| Chacma baboon |
Papio ursinus |
Mammal |
Talari Meadow |
Ian, Jenny, Ann - saw the baboons
cavorting near oaks |
| Bushbuck |
Tragelaphus scriptus |
Mammal |
Confluence of Plattekloof and Wildekrantz rivers |
Peter Giddy |
| Grysbok |
Raphicerus melanotis |
Mammal |
Near gate at road |
Ian, Jenny and Peter - saw a group of about 7 |
| Lizard |
|
Reptile |
Talari |
Giddys - took a photo |
| Klipspringer |
Oreotragus oreotragus |
Mammal |
Bottom of valley near Ena's Falls |
Gael, Di, Jenny - saw it jumping on the rocks near river |
| Lizard |
|
Reptile |
Ena's Falls |
Ian + Jenny - took a photo |
| Lizard |
|
Reptile |
High Dam |
Jenny - took a photo |
| Brownhooded kingfisher |
Halcyon albiventris |
Bird |
In peach tree |
Ann Thomas |
| Egyptian geese |
Alopochen aegyptiaca |
Bird |
Talari Meadow |
Ann Thomas |
| Orange-breasted sunbird |
Anthobaphes violacea |
Bird |
Near Ena's Falls |
Steph Roche |
| Canary |
|
Bird |
Near Ena's Falls |
Jean Spang |
| Grey heron |
Ardea cinerea |
Bird |
|
Ann Thomas - often seen in various places |
| Grey heron |
Ardea cinerea |
Bird |
Above White House roof |
Ann Thomas |
| Grysbok |
Raphicerus melanotis |
Mammal |
Near Talari |
Billy + Ann Thomas - found spoor |
| Bushbuck |
Tragelaphus scriptus |
Mammal |
Far meadow |
Billy electrician - ram and ewe seen |
| Rock hyrax/Dassie |
Procavia capensis |
Mammal |
Ena's Falls |
Billy - saw many |
| Grey rhebok |
Pelea capreolus |
Mammal |
Ena's Falls |
Billy - found spoor |
| Porcupine |
Hystrix africaeaustralis |
Mammal |
Behind house otherside of pines |
Billy - found spoor and digging area, maybe looking for
roots? |
| Helmeted Guineafowl |
Numida meleagris |
Bird |
Behind house otherside of pines |
Billy |
| Red-chested cuckoo |
Cuculus solitarius |
Bird |
Heard from Talari |
Ann Thomas |
| Mole snake? |
|
Reptile |
On path to Ena's Falls |
Rudi Richards - small brown snake |
| Grey heron |
Ardea cinerea |
Bird |
|
Rudi + Jill Richards - a pair was seen today and yesterday |
| Dung beetle |
|
Insect |
Near Heron House |
Ann Thomas |
| Klipspringer |
Oreotragus oreotragus |
Mammal |
Misty Meadow |
Kate Luckett |
| Rinkhals |
|
Reptile |
On road between Heron House and Weavers Nest |
A D - slender black snake about 1 metre in length and looked
a lot like a cobra, did chase after it but it was extremely fast |
| Amethyst sunbird |
Chalcomitra amethystina |
Bird |
In oak tree over the road from Weavers Nest |
A D - male sunbird is completely black with an patch of
iridescent purple on throat |
| Cape Batis |
Batis capensis |
Bird |
In black wattles next to Heron House |
A D - beautiful colouration, also seen in Fynbos scrub and
afromontane forest along Krantz river |
| European Starling |
Sturnus vulgaris |
Bird |
On roof of White House |
A D - a group of these widely naturalised aliens is commonly
seen around the buildings |
| Red-chested cuckoo |
Cuculus solitarius |
Bird |
Heard calling from black wattle stands to the north of Talari |
A D - heard at all hours of the day, characteristic 'Piet my
vrou' call known for heralding the arrival of Spring in South Africa |
| Cape Weaver |
Ploceus capensis |
Bird |
Nesting colony located in willow tree to the south of Talari |
A D - a hive of activity |
| Brown-hooded kingfisher |
Halcyon albiventris |
Bird |
Sitting and calling from tree next to the White House |
A D - non aquatic dependent species |
| Speckled pigeon |
Columba guinea |
Bird |
Running across roof of Weavers Nest |
A D - at least two |
| Hadeda ibis |
Bostrychia hagedash |
Bird |
Perched on top of and calling from the White House |
A D - very noisy pair |
| Cape white-eye |
Zosterops capensis |
Bird |
In tree to the west of Weavers Nest |
A D - pair seen sitting in tree |
| House sparrow |
Passer domesticus |
Bird |
On road in front of Weavers Nest |
A D - another naturalised alien found widespread throughout
South Africa |
| Cape canary |
Serinus canicollis |
Bird |
To the east of Weavers Nest |
A D - saw a group of 3 landing on excavated area eating
soil, possibly for salt? |
