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Bartholomeus Klip Farmhouse

NEWS FROM THE VELD

This page is specially for our rangers, who are constantly coming across interesting things on their guest drives through the Reserve.

Here you can keep an eye out for the latest news and intriguing discoveries from Bartholomeus Klip.

Fire at Elandsberg - Wednesday

11 January 2012
With the fire under control,the focus shifted to saving the geometric tortoises which were greatly at risk without food or cover from predators. We thank all the volunteers who came from far and near to help us find and rehydrate the survivors.

	Baby Geometric Hatchling found! \| 11 April 2013
	During a tortoise survey this geometric tortoise hatchling was found. If this tiny hatchling can survive the first five years of its life it will make... Read More

	Mountain Scenery \| 9 April 2013
	Wanting to offer more unique activities for our guests, we headed up the mountain to scout some new hiking routes. We came across some wonderful scen... Read More

	April Fool \| 1 April 2013
	This lovely plant is one of the autumn-flowering bulbs that appear at this time of year, hence the common name of April Fool. It is also called the Pa... Read More

	Autumn on the farm \| 12 March 2013
	The end of Summer is arriving and it's the start of a new cycle on the farm,with the sheep lambing and the lands being prepared for planting crops. Ou... Read More

	Trail camera pictures \| 1 February 2013
	Some wonderful pictures of animals out and about at night, caught on film by our trail camera which is set up in the Reserve.... Read More

	Hootie the Spotted Eagle Owl \| 30 January 2013
	Hootie was rescued from a warehouse in a nearby town as a chick, and is being rehabilitated by Bernard, our reserve manager. He is six mont... Read More

	Three tortoises in three days \| 15 January 2013
	After months of no sightings, our rangers have come across three geometric tortoises on three consecutive days, one of which we identified as ... Read More

	Our resident Thick Knees \| 15 January 2013
	After coming across this Spotted Thick Knee's nest, we were lucky enough to witness the eggs hatch and see the small chicks up close. These ... Read More

	A windy weekend \| 1 December 2012
	Over the last weekend the Cape peninsula experienced strong SE winds.Here are some pictures of our dam and surrounds during these windy few da... Read More

	Geometrics in the spotlight \| 15 November 2012
	Producer Werner Hefer and presenter Marius Burger of the television series Groen, filming the geometric tortoise. The program will be aired on... Read More

	Flowers, birds and eland \| 6 November 2012
	These wonderful pictures were taken in our Elandsberg Nature Reserve by Mariette Gregor... Read More

	Seen in our Reserve \| 5 November 2012
	With summer here,it is wonderful to see all the birds and animals out and about in our reserve. Pictures by Mariette Gregor... Read More

	Geometric tortoise spotted! \| 1 October 2012
	With all the concern over the future of the geometric tortoise, especially after the loss of so many in the fires earlier this year, it was a great th... Read More

	Cape Rain Frog \| 24 September 2012
	Rain frogs (Breviceps gibbosus) are endemic to South Africa. They are a threatened species due to habitat loss. The male frogs can be heard calling af... Read More

	Spring on the farm \| 11 September 2012
	Some wonderful spring scenery on the farm - photographs by Mariette Gregor... Read More

	Magnificent flowers \| 10 September 2012
	This spring in our Reserve is special, as the fynbos has been rejuvenated after the burn earlier in the year and the flowers are blooming in profusion... Read More

	First snow! \| 6 August 2012
	We woke up recently on a cold winter morning to find a blanket of snow covering the highest peaks of the mountains behind us. It doesn't happen often ... Read More

	The Winners \| 3 August 2012
	Big congratulations to Abraham and his team for winning the trophies for the Malmesbury merino evaluation competition. Abraham entered 10 ewes and won... Read More

	Winter Birding \| 10 June 2012
	With the start of the winter rains the rivers are flowing again and it's a wonderful opportunity to get a closer look at some of the local birdlife ar... Read More

	Elandsberg Pelargonium \| 15 May 2012
	This beautiful small flower is only found in our reserve and was named in 2010, the year of biodiversity. The round oxalis-type leaves on these specim... Read More

	Majestic blue cranes \| 27 April 2012
	These beautiful birds are seen around the farm in monogamous pairs and singles groups. As our National Bird they are a protected species. They make a... Read More

