The highlight of this weekend was the return of the Fiery-necked Nightjar. It’s long been on the Cavern list without a single appearance in at least 15 years. Arguably it has the finest call of any bird in the world, a clear rippled whistle that carries for miles. In mid evening it struck up, for […]
by Corneel Van Wijk There is something to be said for experiencing a spurt of creativity when you are removed from your everyday surroundings. The Cavern Resort in the northern Drakensberg was such a place for me during 7 days towards the end of October 2016. I was as eager and curious to discover the
It’s not always what you see that is interesting – sometimes it’s what you don’t see, or don’t hear in this case! Up at the Cavern last weekend the Red-chested Cuckoo (Piet-my-vrou) was so conspicuous by its absence (if that makes sense?); not a peep out of it, not a single glimpse of it among
Birding weather was hot and windy, but the birds didn’t mind. Thirty-nine species in the garden before breakfast, just four short of our best ever. Included were four kingfishers – Great, Half-collared, Malachite and Brown-hooded. Red-necked Francolins were very vocal. This is a cryptic species of forest edge, rarely seen. Black Cuckoos were also in
We don’t look just at birds. All sorts of little creatures lurk underfoot. Bibron’s Blind Snake is one such. It’s quite common, but lives almost entirely underground, in burrows searching for small prey – especially termites. It’s completely blind, the greatly reduced eyes being covered with scales. The head is virtually identical to the tail,
Dear Friends 2016 has been a year of challenges, uncertainty, tremendous fun, new adventures and a bit of consolidation. We have continued to work on upgrades at The Cavern and we are slowly getting through all 55 rooms and their bathrooms. We have a few tasks planned for the New Year, a bit of fundraising
A visit to the Silent Woman is always interesting, recounting the story of Willie Chalmers to newcomers. But today there was an added attraction. A small tree on the edge of the picnic site clearing was covered in bunches of white flowers. The display can be so profuse as to lead to the common name
Lots of action in the insect world in the Drakesberg. While looking at flowers we noticed that nearly every Haplocarpha scaposa had beetles, sometimes a dozen or more, heads down, munching at pollen and nectar. The few flowers without beetles showed signs of their ravages. These beetles are scarabs, related to dung beetles and the
The high spot was finding a new bird for the Cavern list. Not so easy with such a well-watched place thronged for some years now by keen birders. The “first” was a Black-crowned Night Heron perched right out in the open in the gums overlooking the lower pond. It’s actually one of the most widespread
This is the time of year when swifts and swallows are most busy. As a generalisation, swifts fly high and faster, swallows lower, slower, and are more manoeuvrable. This is very obvious at The Cavern. First thing in the morning – first light on sunny days – both the White-rumped Swifts and Greater Striped Swallows
