Page 20 - Kyalami Estates Issue 3 Aug 2024

Kyalami Estates Corporate Brand Bible Design 26
3.0 Folder (Inner)
NATURE

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY ANTHONY CAVANAGH

SEARCHING FOR LARKS AND OTHER L.B.Js IN
THE NORTHERN CAPE

ur first port of call was park to the Oranjekom view sight where is the very impressive Konkoonsies solar
Augrabies Falls National we saw a Verreaux’s Eagle, and then to power plant which has 40,000 solar
Park, where we were booked Echo corner. Rock Agamas were often panels covering 30 hectares of land and
for an overnight stay. After seen, as were Klipspringers. Another generates 11 megawatts of power. This
Ochecking in to our well- interesting sighting was a Rinkhals is enough energy to power some 5000
appointed chalets, we walked along the spitting Cobra which I photographed from average homesteads. Overnight was
boardwalk to the falls viewing spot. The a safe distance. spent in the very comfortable Pofadder
word Augrabies is derived from the Khoi Hotel.
word meaning ‘place of noise’ and indeed The next morning we set off towards the
the falls can be heard long before one town of Pofadder, situated on the main On our way to Springbok, Dantes took
catches one’s first glimpse. When the N14 road, but just before the town our a gravel road in the Aggeneys district
Orange River is in flood, the falls are the guides deviated north along a gravel road to the only farm water trough for miles
sixth largest in the world and even at this to Onseepkans on the Orange River and around. Here we spent some two hours
dryer time in April, they were a splendid bordering Namibia. Here we searched watching birds come and go, attracted
sight. for the Rosy-faced Lovebird which we by the only fresh water in the otherwise
eventually found in a nest under the road parched landscape. Interesting sightings
Birds seen around the chalets and in the bridge spanning the Orange River. Other included Grey-backed Sparrow Lark,
park included Mountain Wheatear, Black- birds seen in areas around Pofadder White-throated Canary, Sociable Weavers
chested Prinia, Red-eyed Bulbul, Swallow- included Black-eared Sparrowlark, and two area specials - the Red Lark and
tailed Bee-eater and Karoo Scrub-Robin. Ludwig’s Bustard, Karoo Chat and Rock Sclater’s Lark.
Dantes and Dennis drove us around the Martin. Just 32km northeast of Pofadder

18 Kyalami Estates • CONNECT • Issue 3 • 2024