active, anciently and patiently still growing.
INTRODUCTION
The Sudwala Caves are the oldest known caves in the world, and as such, are a `must-see' on the itinerary of any visitor to Mpumalanga. These incredible caverns lie in the Drakensberg escarpment which separates the Highveld from the lowlands of Mpumalanga.
The caves are situated in Pre-cumbrian dolomite rocks of the Malmani Group, formed over a period of some 3000 million years, capturing in stone a time when the area was covered by warm shallow in-land seas. These are amongst the second oldest known sedimentary rocks on the earth, and represented in the cave are fossils of the first oxygen producing plants on the earth, Collenia.
One can clearly see in the different layers and textures in the rock a reflection of the result of the different weather patterns taking place in the building of an ancient seabed. Besides the awesome rock displays the caverns also boast an array of calcium formations, aged but active, anciently and patiently still growing.
INTRODUCTION
In past ages these caves were formed when gigantic stresses cracked the dolomite. Rainwater percolated into the cracks, carrying carbon-dioxide and dissolving away the limestone in the rock, forming in the process a subterranean dreamland of vast caverns and passageways decorated with stalactites and stalagmites in all manner of weird fanciful shapes.
It is as though nature, in the privacy of these dark vaults has directed some leisure moments in eternity and created a gallery of fantastic shapes and forms, and exhibits them to mankind with a sly smile. The dolomite is a carbonate sedimentary rock consisting mainly of the mineral dolomite CCa Mg(CO3)2.
PRE- HISTORY
It is as though nature, in the privacy of these dark vaults has directed some leisure moments in eternity and created a gallery of fantastic shapes and forms, and exhibits them to mankind with a sly smile. The dolomite is a carbonate sedimentary rock consisting mainly of the mineral dolomite CCa Mg(CO3)2.
PRE- HISTORY
The caves were used as shelter by Pre-historic man in the form of "Homo-Habilis" / "Handyman." approximately 1.8 million years ago. Habilis has smaller cheek teeth, larger front teeth, a relatively large brain and skeleton more like that of modern humans.
They mainly used the cave entrance as shelter during bad weather. Excavations are still in progress and have thus far yielded a fine collection of stone-age tools which are on display at the cave entrance.
"THE AMPHITHEATER":
They mainly used the cave entrance as shelter during bad weather. Excavations are still in progress and have thus far yielded a fine collection of stone-age tools which are on display at the cave entrance.
"THE AMPHITHEATER":
Early in the development of the Sudwala Caves as a South African tourist attraction, it was discovered that the "P.R.Owen hall" had natural air-conditioning and it was also suggested that this, plus its other attributes, would make it splendidly suitable for opera and other drama.
In July 1970 the famous Russian singer, Ivan Rebroff, tested the suitability of the big hall for concert purposes. His remarkable voice, with a range of four octaves, resounded gloriously through the caverns in a series of songs. Afterwards he gave his considered opinion that the acoustics were at least equal, if not positively superior to those of any concert hall or opera house in Europe.
FOSSILS
In July 1970 the famous Russian singer, Ivan Rebroff, tested the suitability of the big hall for concert purposes. His remarkable voice, with a range of four octaves, resounded gloriously through the caverns in a series of songs. Afterwards he gave his considered opinion that the acoustics were at least equal, if not positively superior to those of any concert hall or opera house in Europe.
FOSSILS
In the Pre-cambrian, all the early animals were soft bodied and thus did not fossilize well at all. However there are primitive plant fossils called "collenia" to be viewed in the Sudwala caves. They were a type of blue-green algae that used to float on the ocean.
They were tubular shaped and approximately 2 m in length. It was one of the first oxygen producing plants that produced oxygen safe enough for us to breath.
It got compacted in the rock, because at high tide sand and silt would get washed over it and get caught up in it, another layer would grow and the same process would occur.
They were tubular shaped and approximately 2 m in length. It was one of the first oxygen producing plants that produced oxygen safe enough for us to breath. 
It dates back 2000 million years when these plants were formed.
It got compacted in the rock, because at high tide sand and silt would get washed over it and get caught up in it, another layer would grow and the same process would occur.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Oh my!
19th November 2012
There are so many incidents which I come across that I have to smile at:
1. At Nylsvley, I had gone into their small shop to get a sandwich for lunchtime. Coming out, a car stopped in front of me and a man and woman, probably in their late 70’s got out. Without any kind of a greeting the lady said to me “Who are you? What are you doing here? Where do you come from?” LOL!! I was quite disconcerted at the approach or should I say attack? She continued: “Come and have coffee, I want to know all about you.” I turned down the invitation but started chatting to here. What a lovely couple they are and invited me to visit them in Pretoria when I am there again. I did have to wonder about their holiday though ...... they had left a place where they just sat around all day, hired a chalet in Nylsvley and were doing the same thing besides maybe once a day riding down to the birdhide which had no birds as there has not been enough rain to fill the pan. Is it worth going somewhere on “vacation” when you sit and do the same things as at home????
