We have now been 66 days, 31 in Level 4, Covid-19 Lockdown here in South Africa; if the figures released are accurate, we have not had the very high infection rate, or mortality that was originally predicted for Covid-19; however the economic toll has been dire, there are many people without food or the means to earn money to buy it, generous volunteers collect and distribute to those most in need. More than ever the key to long term food security for most of our semi-urban population, is encouraging sustainable, organic food / vegetable gardens. Troubling is the increase in poaching, we can only hope the animals that call this place home will survive. Watching the natural world continue without interference is a soul restorative.
We are now definitely in early winter, temperatures have dropped, the minimum temperature was 0 C on the 26 May and the maximum 21 C the day before the cold front, on the 25 May. It’s as if the rain tap was turned off, from the April 129.5mm, May saw a total of only 6.5mm. Although a cold front moved through on 26/27 May, there was no snow and hardly any rain.
The tail end of April’s moisture resulted in a soft misty morning then atmospheric sunset on the 5 May.
As there has been positive reaction to the day-to-day diary format here are the highlights:
Tuesday 5 May:
On an evening walk we came upon this Net-wing Beetle.
Friday 8 May:
The evenings are drawing in quickly now, but the Leonotis leonurus glowed in soft light.
The grassy hillsides have turned a rich rose-golden hue.
Most flowers are over, this Bush Tick-berry, Chrysanthemoides monilifera subsp canescens, is an exception.
Cool pink and blue sunset.
Saturday 9 May:
The reward for my early morning walk was the spectacular moon just past full.
Delicate concentric rings decorate these soft bodied mushrooms, probably Coltricia perennis.
Sunday 10 May:
Normally I see this bright red and blue Foam Grasshopper in the Drakensberg, so it was a poignant reminder of places I am missing.
I hadn’t seen a Twig Wilter for some time, so was delighted to come across this one.
The bright yellow and blue of this Yellow Pansy butterfly, Junonia hierta cebrene shone in the clear light.
Tuesday 12 May:
A truly golden dawn.
Then I discovered this tiny, about 4mm, orange and black bug strolling over the sink.
Saturday 16 May:
On an early morning walk I watched amazed as these two Black-backed Jackal crossed my path, neither of them spotted me. So I have now ‘met’ two of the night time vocalists.
A Common or Grey Duiker watched me curiously.
Tuesday 19 May:
One of my favourite, locally migrant, visitors are the African Hoopoes that pass through in Autumn and Spring. A pair have been around for a couple of weeks.
The beady orange eye, keeping a watchful gaze, alerted me to the Cape Glossy Starling in the birdbath.
Wednesday 20 May:
Now most of the leaves have fallen, bird nests are revealed. I was fortunate to see the male Southern Double-collared Sunbird exiting, so know this largish, rather untidy nest belongs to the pair that have taken up residence this last season. They are endemic to the Southern African region.
Friday 22 May:
A calm, cool sunset.
Sunday 24 May:
These Black-backed Jackal droppings seem to be territory markers, as they are regularly ‘renewed’.
Some more nests revealed in bare branches and exposed crannies,
Fork-tailed Drongo nest
Southern Boubou nest
Possibly a Dark-capped Bulbul nest
A delightful, lacey, fungi
Monday 25 May:
Even on cold mornings birds flock to the bird bath on the verandah, a Dark-capped Bulbul pair take their turn.
A short time later a Speckled Pigeon had an unhurried feather soak and drink.
Thursday 28 May:
A soft vague sunset
Friday 29 May:
We came across this curious insect on the road and realized it was a Glow worm larvae.
A wide range of birds enjoyed the warmer evening, the African Hoopoe pair flitting from tree to grass foraging.
The Fork-tailed Drongo family, quiet for a change, basked.
Speckled Mousebirds take advantage of the last sun rays to warm up before settling for the night in the Buddleja salvifolia shrubbery.
Saturday 30 May:
The vibrant flock of Cape White-eyes splash happily on a cold morning.
We have now been in 35 days of Level 5 Lockdown here in South Africa. Apart from the devasting economic effect as a Tourist Guide, having previously spent most of my working hours in the KZN Drakensberg and Lesotho for 13 years, with over 95% of the clients being international tourists, I am now home based with no work; life has continued. Lessons learned in how fragile humankind is; how we really need so little in our daily lives; that there IS time to ‘smell the roses’; there IS still beauty and compassion in our world; how we can downscale our existence and live more sustainably; how very vulnerable many are on the margins of our economy. That for me, nature is a healer and teacher bringing joy each day.
Autumn is drifting into winter, temperatures remaining very similar to those in March, the minimum temperature was 7C and the maximum 26.5C. In much the same pattern as last year, we’ve had a relatively good late season rainfall in April 129.5mm. Two light snowfalls have already been experienced in the KZN Drakensberg, 15 and 27 April, with chilly days after the cold fronts have moved on.
On the 12 April we experienced the most spectacular sun set.
Friday 3 April:
A walk around our hillside revealed some delightful finds.
A dead branch was covered in beautiful orange fungi, Podoscypha parvula.
