Over the last few days we have been graced by numerous sightings of hares. They have come very close to our house, on the lawn in the early morning and evening, as well as along the approach road to the self-catering chalets. The hares have come to nibble on the…
One of the beauties of the fynbos is the red everlasting, Phaenocoma prolifera. The bright magenta-red flowers appear in spring and, as the name suggests, last for a very long time, the colour gradually fading through pink as the summer progresses. Strictly speaking it is not the flowers but the…
There is no doubt that among the greatest masters of disguise in the invertebrate world are stick-insects. In the normal course of events, one will not casually spot them just walking through the fynbos. However, I was fortunate to find this one crawling up my leg after such a walk.…
Most proteas are winter or spring flowering, so by mid-summer their spectacle is over. This does not mean to say that the fynbos is then devoid of their unusual shape and form. There are other members of the protea family, Proteaceae, to take their place. At Phillipskop, the most prominent…
The great aspect of photographing plants is that they don’t move away from you, so one can take one’s time getting into the right position. With animals one is never quite sure how long they will hang around once they have seen you. Digital photography has transformed the photographing of…
We are not the only family living at Phillipskop. We have an owl box in the eaves of our roof that is occupied by a family of barn owls. There are two parents and we believe two chicks, although sightings are difficult as they only start stirring once it is…