2. I met a young man you was doing a three year course in Lodge Management. These courses are very basic. He told me that when he finishes next year he wants to go and work at the Ritz in London. I wonder if he knows that you need YEARS or experience and be among the top ranking people in the world to get into a place like that. I admire his far reaching dreams though but think he needs to come back down to reality. The irony of it all is that he does not speak a word of English!!
3. While sitting in my car waiting for something, I was approached by a very old black man. He asked me if I had something to light his cigarette and told me he could not ask any of the black people around there as “Black people are full of sh*t!” I had to smile at that one.LOL!!
I was very lucky to be invited to stay at a place on a river bank not too far out of Pretoria. This lady and her husband run two places and said there is no one at the second during the week so could go out there. It has water and bathrooms but no electricity and I can tell you, in this extreme heat, a cold shower is just the thing so I have at least two per day!!
20th November 2012
I have found some lovely and interesting bugs again but I decided I wanted to put my light out at night to see what came to it. There was not much of interest except a small spider but while sitting there, a snake crawled out of the bush about 5 yards/meters away and came to lay on the road. Oh boy!! Nice kind of surprise hey? I am surprised that he did not move off as I was walking around my light but he seemed quite willing to share the space with me. It was too dark to see what kind it was and did not want to move closer so I took a shot with my flash but it did not come out clearly so I still do not know what it was.
This was last nights sunset. What a pleasure to sit on the banks, listen to the birds and watch the sun go down.
There are so many incidents which I come across that I have to smile at:
1. At Nylsvley, I had gone into their small shop to get a sandwich for lunchtime. Coming out, a car stopped in front of me and a man and woman, probably in their late 70’s got out. Without any kind of a greeting the lady said to me “Who are you? What are you doing here? Where do you come from?” LOL!! I was quite disconcerted at the approach or should I say attack? She continued: “Come and have coffee, I want to know all about you.” I turned down the invitation but started chatting to here. What a lovely couple they are and invited me to visit them in Pretoria when I am there again. I did have to wonder about their holiday though ...... they had left a place where they just sat around all day, hired a chalet in Nylsvley and were doing the same thing besides maybe once a day riding down to the birdhide which had no birds as there has not been enough rain to fill the pan. Is it worth going somewhere on “vacation” when you sit and do the same things as at home????
2. I met a young man you was doing a three year course in Lodge Management. These courses are very basic. He told me that when he finishes next year he wants to go and work at the Ritz in London. I wonder if he knows that you need YEARS or experience and be among the top ranking people in the world to get into a place like that. I admire his far reaching dreams though but think he needs to come back down to reality. The irony of it all is that he does not speak a word of English!!
3. While sitting in my car waiting for something, I was approached by a very old black man. He asked me if I had something to light his cigarette and told me he could not ask any of the black people around there as “Black people are full of sh*t!” I had to smile at that one.LOL!!
I was very lucky to be invited to stay at a place on a river bank not too far out of Pretoria. This lady and her husband run two places and said there is no one at the second during the week so could go out there. It has water and bathrooms but no electricity and I can tell you, in this extreme heat, a cold shower is just the thing so I have at least two per day!!
20th November 2012
I have found some lovely and interesting bugs again but I decided I wanted to put my light out at night to see what came to it. There was not much of interest except a small spider but while sitting there, a snake crawled out of the bush about 5 yards/meters away and came to lay on the road. Oh boy!! Nice kind of surprise hey? I am surprised that he did not move off as I was walking around my light but he seemed quite willing to share the space with me. It was too dark to see what kind it was and did not want to move closer so I took a shot with my flash but it did not come out clearly so I still do not know what it was.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Frustrating
16Th November 2012
It has been a very busy few days and I have not had time to post or write anything.
The 11 days at Dinonyane were very productive with me recording over 200 species I could name and about 70 I cannot identify yet. A pretty good record as far as I am concerned. I processed and ended up with about 450 pictures out of that lot which I will be posting.
Last night I had something on in Johannesburg which turned out to be not as helpful as I had hoped. It is amazing how places profess to be involved in conservation and which end up being just as far as it suites their own pockets!! Anyway, I am in Pretoria today looking for a place to store my things for a while as my car is really struggling with the weight of everything. I am hoping to find something which will not cost a fortune as my pension does not stretch very far and as it is now already a bread and coffee diet for me, I don’t know what I will live on now but the sacrifice is worth not having my car damaged by the strain because without it, I am totally buggered!!!
Later .......
Oh WOW!! How wonderful friends can be!! When I least expected it, a very special person went to a lot of trouble to make space in his garage for me to store my things in!! I wonder if he realizes how much this has meant to me?? THANK YOU LEON!! I am blessed to have you in my life as my friend!!
17th November 2012
What a wasted day!! I decided to head in a south westerly direction, spent 6 hours driving around and ended back where I started!! SH*T!!!!!!!! Most of the area I looked at has been cleared of bush for farming of one kind or another. Yes, I realize we need farms too but do they have to cut down the trees?? Most animals eat the leaves and seedpods from them but I guess the taste of it might go into the milk and not make it useable for consumption. A wasted day can be very frustrating as it is hot riding around in the car like that. Last night we had a huge storm so it is quite muggy today too.