	Spotted Eagle Owl \| 16 April 2012
	The Spotted Eagle Owl is the smallest of the eagle owls. It lays 2-4 eggs in a nest on the ground, and incubation is around 32 days. Young owls are ab... Read More

	Another Elandsberg special appears \| 8 April 2012
	This little group of Paintbrushes has come out in response to the dropping temperatures and the first showers of the season. It is a very rare species... Read More

	Our Elandsberg lily flowers strongly again after the fire! \| 24 March 2012
	Our special little Elandsberg candelabra lily, found only here and nowhere else in the world, has burst into dazzling bloom in among the burnt sticks ... Read More

	Cape fox sighting \| 22 March 2012
	We were very excited to see this lovely little fox on our way out of the farm, especially since one had recently been captured by our camera (pic no 3... Read More

	Crimson speckled footman \| 20 March 2012
	This exotically named moth was flying in clouds over the dry fynbos, landing where it could to take nectar from the odd bush in flower. Its bright col... Read More

	Beautiful garden orb web spider \| 17 March 2012
	These spiders, harmless to humans, spin ornate webs to trap their prey. The webs are large and visible, which is thought to prevent birds flying into ... Read More

	Not one but two! \| 14 February 2012
	Our trail cameras have captured the best pictures yet of the Elandsberg leopards. The first and last pictures show the same, possibly female, animal. ... Read More

	Tortoise follow-up \| 27 January 2012
	We managed to locate many Parrot-beak tortoises during our searches. They are really hardy tortoises, but some needed assistance when we relocated the... Read More

	Fire follow-up \| 25 January 2012
	With the fire under control we took some time to drive around the Reserve. Despite the devastation,a group of red hartebeest were roaming through the ... Read More

	Fire at Elandsberg - Wednesday \| 11 January 2012
	With the fire under control,the focus shifted to saving the geometric tortoises which were greatly at risk without food or cover from predators. We th... Read More

	Fire at Elandsberg - Monday/Tuesday \| 9 January 2012
	On Monday afternoon the fire seemed under control, but changing winds fanned the fire in two areas and it ran with incredible speed through the reserv... Read More

	Fire at Elandsberg - Sunday \| 8 January 2012
	Flames were seen coming over the top of our mountains early on Sunday evening and everyone prepared to fight the fire. It came down the mountain and s... Read More

	Leopard sighting \| 13 December 2011
	We were delighted finally to get a photograph of a leopard with our trail camera. The Cape Leopard Trust identified the leopard as a male, and we ha... Read More

	Fiscal Shrike family \| 7 December 2011
	Fiscal shrikes have a reputation for being ferocious hunters, often called butcher birds because of their habit of impaling prey on thorns. We saw the... Read More

	Aardvark spotted! \| 21 November 2011
	The trail camera captured a photograph of the very shy and elusive aardvark. The name comes from the Afrikaans word meaning earthpig because of thei... Read More

	Art and Shiraz at the Deckhouse \| 15 October 2011
	Our second exhibition of botanical art at the Deckhouse was a great success. Visitors enjoyed inspecting all the beautifully detailed works on display... Read More

	New Trail Cameras for the Reserve \| 27 September 2011
	The Cape Leopard Trust is surveying different locations for leopard sightings, and we have acquired two trail cameras to assist in the monitoring of o... Read More

	Orange Satyr Orchid \| 5 September 2011
	Flowering between August and October, this beautiful Orange Satyr Orchid is found in moist clay and sandy areas of our reserve. The flowers only last ... Read More

	Sticky sundews (Drosera cistiflora) \| 4 September 2011
	This plant is a member of the sundew family, which gets its name from the sticky glands resembling dew drops on its stem and leaves. It is insectivoro... Read More

	Worm Farms \| 16 August 2011
	It's been 5 years since we started our worm farms, to help us make use of organic waste. Our red wiggler worms produce digested waste both as odourles... Read More

	Aardwolf Sighting \| 7 July 2011
	We were very fortunate to have spotted this Aardwolf in the Reserve, as they are normally nocturnal. The last sighting here of this shy animal was abo... Read More

	The perfect ending \| 7 June 2011
	During the breaking down of the boma,we came across this beautiful Nerine humilis flower next to the truck. It is a winter flowering bulb which can gr... Read More

