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SEASONAL ACTIVITY LIST |
JANUARY |
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RESERVE
- Wildebeest/springbok rut.
- Zebras drop their foals.
- Steppe Buzzards/Lesser Kestrels have arrived to spend summer months. They can be observed hunting in the wheat fields.
- Canoeing on the dam and birding in the reeds is at its best because all the smaller bodies of water have dried up and the water birds congregate at the bigger dams.
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FARM
- The dry wheat fields are host to a wide variety of larks, pipits and cisticolas who because of the dryness and the scarcity of food are all easily observed as they attempt to find food.
- Many of the 120 resident blue cranes have produced chicks and are busy raising them.
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FEBRUARY |
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RESERVE
- Summer dryness causes much of the game to concentrate on the grassy plains where food is most easily obtained making game viewing excellent.
- Birding still at its optimum as birds collect around larger dams. Excellent time for walking amongst the reeds and watching many of the smaller birds.
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FARM
- The dry wheat fields are host to a wide variety of larks, pipits and cisticolas who because of the dryness and the scarcity of resources are all easily observed as they attempt to find food.
- Many of the 120 resident blue cranes have produced chicks and are busy raising them.
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MARCH |
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RESERVE
- Geometric tortoises hatchlings are born and begin to appear, being the size of a watch face their patterns are at their most spectacular when they are young. As geometric tortoises are generally considered small tortoises to locate one of their tiny young is a real find.
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FARM
- The annual burning of the wheatfields takes place, this is an important time for many of the raptors who can be watched at close range dropping into the flames to catch small rodents and insects fleeing the fires.
- The 3000 Merino ewes who were covered by the stud rams in November and December the previous year are scanned to determine pregnancy percentages. This is very interesting to watch, as the method used for screening pregnant ewes is very similar to that used for humans.
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APRIL |
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RESERVE
- Most of the spring breeding animals start rutting, displays of males aggression as they engage one another for territories and breeding females.
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FARM
- Ploughing for the forthcoming season starts, 650 horsepower tractors open up the earth and guests get a chance to ride in the biggest tractors used in modern farming. The smell of freshly tilled earth is quite sensational.
- The application of fertilisers such as lime and nitrogen begins and guests can gain a first hand understanding of how large scale modern farming practises are undertaken.
- Lambing season begins, because of the highly synchronised lambing schedule guests are able to watch young being born. All those ewes carrying twins all lamb in the pastures surrounding the guest house.
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MAY |
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RESERVE
- Game begins to congregate in anticipation of winter rains.
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FARM
- Planting of the annual wheat crop begins, guests can watch the sophisticated planting machinery in operation and the precision with which 3000 tons of grain is planted day and night.
- Lambing are bigger and become more independent.
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JULY |
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RESERVE
- The diversity of spring flowers is increasing every day, with over 550 species of flowering plants the reserve is ablaze with colour.
- Walking in the mountains of the reserve is at its best as the cool yet clear days allow one to venture high in to the mountains.
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FARM
- Crop spraying and sheep shearing.
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AUGUST |
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RESERVE
- Spring flowers at their peak, many flowers seen here are unique and can be seen nowhere else, the almost extinct floating Oxalis daisy flowers as well as the rare Tulbagh Moreae begin flowering as well as many species limited to our reserve.
- Bontebok start to drop their calves.
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FARM
- The green wheat fields are spectacular to walk or mountain bike through, stopping to picnic and a hill or next to a dam.
- Shepherds start to work through the sheep herds checking the health and condition of each and every animal, this is when the sheep dogs are at their most active and agile, working with flocks of over 500 at a time.
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SEPTEMBER |
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RESERVE
- Spring flowers.
- Massive game population boom as eland, springbok, red hartebeest, gemsbok, grey rhebok all start to drop calves.
- Geometric tortoises begin feeding frenzy in the warmth and while food is available.
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FARM
- Wheat starts to turn golden green, and is magnificent for photographers looking for crisp, clear colours, settings and back drops.
- Second shearing for the year begins.
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OCTOBER |
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RESERVE
- Steppe Buzzards, lesser Kestrels, yellow billed Kites all return on mass for the summer.
- Blue Cranes collect in groups of close to a 100 as they begin their complex mating dance and paring off ritual for the forthcoming breeding season.
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FARM
- Wheat begins to ripen and thousands of hectares of green wheat becomes golden yellow, ideal for photographers.
- Combine harvesters begin to harvest the wheat, guests get an opportunity to ride on a harvester and see the complex process first hand.
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NOVEMBER |
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RESERVE
- Black Wildebeest begin to calve.
- Nursery herds begin to break up and new territories are established.
- Rare Dagger Leafed Protea begins to flower.
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DECEMBER |
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RESERVE
- Black wildebeest calve.
- Geometric tortoises are most active as females begin laying eggs.
- Rare Dagger Leafed Protea begins to flower.
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FARM
- Sheep are dipped and treated against all parasites; dogs are at their busiest working sheep.
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