One of the places I passed and stopped at is where they grow and process mushrooms. I thought it might make an interesting post for my travel series but unfortunately they said I could only go through the place on a weekday and I think it is Saturday??
So, where am I going to head now??? I am not sure but think it might be north east of here. I would love to start my trek down south but I am waiting to hear about something which might require me to be back in Pretoria so I don’t want to go more than about 2 hours drive away.
It has been a very busy few days and I have not had time to post or write anything.
The 11 days at Dinonyane were very productive with me recording over 200 species I could name and about 70 I cannot identify yet. A pretty good record as far as I am concerned. I processed and ended up with about 450 pictures out of that lot which I will be posting.
Last night I had something on in Johannesburg which turned out to be not as helpful as I had hoped. It is amazing how places profess to be involved in conservation and which end up being just as far as it suites their own pockets!! Anyway, I am in Pretoria today looking for a place to store my things for a while as my car is really struggling with the weight of everything. I am hoping to find something which will not cost a fortune as my pension does not stretch very far and as it is now already a bread and coffee diet for me, I don’t know what I will live on now but the sacrifice is worth not having my car damaged by the strain because without it, I am totally buggered!!!
Later .......
Oh WOW!! How wonderful friends can be!! When I least expected it, a very special person went to a lot of trouble to make space in his garage for me to store my things in!! I wonder if he realizes how much this has meant to me?? THANK YOU LEON!! I am blessed to have you in my life as my friend!!
17th November 2012
What a wasted day!! I decided to head in a south westerly direction, spent 6 hours driving around and ended back where I started!! SH*T!!!!!!!! Most of the area I looked at has been cleared of bush for farming of one kind or another. Yes, I realize we need farms too but do they have to cut down the trees?? Most animals eat the leaves and seedpods from them but I guess the taste of it might go into the milk and not make it useable for consumption. A wasted day can be very frustrating as it is hot riding around in the car like that. Last night we had a huge storm so it is quite muggy today too.
One of the places I passed and stopped at is where they grow and process mushrooms. I thought it might make an interesting post for my travel series but unfortunately they said I could only go through the place on a weekday and I think it is Saturday??
So, where am I going to head now??? I am not sure but think it might be north east of here. I would love to start my trek down south but I am waiting to hear about something which might require me to be back in Pretoria so I don’t want to go more than about 2 hours drive away.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Dinonyane Lodge
Many thanks to Retha, Jan, Frik and Chantelle, the owners and manager of this lovely lodge for allowing me to spend eleven wonderful days here doing a survey of the plants and insects. It is greatly appreciated!!
There are 19 en suite comfortable and cosy rooms to choose from ranging from standard, family and luxury.
Bathrooms have a bath and/or shower with towels supplied as well as a variety of other bathroom amenities.
There is a lovely bar and restaurant available where meals are catered for on request. Three of the chalets are self-catering but once again, meals can be arranged if required.
All in all, it is the ideal place for family celebrations, weekend getaways, special occasions, conferences and weddings.
The lodge is listed with Birdlife South Africa and was featured in Country Life (February 2012 issue).
Please consider this lovely place for your next weekend away. For reservations and more information you can contact Dinonyane Lodge on telephone: 014 743-6969 Fax: 086 574-5302 E-mail: info@dinonyane.co.za or visit their website at: www.dinonyane.co.za
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Life and people can be strange and amazing!!
5Th November 2012
Life and people can be strange and amazing!!
I remember when we got TV back in the 80’s – everyone’s social skills seem to fly out of the window. People were SO enthralled at this new medium that they did not have the decency to switch it off when you came to visit. Instead, their eyes were glued to the box and they did not hear a word which was being said by anyone else. Now it has got even worse ...... they ask you to come and visit, then spend all the time chatting to people on FB, Twitter or whatever else they are on, as well as sending text messages on the phone. How very rude and inconsiderate!! I only need to get that once from a person and I never go there again. I am so pleased that I was taught manners and decency by my parents.
Some people also seem to think that I am having great fun and adventure when this is very far from the truth. If this was, many, many people would be doing it and I cannot find any other person living like this. I have lived a tough life but this is by far the toughest thing I have ever done. I am open to the elements, experiencing extremely hot and cold weather, when it rains everything is wet, I am far away from shops and cannot buy anything fresh. There is not a soul I know who would be able to live like this for more than a couple of weeks, so don’t envy me please.