| Fiery-necked
nightjar |
Caprimulgus pectoralis |
Bird |
In the black wattle stands to the north of Weavers Nest |
A D - heard calling at around 7pm so was dark |
| Cape wagtail |
Motacilla capensis |
Bird |
North of Weavers Nest |
A D - often seen searching for invertebrate prey in open
grassy areas while bobbing their tails up and down |
| Greater double-collared sunbird |
Cinnyris afer |
Bird |
North of Weavers Nest |
A D - male sunbird has a bright green head and back with a
collar of blue and a broader band of red extending down chest |
| Chacma baboon |
Papio ursinus |
Mammal |
On road to Heron House |
A D - 4 baboons spotted crossing road into field below, when
I stopped walking they ran away |
| African paradise-flycatcher |
Terpsiphone viridis |
Bird |
Along Krantz river |
A D - male heard calling in canopy and seen after a while of
searching |
| Hadeda ibis |
Bostrychia hagedash |
Bird |
Along Krantz river |
A D - startled a pair which had been foraging next to the
river |
| Butterfly |
|
Insect |
Along Krantz river |
A D - medium sized pale yellow butterfly |
| Cape batis |
Batis capensis |
Bird |
Along Krantz river |
A D - normally a forest species, here seen flying between
canopy trees |
| Caterpillars |
|
Insect |
Along Krantz river |
A D - large green, yellow and black caterpillars
gregariously feeding on a large fern, had stripped about 70% of the
leaves |
| Fiscal flycatcher |
Sigelus silens |
Bird |
Hunting from trees to the west of Weavers Nest |
A D - pair observed hunting in typical flycatcher style
'hawking' flying insects |
| Fork-tailed
drongo |
Dicrurus adsimilis |
Bird |
Hunting from eucalyptus trees to the north of the White House |
A D - single bird seen 'hawking' from perch |
| Egyptian goose |
Alopochen aegyptiaca |
Bird |
Flying in circles above black wattle stands to the west of
Weavers nest |
A D - single |
| Black crow |
Corvus capensis |
Bird |
Flying south from mountains |
A D - single |
| Cape turtle-dove |
Streptopelia capicola |
Bird |
Sitting in tree next to the White House |
A D - has a very recognisable call |
| Cape sugarbird |
Promerops cafer |
Bird |
Fynbos on top of hill above Talari |
A D - single bird sat conspisciously on top of protea bush |
| Yellow bishop |
Euplectes capensis |
Bird |
Fynbos on top of hill above Talari |
A D - a male in full breeding plumage was seen flying low
over the Fynbos alighting on protea bush |
| Orange-breasted sunbird |
Anthobaphes violacea |
Bird |
Fynbos on top of hill above Talari |
A D - at one point surrounded by a number of birds (up to
20) of varying age and sex. |
| Dung beetle |
|
Insect |
On road to Ena's Falls |
Peter Giddy - beautiful black beetle which walked on your
hand |
| Chacma baboon |
Papio ursinus |
Mammal |
On road where wattle has been cleared near entrance to
Wildcliff |
Peter Giddy |
| Tri-coloured tiger moth |
Rhodogastria amasis |
Insect |
In Talari |
A D - white and black above with beautiful pink markings on
abdomen |
| Bar-throated apalis |
Apalis thoracica |
Bird |
In wild olive tree across road to the south of Talari |
A D - heard calling from inside the tree |
| Red driver ant |
Dorylus helvolus |
Insect |
In Talari |
A D - a few winged males were seen which had very long and
pulsating orange abdomens |
| Wolf spider |
Lycosidae |
Arachnid |
On one of Talari walls |
A D - a female with babies on her back |
| Feral pigeon |
Columba livia |
Bird |
On balcony of Weavers Nest |
A D - seeking shelter from the rain, dark grey head and tail
with pale grey wings each with 2 black bands towards the tips |
| Greater striped swallow |
Hirundo cucullata |
Bird |
On telephone lines to north of Weavers Nest |
A D - singing their warbling song |
| Milkweed locust |
Phymateus |
Insect |
On road to Ena's Falls |
A D - green male mating with larger red female |
| Cape bulbul |
Pycnonotus capensis |
Bird |
On Bushtick berry bush next to road up to Top Dam |
A D - flying too fast to take a picture |
| Cape robinchat |
Cossypha caffra |
Bird |
