This is a voluntary working relationship with the City of Cape Town and the Cape Bird Club since 1974.
25mm of rain was forecast for this afternoon, how welcome that would be. There was a very high cloud cover and a large cap of clouds formed over the Steenberg Mountain tops this afternoon. There was very little rain to make up the annual total in November. There was a moderate breeze from the SE all afternoon. The humidity was also high.
Most of the flowers have gone on the shrubs and low growing plants. The pink flower is Pelargonium grossularoides a low growing wetland specie. The ground is hard which was confirmed by trying to pull seedlings and they would not move before breaking off at ground level. All of the cutting we are doing is regrowth from the previous contractors who possibly did not apply a strong enough mix of the herbicide to the cut stems. Bert continued with his axe to cut the larger trees while Robin and I tackled the smaller stemmed Port Jacksons.
Bird species were lowish again dew to the moderate to strong wind and probable rain coming later. 16 species were noted with an unusual sight of a pair of White necked Ravens following the river course just above the reed tops much like the Marsh Harrier would. There were a pair of Black shouldered Kites hovering above the low laying grass where there are many mouse pathways established now that the grass seeds are set. Ants were the most active insect species seen probably due to the coming rain. Small grasshoppers were also present and Dotted border butterflies were seen.
This being the last hack for 2022 I would like to thank all those who came to help this year, and looking back towards Steenberg Mountain we have made a difference to the vista in this section of the Reserve this year. Well done everyone!
See this link for the past reports of what we have done.
photographs by Gavin Lawson.
Gavin Lawson.