	Game Capture - Wildebeest & Bontebok \| 6 June 2011
	Today's capture was more physical than yesterday's, as all hands were on deck to subdue seven wildebeest and 12 bontebok using a net gun. The efficien... Read More

	Game Capture - Eland \| 4 June 2011
	Due to the successful breeding of game at Elandsberg, there was a need to reduce the large eland herd. A specialised game capture unit was on hand to ... Read More

	Elandsberg Pea \| 29 May 2011
	Named in 1990, this is one of the five plant species known only from Bartholomeus Klip. They bear striking wisteria blue flowers and can be found seas... Read More

	Planting season on the farm \| 1 May 2011
	It's planting time on the farm and all the farm guys are busy preparing all the fields before the rain arrives, making good use of some hardworking tr... Read More

	Visitors to the dam \| 18 April 2011
	We were very happy to see the pelicans back on the dam. These wonderful photographs were taken by Mariette Gregor while canoeing on the dam. The pelic... Read More

	European Visitor \| 27 January 2011
	The European bee-eater is a summer migrant which graces our Reserve with its array of colours and aerial acrobatics. Sadly this one flew into a wire f... Read More

	Singing Cicadas \| 13 January 2011
	The buzzing of Cicadas is the sound of Summer in our Reserve. Cicadas live most of their lives underground, feeding on roots for as long as 18 years, ... Read More

	Hottentot Buttonquails \| 10 January 2011
	The Hottentot Buttonquail, an elusive small bird endemic to the fynbos biome, breeds very successfully in the wheatfields of Elandsberg. This is an un... Read More

	Gemsbok Relocation \| 26 November 2010
	Due to the growth of our Gemsbok population, we were required to relocate three Gemsbok that had crossed our fenceline into a neighbour's property. Th... Read More

	New plant for Elandsberg \| 12 November 2010
	We have another new special at Elandsberg! This delicate small blue flower, called a Summer Flower as it appears as the fynbos is beginning to dry out... Read More

	Cape Weaver Birds \| 12 October 2010
	The Cape weavers are back building their nests around Bartholomeus Klip. While they are having breakfast in the conservatory dining room our guests ca... Read More

	Grey Rhebok Family \| 7 October 2010
	We recently spotted a family of Grey Rhebok, an antelope which is endemic to Southern Africa. Their main predators are caracals, jackals and eagles. ... Read More

	Pink Satyr Orchid \| 13 September 2010
	On one of our evening game drives when we show guests the wonderful flowers of the Reserve, we came across this Pink Satyr Orchid (Satyrium erectum), ... Read More

	Little Geometric Tortoise \| 22 August 2010
	We were thrilled to find this little Geometric Tortoise enjoying the spring sunshine in the Reserve. The second picture shows how well camouflaged he... Read More

	In the Reserve Now \| 16 August 2010
	Sheets of yellow Galaxias (dwarf members of the Iris family) are a wonderful sight in the reserve right now. The rare Water Oxalis is also in bloom, a... Read More

	Porcupine Relocation \| 9 June 2010
	This porcupine was caught in a trap set where we feed the sheep. The porcupine was released in the Reserve unharmed. It is the largest rodent in Afric... Read More

	Controlled burn at Elandsberg \| 28 April 2010
	Some of the old fynbos in the Reserve was due for burning, to regenerate the fynbos and to protect against future wildfires. Since the area is geometr... Read More

	Controlled burn at Elandsberg Part 2 \| 28 April 2010
	With staff from Cape Nature and the farm, there were six vehicles and 40 helpers. It was a 'cool burn' due to the strong SE winds: good news for the t... Read More

	Elandsberg Candelabra Lily \| 23 March 2010
	Discovered in 1999 on Elandsberg Nature Reserve,and found only in the reserve, these very rare lilies belong to the Amaryllis family. The small bright... Read More

	Facts on Termites \| 20 March 2010
	Termites live in colonies of a few hundred to several million. They feed on dead plant matter, wood and animal dung.The colonies consist of workers,so... Read More

	Lambing season begins.. \| 15 March 2010
	News from Elandsberg is that lambs are being born, before the cold winter begins. New lambing pens have been developed, and the sheep have a spacious ... Read More

	Latest sightings of tortoises \| 21 February 2010
	It's the middle of summer at BK and our three tortoise species have been spotted.They are more active at this time of the year than in winter, when th... Read More