7Th November 2012
This was really a great day for me as far as finding interesting subjects. Someone at the lodge brought me a scorpion with a damaged tail and as it was a species I have not been able to find and photograph before, I was pleased to get this one. I also found an Acacia Katydid which I have long been after and a Roman Spider!! (These are not true spiders but belong to the Order Solifugae) Since a child of about 7-8 years old, I have been terrified of only one thing and that is these spiders!! They run at you to get into your shadow and are large and hairy!! One time, as I was about to get into my bed, one came crawling out from between my sheets and there was absolutely NO WAY I would sleep in there!! My mother had to change the sheets and then I was still leery to climb into bed. Another time when one came dashing towards me and I jumped about three feet onto a chair which toppled over!! It is the once time in my life I remember ever screaming in fright. These spiders were as big as my hand and I was only 7-8 remember!! Needless to say, now that I body and hands have grown, they are not as big as I remember but still a good 4-5cm in body length and FAST ...... you will not believe what it took to catch this one!! Anyway, I will put it on my blog soon.
The whole day has been very windy and slightly cooler that it has been. Last night huge storm clouds came up and I thought we were in for a good one but nothing materialized. Maybe this wind will blow one up??
8th November 2012
My goodness!! What a storm that was!! We sure did need the rain though so I am not complaining but at one stage I thought the lightening was going to strike the tent it was so close. This morning is still slightly overcast and I have an idea that more rain is on the way.
9th November 2012
As they say, be careful what you wish for as it might come true!! It is now very early morning 04:35am and it has rained for 36 hours. The rain is lovely and I do not mind it at all but it has been freezing cold as well and you all know how much I hate getting cold!! I have woken up with the sniffles .... can you imagine ....... catching a cold in November?? I was so cold that I had a blanket, duvet and another blanket folded double over me and eventually got up to put some socks on!! What happened to that wonderful summer which started near the end of August when I was a child and the beautiful warm summer rain?? This planet is really messed up weather wise isn’t it?? Someone who arrived here said that a bit south of here they had a very bad hail storm with stones as large as tennis balls and it has caused a lot of damage to houses and crops. There goes our summer fruit off the trees!!
I spent yesterday indoor the whole day processing photos I have taken to date and there are some really lovely specimens. I need to get them done so I can get on with the next patch I am hunting in but it is definitely too wet out there. It is too early to see what the day is going to be like but hopefully it will warm up some.
Life and people can be strange and amazing!!
I remember when we got TV back in the 80’s – everyone’s social skills seem to fly out of the window. People were SO enthralled at this new medium that they did not have the decency to switch it off when you came to visit. Instead, their eyes were glued to the box and they did not hear a word which was being said by anyone else. Now it has got even worse ...... they ask you to come and visit, then spend all the time chatting to people on FB, Twitter or whatever else they are on, as well as sending text messages on the phone. How very rude and inconsiderate!! I only need to get that once from a person and I never go there again. I am so pleased that I was taught manners and decency by my parents.
Some people also seem to think that I am having great fun and adventure when this is very far from the truth. If this was, many, many people would be doing it and I cannot find any other person living like this. I have lived a tough life but this is by far the toughest thing I have ever done. I am open to the elements, experiencing extremely hot and cold weather, when it rains everything is wet, I am far away from shops and cannot buy anything fresh. There is not a soul I know who would be able to live like this for more than a couple of weeks, so don’t envy me please.
7Th November 2012
This was really a great day for me as far as finding interesting subjects. Someone at the lodge brought me a scorpion with a damaged tail and as it was a species I have not been able to find and photograph before, I was pleased to get this one. I also found an Acacia Katydid which I have long been after and a Roman Spider!! (These are not true spiders but belong to the Order Solifugae) Since a child of about 7-8 years old, I have been terrified of only one thing and that is these spiders!! They run at you to get into your shadow and are large and hairy!! One time, as I was about to get into my bed, one came crawling out from between my sheets and there was absolutely NO WAY I would sleep in there!! My mother had to change the sheets and then I was still leery to climb into bed. Another time when one came dashing towards me and I jumped about three feet onto a chair which toppled over!! It is the once time in my life I remember ever screaming in fright. These spiders were as big as my hand and I was only 7-8 remember!! Needless to say, now that I body and hands have grown, they are not as big as I remember but still a good 4-5cm in body length and FAST ...... you will not believe what it took to catch this one!! Anyway, I will put it on my blog soon.
The whole day has been very windy and slightly cooler that it has been. Last night huge storm clouds came up and I thought we were in for a good one but nothing materialized. Maybe this wind will blow one up??
8th November 2012
My goodness!! What a storm that was!! We sure did need the rain though so I am not complaining but at one stage I thought the lightening was going to strike the tent it was so close. This morning is still slightly overcast and I have an idea that more rain is on the way.
9th November 2012
As they say, be careful what you wish for as it might come true!! It is now very early morning 04:35am and it has rained for 36 hours. The rain is lovely and I do not mind it at all but it has been freezing cold as well and you all know how much I hate getting cold!! I have woken up with the sniffles .... can you imagine ....... catching a cold in November?? I was so cold that I had a blanket, duvet and another blanket folded double over me and eventually got up to put some socks on!! What happened to that wonderful summer which started near the end of August when I was a child and the beautiful warm summer rain?? This planet is really messed up weather wise isn’t it?? Someone who arrived here said that a bit south of here they had a very bad hail storm with stones as large as tennis balls and it has caused a lot of damage to houses and crops. There goes our summer fruit off the trees!!
