January 2009 : Hot, dry and very windy is the best way to describe the start of 2009. Most likely the worst drought in the region, Sedgefield water supplies dried up and water had to be transported in on a 24 hour basis to fill the reservoir. As an option to experience a cooler forest walk we did a number of walks in the Diepvalle area. Though a bit out of the way, the altitude of this section of forest meant that it had daily condensation from the cloud cover which maintained the moisture content of the forest floor. The spider population benefited from this and we were fortunate to see plenty Kite Spiders, a species that is not often found in the Garden Route except during warm to hot periods. This is a spider to be wary of - a single bite can inflict incredible head aches, muscular pain and a wound that will not heal. From previous experience an effective way to treat a bite from this and other spiders is to take Rescue Remedy three times a day. As a back up, shocking the bite site with a stun gun (high voltage, no amperage). The heat and humidity in the forest were ideal for the growth of fungii, of which the orange bracket fungus where extremely vivid. As all forests, Diepvalle assists in capturing water and feeding it into the streams and keep a trickle of water flowing into the rivers flowing to the coastal plain So despite the drought there was still water flowing.The clear skies and warm nights made all our Moonlight Meander outing very popular, forcing us to add additional outing to meet the demand. We were very pleased to record a healthy population of Octopus, probably the highest in a decade. Though there were no tropical species seen, the rock pools were vivid with colorful species and shrimp. We were also intrigued to note a large population of Formidable Spiders, a species of intertidal spider that live near the high water mark, living in a protective silk funnel. On the birding side, an exciting discovery on the Wolve Rivier in Rondevlei was of no less than 9 juvenile Fish Eagles which roost at night in the trees around a rock pool. Alerted to their presence by morning and evening calls, I was overwhelmed to count so many of these magnificent bird at one location. There is definitely something special to be swimming up a river and suddenly finding yourself in the midst of such a group.

February 2009 - February turned from a hot dry month to a cooler time interspersed with much needed rain. Still the wind blew though it did alternate with the occasional westerly wind to breakup the the prevailing easterlies. The variation in the winds resulted in fluctuating sea temperatures. In the first week the water temperatures plumeted from 22Deg Celsius down to 13 Deg Celsius. The lagoon mouth remains open and makes a wonderful location for swimming, though you do have to be wary of the tide flow. Without a doubt the month transpired into a birding month with a long overdue visit to Voelvlei west of Mosselbay. The vlei is a spectacular flood pan which attracts large numbers of water birds. The water levels were retreating which provided perfect nesting conditions for a variety of wader species such as the Kitslitz Plovers. In the lakes area, Rondvlei has become the birding destination. SANParks has cleared the reeds in front of the hide which has encouraged numerous waders to frequent the area. It is now possible to record no less than 30 species of waders and waterfowl in less than half an hour. Of particular excitement is the presence of 6 African Snipes that forage within 10m of the hide. Another delightful bird that is easily visiable is the African Real as it darts across the opening. The welcome rain, though not enough to break the drought, was enough to sustain a growth flush in the forest and to raise some of the forest streams to more than a trickle, though the ground remains dry. Even this small amount of rain was enough to stimulate the meadows in the region to turn vivid green overnight and to trigger a breeding frenzy amongst frogs. Our popular walks for the month were the Forest Canoe and Walk up the Touw River and the Elephant Walk near the Diepvalle Forest Station. The popularity of the Moonlight Meander as an activity to do something in the evening encouraged us to introduce a River Moonlight Meander which will be launched at the end of March. It is always encouraging to see how interested visitors and locals are to enjoy the abundence of nature that we live in in the Garden Route.

May 2009 : On a personal level this turned out to be an incredible month - Amanda and I enjoyed an adventurous honeymoon. Neither of us cut out for the ordinary lazing around a pool or on a beach for 2 weeks we planned a mix of touring and adventure. We had to share the planning of our first adventure married together - initially I had booked a trip to Madagascar but had to cancel at the last moment due to the political upheaval there. I hope they sort their differences out soon so we can visit soon. We started off at Thonga Beach Resort on the KwaZulu Natal Coast north of Lake Sibaya for a three day diving package. This was perfect to relax and be pampered, though definitely too sanitized to spend the entire honeymoon there. The diving was spectacular with easy sightings of turtles, white tipped reef sharks and potatoes bass hanging over every pinnacle. With all the wonderful food it almost felt as if we put weight on every day. From there we headed to Mkuze Nature Reserve for 2 night and some follow-up Birding. First we had to sort out a puncture in Mbaswan - with nothing but a hand pump, some spanners and a tire puncture repair kit we were on our way. Only in true Africa style. Without a doubt the high lights of Mkuze were seeing the Pelican colony and a walk in the fig forest. The latter tours only recently opened are a must for any nature lover and birder. Our next organized stop was at Marolela camp in the Kruger Park and we had two days to get there which meant a bit of exploration through Swaziland. We decided on Hlane Game Reserve - first night camping in the camp site and the second night in some wonderful chalets in the north of the park. One thing we were fast finding out was that Birding and long distance driving do not mix - each day had us arriving late and tired, though our bird list kept growing.We missed Maroela Camp but made Oliphants the next day - 12 lifers for me, 5 for Amanda with incredible sightings of lion, rhino, elephant, ground hornbills and leopard. Our following destination was Punda Maria to start the Nyalaland Wilderness Walk - yip, just can't stay away from walking. Again we ran out of time and had to exit the park and skirt through Venda to the top gate. At least we had some time to spare with this change of plans. The wilderness walk was magic - out in the bush without a light on the horizon, the essence of what life is truly about. While the urban jungle may stress everyone out, it does not come close to the satisfaction of heightening your awareness while walking through the bush 'reading' every spoor to find everything and prevent yourself from being something's dinner or plaything. Reluctantly we had to leave after a very short 3 nights. Amanda stepped in and extended our honeymoon with an extra night at Shingwetsi before our trip back to Joburg via Palaborwa. Back in Joburg, we had been invited for two nights to family a friends private game reserve. Perfect, great food, wonderful company and the inevitable second extension of an extra night. Now things were looking good, lifers MD - 28, AD - 12. Back in the smog two parties - one of thanks and one for a birthday and then back to sensible reality in the Garden Route.

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