Heard in black wattle thicket on top of hill above Heron
House |
A D + Kelly |
| Spotted prinia |
Prinia hypoxantha |
Bird |
In bushes next to road before eucalyptus trees |
A D + Kelly - were singing alarm call so assumed there was a
nest nearby |
| Frog |
|
Amphibian |
In Top Dam above Talari |
A D + Kelly |
| Caterpillar |
Rhodogastria amasis |
Insect |
On road to Ena's Falls |
A D - black and brown hairy caterpillar crawling across road |
| Fiscal shrike |
Lanius collaris |
Bird |
On a telephone mast near the entrance to Wildcliff |
A D |
| Millipede assassin |
Ectrichodia crux |
Insect |
In field between Weavers Nest and Heron House |
A D |
| Dung beetle |
Circellium bacchus (?) |
Insect |
On ridge above Heron House |
A D - found specimen with dung ball rolled from fresh buck
scat, upon research seems most likely to be Addo flightless dung beetle
who's conservation status is 'Vulnerable' |
| Black saw-wing |
Psalidoprocne holomelaena |
Bird |
Flying around Weavers Nest |
A D |
| Stanley's bustard |
Neotis denhami |
Bird |
|
A D - saw a single bird walking in field next to the
Wildcliff entrance |
| Grysbok |
|
Mammal |
|
A D - saw a group of buck grazing on the field next to the
Wildcliff entrance |
| Neddicky |
Cisticola fulvicapilla |
Bird |
Seen in grass on the south side of Weavers Nest |
A D - pair seen foraging on ground between grass, both had a
characteristic red cap |
| Paper wasps |
Vespidae |
Insect |
Seen above door of Talari facing north |
A D - large 'paper' nest with many adult wasps |
| Rhombic night adder |
Causus rhombeatus |
Reptile |
At Heron House |
A D - the builders killed it when it tried to enter the
house in the early evening |
| Black cuckoo |
Cuculus clamosus |
Bird |
In Melia azeradach tree on the eastern side of Talari |
A D |
| Garden acraea |
Acraea horta |
Insect |
Beneath bottom meadow next to river |
A D - black caterpillars with sharp looking spines, blue
iridescence in sunlight found on larval foodplant Kiggelaria africana |
| Redwinged starling |
Onychognathus morio |
Bird |
Group seen flying onto tree north of the White House |
A D - both sexes have black bodies with red under wing, but
females have a gray head |
| African clawed frog/Platanna |
Xenopus laevis or X. gilli |
Amphibian |
Seen hiding amongst leaf litter in Talari stream |
A D, Sarah, Kelly - flat streamlined body suited to an
almost entirely aquatic existence |
| Cape river frog |
Rana fuscigula |
Amphibian |
In Talari stream |
A D, Sarah, Kelly - large and small tadpoles commonly seen |
| Unidentified fish spp. |
? |
Fish |
In Talari stream |
AD, Sarah, Kelly - lots of very small quick moving fish seen |
| Whirligig beetles |
Gyrinidae |
Insect |
In Talari stream |
AD, Sarah, Kelly - typically found in flowing water |
| Leopard toad |
Bufo pardalis |
Amphibian |
In Misty Meadow |
AD |
| Common slugeater |
Duberria lutrix |
Reptile |
In Misty Meadow |
AD |
| Pondo-pondo longhorn |
Ceroplesis thunbergi |
Insect |
In Misty Meadow |
AD |
| Cocktail ants |
Crematogaster spp. |
Insect |
In Misty Meadow |
AD |
| Ten-spotted ground beetle |
Thermophilum decemguttatum |
Insect |
In fynbos on way to Ena's Falls |
AD |
| Green protea beetle |
Trichostetha fascicularis |
Insect |
Behind Talari House |
Kelly - found a dead specimen outside the back of Talari
House |
| Millipede assassin |
Ectrichodia crux |
Insect |
In Misty Meadow |
AD |
| Table mountain beauty |
Aeropetes tulbaghia |
Insect |
On road to Ena's Falls |
AD - very striking butterfly which landed very briefly on
the road in front of us when taking Emily and her father for a hike |
| Rainforest brown |
Cassionympha cassius |
Insect |
In Talari Meadow |
AD - three pairs of 'eyes' on wings with an orange shoulder
patch |
| Cabbage white |
Pieris brassicae |
Insect |
In Talari Meadow |
AD - large white butterfly which was accidentally introduced
to the Western Cape and first recorded here in 1994 |
| Rain spider |
Palystes |
Arachnid |
In Talari House |
AD |
| Hawkmoth |
|
Insect |
In Talari House |
AD |
| Leopard toad |
Bufo pardalis |
