A friend kindly took us on an unexpected road trip to the Tankwa Karoo in late June this year. Who would think on a trip to the arid lowlands of the Tankwa basin that is surrounded by rugged mountain ranges, we would come away with photographs of farmyard animals? We stayed at self-catering farm accommodation on our route, where homesteading activities provided picturesque pastoral escapism somewhat at odds with not only the aridity but also the harsh realities of farming.
Continue reading “Tankwa Road Trip: Farmyard Animals and some history”
Spring in our winter-rainfall area is rich with a huge diversity of wild flowers. We recently revisited the coastal area around the small Danger Point peninsula near Gansbaai in the Overberg, mostly to see the spring flowers that grow along the roadsides and down to the seashore.
Continue reading “Reframing flowers in the Fynbos Biome”
I am always happy when volunteer plants in our garden turn out to be interesting, non-invasive and preferably indigenous. One that is all three (or so I first thought!) is a species of milkweed, which is known colloquially as balloon milkweed, balloon wild cotton or hairy balls. One of its attributes is that it is a host plant for the African monarch butterfly.
Continue reading “Balloon milkweeds hosting butterflies”
Our small garden attracts a number of species of birds across the seasons. Here are some photos I snapped of visiting birds over the past few months. The delicately hued laughing doves (Spilopelia senegalensis) are among the more numerous of our visitors.
Continue reading “Bird visitors brightening our garden in the Overberg”
A day trip to the De Hoop Nature Reserve could not possibly do justice to its wonders from the high sand dunes near the coast to the mountains on its inland side, its endangered lowland fynbos vegetation and the 12 km-long (7,5 miles) vlei (lake) that is rich with waterbirds. Plus, its rocky shoreline adjoins a marine protected area in the Indian Ocean. De Hoop, home to Cape Nature’s Whale Trail, offers remarkable land-based whale watching opportunities from June to September each year.
Continue reading “Day trip to De Hoop Nature Reserve in the Overberg”
A few weeks ago, in the late afternoon after very heavy rains and high winds, we found a bedraggled little dove in the garden. It had found a safe enough place to shelter in our back garden, which is enclosed and safe from our dogs and cats.
Continue reading “Shelter from the storm: Two fledgling doves survive soaking rains”
It’s a little over a year since we moved to the Overberg region of the Western Cape. To celebrate this anniversary, here is a random round-up of some the photographs taken when we were out and about during the course of the year.
Continue reading “Over in the Overberg”
A wild tortoise has been visiting our garden to eat dandelion flowers growing in our “lawn”. The tortoise is small enough to fit under the garden gate. After feeding, it takes a siesta in a small hollow it has burrowed out under an old lavender bush.
Continue reading “A wild angulate tortoise foraging dandelions in our garden”
An unexpected encounter with a juvenile diderick (formerly diederik) cuckoo in our garden prompted me to find out a bit more about brood parasites and diderick cuckoos in particular.
Continue reading “A Cape sparrow feeding a juvenile diderick cuckoo”