I spent yesterday indoor the whole day processing photos I have taken to date and there are some really lovely specimens. I need to get them done so I can get on with the next patch I am hunting in but it is definitely too wet out there. It is too early to see what the day is going to be like but hopefully it will warm up some.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
A bit of an accident - 1st November 2012
A bit of an accident - 1st November 2012
Yesterday was not a good day for me. While packing, I was leaning over the trailer and the 100kg lid fell on me and hurt my back and chest. Later on, I opened the back of the cab and as the space between the car and trailer is not enough, I smacked the corner of the window into my cheekbone and eye. Today I am finding it hard to breath and it is difficult to do anything because my back hurts.
I left the house so late yesterday that I did not manage to get very far and slept in the back of the car at a garage along the way. I am very, very tired and arrived at Nylsvley, booked in and spent most of the day sleeping. It is one of the coldest nights and days I have experienced in a long time and cannot believe it is the beginning of November. This reminds me of a time way back in the beginning of the 1980’s when I even had a duvet on my bed over Christmas!! Needless to say, I did not manage to take any pictures but with the cold, there was nothing around anyway.
“Nylsvley Nature Reserve (from their pamphlet)
The Nyl River Floodpalin is one of South Africa’s largest and least impacted floodplain systems. It is located in the upper-reaches of the Mogkalakwena River, a tributary of the great Limpopo and stretches over a distance of about 70km, water may extend up to 16,000 ha. The three primary sources of water are small seasonal rivers that drain from the eastern slopes of the Waterberg range: the Olifantsspruit, Groot and Klein Nyl rivers.
The floodplain is not permanently under water; indeed it is dry almost as often as it is wet. The timing and extent of inundation is rainfall-dependent and years of below average rain often result in no floodwater reaching the plain. On average, this is the case one year in three, while flooding occurs to a greater or lesser extent in two year in three. Only once in about ten years is there a bumper flood that results in the entire floodplain being under water. Inundation typically occurs in late January and February; the water then gradually recedes, sometimes drying up completely before the next summer.
Nylsvley was purchased in 1974 by the Provincial Government with the primary purpose of conserving a section of the floodplain; it was proclaimed a nature reserve in the same year. The reserve, lies between 2436S/2840E and 2442S/2844E and straddles the floodplain near the towns Modimolle (Nylstroom) and Mookgophong (Naboomspruit). The reserve is 3975 ha in extent, lies at an altitude of 1080-1155m above sea-level; on average, 620mm of rain per annum. Summers are warm to hot (max temp 38-39°C), winters are mild to warm with temperatures rarely dropping below zero.
Nylsvley Nature Reserve was designated a Ramsar site in July 1998. Ramsar is an international convention that seeks to recognise and urge protection for globally important wetlands. The reserve is one of about 20 sites currently registered in South Africa and one of 1600+ in the world. Nylsvley is also listed by BirdLife International and an “Important Bird Area”. Much of this recognition stems from the variety and abundance of waterbirds that are attracted to the floodplain during times of flooding. More than 100 waterbird species have been recorder – more than that recorded in any other South African wetland. Many of these species are rare or highly localised elsewhere in the country – for example, the Great Bittern, Rufous-bellied Heron, Dwarf Bittern, Allen’s Gallinule and Streaky-breasted Flufftail – and Nylsvley is an important breeding ground for them in wet years. Nylsvley is not just about waterbirds; about 380 species recorder makes it one of the most bird-rich reserves for its size in South Africa.
Plant communities on Nylsvley are also diverse and interesting; the plant checklist currently stands at about 600 species. Among them is Rice Grass Oryza longistaminata, the dominant grass on the floodplain, a species that is virtually absent elsewhere in the country.
Acacias are the dominant tree species in the alluvial soils fringing the floodplain, with Acacia tortilis, A. robusta and A. karoo being the main species, along with lovely old examples of the shepherd’s tree Boscia albitrunca, dense thickets of the numnum Carissa bispinosa and fine examples of the jacket plum Pappea capensis and bushveld saffron Eleaodendron transvaalense. The southern part of the reserve is underlain by sandstone and resulting sandy soild support broad-leafed woodland dominated by red syringe Burkea Africana, silver clusterleaf Terminalia sericea, the lekkerbreek Ochna pulchra and others. The northern side of the floodplain is underlain by erosion-resistant felsities resulting in rocky shallow soils, with Combretum species dominating the tree community – C.apiculatum, G. erthropyhllum, C. molle and C. zeyheri. Also occurring are mature specimens of beechwood Faurea saligna and the giant naboom Euphorbia ingens.