Amphibian |
On road outside Weavers Nest |
AD |
| Rhinoceros beetle |
Dynastinae |
Insect |
Outside Weavers Nest |
AD |
| Blue crane |
Anthropoides paradiseus |
Bird |
At Island Pond |
AD - South African national bird, noticed a pair stood on
the dam wall, very large bluish grey with long black tail feathers,
they flew away making a loud honking noise as soon as I tried to
approach them to take a photo |
| Narina trogon |
Apaloderma narina |
Bird |
In Afromontane forest bordering northern corner of Oak Tree
Meadow |
AD - pigeon sized bird with a brilliant scarlet chest |
| Common waxbill |
Estrilda astrild |
Spider |
In Eucalyptus trees below Weavers Nest |
AD |
| Pin-tailed whydah |
Vidua macroura |
Bird |
On road to main entrance |
AD - this bird parasitizes a number of
other birds although its main host is the Common waxbill |
| Golden Orb Web spider |
Argiope |
Spider |
In fynbos on way to Ena's Falls |
Mickal and AD |
| Kite spider |
Gasteracantha |
Spider |
Very common seen in wooded areas all over including
Afromontane forest along river and in alien stands along Fynbos road |
AD, Mickal and Kelly |
| Silver vlei spider |
Leucauge |
Spider |
Very common spider, seen in meadows and pine forest on
Fynbos road |
AD, Mickal and Kelly |
| Rain spider |
Palystes |
Spider |
Seen inside Talari lounge and one of the bathrooms |
AD and Mickal |
| Fishing spider |
Thalassius |
Spider |
Many large individuals seen in small pond next to Talari
house |
AD, Mickal and Kelly |
| Hedgehog spider |
Pycnacantha |
Spider |
Found one while doing nocturnal sweep netting in Misty meadow |
AD - a very spiny spider, my favourite |
| Daddy long legs spider |
Pholcus |
Spider |
Found in most of the buildings especially in the White House |
AD, Mickal and Kelly |
| Crab spider |
Thomisus |
Spider |
Above Heron House |
AD - often found on flowers waiting for
an insect to visit, they come in many colours including white, pink and
bright yellow, often move sideways hence the name |
| Rock scorpion |
Hadogenes |
Scorpion |
Found in the meadows under stones and bark on logs |
Mickal, AD and Kelly - large pincers and
small tail indicate it is not very venomous |
| Granulated burrowing scorpion |
Opistophthalmus latimanus |
Scorpion |
Found in Fynbos |
Mickal |
| Cape girdled lizard |
Cordylus cordylus |
Lizard |
In black watte forest above Heron House |
Kelly |
| Black Girdled Lizard |
Cordylus niger |
Lizard |
Ena's Falls |
Mickal, Kelly and Dominic |
| Cape Skink |
Trachylepis capensis |
Lizard |
Misty Meadow |
Mickal, Kelly and AD |
| Rhomic Night Adder |
Causus rhombeatus |
Snake |
Fynbos Road |
Kelly |
| Cape Whip Snake |
Psammophis leightoni |
Snake |
Amphitheatre Dam |
Mickal, Kelly and AD |
| Common Slug Eater |
Duberria lutrix |
Snake |
In
the meadows especially Misty and Hadeda |
AD |
| Southern Rock Agama |
Agama atra |
Lizard |
Fynbos road |
Kelly and Sarah |
| Green-banded swallowtail |
Papilio nireus lyaeus |
Insect |
In Talari garden |
AD - often seen flying around the lemon
trees |
| Citrus swallowtail |
Papilio demodocus demodocus |
Insect |
On Vepris lanceolata at Heron House |
AD - I took photographs of it throughout
its whole lifecycle until it emerged from its pupa as a full grown
butterfly |
| Common dotted border |
Mylothris agathina agathina |
Insect |
Seen flying around trees bordering the meadows |
AD - also seen laying eggs on an Osyris
species near Heron House |
| Parrot-beaked Padloper |
Homopus areolatus |
Reptile |
outside of gate (2nd) |
Brett & Emily |
| Yellow Mongoose |
Cyinictis penicillata |
Mammal |
pines on fynbos road |
Brett & Pascal |
| Chacma baboon |
Papio ursinus |
Mammal |
on cage in Misty Meadow |
Emily |
| Bushbuck |
Tragelaphus scriptus |
Mammal |
|
Pascal |
| Klipspringer |
Oreotragus oreotragus |
Mammal |
Rainfrog Dam |
Brett, 2 individuals |
| Rock hyrax/Dassie |
Procavia capensis |
Mammal |
1 @ Ena's Falls, 1 on Fynbos Road |
Brett |
| Leopard |
Panthera pardus |
Mammal |
after bridge on access road |
Brett, female, 6:15 AM |
| Scrub hare |