In a shady corner Cheilanthes buchananii ferns and moss glowed green against a rock.
Heavy dew glistened in the grass dotted with dried Berkheya setifera seed heads.
An Amanita rubescens mushroom.
The unusual looking butterfly, Common Hottentot, male, Gegenes niso subsp. niso, feasted on nectar.
An Eyed Pansy, Junonia orithya madagascariensis butterfly rested in the drying grass.
This miniscule jewel, a Stinkbug nymph, 5th instar before adulthood, was a special find.
There were still some sunshine yellow Alectra sessiliflora flowering.
Leonotis leonurus stand tall and vibrant.
Closer to the ground Lobelia erinus sparkle.
Saturday 4 April:
Moody skies with a glimmer of light above the mountains at dusk.
Monday 6 April:
Early morning mist first created a halo round the waxing moon,
then later added atmosphere to the dawn.
Sparkling dew gilded the spiderweb.
Thursday 9 April:
A tiny Ladybird beetle, possibly of Epilachna genus, caught my eye.
Friday 10 April:
I spotted this tiny juvenile Mantid while cleaning windows.
A gentle soft sunset of pastel cloud and sky
Saturday 11 April:
On a wandering stroll I discovered some flowering and fruiting plants and other treasures.
Berkheya rhapontica
Cussonia spicata
Cussonia spicata fruit
Sutera floribunda
A discarded Snail shell
Plectranthus calycina
Two-striped Skimmer, Orthetrum caffrum female, dragonfly resting on grasses.
Polygala hottentotta
Sunday 12 April:
Stunning dawn cerise clouds in the morning.
Then the most spectacular sunset in the evening.
Wednesday 15 April:
With dawn light, a dusting of snow was revealed over the Southern Drakensberg.
During the afternoon a Citrus Swallowtail, Papilio demodocus, settled briefly to feed.
Friday 17 April:
We had a dinner guest feeding just beyond the window, a male Common Reedbuck.
Sunday 19 April:
Philip and I carted water in preparation for burning tracer lines. One of the responsibilities of living in the countryside is fire safety management of grassy hillsides. With Autumn comes the time to burn tracer lines, which become the edges or outlines of the wider firebreaks towards the end of Winter / early Spring. Tracer lines need to be burnt while the grass is still relatively green, this helps contain the fire. Even though we are in lockdown these measures still need to be put in place, so Philip and I devised a plan to carry the 20 liter (=20kgs) water containers, which need to be placed at intervals along the tracer lines before they are burnt. Our multi-day hiking experience came in handy. Philip adapted an old external frame backpack, by removing the bag. We then secured the water containers with straps, and took turns to ‘hike’ them across the hillside and place them next to the tracer lines. This was our workout over the weekend!
Friday 24 April:
A few visual delights while moving around the garden,
A Deceptive Mushroom, Lepista caffrorum, in the compost bin.
Black and white hammock-web spider, Microlinyphia sterilis, family Linyphiidae.
A Cheilanthes buchananii fern.
Saturday 25 April:
A Small Pine Cap, Gymnopilus penetrans, in the lawn.
A Speckled Pigeon sunning on the roof.
A delightful, very small, about 3mm in size, Jumping Spider.
Sunday 26 April:
In the early morning just outside the kitchen door underneath the light, there is usually a host of moths, that is if you get there before the birds start their breakfast feast.
Maruca vitrata, a moth I hadn’t seen before.
A Cape Wagtail that had just selected a tasty treat.
Sometimes other invertebrates are also attracted by the light, like this lovely Lacewing species, possibly Chrysemosa genus.
Monday 27 April:
The light display at Dawn was breath taking,
looking to the east clouds were tinged with softest pink,
the horizon sky dramatic red through, orange, yellow and clear blue with floating white cloud,
and in the south west, rays of light reaching down in front of grey clouds to the palest pink sky above sunlit Bulwer Mountain.
Near the kitchen a Sundowner Moth, Sphingomorpha chlorea,
Fulvous Hawk Moth, Coelonia fulvinotata,
Tuesday 28 April:
A beautiful pale green moth,
Cream-striped Owl moth
a very striking patterned brown moth.
Wednesday 29 April:
A quick wander revealed
A late flowering Watsonia confusa
Otholobium polysictum
Ladybird beetle on Otholobium polysictum
Chrysanthemoides monilifera subsp. canescens, Bush-tick berry
Common Reedbuck droppings
Thursday 30 April:
Throughout the month Black-back Jackal have been particularly vocal. A pair of Bokmakieries have taken up residence near the house in the thick Ouhout, Leucosidea sericea and Buddleja salvifolia shrubbery, hopefully I’ll manage to take a photo of them, they are very shy. It has been over a year since I last heard Cape Eagle Owls calling, the other morning just before light started creeping in, I heard them close to the house, and now each morning I hear them calling.
Last a Drakensberg Prinia, locally common endemic, fluffed out against the chill breeze.