The reserve’s mammal list currently 77 species of which the most commonly seen are giraffe, blue wildebeest, zebra, roan antelope, kudu, waterbuck, reedbuck, bushbuck, tsessebe, impala, warthog, black-backed jackal, vervet monkey and tree squirrel. The nocturnal species include bushpig, brown hyaena, leopard, porcupine, lesser galago (or bushbaby), aardwolf, aardvark, scrub and Cape hares and Jameson’s red rock rabbit, springhare, serval and caracal, African molerat and striped polecat. You could also encounter hedgehog, clawless otter, slender, banded, yellow, white-tailed and marsh mongoose, Juliana’s golden mole and large spotted genet. Less commonly seen; wildcat, plus 9 species of bats, 9 of mice, 5 rat species, 5 shrew species plus a dormouse and a gerbil.
Amphibians are well represented with 19 frog species of which the largest is the Giant Bullfrog Pyxicephalus adspersus. They come out of hibernation as soon as the wetland is inundated to breed in the ephemeral puddles along the floodplain margins where there is less likelihood of fish eating their tadpoles. Another noisy frog is the raucous toad and the most colourful is certainly the banded rubber frog. Apart from a crocodile that resided at Vogelfontein for a while a few years ago, the largest reptile present is the water monitor; it contributes to an impressive 58 species of reptiles and amphibians present in Nylsvley. The list includes a diverse complement of snakes including python, black mamba, snouted (or Egyptian) cobra, puff adder, boomslang and vine snake; their presence dictates that sensible shoes be worn when walking in the reserve.
Given the ephemeral nature of the floodplain, Nylsvley’s fish fauna is restricted to a dozen or so species, but what it lacks in variety, it makes up for, when flooded, in quantity. The first floodwater brings with it thousands, if not millions, of barbell and minnows riding the water coming down from the catchment, heading for the floodplain to breed. When it floods, their numbers and the numbers of waterbirds eating them, are one of Nylsvley’s memorable sights. Finally, Nylsvley is home, when wet, to at least 55 species of dragoinflies. Apart from these beautiful wetland ambassadors, 194 butterfly species have been chalked up. Other insect groups have been less well catalogued but they could number up to 10,000 species.
Nylsvley is proud of its biodiversity and Friends are working hard to maintain it against the threats of unrestricted development in the catchment.”
2nd November 2012
To make up for my laziness yesterday, I was up before the sun this morning and headed down the road to their famous bird hide. There has not been much rain up here and what there was, has soaked into the ground so there is very little water in the marsh. By the time I reached there, it was getting light and I had been hoping to get some pictures of the wonderful dragonflies I have heard they had. Probably due to the lack of water, there was not one in sight and I was very disappointed after the long hike to get there.
It is fairly green though and lots of trees and flowers are in bloom so I started taking pictures of those. There is an abundance of species not found in the areas I have been before and someone has gone to a lot of trouble to put name boards up by each tree species which is wonderful for people wondering what they are.
Then I found something really interesting ..... I have always wondered how dung beetles start that round ball they are always rolling around and now I know how they did it .... I will post the footage as soon as I have been able to edit it but I must first download the program and once again, no internet!!
The day was not much warmer than yesterday but later in the afternoon, I went for another long walk and found lots on interesting beetles on the flowers. As it was my last night here, I decided to put out a light to see what would come to it and was please to get two of the nocturnal dung beetles flying in.
The camp had filled up for the weekend but like all people who love the outdoors, most had an early night. The long walk had not helped my sore back and so I spent another uncomfortable night. I do hope it gets better soon.....
3rd November 2012
Arrived at a wonderful lodge and will do a post on it on Tuesday when I have finished processing the pictures. The manager, a lovely young lady, has allowed me to camp here for a couple of weeks.
Setting up the tent did not help my back but it is definitely on the mend and should be okay in a few days time. It is quite a job for one person to do. Unhitching the trailer was something else!! It is too heavy for me and luckily there was someone here to help me. I have to soon find a place where I can store most of the things I am carting around with me and get it down to manageable proportions. This hard work is not fun and I am having very serious doubts if buying the trailer and tent was the right thing to do. I was going to just buy a trailer and I should have stuck to that thought. I should know by now never to change my mind from what I first decide. Found a Brown Button Spider when I unpacked ...... wonder if it came with me from Pretoria??
If anyone out there has a storage place for me .... an old room outside or anything ..... please let me know.
The weather has turned extremely hot during the day and so it is nice to be able to dip into the pool now and then. At last I can take a hot shower too!!
There is no internet signal anywhere so will have to rely on posting when I get to an area where there is. I have to go into town on Monday and will post this then while treating myself to coffee at the Wimpy. My bread is starting to turn green in this heat so I guess I had better get some more. J Also, I could not get bananas when I was there last time and just an apple for lunch is getting a bit boring.
4th November 2012
I have found a lot of interest to photograph today including a spittle bug which I have long been after. They are found on the Rain Trees and as they digest the leaves, they exude the water in it so if you stand underneath, it feels like it is raining. Got some nice butterflies and at last saw some dragonflies. There has been a woodpecker making a hole in a dead tree. All day he has been at it hollowing it out and now two sparrows are trying to take it over!! LOL!! Poor woodpecker!!
