View allAll Photos Tagged rsa_nature
St James Tidal Pool: Arguably one of Cape Town’s most well-known and popular tidal pools, you’ll find this one below the railway line, in the seaside suburb of St James, which is tucked neatly between Muizenberg and Kalk Bay. During summer, the beach and tidal pool become especially busy, so it’s best to get there in the early morning to beat the crowds, and have a refreshing dip in peace.
Kalk Bay Harbour is a charming brightly coloured fishing harbour in the heart of the equally quaint town of Kalk Bay. Experienced local anglers take to the fishing waters with line, net and determination and return daily around lunchtime with a fresh catch for you to buy at cheerful prices. If you can't catch your dinner you may as well choose it and have it beheaded, scaled, de-gutted and filleted by a quirky expert (do your bartering before anyone picks up a knife). Take it home and try it simple and delicious on a rustic braai (barbecue), South African style with a local beer or wine. If you're feeling adventurous pick up a local recipe book and try a traditional potato salad side.
The common tsessebe is a close relative of the bontebok. It is somewhat comical in appearance; with high, sloped shoulders that descend to a small rump that does not look particularly strong. In fact, its entire body looks more clumsy than agile. However, when threatened, this has proven to be one of the fastest antelope in the bushveld of Africa. They can reach a running speed of up to 80 kilometres per hour. This is no mean feat when one considers that its peers are the mighty wildebeest and the elegant springbok. The common tsessebe is brown (adult males are darker than juveniles and female adults) with white or darker brown markings. The long, slender legs and chest are black, and there is a black line running from their forehead to the tip of their nose. The belly is white, and their muzzles are narrow and elongated. For the tsessebe, the horns play an important role in determining their age and in establishing dominance (by means of horning the ground). These horns are S-shaped and ringed. They wear down over the years, so older animals can be distinguished by their well-worn horns.
Info source: www.sa-venues.com/wildlife/wildlife_tsessebe.php
=========
The photo was taken during February 2019 at Mabula Private Game Reserve, Rooiberg, Bela-Bela, Limpopo, South Africa.
The Eland is the world's largest antelope. Males have twisted horns which are thick and tightly spiralled, growing up to 25" in females and to 50" in males. Eland belong to the same group as kudus, nyala and bushbuck. According to the AWF, their rich milk, tasty meat, and useful hides have made elands popular ranch animals and hunting targets.
Info source URL: www.sa-venues.com/wildlife/wildlife_eland.htm
=========
The photo was taken 2018-09 at Rietvlei Nature Reserve, Pretoria, South Africa.
* A newborn rhino should be up and walking within one hour after birth but will remain wobbly for a few days
* Average birth weight in black rhinos is 35.5 kg and 62.7 kg in white rhinoceros
* A newborn rhino should start nursing from its mom within the first five hours and will start grazing at around 2 months of age
* Pregnancy in rhinos is generally 15 to 16 months.
* Rhinoceros milk is more dilute than that of other hoof stock, being high in carbohydrates, low in solids and proteins, and very low in fat.
* Calves remain with their mothers from 2 to 4 years.
Info source URL: therhinoorphanage.co.za/about-the-rhino/rhino-facts
=========
The photo was taken during February 2019.
www.flickr.com/photos/amillionshardsoflight
ryansikdar@gmail.com
"In that light, you could see how every thing was touched by grace." Easton, Connecticut, United States of America; 2/1/14.
#easton #connecticut
#bns_america #captures_scenic #eathboundshots #fotofanatics #image_stars #IG_DivineShots #ir_ig_nature #nature_elite #naturesbeauty #nature_sultans #ptk_nature #rsa_nature #sunshotz #sunrise_and_sunsets #nature_skyshotz #nature_obsession_landscapes #nature_obsession_landscapes
#naturegram #naturelovers #nature_shooters #instanature
Beacon Island Resort, in the heart of the picturesque Garden Route region, is one of the Western Cape’s premier holiday destinations. This award-winning Plettenberg Bay hotel and resort offers natural forests, mountains, sun-kissed beaches, and the vastness of the ocean – the ideal relaxing getaway for the entire family.
The Cape Wagtail is by far the most common of southern Africa’s wagtails and is also one of Africa’s most commonly seen and most numerous species of bird. This species in particular is the one that has made wagtails famous in South Africa and is responsible for everyone knowing what they are, from small children to the elderly, birder or not. This species can be found in a variety of open habitats but is most often seen foraging in groomed yards and grasslands, where it slowly walks around, bobbing (or wagging?) it’s tail.
Egyptian geese were considered sacred by the Ancient Egyptians and appeared in much of their artwork. Because of their popularity chiefly as an ornamental bird, escapees are common and feral populations have become established in Western Europe, the United States, and New Zealand. The sexes of this species are identical in plumage but the males average slightly larger. There is a fair amount of variation in plumage tone, with some birds greyer and others browner, but this is not sex- or age-related.
Info source URL: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_goose
=========
Photo capture date & Location: 2018-10 Drakensberg Sun Resort
Lone Creek Falls. One of the well-known landmarks of the area, 9 km from Sabie on the old Lydenburg tarred road. A nominal entrance fee is charged at the boom gate. A short (200m) walk through an indigenous forest takes you to the bottom of the falls. This waterfall is a declared National Monument and is 68 m high. Toilet and picnic facilities available. Easy access for tour busses.