During this past month the world as we have known it has changed completely. With the onset of the global pandemic we enter an unprecedented age, where all humanity will be affected. I can’t help but feel that the planet is trying to shake off the excessive actions of one single species, that has brought so much harm and devastation. My consolation is observing nature, the resilience, adaptation and most of all, that all other living species only ‘take’ what they need and often have symbiotic relationships that ensure mutual survival. For me this is a profound lesson, scale down, be less frenetic and work together with all living forms on our planet, not just humans.
Silence is the white space before dawn.
Silence is the white space between heartbeats of life.
Silence is the white space giving words form.
Silence is the white space between human activity giving nature breath.
Silence is the white space allowing thoughts to cease and the soul to be.
By the end of March Autumn had definitely settled in, cooler, with a crispness in the mornings,
beautiful softer light as shown in this photo just after sunrise. The highest temperature recorded was 26 Celsius and the lowest 7.5 Celsius, the total rainfall measured was 189mm.
Beautiful sunsets were observed,
and a mellowing of the grassy hillsides.
There were still many moths and butterflies to be seen.
This Nyodes acatharta moth was particularly stunning.
Two butterflies flew inside, giving me the opportunity to photograph them,
a Bush or Forest Beauty, Paralethe dendrophilus and
a Green-banded Swallowtail, Papilio nireus lyaeus.
Some of the other insects seen when out walking were:
Grassland Antlion, Distoleon pulverulentus;
a Bee Fly, Bombomyia discoidea;
a delightful spotted Leaf Beetle species on Helichrysum cooperi;
Museum or Hide Beetles, Family Dermestidae on Helichrysum cooperi and
a Wasp, Delta emarginatum flew inside the house for a photo opportunity.
I loved this tightly curled Millipede on a grass stalk and
Pill millipedes are a particular favourite, always busy tracing steps through the grass foraging.
This spider was very quick to hide behind the dried remains of a Berkheya flower, just his legs exposed.
A combination of cooler weather and enough moisture brought some fungi out:
an Amanita species;
some small soft looking mushrooms yet to be identified;
the remains of an eaten mushroom and
a large Termitomyces reticulatus.
The areas of
Lycopodium clavatum, an ancient member of the Fern Family, have spread below the house
and I came across a small population of another unusual member of the Fern Family,
Ophioglossum vulgatum subsp. africanum.
The vibrant green Staghorn Clubmoss, Selaginella caffrorum, heart on a rock was a visual delight,
then I was entranced by this patch of Staghorn Clubmoss, Selaginella caffrorum, growing on a tree trunk.
The weather this last season suited this
Cussonia spicata, with full leafy foliage.
Some of flowers seen were:
Alectra sessiliflora;
bright yellow spots in the grass revealed Berkheya rhapontica;
Berkheya setifera;
I loved the patches of
Conostomium natalense in shady places;
Crassula vaginata;
Geranium schlechteri, their centers filled with small flies;
glorious Gladiolus sericeovillosus;
Helichrysum cooperi, their spicy scent evokes past autumns;
Killickia pilosa, which I call Bushman Sweets, as the leaves have a refreshing minty taste;
not as many
Leonotis leonurus or
Plectranthus calycina this season;
the spikey Schizoglossum bidens sp. seed capsules;
bright green fruit on Searsia pyroides;
a Sedge possibly a Mariscus species;
possibly a Senecio species and
Stachys aethiopica.
There was evidence of various animals around the house,
the excavation of a foraging Bush Pig;
Common Reedbuck droppings where they’d been grazing and
a mound of freshly excavated earth, not sure ‘who’ was responsible.
As always the birdsong, morning and evening is a delight and
the resident pair of Speckled Pigeons are busy rearing two young in the garage.
Solanum nigrum: Sobosobo Berry: Umsobosobo (Zulu): Mmomoli, Lintsontso (Sesotho)
I did some investigation, these plants had grown prolifically in our compost bin. What a delight! I had a feeling they would be Sobosobo Berries. There were a few ripe ones, (black), but many more green ones. When green they are toxic, so should not be eaten before ripening. I guess we’ll be sharing with the birds, but hope we get a few to eat, they are delicious! In the meantime I’ll be adding leaves to our cooked greens, making a relish and trying them as a tea .
Culinary Uses
• The berries are said to be poisonous when green, but when they ripen and turn black they can be eaten fresh or made into jam or syrup for ice cream.
• The young leaves are also popular as pot herb (spinach).
• A tea made with the leaves tastes like fresh peanuts before they are roasted.
Solanum nigrum,a species in the genus Solanum, native to Eurasia and introduced in the Americas, Australasia, and South Africa. Ripe berries and cooked leaves of edible strains are used as food in some locales, and plant parts are used as a traditional medicine. A tendency exists in literature to incorrectly refer to many of the other “black nightshade” species as “Solanum nigrum“.
Solanum nigrum is a common herb or short-lived perennial shrub, found in many wooded areas, as well as disturbed habitats. It reaches a height of 30 to 120 cm (12 to 47 in), leaves 4.0 to 7.5 cm (1.6 to 3.0 in) long and 2 to 5 cm (1 to 2 in) wide; ovate to heart-shaped, with wavy or large-toothed edges; both surfaces hairy or hairless; petiole 1 to 3 cm (0.5 to 1 in) long with a winged upper portion. The flowers have petals greenish to whitish, recurved when aged and surround prominent bright yellow anthers. The berry, in bunches of up to 3, is mostly 6 to 8 mm (0.24 to 0.31 in) in diam., dull black or purple-black.