Another disaster ........ Somewhere along the road my trailer licence disc and holder have fallen off and I cannot find it although I went back along the road to search. With the system they have right now, I cannot get a duplicate in the nearest town as it is another province and so have to go back to Gauteng to get it!! What a damn nuisance!! Seems like I was never meant to do this kind of life was I?? Something is always happening!!
Yesterday was not a good day for me. While packing, I was leaning over the trailer and the 100kg lid fell on me and hurt my back and chest. Later on, I opened the back of the cab and as the space between the car and trailer is not enough, I smacked the corner of the window into my cheekbone and eye. Today I am finding it hard to breath and it is difficult to do anything because my back hurts.
I left the house so late yesterday that I did not manage to get very far and slept in the back of the car at a garage along the way. I am very, very tired and arrived at Nylsvley, booked in and spent most of the day sleeping. It is one of the coldest nights and days I have experienced in a long time and cannot believe it is the beginning of November. This reminds me of a time way back in the beginning of the 1980’s when I even had a duvet on my bed over Christmas!! Needless to say, I did not manage to take any pictures but with the cold, there was nothing around anyway.
“Nylsvley Nature Reserve (from their pamphlet)
The Nyl River Floodpalin is one of South Africa’s largest and least impacted floodplain systems. It is located in the upper-reaches of the Mogkalakwena River, a tributary of the great Limpopo and stretches over a distance of about 70km, water may extend up to 16,000 ha. The three primary sources of water are small seasonal rivers that drain from the eastern slopes of the Waterberg range: the Olifantsspruit, Groot and Klein Nyl rivers.
The floodplain is not permanently under water; indeed it is dry almost as often as it is wet. The timing and extent of inundation is rainfall-dependent and years of below average rain often result in no floodwater reaching the plain. On average, this is the case one year in three, while flooding occurs to a greater or lesser extent in two year in three. Only once in about ten years is there a bumper flood that results in the entire floodplain being under water. Inundation typically occurs in late January and February; the water then gradually recedes, sometimes drying up completely before the next summer.
Nylsvley was purchased in 1974 by the Provincial Government with the primary purpose of conserving a section of the floodplain; it was proclaimed a nature reserve in the same year. The reserve, lies between 2436S/2840E and 2442S/2844E and straddles the floodplain near the towns Modimolle (Nylstroom) and Mookgophong (Naboomspruit). The reserve is 3975 ha in extent, lies at an altitude of 1080-1155m above sea-level; on average, 620mm of rain per annum. Summers are warm to hot (max temp 38-39°C), winters are mild to warm with temperatures rarely dropping below zero.
Nylsvley Nature Reserve was designated a Ramsar site in July 1998. Ramsar is an international convention that seeks to recognise and urge protection for globally important wetlands. The reserve is one of about 20 sites currently registered in South Africa and one of 1600+ in the world. Nylsvley is also listed by BirdLife International and an “Important Bird Area”. Much of this recognition stems from the variety and abundance of waterbirds that are attracted to the floodplain during times of flooding. More than 100 waterbird species have been recorder – more than that recorded in any other South African wetland. Many of these species are rare or highly localised elsewhere in the country – for example, the Great Bittern, Rufous-bellied Heron, Dwarf Bittern, Allen’s Gallinule and Streaky-breasted Flufftail – and Nylsvley is an important breeding ground for them in wet years. Nylsvley is not just about waterbirds; about 380 species recorder makes it one of the most bird-rich reserves for its size in South Africa.
Plant communities on Nylsvley are also diverse and interesting; the plant checklist currently stands at about 600 species. Among them is Rice Grass Oryza longistaminata, the dominant grass on the floodplain, a species that is virtually absent elsewhere in the country.
Acacias are the dominant tree species in the alluvial soils fringing the floodplain, with Acacia tortilis, A. robusta and A. karoo being the main species, along with lovely old examples of the shepherd’s tree Boscia albitrunca, dense thickets of the numnum Carissa bispinosa and fine examples of the jacket plum Pappea capensis and bushveld saffron Eleaodendron transvaalense. The southern part of the reserve is underlain by sandstone and resulting sandy soild support broad-leafed woodland dominated by red syringe Burkea Africana, silver clusterleaf Terminalia sericea, the lekkerbreek Ochna pulchra and others. The northern side of the floodplain is underlain by erosion-resistant felsities resulting in rocky shallow soils, with Combretum species dominating the tree community – C.apiculatum, G. erthropyhllum, C. molle and C. zeyheri. Also occurring are mature specimens of beechwood Faurea saligna and the giant naboom Euphorbia ingens.
The reserve’s mammal list currently 77 species of which the most commonly seen are giraffe, blue wildebeest, zebra, roan antelope, kudu, waterbuck, reedbuck, bushbuck, tsessebe, impala, warthog, black-backed jackal, vervet monkey and tree squirrel. The nocturnal species include bushpig, brown hyaena, leopard, porcupine, lesser galago (or bushbaby), aardwolf, aardvark, scrub and Cape hares and Jameson’s red rock rabbit, springhare, serval and caracal, African molerat and striped polecat. You could also encounter hedgehog, clawless otter, slender, banded, yellow, white-tailed and marsh mongoose, Juliana’s golden mole and large spotted genet. Less commonly seen; wildcat, plus 9 species of bats, 9 of mice, 5 rat species, 5 shrew species plus a dormouse and a gerbil.
