Atlasville, 17 Dec 2007

Paid 2 more visits to the exploration site in the Hotazel area in the past 2 weeks, one overnight stay and one full week as the next phase of exploration drilling has begun. The ‘green Kalahari’ is now truly that, with the veld covered in albeit sparse grass with wildflowers in abundance, and blackthorn and camelthorn in full leaf. The birds are much more active with many in breeding plumage, but insect and reptile species are now also much more prevalent. I have started my early morning and late afternoon walks again, and carry my camera with me in the bakkie when I go to the drill rigs.

My trailer under the camelthorn has become very noisy as the communal nest just above the trailer’s roof now hosts some very raucous male Red-billed Buffalo Weaver and largely silent females. Scuttling around below the steps up to the trailer I found a Twospot Ground Beetle.

One particular waterhole has provided a host of photo opportunities – Violet-eared Waxbill, Namaqua Dove, Red-headed Finch, Shaft-tailed Whydah, Yellow Canary and Lark-like Bunting, as well as a rather old Leopard Tortoise.

The most insect activity was around the fringes of another waterhole, where I photographed a mud dauber wasp, Black Mud Wasp, and Brown-veined White, African Migrant and Topaz-spotted Blue butterflies.

Elsewhere on the farm I have seen Dusky Sunbird, Sabota Lark, Shaft-tailed Whydah, Namaqua Sandgrouse, Ring-necked Dove, Brubru, Capped Wheatear, the resident South African Shelduck and a big surprise with an immature Martial Eagle. And I must not forget another Leopard Tortoise and a Ground Agama.

This is of course a game farm and I did get some shots of some of the 4-legged residents too – Gemsbok, Blesbok, Warthog and Meerkat.