Birdlist for Riversong

Cape Sugarbird in Dodonea bush

Cape Rock Thrush

 African Sacred Ibis
African Stonechat
Ant-eating Chat
Bokmakierie
Cape Bunting
Cape Rock-thrush
Cape Spurfowl
Cape Sugarbird
Cape Wagtail
Cape Weaver
Common Waxbill
Egyptian Goose
European bee-eater
Familiar Chat 
Hadeda Ibis
Jackal Buzzard
Karoo Prinia
Karoo Scrub Robin
Malachite Sunbird
Mountain Wheatear
Orange-breasted Sunbird
Pied Starling
Protea Canary
Red-winged Starling
Rock Kestrel
Southern Double-collared Sunbird
Spotted Eagle-owl
Verreaux's Eagle
White-necked Raven
Yellow Bishop

Orange-breasted Sunbird (Photo by Pete Dewey)

Malachite Sunbird (Photo by Pete Dewey)

Cape Rock Thrush  (Photo by Pete Dewey)

Jackal Buzzard  (Photo by Pete Dewey)

 Bokmakierie (Photo by Pete Dewey)

Cape Sugar Bird

Mountain Wheatear

Karoo Scrub Robin

Yellow Bishop

Welcome to Bernard

Welcome Bernard du Toit, Riversong's new caretaker - and welcome to Optel, the pup he found under a tree -

and to Hanli du Toit -  and her little Yorkie.

Whip snake

This little Karoo Sand Snake or Karoosweepslang (Psammophis notostictus) came out onto the rocks in front Cedarcot one afternoon in February 2014, then disappeared. It is thin, about 40-50 cm long with black markings on its head and neck and large eyes; and I see that on iSpot it is also called a Whip Snake.

Riversong art

Some of Isabella Kuijers's sketches made on Riversong.

Weekend with Kiwis

Thank-you Xander and Richard for sharing your beautiful photos of our January weekend. Visitors will soon be able to see some of them up in the cottage too.

Moon rising.

Blombos (Metalasia) stems.

Solar panel in place for making ice.

Evening walk.

Childrens library on Riversong

Sue of Cottage 8 has started a library of sorts for the children.
  "This is a large plastic crate in an enclosed storage area of the 'lapa' at #8. We have collected about 40 books so far - English and Afrikaans, fiction and non-fiction, new and second-hand - for ages 6 - 15. All the books are numbered and listed. The idea is that they can borrow books for as long as they like, recorded in a little library book, then return them. Its only been going since mid-December 2013. I was pleased to notice that at least 15 books were 'out' over Xmas - borrowed by the Riversong kids and their friends from Berg-en-Dal. Our hope is that the kids will start to find reading fun, absorbing and increasingly easier. Encouraging a culture and love of reading is probably the most successful way to improve language skills and academic results.

  I know that everyone is very generous with contributions, but it would be fantastic if anyone has any books to donate, to leave them with Max or to just drop them off in the crate (in the bench cupboard near the fireplace).Thanks,"

A new map of the Cederberg from Peter Slingsby

 Hike the Cederberg

by Peter Slingsby, Slingsby Maps (www.slingsbymaps.com)

For lovers of the Cederberg, Peter Slingsby has once again produced a magnificent hiking map – the map we've all been waiting for. With contributions from 113 people, particularly Matthew Britton who walked over 750 km ground truthing the hiking trails, the years of meticulous research has resulted in the most comprehensive map ever produced for this unique and spectacular area. Two roughly A1 waterproof sheets, printed on both sides, are folded to fit neatly into a plastic carry pouch. The sheets overlap to give continuous coverage. The layout is pleasing to the eye and, while packed with useful information, is not cluttered. The topography is illustrated with 20 m contour lines, along with skillfully placed mountain relief shadows that bring the maps to life. All mountain peaks and ridges are clearly labelled. Everything one could possible want from a map, including detailed hiking and MTB routes with distances and GPS co-ordinates of important campsites, viewing sites, roads, caves, ruins, historical places of interest, annual and perennial streams, waterfalls and pools, cellphone reception, accommodation (with contact numbers) and even good bouldering sites, is there. Most importantly it shows the remaining populations of the rare Clanwilliam Cedar Tree. The carefully considered scale of 1 cm=400 m allows the maps to cover the full extent of the greater Cederberg range but also allow enough detail to follow any of the multitude of trails with ease. GPS navigation is simple using the subtle latitude and longitude overlay of 10 second intervals.

This map certainly does the vast and rugged Cederberg justice and is a must for anyone visiting or hiking in the area, even for those who think they know it well!

Adam Harrower, Kirstenbosch (From the December issue of Veld & Flora)

Available from http://slingsbymapsretailers.blogspot.com/ or through the Kirstenbosch Bookshop Online Store at http://botsoc-kirstenbosch.org.za/onlinebookshop

Peter Slingsby has an interesting blog too - see his entry on the Gifberg "Poison Mountain, and Another Fat Dog"here.