May 2010 : As has become the locals mantra, again there is a need for rain. On the trail, May could be summed up as the 'Wash up" month with mussels, red bait, juvenile jellyfish and turtles all washing up on the beach. Initially it was suspected that the cause of all the filter feeders dying off had something to do with the desalination plant in Sedgefield. Observations of mussel and redbait die offs as far away as Jeffrey's Bay suggested the cause had to be something else. Sadly, the fossil remains in the soil horizon in Goukamma Nature Reserve have not been protected and evidence of high wave action shows that erosion of these bone remains with soon wash them away. The highlight of May had to be the sightings of Narina Trogon's. In April I had picked up a low frequency bird call in the canopy and was fortunate enough to see a Narina Trogon. During our first week of May, while discussing the genetic variation of the floral kingdom, again I heard the call. Looking up, sitting above us was not one, but two trogons, an adult and a juvenile. The call was from the juvenile demanding food. As if that was not enough, a second adult appeared and we were able to watch them feed for about 20 minutes. Our second trail later in the month was also fortunate enough to see two different trogons on the first day. On both occasions, the birds roosted close to the trail and presented their fronts to a very appreciative audience. In the fynbos the Erica's were in full bloom and the Brunsvigia's leaves had started shooting. The owls on the river were at first difficult to spot, but with the approach of winter and the position f the afternoon sun shifting, they have moved to a location on the southern bank of the Goukamma River so they can harvest the last rays of warming sun. The flamingo's number about 60 and have shifted from their regular feeding on Rondevlei and Langvlei to include a part of Swartvlei south of the N2. Staying with birds, it was with interest to see two pairs of Oystercatchers doing both the courtship ritual between sexes and the territorial ritual between the males. Though May was not a very windy month the sand on the beach has moved dramatically and is noticeably washing away the primary dune along Myoli Beach. These movement of sand also posed a problem for the brine outlet of the desalination plant. For a second time the outlet had to be dug deeper in less than a month. Pity the municipal planners do not realize just how much sand does move. Despite the drought continuing, the Goukamma River levels have risen rapidly which is adding to the challenge of road repairs to the buffalo Bay road.