Last morning in Welkom

I spent the morning with Janine Goosen, a lady that is an avid bird watcher. She took me in a 4 by 4 that glided noiselessly along dirt roads, and we went to the pans just outside Welkom. What an amazing experience. I never knew that so many birds could be found in one location. And Janine told me all their names - both the English as well as the Afrikaans name - as well as interesting things about their habitat and things that they do.

One big black water bird (we did not manage to get a photo) walks in the shallows, then suddenly lifts his wings around his head to form an umbrella around him. This "umbrella" casts a shadow, and the fish etc swim into the shadow "for protection", and he pounces on his meal.

Here are one or 2 photos that give an idea of the morning - both of the birds and the areas that we found them in.

This photo of a dry tree in front of a lovely lush one just reminded me of St Helena - the dry, arid hills surrounded by green, lush ones. Wetlands. Not a good photo - but I loved the effect.

This king fisher "pozed" at the side of the road for us.

Oh yes, one of the pans is next to the sewrage farm. We found these happy creatures wading in the effluent that leaked out of the farm.