Although Elsa Pooley’s ‘A Field Guide to Wildflowers KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Region’ states that they are probably not found in this region, I am pretty certain it is Solanum nigrum not retroflexum after careful study, but am open to correction.
A touch of autumn colours in the exotic trees was visible from the first week of February, with cooler mornings. The highest temperature recorded was 29 Celsius and the lowest 8 Celsius, the total rainfall measured was 235.5mm, 21mm more than January.
There was a glorious sunrise on the 6th and
the last of the waning moon on the 22nd was also a very special sunrise.
The hillside has a lush covering of grass, though many have not seeded this year.
Low lying mist in the valleys created a serene view.
Bright orange Kniphofia and pink Watsonia spikes shone in the yellowing grass.
A highlight was seeing a
Common Sandman, Spialia diomus ferax, butterfly for the first time, feasting on an Ascelpias albens.
Gaudy Commodores, Precis octavia sesamus, are definitely our most common butterfly, seen throughout the year. I saw one in its winter form, but the orange summer form are still around as well.
There were many moths species, Emperor Moth species, Family: Saturniidae;
a Hawk Moth species;
and several I have not yet identified.
A lovely Lacewing was seen in the kitchen.
On an early morning wander I saw several dew laden spider webs.
On Saturday 22nd a storm blew up quickly with strong winds and the following morning I found
a Malachite Sunbird nest on the ground, sadly the egg within had broken.
Fairly recent residents are a pair of Southern Double-collared Sunbirds, which are common endemics, the bright plumage of the male is eye-catching.
One evening the beautiful male Common Reedbuck came and grazed close to our living room window in the mist.
I saw him again on a bright sunny morning,
and disturbed a young male and female a few minutes later,
sharp whistles and then fleet footed, they ran further along the hillside.
A Striped Skink watched from his rock perch.
Three different orchids were flowering during February:
Disa patula var. patula,
Habenaria pseudocilios and
Neobolusia tysonii.
Some of the other flowers seen were:
Berkheya setifera,
Crassula vaginata,
Gladiolus ecklonii,
Helichrysum umbraculigerum,
Hesperantha baurii,
Hibiscus trionum,
Indigofera hedyantha,
Inulanthera calva,
Kniphofia laxiflora,
Pelargonium luridum,
Polygala refracta,
Rubus ludwigii fruit,
Schizoglossum bidens subsp. bidens,
Schizoglossum bidens subsp. pachyglossum,
Senecio subrubriflorus,
Tephrosia macropoda,
Watsonia confusa and
Zaluzianskya microsiphon.
I’m always intrigued by the
Star Stinkhorn, Aseroe rubra, a rather striking fungi with a strong, unpleasant smell.
Three intrepid ladies, two from the UK, requested a five day Southern Secrets Hiking and Backpacking Wildflower Hike. We hiked up to Tarn Cave, where we based ourselves for four nights, from Bushmans Nek. Then we explored the Sehlabathebe Rock Gardens, Secret Garden and the area above Tarn Cave. The first two days were very hot and sunny, then an overcast cool and cloudy day coming in for rain, the fourth day was very wet and it started clearing as we made our way back to Bushmans Nek on the last day. The weather didn’t deter Rosie, Alice and Kate, it was an amazing time spent amongst the stunning array of flowers!
These are a few of the 232 different plants species we saw over the five days, including some landscapes to give an idea of the terrain. A full list follows at the end of this blog.