	Arboreal Visitor \| 7 January 2010
	There was much excitement when a guest spotted a rare boomslang, or tree snake, in the garden. Rangers were quickly on the scene to ensure guest safet... Read More

	Glowing in the dark \| 22 December 2009
	On our first night drive of the summer, we headed out on a warm evening and in our search for wildlife we came across this interesting scorpion. Under... Read More

	Happy day for Vicky \| 3 December 2009
	Our charming efficient Vicky, from the Bartholomeus Klip office, married her handsome Harry on 28 November and we were all there to help them celebrat... Read More

	Black harrier seen \| 18 November 2009
	This beautiful big bird gave us a wonderful view of him on the afternoon game drive. The Black harrier is classified as vulnerable, since there are fe... Read More

	Great view of Spoonbill \| 15 November 2009
	We were lucky enough today to see this Spoonbill wading in the shallows, as well as some Avocets, one also busy feeding in the water and the others re... Read More

	Dagger-leaf sugarbush flowering \| 15 November 2009
	The very special Dagger-leaf sugarbush (Protea mucronifolia) found only here is just coming into bloom, with the bushes covered in beautiful buds and ... Read More

	Puffadder sighting \| 19 October 2009
	Our rangers came upon this baby puffadder swimming near the edge of one of the farm dams. It is not unusual for snakes in general to swim, but this is... Read More

	Buffalo release \| 23 September 2009
	We are delighted to introduce our newest arrival to the buffalo herd - Roger. He is an 8 year old bull brought down from Lapalala Wilderness Reserve ... Read More

	New colour form of Moraea villosa subsp elandsmontana \| 12 September 2009
	A group of Japanese guests, led by Dr John Manning, came to photograph the wonderfully spectacular Peacock Moraeas in our reserve. They found a new ye... Read More

	Cape Mountain Zebra \| 5 September 2009
	A new Cape Mountain zebra foal has been born in our Reserve. This is the first foal to be born in five years and the mother is extremely protective, ... Read More

	The rare Water Oxalis \| 2 September 2009
	This unusual aquatic plant is now found only at Elandsberg and in a pond on the Kenilworth Racecourse. It floats in shallow water and is identified by... Read More

	Buffalo Update: \| 17 August 2009
	Last week we moved the big bulls Dave and Big D out of the main herd.To keep the herd genetically strong, a new male will replace these beautiful bul... Read More

	Spectacular Winter Scenery \| 7 August 2009
	We have had around 128mm of rain in the last month, almost half the amount of last year. Even so the farm and reserve look spectacular and it seems ... Read More

	Measuring up to expectations! \| 15 June 2009
	Researchers from Stellenbosch University and Cape Nature were on site in May looking for the rare Geometric Tortoise. The aim was to find specimens of... Read More

	Scorpion search with Dr Lorenzo Prendini \| 23 May 2009
	In March we had the privilege of accompanying Dr Lorenzo Prendini, Curator of Arachnids & Myriapods at the American Museum of Natural History, New Yor... Read More

	Home Sweet Home \| 14 May 2009
	A great sighting of a Yellow Mongoose family. These very shy creatures frequent unused aardvark holes on the plains of our Reserve. Water Mongoose and... Read More

	Another special for Elandsberg \| 16 April 2009
	A new little pelargonium has been discovered on the Elandsberg Nature Reserve and is in the process of being named... Read More

	Our beautiful quaggas \| 13 April 2009
	This picture is of Sebastian the stallion and his mare. Both these beautiful quaggas are seen in the reserve on a regular basis.... Read More

	Young buffalo arrivals \| 22 February 2009
	Six new young buffalo have joined us and will eventually be introduced into our main breeding herd, to add to the gene pool.... Read More

	Latest sighting of a geometric tortoise \| 4 January 2009
	This mature female geometric tortoise was recently spotted on Tortoise Road.... Read More

	Baby Geometric Tortoise Found
	During a tortoise survey we were excited to find this geometric tortoise hatchling. If this tiny creature can survive the first five years of its life... Read More

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• HOME •

• MAIN HOUSE •

• WILD OLIVE HOUSE •

• THE FOOD •

• THE DECKHOUSE •

• GAME AND RESERVE •

• THE FARM •

• ACTIVITIES •

• DIRECTIONS •

• CONTACT •

• RATES AND TERMS •

NEWS FROM THE VELD

Fire at Elandsberg - Wednesday