For a while we looked around for the friendly person and only after a minute of so of circling above us did we see this para-glider having great fun. While we were looking across the valley an intrepid soul greeted us. As you can see the scenery is magnificent. This is a shot of Bill and Judy’s lodge from across a deep ravine further down the gorge. There were also Grass Yellows, African Vagrants, Monarchs, and Yellow Pansies. There were also many butterflies in the area such as this Garden Commodore. It will not be too long before the female lays her next clutch of eggs. In the cup of the nest there were new green leaves, signs of the start of nest preparation. This pair was starting to prepare their nest. These are majestic, proud, large Eagles which soar effortlessly on the updraft along the cliffs looking for Dassies and, by the look of it, just for the exhilaration of flying. This pair of Black Eagles breed every year on the cliffs at Eagle’s Rock – hence the name of the estate. They share this valley with Peregrine Falcons and Red-wing Starlings and many Cliff Martins. There is one pair of Black Eagles which nest here each year and have made this part of the Olifant’s river their territory. The deep rugged valley walls make it ideal for Black Eagles to nest. At one time there was a colony of vultures living there but many years before the formation of Eagle’s Rock estate the farming activity in the area chased them away. Early in the morning the valley was mostly still in shadow.Īt the other end of the estate is the river gorge with deep sidewalls of rugged weathered sandstone. The female was much more relaxed than the male and the chicks were carefree. I sat quietly as this Natal Francolin family came wandering toward me. There were plenty of Guineafowl and these Natal Francolin, wet with morning dew, were feeding on seeds along the two tracks of the road. The game was wary and would not allow me to get too close so a long lens was required.
These beasts look more interesting than the ubiquitous Blue Wildebeest, but they do have similar shaped noses. There is a variety of buck on the estate and also a herd of black wildebeest. They were dripping with dew in the early morning light. I love not man the less, but Nature more.ĭeep in the valley there were large swathes of Pale Blue Pycnostachys alongside the river. The dew on the flowers early in the morning added that extra sparkle. Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.īeing autumn, I did not see many birds but this Cape Grassbird was very busy.ĭown valley, the sides of the road were covered in flowers. Early in the autumn morning the dew is heavy which makes for some beautiful patterns in the grass. It is a shallow valley cut into the surrounding plateau of sandstone creating rugged valley walls.ĭown this valley is a plethora of fauna and flora. A particularly beautiful section of the estate is along valley drive. Once the sun had risen well above the horizon, I went off looking for other interesting subjects to photograph. ‘There is something immensely hopeful about seeing the first rays of the sun in a new day’. I did not have time to do this so found three dead trees just off one of the sand roads which looked good subjects. One of the tricks in landscape photography is you need to find a compelling perspective and this requires walking around and looking at many spots from all angles. On the second morning there was no mist and it was a superb clear sunrise. Don’t walk in front of me I may not follow. Even though the sun was rising the Highveld autumn mist created a surreal atmosphere.
The first morning it was very misty in the gorge.
What is amazing about this estate is it is in the middle of the Highveld and the coal belt but here the Olifant’s river has cut a deep gorge through the sandstone creating an enclave for wildlife.Įach morning, not wanting to miss the sunrise, I was up trying to capture that magic transition between night and day. The estate encompasses a section of the Olifants river just downstream of President’s Rus about 35 kilometres upstream of Loskop dam. This is a syndicated wildlife estate of which Bill and Judy have a share.įriendship isn’t about whom you have known the longest… It’s about who came, and never left your side…Įagle’s Rock is located about 10 kilometres north of Witbank, in Mpumalanga. I was fortunate enough to have been invited by long-standing friends Bill and Judy Pierce to spend the long Easter weekend with them at Eagle’s Rock.
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