by KBergReserve

Talk Report – May 2018

Planting a seed: Life as an environmental educator – By Sheraine van Wyk, Whale Coast Conservation Manager (21 April 2018) After her talk and applause there was quiet as we digested all that Sheraine and her team do. Then followed  questions, and many of them. Sheraine leads a small team within the Whale Coast Conservation (WCC) NGO (see  http://whalecoastconservation.org.za/). Small in funding and numbers, it was an eye-opener to discover what this NGO does at schools and home schools with the help of adult volunteers.  Their motto, ‘Respect and Protect’, operates in four areas: Advocacy…
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by KBergReserve

The Wednesday Hack

Work continued on the slopes of the Klein Hangklip Mountains between Pringle Bay and Rooi Els. During the month 54 Man-hack days were thrown at the enemy. We also did a follow up hack on the slopes of Olifant Klip and finished the day at Die Stroompie for hacking and a braai.People attending the hacks were: Tom Dreyer, Ed Silberbauer, Frik Potgieter, Jan Joubert, Ulli Niemann, Selwyn Botha, Louw Toerien, Chris Geldenhuys, Mike Begley, Jane Fearnhead, Mike Robinson, Willem Stiglingh, Sue Fielden,  Chris Cadman, Nils Rottcher, Jack Wixley, Nikolai Renson and Greg Mossner. Frik Potgieter…
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by KBergReserve

Talk Report – April2018

Namibia - Prime birding in magnificent and varied habitats – By Otto Schmidt (17 May 2018) From Vioolsdrif one crosses the Orange River. Canoeists paddle serenely past on a gently flowing river as one enters Namibia.  It’s a good place to visit as it’s not too far and the Namibian dollar is the same as our Rand.  It’s a land of such varied landscape, 67% the size of South Africa but with 87% of the bird species. Otto and his wife Sandy have visited Namibia several times – a favourite destination.  The Reserves have become…
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by KBergReserve

Walk Report – April 2018

Botsoc Kogelberg Walk Report - By Tim Attwell (17th March 2018) After a series of more challenging walks, the intention was to take this one easy with a botanical ramble in the Harold Porter National Botanical Gardens, go slow and easy up the Bobbejaanskop path and hopefully see the last of Nivenia stokoei near the top. There was also the possibility, lower down in more sandy areas, of coming across Nerine sarniensis and other Amaryllidaceae such as Haemanthus, Brunsvigia and Ammocharis, not an unreasonable expectation, it being the month of March, after all.   But ‘things…
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by KBergReserve

Betty’s Bay Hack Report No 659

The Battle for Betty’s Bay A smallish but enthusiastic contingent turned out to attack the Spider Gums and Rooikrans on the municipal ground next to the Crassula Hall.  Good progress was made. Thank you all! The tea was made by Merran Silberbauer, and the sandwiches by Di Knott. Thank you both! The troops were: John Benn, Sue Fielden, Rosemary Fowkes, Maarten & Hilary Mauve, Ulli Niemann, Willem Stiglingh, Jack Wixley, Greg Mossner (a new hacker from Pringle Bay- welcome Greg), Sue Weaver, Ed Silberbauer and Frik Potgieter. At teatime tribute was paid to Natalie van…
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by KBergReserve

Talk Report – March 2018

An interdisciplinary study on the human/baboon interface in Rooiels - By Joselyn Mormile, Bsc VT, Msc, PhD candidate at UCT (17 February 2018) A fascinating and most informative talk by Joselyn who has studied the Rooiels troop for several years – the first fine scale behavioural  study on an unmanaged urban baboon troop. This troop comprises  27 members. There is one dominant male who has held this position for two years and reigns over 9-10 adult females.  There is also a small group of 9 sub adults and  2 juvenile males. There have been a…
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by KBergReserve

Walk Report – March 2018

Botsoc Kogelberg Walk Report - By Tim Attwell (17th February 2018) It seemed a good idea at the time. February serves up the best of summer in the Kogelberg; not much wind, little chance of rain and warm sunny days. The prospect of a swim in the Palmiet River was too good to resist. And so it proved. Except that the swimming spot we chose, the famous ‘Beach’ on the Palmiet River, deep in the Kogelberg Nature Reserve, was five kilometres from the parking spot and there was indeed little cooling breeze, negligible cloud cover and…
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by KBergReserve

The Wednesday Hack Report

A very bad patch of Spider Gum was discovered on the slopes of the Klein Hangklip Mountains between Pringle Bay and Rooi Els as we were cleaning up the last of the Myrtle. The group concentrated on this, with a lot of digging, cutting and pulling involved. The problem is huge and will require a lot more effort. People attending the Wednesday hack were: Tom Dreyer, Ed Silberbauer, Frik Potgieter, Jan Joubert, Ulli Niemann, Selwyn Botha, Selwyn's son, Chris Geldenhuys, Mike Bagley , Mike Robinson, Willem Stiglingh, Sue Fielden,Sally and Richard  Smeda
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by KBergReserve

Walk Report

Remoteness, tranquillity, a slow walk, sunny and mild weather, pristine Cape seashore vegetation, sweeping beaches, rock pools, sea shell strewn coves, good humour, birds and a spot to have tea and watch the whale out at sea. It doesn’t get better. Six members and guests set off on the 21st October to ramble along the sea shore from Betty’s Bay’s beautiful Silversands beach towards Cape Hangklip in perfect weather. Having no fixed destination set us free to take our time. We would stop for tea when we felt like it and then retrace our steps.…
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by KBergReserve

Talk Report

HUMAN ORIGINS – Professor John Compton A light moment came at the close of John Compton’s talk when Jan proposing a vote of thanks announced   ‘Now at last I know where I come from!’. We are not the pinnacle of evolution. Although we have special traits, all life forms are special. Our human origins go back over 5 million years. Today our world population is about 7 billion. Originally there were 3 or 4 species of bipedials inhabiting the earth, now only homo sapiens, namely ourselves who walk on two feet. There was Paranthropus –…
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