Day 1: Bushmans Nek to Tarn Cave
Schizoglossum stenoglossum
Asclepias macropus
Corycium nigrescens
Cussonia paniculata
Pachycarpus campanulatus subsp. campanulatus
Neobolusia tysonii
Schizochilus bulbinella
Day 2: Tarn Cave to Sehlabathebe Rock Gardens circuit
Kniphofia ritualuis
Albuca fastigiata
Disa versicolor
Rumex woodii
Xysmalobium involucratum
Disa brevicornis
Corycium dracomontanum
Eucomis autumnalis
Schizoglossum elingue
Asclepias humilis
Polygala rhinostigma
Chironia krebsii
Lindernia conferta
Huperzia saururus
Papaver aculeatum
Senecio macrospermus
Disa orephilia
Selago galpinii
Satyrium longicauda
Disa nivea
Craterocapsa tarsodes
Romulea thodei
Dianthus mooiensis
Pimpinella caffra
Eucomis schijffii
Zaluzianskya microsiphon
Day 3: Tarn Cave to Secret Garden circuit
Kniphofia caulescens
Silene bellidoides
Silene burchellii
Manulea crassifolia
Cysticapnos pruinosa
Gnidia compacta
Galium capense subsp. garipense
Nemesia caerulea
Disperis cardiophora
Satyrium microrrhynchum
Rhodohypoxis baurii
Lobelia flaccida
Moraea inclinata
Senecio barbatus
Berkheya rhapontica
Protea subvestita
Berkheya multijuga
Aponogeton ranunculiflorus
Pelargonium alchemilloides
Pterygodium magnum
Alepidea amatymbica
Dracomonticola virginea
Crassula natans
Ornithogalum paludosum
Diascia barberae
Lobelia erinus
Day 4: Fossicking above Tarn Cave in the rain
Disperis renibractea
Schizochilus flexuosus
Disa oreophila subsp. oreophila
Geranium drakensbergense
Holothrix scopularia
Pterygodium hastatum
Habenaria lithophila
Streptocarpus pusillus
Crassula vaginata
Limosella inflata
Passerina montana
Sebaea thomasii
Relhania acerosa
Day 5: Return hike to Bushmans Nek
Satyrium cristatum var. longilabiatum
Satyrium parviflorum
Dierama argyreum
The full list of plants we identified:
Agapanthus campanulatus
Ajuga ophrydis
Albuca fastigiata
Albuca setosa (=pachychlamys)
Alchemilla colura
Alepidea amatymbica
Alepidea natalensis
Aponogeton junceus
Aponogeton ranunculiforus
Arctotis arctotoides
Argyrolobium marginatum
Aristea woodii
Asclepias cucullata
Asclepias humilis
Asclepias macropus
Asplenium monanthes
Aster bakerianus
Aster perfoliatus
Athrixia pinifolia
Athyrium schimperi
Berkheya cirsiifolia
Berkheya multijuga
Berkheya rhapontica
Berkheya setifera
Buchnera simplex
Cerastium arabidis
Cheilanthes quadripinnata
Chironia krebsii
Chlorophytum krookianum
Chrysanthemoides monilifera
Chrysocoma ciliata
Cineraria dieterlenii
Cineraria lyrata
Commelina africana
Corycium dracomontanum
Corycium nigrescens
Cotula socialis
Crassula dependens
Crassula natans
Crassula peploides
Crassula umbraticola
Crassula vaginata
Craterocapsa tarsodes
Cussonia paniculata
Cyathea dregei
Cynoglossum austro-africanum
Cynoglossum spelaeum
Cyperus ruestris
Cyperus schlechteri
Cyperus semitrifidus
Cyperus sphaerocephalus
Cyrtanthus epiphyticus
Cyrtanthus flanaganii
Cysticapnos pruinosa
Delosperma lavisiae
Dianthus basuticus
Dianthus mooiensis
Diascia barberae
Diclis reptans
Diclis rotundifolia
Dierama argyreum
Dierama dissimile
Dierama sp. small, pink flowers like D. pictum
Dimorphotheca jucunda
Disa brevicornis
Disa nivea
Disa oreophila
Disa oreophila subsp. erecta
Disa oreophila subsp. oreophila
Disa stachyoides
Disa versicolor
Disperis cardiophora
Disperis renibractea
Dracomonticola virginea
Drosera natalensis
Elaphoglossum acrostichoides
Elaphoglossum drakensbergense
Epilobium capense
Erica alopecurus
Erica caffrorum
Eriocaulon dregei
Eucomis autumnalis
Eucomis schijffii
Eulophia hians var. hians (=clavicornis)
Felicia caespitosa
Felicia petiolata
Ficinia cinammomea
Galium capense
Gazania krebsiana
Geranium drakensbergense
Geranium multisectum
Geranium schechteri
Geranium wakkerstroomianum
Gerbera ambigua
Gerbera piloselloides
Gladiolus parvulus
Gnidia compacta
Gomphostigma viratum
Gunnera perpensa
Habenaria lithophila
Harveya speciosa
Hebenstretia dura
Helichrysum appendiculatum
Helichrysum argentissimum
Helichrysum herbaceum
Helichrysum krookii
Helichrysum pagophilum
Helichrysum spiralepis
Heliophila formosa
Heliophila rigidiuscula
Hermannia cristata
Hermannia woodii
Hesperantha baurii
Hesperantha grandiflora
Holothrix scopularia
Huperzia saururus
Hypericum lalandii
Hypoxis argentea
Hypoxis parvula
Indigofera dimidiata
Jamesbrittenia breviflora
Juncus effusus
Kauhautia amatymbica
Kniphofia brachystachya
Kniphofia caulescens
Kniphofia ritualis
Ledebouria ovatifolia
Lessertia perennans
Leucosidea sericea (no flowers)
Limosella inflata
Lindernia conferta
Lobelia erinus
Lobelia flaccida
Lobelia vanreenensis
Lotononis lotononoides
Lotononis pulchella
Macowania pulvinaris
Manulea crassifolia
Mariscus congestus
Melasma scabrum