Amphibians are well represented with 19 frog species of which the largest is the Giant Bullfrog Pyxicephalus adspersus. They come out of hibernation as soon as the wetland is inundated to breed in the ephemeral puddles along the floodplain margins where there is less likelihood of fish eating their tadpoles. Another noisy frog is the raucous toad and the most colourful is certainly the banded rubber frog. Apart from a crocodile that resided at Vogelfontein for a while a few years ago, the largest reptile present is the water monitor; it contributes to an impressive 58 species of reptiles and amphibians present in Nylsvley. The list includes a diverse complement of snakes including python, black mamba, snouted (or Egyptian) cobra, puff adder, boomslang and vine snake; their presence dictates that sensible shoes be worn when walking in the reserve.
Given the ephemeral nature of the floodplain, Nylsvley’s fish fauna is restricted to a dozen or so species, but what it lacks in variety, it makes up for, when flooded, in quantity. The first floodwater brings with it thousands, if not millions, of barbell and minnows riding the water coming down from the catchment, heading for the floodplain to breed. When it floods, their numbers and the numbers of waterbirds eating them, are one of Nylsvley’s memorable sights. Finally, Nylsvley is home, when wet, to at least 55 species of dragoinflies. Apart from these beautiful wetland ambassadors, 194 butterfly species have been chalked up. Other insect groups have been less well catalogued but they could number up to 10,000 species.
Nylsvley is proud of its biodiversity and Friends are working hard to maintain it against the threats of unrestricted development in the catchment.”
2nd November 2012
To make up for my laziness yesterday, I was up before the sun this morning and headed down the road to their famous bird hide. There has not been much rain up here and what there was, has soaked into the ground so there is very little water in the marsh. By the time I reached there, it was getting light and I had been hoping to get some pictures of the wonderful dragonflies I have heard they had. Probably due to the lack of water, there was not one in sight and I was very disappointed after the long hike to get there.
It is fairly green though and lots of trees and flowers are in bloom so I started taking pictures of those. There is an abundance of species not found in the areas I have been before and someone has gone to a lot of trouble to put name boards up by each tree species which is wonderful for people wondering what they are.
Then I found something really interesting ..... I have always wondered how dung beetles start that round ball they are always rolling around and now I know how they did it .... I will post the footage as soon as I have been able to edit it but I must first download the program and once again, no internet!!
The day was not much warmer than yesterday but later in the afternoon, I went for another long walk and found lots on interesting beetles on the flowers. As it was my last night here, I decided to put out a light to see what would come to it and was please to get two of the nocturnal dung beetles flying in.
The camp had filled up for the weekend but like all people who love the outdoors, most had an early night. The long walk had not helped my sore back and so I spent another uncomfortable night. I do hope it gets better soon.....
3rd November 2012
Arrived at a wonderful lodge and will do a post on it on Tuesday when I have finished processing the pictures. The manager, a lovely young lady, has allowed me to camp here for a couple of weeks.
Setting up the tent did not help my back but it is definitely on the mend and should be okay in a few days time. It is quite a job for one person to do. Unhitching the trailer was something else!! It is too heavy for me and luckily there was someone here to help me. I have to soon find a place where I can store most of the things I am carting around with me and get it down to manageable proportions. This hard work is not fun and I am having very serious doubts if buying the trailer and tent was the right thing to do. I was going to just buy a trailer and I should have stuck to that thought. I should know by now never to change my mind from what I first decide. Found a Brown Button Spider when I unpacked ...... wonder if it came with me from Pretoria??
If anyone out there has a storage place for me .... an old room outside or anything ..... please let me know.
The weather has turned extremely hot during the day and so it is nice to be able to dip into the pool now and then. At last I can take a hot shower too!!
There is no internet signal anywhere so will have to rely on posting when I get to an area where there is. I have to go into town on Monday and will post this then while treating myself to coffee at the Wimpy. My bread is starting to turn green in this heat so I guess I had better get some more. J Also, I could not get bananas when I was there last time and just an apple for lunch is getting a bit boring.
4th November 2012
I have found a lot of interest to photograph today including a spittle bug which I have long been after. They are found on the Rain Trees and as they digest the leaves, they exude the water in it so if you stand underneath, it feels like it is raining. Got some nice butterflies and at last saw some dragonflies. There has been a woodpecker making a hole in a dead tree. All day he has been at it hollowing it out and now two sparrows are trying to take it over!! LOL!! Poor woodpecker!!
Another disaster ........ Somewhere along the road my trailer licence disc and holder have fallen off and I cannot find it although I went back along the road to search. With the system they have right now, I cannot get a duplicate in the nearest town as it is another province and so have to go back to Gauteng to get it!! What a damn nuisance!! Seems like I was never meant to do this kind of life was I?? Something is always happening!!
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