September 30, 2012

This is the tiniest baby Elephant I have ever seen! (cute and camera shy)
I also saw the biggest herd of Elephants ever - perhaps on their way to an anti-poaching conference.
Devastating news is that nine Rhino were poached in our park in September.
The park is looking lovely, VERY green - so green that most of the photos I took look unnatural!
September rainfall added up to a total of 283mm.
Blessings from above.

September 29, 2012

The sweet song of a Kurrichane Thrush has often had me grab the camera and rush outside.I have never seen their orange as vivid as this - perhaps it is his breeding outfit?
 If only I could have taken this from a different angle to avoid the harsh sunlight. 

September 28, 2012

The last remains.
A tiny piece of tendril is all that remains to show that a Granadilla plant once
tried to extend its territory by creeping along this thin wire.

September 27, 2012

 Dandelion Stamens. The photo below shows how loaded with pollen they are.

This is another little squatter plant that is living happily where there used to be lawn grass!

September 26, 2012 (Day 1000!)

If my calculations are correct, today is day 1000 of my daily photo journal!

It has not always been easy, but most days things just seem to fall into place.

The two photos below are macro shots of the ground cover pictured in the third photo.

The tiny little fly was an unexpected visitor to the scene.

Amazing what you find when you take a closer look!

The plant is thriving in the patches on the lawn where the grass died during the very dry winter.

The tiny plant covers the ground like a soft carpet. Looks a lot better than a lawn with brown  patches!

I hope it is not too invasive and that the grass will soon spread and take over again.

September 25, 2012

There is a lot of activity in the Weeping Bottlebrush tree outside my kitchen window. While Weaver Birds are fighting about whose nest is best and who will win the ladies, a Sun Bird is already breeding quietly in a well hidden nest. I just love the little fringe over the entrance!

I have tried to photograph her for a number of days. 

Today I was lucky enough to see her leave the nest and settle on a nearby branch.

She sat briefly preening her feathers...

...glanced back at the nest and then took off, returning to the nest about 10 minutes later.

Poor thing - such noisy Weaver neighbours!

September 24, 2012

 Yesterday's Hoya Buds have opened!  The few at the top are slow ;-)

It is quite clear why they are also known as Wax Flowers or Porcelain Flowers.

The macro photo below shows a tiny Crab Spider has already moved in.

These flowers attract a variety of insects and the spider will have a feast.

September 23, 2012

Hoya Buds

September 22, 2012

After the thunderstorm....

September 21, 2012

Although bad light and distance was a disadvantage I really like this photo.
More rain is expected over the next few days.
Grey days ahead, little Sun-bird - but soon there will be an abundance of flowers for you!

September 20, 2011

Beautiful stamens with tiny drops of stickiness.
What a difference the rain has made!
Nature is rejoicing.

September 19, 2012

Sitting pretty!

September 18, 2012

 This Sunbird nest is made up of leaves, twigs and even a piece of (Prop)"erty" news, 

all held together with grass and cobwebs!

The photo above was taken with the SX130.

I went back later with the SX40 to take the photo below.

It shows that the lining of the nest is silky and shiny. I wonder if it is plant material?

Although the sun was quite harsh, I am pleased with the golden glow of photos.

September 17, 2012

Lucky little Jumping Spider - I nearly stood on you!

September 16, 2012

Six birds with one apple!
Another rainy day, so I spiked an apple on the sisal pole fencing at the front porch.
I set up the tripod and waited. I normally hide behind the door, but today I stood right there in the open under the roof.  The birds were obviously very hungry and knew that I meant them no harm.
They did not mind my coming and going - I would just get 'the look' before they continued eating!
It was interesting to see how one type would come and eat, leave and then return with a mate.
The apple lasted two hours - with the Starling gobbling up the last remains!
We are very blessed to have such a variety of birds in Hluhluwe.
(so far we have had 60mm of rain this week-end)
Top row left to right: Black-eyed Bulbul, Black collared Barbet, Sombre Bulbul(?)
Front: Red winged Starling, Crested Barbet and Cape White Eye

September 15, 2012

A rather grey Saturday with more lovely rain! We have had 40mm since yesterday afternoon.
It is quite amazing how fast the plants have recovered after all the rain we had last week.
This plant grows on the fence. I zoomed in on it from the front porch to show the new growth.

September 14, 2012

This is the first time in the 6 years I've lived in this house that Weaver Birds
are building nests in the Weeping Bottlebrush tree.
So much activity and splashes of colour, but for now all I really wanted to share
was the colour of their eyes!