Merxmuellera macowanii
Mohira rigida
Mohria vestita
Monocymbium ceresiiforme
Moraea albicuspa
Moraea brevistyla
Moraea inclinata
Myosotis semiamplexicaulis
Nemesia caerulea
Neobolusia tysonii
Ochna arorea (tree – not flowering)
Ornithogalum graminifolium
Ornithogalum juncifolium
Ornithogalum paludosum
Orthochilus (=Eulophia) foliosus
Oxalis depressa
Oxalis obliquifolia
Oxalis smithiana
Pachycarpus campanulatus subsp. campanulatus
Papaver aculeatum
Passerina montana
Pelargonium alchemilloides
Pelargonium ranunculophyllum
Pelargonium schlecteri
Pentanisia prunelloides
Persicaria lapathifolia
Pimpinella caffra
Plectranthus calycina
Polygala gracilenta
Polygala hottentotta
Polygala rhinostigma
Protea dracomontana
Protea roupelliae
Protea subvestita
Psammotropha mucronata
Pteridium aquilinum subsp. aquilinum
Pterygodium hastatum
Pterygodium magnum
Relhania acerosa
Rhodohypoxis baurii
Romulea thodei
Rubus ludwigii
Rubus rigidus
Rumex lanceolatus
Rumex woodii
Satyrium cristatum var. longilabiatum
Satyrium longicauda
Satyrium microrrhynchum
Satyrium neglectum
Satyrium parviflorum
Scabiosa columbaria
Schizochilus bulbinella
Schizochilus flexuosus
Schizoglossum elingue
Schizoglossum stenoglossum
Scirpus ficinoides
Searsia (=Rhus) dentata (fruit)
Searsia (=Rhus) discolor (fruit)
Sebaea natalensis
Sebaea thomasii
Selago galpinii
Senecio achilleifolius
Senecio barbatus
Senecio brevilorus
Senecio discodregeanus
Senecio glaberrimus
Senecio harveianus
Senecio macrocephalus
Senecio macrospermus
Senecio rhomboideus
Senecio subrubriflorus
Silene bellidoides
Silene burchellii
Sopubia cana
Stachys kuntzei
Streptocarpus pusillus
Themeda triandra
Thesium pallidum
Trachyandra asperata
Trifolium burchellianum
Trogoglophytum capillaceum
Urginea macrocentra
Vernonia hirsuta
Vernonia natalensis
Wahlenbergia cuspidata
Wahlenbergia fasciculata
Wahlenbergia huttonii
Wahlenbergia krebsii
Watsonia confusa
Watsonia socium
Xysmalobium involucratum
Zaluzianskya microsiphon
Summer finally arrived in January! We measured 214.5mm of rain and in the first week there was finally water in our well again.
Cloudy skies in the mornings
and evenings created beautiful soft light effects.
I only saw the moon once clearly on the morning on the 13th.
Warm temperatures, the highest 29 Celsius and the lowest 10.5 Celsius, combined with the rainfall
resulted in luxurious growth of the plants.
The hillside looked particularly lovely.
During January I saw three different orchids flowering;
Eulophia hians var. hians,
Eulophia hians var. hians, a coloured pencil drawing I drew a couple of years ago;
Eulophia ovalis var. ovalis
and Satyrium longicauda,
and Satyrium longicauda.
Some of the many flowers blooming were:
an Alepidea sp.
an Alepidea sp.
an Alepidea sp. which I have not been able to identify yet;
Aristea woodii;
both of my favourite January flowers were out,
Brunsvigia undulata
Brunsvigia undulata
and Crocosmia aurea
Crocosmia aurea;
Cyanotis speciosa;
Haemanthus humilis fruits;
Helichrysum rugulosum;
Helichrysum rugulosum;
Kniphofia angustifolia;
Kniphofia angustifolia;
Kniphofia buchananii;
Lobelia erinus;
Oxalis depressa;
possibly Pachycarpus natalensis seed capsules;
Schizoglossum bidens;
Searsia (=Rhus) discolor fruit;
a Sedge;
Senecio glaberrimus
Senecio glaberrimus;
Silene burchellii;
Stachys aethiopica
and Watsonia lepida
Watsonia lepida.
Ferns are popping up on the rocky hillside and in sheltered places, these are two I particularly noticed,
Cheilanthes viridis var. viridis and Pellaea calomelanos var. calomelanos; they are especially for Maps and K!
Although there have been many fungi appearing, I haven’t had the time to photograph them, one of the many species was this Puff ball.
Invertebrates abound, particularly moths! I had wondered why there seemed to be so few beneath the kitchen light, then realized they are being eaten before sunrise by our resident birds, so have included some of the discarded wings…
Clothes moth, Family Tineidae;
Common or Cabbage Tree Emperor, Bunaea alcinoe;
Grass Moth Anclolomia perfasciata;
Marbled Emperor;
and a few as yet unidentified moths.
Other invertebrates included this unusual underside view of a
Gaudy Commodore, Junonia octavia;
Ants and Ladybird beetle larvae on the fruits of Searsia discolor;
a stunning Dung Beetle sp.;
this beautiful iridescent fly;
a master of disguise, a Grasshopper that disappeared once it had folded its bright orange legs,
hidden in plain sight!
although it featured last month, this Lunate Blister Beetle, Decapotoma lunata, was just so stunning
and finally a Monkey Beetle sp..
A Small crab-spider Thomisus sp. sat patiently waiting for its next meal.
There has been a sudden baby boom in the bird population, hungry, demanding Fork-tailed Drongo, Cape Robin-Chat and Speckled Pigeon young fledglings follow their harassed parents, who obligingly feed them!
One morning as we had early morning coffee, we observed a Common Duiker mother and her baby foraging near the water tanks. On a hillside foray I came across a pair of Common Reedbuck, they watched me, but fortunately they continued grazing as I quietly moved away.
December weather had a very wide variation, the coldest temperature being 6.5 degrees Celsius on the 20th and two highs of 32 degrees Celsius on the 21st and 26th. A 170mm of rain was recorded, with very hot dry periods between. On two occasions we experienced hail, one heavy fall was while we were away and there must have been extremely strong winds during that storm, as two trees were blown down and many branches broken and bent. Many of the wildflowers that were in bud were shredded. By the 29th there was still no water in our well, so despite the good rain over the past two months, the water table has not yet been replenished.
The dawn on the 21st December, a day before the Summer Solstice was particularly lovely,
and the sunset on the 27th December was very lovely.
On my hillside walks I found an interesting variety of invertebrates;
a Chafer beetle;
a Gaudy Commodore, Junonia octavia in it’s Summer form;
a striking and fast moving Lunate Blister Beetle, Decapotoma lunata;
a Lunate Ladybird beetle, Cheilomenes lunata, just above it an aphid and a curious ant looking down at both of them;
a moth of the Handmaiden species;
a small wasp on Cyanotis speciosa;
a Millipede and
a Small crab-spider, of the Thomisus species.
Yesterday I saw a large yellow and brown coloured Puff Adder, Britis arietans arietans slithering into a mini cave beneath the rocks, unfortunately not enough time to photograph it,
however close by was a recently discarded skin.
The large flock of Cape White-Eyes, Cape Robin-Chats, Southern Boubou and Dark-capped Bulbuls that frequent the birdbath on the verandah have been joined by an Olive Thrush, they are generally very shy retiring birds. During the month I spotted a pair of African Hoopoes down near the gate. Speckled Mousebirds are often seen foraging in the shrubbery on the edge of the garden.
At last I managed to photograph an Amethyst Sunbird, Chalcomitra amethystina, they usually flit off hurriedly when I raise the camera. They were one of the first birds I noticed when we moved here in 1996.
In the early morning on the 14 December I spotted the large grey Baboon moving casually along the fence. The female and young one were not with him. Apparently he had raided our neighbours vegetable garden and been seen several times further south on the top of the ridge. The resident Common Reedbuck walk past the house regularly and the Grey Duiker are also often seen. A regular chorus from the Black-backed Jackals is heard in the evenings.
During the month I found 4 different Orchid species flowering, not many plants, but so lovely;
Eulophia hians var. nutans;
Eulophia tenella;
Eulophia zeyherina and
Orthochilus foliosus.
Other flowers seen were:
Agapanthus campanulatus;
Albuca setosa (=pachychlamys);
Aster bakerianus;
Berkheya setifera;
Cyanotis speciosa;
at first glance Gladiolus ecklonii doesn’t appear to be special until you take a look from below;
Heliophila rigidiuscula;
Hibiscus aethiopicus;
many bright Hypoxis possibly argentea amongst the grasses;
Lotononis foliosa;
the tiny Moraea brevistyla;
if you bend down the scent of Ornithogalum graminifolium is glorious;
Oxalis semiloba;
Silver Bramble, Rubus ludwigii;
Spotted-leaved Arum, Zantedeschia albomaculata;
Striga bilabiata;
Vernonia natalensis;
Wahlenbergia krebsii and
Watsonia socium and Berkheya setifera adding colour to the green grasses.
After the rain several fungi popped up including:
a Panaeolus species and
a little Puff-ball species.
During November the summer rain and thunderstorm activity finally arrived, I
measured 98mm of rain during the month.
This stunning sunset was due to a moisture laden atmosphere.
Rain and sometimes hail during afternoon storms cleared to reveal rainbows,
though on some evenings mist rolled in creating a different sort of glow.
The coldest morning was 7.5 degrees Celsius and the highest daytime temperature was 31.5 degrees Celsius.
The rainfall seems to have come too late for the grasses, many had already flowered, and they have not grown as high or fully covered the hillsides as in most years.
There has been a lovely selection of invertebrate life.
Various forms of bagworm moth constructions;
a stunning jewel-like hairy caterpillar munched on an Acalypha sp. flower;
my favourite striped caterpillar, possibly of the Cherry Spot moth,
striped caterpillar feeding on Albuca setosa;
a very special first time visitor was a female Emperor Swallowtail, Papilio ophidicephalus phalusco, this is our largest South African butterfly with a 90-120mm wingspan;
the high pitched song of cicadas is a quintessentially summer sound and I found a Giant
Forest Cicada, Pyncna semiclara, dry nymphal skin, where an adult had emerged;
a closer inspection of a Large Brown Longhorn, Macrotoma palmata, revealed
incredible intricate beauty of its head;
the awkward fluttering of this Mottled Veld Antlion, Papares caffer, alerted me to its presence in the grass;
I was fascinated by this large fly, Philoliche aethiopica, ±35mm wingspan, with large orange hairy patches on its abdomen, revealed in flight.