September 13, 2012

Beautiful patterns in the mud on the side of a white vehicle.

September 12, 2012

Not a single leaf on this tree, but an abundance of green/yellowish flowers clearly rich in nectar.
It was amazing to watch the Sun-birds fighting each other off to get the first sweet morning drink.
Although not the "perfect" shot,  I love the soft pastels and think it would make a beautiful painting.

September 11, 2012

The last of the collages celebrating my 40th visit to the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park so far this year!
We were very fortunate to find the Lions still lazing on the hill after we heard about them an hour earlier.  Although they were not very close I am quite pleased with what I managed to captured with my SX40. We could see only three Lions but were convinced that there were more just over the ridge because a female was only just visible. (lower small photo to the right) She was lying with her back towards us and an occasional twitch of her ear was all we got from her!  The one male however, was very co-operative - posing this way and that - but unfortunately did not give us the yawn that we were hoping for! It would have been great to see his teeth! 

September 10, 2012

A collage of the pack of Wild Dogs seen in Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park yesterday.
They loved the water and as you can see would even lie down in it.
I found it very strange that they took turns to urinate in different puddles
asif marking it as their property.
The number of Wild Dogs are declining and there are approximately 4 500 surviving in protected areas in Africa. The largest population of Wild Dogs in South Africa, is in the Kruger National Park, although, sadly they are one of the only three mammals in South Africa that are endangered. 

September 9, 2012

Water!!
We spent a lovely day in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park today.
As you can see there are waterholes everywhere and the Park has come to life!
The bottom left photo shows how the grass is growing after the recent fires.
We were very fortunate to see a pack of 5 Wild Dogs  soon after entering the Park.
Today was my 40th visit to the Park this year, and this is the first time I have seen Wild Dogs.
They stayed close to the road for a while giving us ample time to take photos.
While there, we received news that Lions were lazing around at the quarry below Hilltop Camp and although it was quite a stretch from where we were, we were lucky enough to still find them there when we arrived.  They were not very close to the road, but I managed to get a few nice shots.
We also saw Rhino, Buffalo, Water Buck, Giraffe, Zebra, Nyala, Impala, Warthog, Baboon, Vervet Monkeys, a HUGE Crocodile and a variety of birds. No Elephants today :(
There are so many nice photos to share that I decided to post a collage tonight. And because I really enjoyed putting it together I have decided that I will do a collage of the Wild Dogs tomorrow and one of the Lions on Tuesday. SO - this will officially be known as  'collage week' ;-)
Watch this space............

September 8, 2012

     This morning it was still raining softly and as it started clearing up rays of sunlight filtered through.

A rather wet Spectacled Weaver sat preening on the Rambling Rose that grows on the fence.

I took a series of photos hoping it would look up so that I can capture those beautiful eyes. 

The bird decided to do a head-scratch and the result turned out to be quite comical!

September 7, 2012

We are still having intermittent rain and the gauge showed that 20mm fell through the night and today.
The WB forecasts that it will start clearing tomorrow.

September 6, 2012

 Last night I reported 12mm of rain that fell yesterday. Well, this morning the gauge was just about overflowing with 105mm that fell overnight .  Another 40mm during the day and it is still raining!

  Our catchment tanks are filling up nicely with 3 already overflowing.

The empty paint container placed under the overflow from the tank, adds a nice touch. 

I wonder who put it there?

The photo below shows the sports field turned into our very own wetlands-

 much to the delight of a variety of birds.

(Roll on Saturday - I desperately need to go and see what the game reserve looks like!)

September 5, 2012

Rain gorgeous rain...
We have had 12mm since last night - I can hear my dead garden come to life.

September 4, 2012

Tiny egg capsules packed neatly as bricks high up against the brick wall at the entrance of the school.
Only one little critter did not hatch. I wonder how many of the 27 others made it to maturity.

September 3, 2012

A newly opened Amaryllis bloom welcomed me home today! It is as big as my open hand.
Rain has been forecast for the rest of the week - may it reach our neck of the woods.

September 2, 2012

Epidendrum Orchid
Also known as the Crucifix Orchid, probably because of the prominent cross in the centre.
It is very easy to grow and I suppose that is why it is mostly referred to as the Poor Man's Orchid.
Poor Me had it in red, pink and yellow, but it seems that the drought has really taken its toll.

September 1, 2012

Happy Spring day to the South African followers of  my photo blog!