A few of the birds I have managed to photograph are
the Cape Longclaw (=Orange-throated Longclaw), playing hide and seek on the grassy hillside;
one of the large flock of Cape White-Eyes that frequent the birdbath on the verandah
and a stunning male Malachite Sunbird on Watsonia socium.
The resident Common Reedbuck walk past the house regularly and the Grey Duiker are also often seen. A regular chorus from the Black-backed Jackals is heard in the evenings.
Although the rains came late this year there has been a sudden burst of wildflowers. Some of the usual ones don’t seem to have appeared, the quantity is less, but I am always amazed and delighted to find ‘new’ ones when the season is different. Some of the flowers I’ve seen include
Albuca setosa;
Alepidea natalensis;
baby Aloe maculata plants;
a new one for me Anthericum angulicaule;
Aristea woodii;
Asclepias albens;
Aspidonepsis diploglossa;
very few Aster bakerianus, normally hundreds on the hillsides;
Berkheya macrocephala;
two growing forms of Commelina africana;
Convolvulus natalensis;
Cyphia elata;
Dicadi viride, the brown variety;
Eriosema salignum;
although flowering a bit later than usual, the Haemanthus humilis are prolific this year;
Hypericum aethiopicum;
Hypoxis costa;
swathes of Indigofera hilaris;
Lotononis corymbosa;
Merwilla (=Scilla) nervosa;
Moraea inclinata;
Orthochilus foliosus, the only orchid seen flowering this November;
Ornithogalum graminifolium;
Pelargonium alchemilloides;
Polygala refracta;
Raphionacme hirsuta;
Searsia (=Rhus) discolor;
Senecio oxyriifolius;
Silene bellidiodes on a misty morning;
Silene burchellii;
Striga bilabiata;
Vernonia natalensis;
Wahlenbergia cuspidata;
Watsonia socium;
Xysmalobium involucratum
and Zornia capensis.
In the last two months we have finally had rain, 31mm in September and 37.5mm in October, very welcome, but most burnt off and didn’t soak into the parched earth. We have not needed to mow the lawn area yet.
There was a dusting of snow seen on the Drakensberg on the 1 October, the lowest temperature in September was 4 degrees Celsius and 5 degrees in October, the maximum temperature in September was 28 degrees C and 29 degrees C in October.
Despite the general dry conditions spring green leaves were bright against the winter colours.
One evening in September a stunning male Reedbuck stood near the fence.
Photo Rob Grant
Our son came to visit and was surprised to find a Spotted Bush Snake curled up in a spare blanket one evening!
Birdsong in the early mornings has been an absolute delight, most of the regular birds very busy with nest building and some already feeding young as I’ve seen broken empty egg shells beneath trees and bushes. A very special sighting was a Knysna Turaco, it was here for a few days. The first Piet-my-Vrou / Red-chested Cuckoo call was heard on the 6 October. The Greater Striped Swallows haven’t returned yet this season. Also seen for the first time was a Rainbird / Burchell’s Coucal, sulking in the shrubbery of Buddleja salviifolia and Leucosidea sericea that has grown up over the years behind the house.
A Greater Double-collared Sunbird was fighting his reflection for territory on the sitting room window panes
and one early morning a Speckled Pigeon rested on the verandah railing.
This is a varied selection of insects that I’ve seen over the two months:
the remains of a Green-banded Swallowtail;
a Painted Lady, Vanessa cardui;
a Bagworm;
a gorgeous striped moth;
a fly on Nemesia caerulea
and a delightful Woolly Bee Fly, Systoechus sp. on Dimorphotheca jucunda.
During September and October I saw three ground orchids flowering, (but as I was away for long periods, there might have been others):
Eulophia hians var hians;
Eulophia hians var hians;
Eulophia hians var. inaequalis
Eulophia hians var. inaequalis
and the Eulophia parviflora (short-spurred form)
Eulophia parviflora (short-spurred form) continued to flower well into September.
Early in September a friend came out and most of these flowers were seen that morning, just after the first rain;
Anemone fanninii;
Anemone fanninii;
Anemone fanninii;
Asclepias stellifera;
Asclepias stellifera;
although the bright red leaves of the Cussonia paniculata are not flowers they created a stunning highlight on the hillside;
Dierama latifolium;
Dierama latifolium, covered in hungry ants seeking their nectar;
Dimorphotheca jucunda;
Dimorphotheca jucunda;
Drimia elata;
Gerbera ambigua;
Graderia scabra;
Helichrysum caespititium;
Helichrysum caespititium;
Hypoxis multiceps;
Ledebouria ovatifolia;
Ledebouria ovatifolia;
Nemesia caerulea;
Pentanisia prunelloides;
Tritonia lineata;
Tulbaghia leucantha
Tulbaghia leucantha
and these new leaves on the fern Pellaea calomelanos were particularly eye catching.
christeengrant 