Info source URL: www.sabie.co.za/gallery/lonecreek.html
=========
Photo capture date & Location: 2019-10 Sabi River Sun
As its name signifies, Bantry Bay lies perched on the rocks overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in one of the most exclusive bays on the Atlantic Seaboard. Crashing waves, magnificent sunsets and protection from the wind make Bantry Bay much sought after and, because of its position, an ideal base from which to explore Cape Town. Bantry Bay lies just outside the vibey suburb of Sea Point and, although it doesn’t have a beach of its own, you can reach the beaches of Clifton on foot or Saunders Rocks on the border of Bantry Bay and Sea Point has a little tidal pool. Bantry Bay hugs the slopes of Lion’s Head, and the contemporary apartments that line the Bantry Bay seafront are as close to the ocean as you can.
Steenbok are petite, weighing 7-16 kg and measuring 70-95 cm in length. Unlike the crouched stance of forest duikers, steenbok carry their heads high and have long legs, with a shoulder height between 45 and 60 cm. The hindquarters and lower parts/belly are pure white. The male Steenbok have upright, slender horns projecting above the eyes. Conspicuous black, facial glands are situated in front of the large, dark brown eyes. These pre-orbital glands are noticeable in both sexes.
Members of the rhinoceros family are some of the largest remaining megafauna, with all species able to reach or exceed one tonne in weight. They have a herbivorous diet, small brains (400–600 g) for mammals of their size, one or two horns, and a thick (1.5–5 cm) protective skin formed from layers of collagen positioned in a lattice structure. They generally eat leafy material, although their ability to ferment food in their hindgut allows them to subsist on more fibrous plant matter when necessary. Unlike other perissodactyls, the two African species of rhinoceros lack teeth at the front of their mouths, relying instead on their lips to pluck food.
Info source URL: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinoceros
Drongos are mostly black or dark grey, short-legged birds, with an upright stance when perched. They have forked tails and some have elaborate tail decorations. They feed on insects which they catch in flight or on the ground. Some species are accomplished mimics and have a variety of alarm calls, to which other birds and animals often respond. There is evidence that they utter hoax alarm calls that typically scare other animals off food, which the drongo then eats, a matter of interest to researchers.
The African Gray Hornbill prefers open woodland and savannah. The female lays two to four white eggs in a tree hollow, which is blocked off during incubation with a cement made of mud, droppings and fruit pulp. There is only one narrow aperture, just big enough for the male to transfer food to the mother and the chicks. When the chicks and female outgrow the nest, the mother breaks out and rebuilds the wall, after which both parents feed the chicks. The male has a black bill, whereas the female has red on the mandibles. The plumage of the male and female is similar. Immature birds are more uniformly grey. The flight is undulating. The similarly sized red-billed hornbill has uniformly grey plumage.
The African grey hornbill is omnivorous, taking insects, fruit and reptiles. It feeds mainly in trees.
Beacon Island Resort, in the heart of the picturesque Garden Route region, is one of the Western Cape’s premier holiday destinations. This award-winning Plettenberg Bay hotel and resort offers natural forests, mountains, sun-kissed beaches, and the vastness of the ocean – the ideal relaxing getaway for the entire family.
The Bridal Veil Falls is just outside Sabie, Mpumalanga in South Africa. It is 146m high. It is situated just outside Sabie and is accessible by car, with parking and picnic area on SAFCOL's grounds. From there, an easy footpath runs through bush scenery for about 1 km (15 minutes' walk) directly to the waterfall."
Info source URL: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridal_Veil_Falls_(Sabie)
=========
Photo capture date & Location: 2019-10 Sabi River Sun
Segaia Bush Retreat has a watering hole right in front of the lodge where wild game come to drink. Enjoy, therefore, stunning African sunsets on the deck whilst watching zebra, kudu, impala and warthog wandering the grounds of the Lodge. A lucky few may even spot the reclusive leopard. A paradise for birdwatchers with more than 450 bird species, many of which can be spotted from the lodge itself. Alternatively, you can follow the walking trails through the Conservancy and seek the rarer birds on foot.
Info source: www.segaia.co.za/wildlife--surrounds.html
=========
The photo was taken during August 2018 at Segaia Bush Retreat, Buffelsdrift, Gauteng, South Africa.
Lake Nkwankwa at the Drakensberg Sun Resort is in the scenic Cathedral Peak area of South Africa's iconic mountain range. This region is home to some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. It is a mountainous and alpine area in KwaZulu-Natal laid out into four valleys, consisting of the Champagne Valley in the Central Berg, the Cathedral Peak and Didima Valley, the Royal Natal National Park, and Amphitheatre Valley, as well as the Middledale Pass Valley in the Northern Berg. Each of these four breathtaking valleys presents its kind of character and beauty with magnificent mountain vistas. Set in the Cathkin and Champagne Valley, the resort is located near the Cathkin and Champagne Castle which have astonishing peaks at 3,149 meters and 3,248 meters. These two mountains, together with the famous Monk’s Cowl which measures 3,234 meters in height, represent the highest summits of the Mountains.
Info source: www.south-african-hotels.com/…/drakensberg-sun-hot…/
=========
The photo was taken during October 2018 at Drakensberg Sun Resort, Winterton, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Segaia is a small charming lodge situated in the bushveld in the carefully managed 1200 ha Buffelsdrift Conservancy in northern Gauteng. Our Conservancy is well stocked with game, blessed with prolific birdlife, and is infused with that unique African magic found only in the bush. Segaia Lodge has a watering hole right in front of the lodge where wild game come to drink. Enjoy, therefore, stunning African sunsets on the deck whilst watching zebra, kudu, impala, and warthog wandering the grounds of the Lodge. A lucky few may even spot the reclusive leopard.
Info source URL: www.wheretostay.co.za/segaia-self-catering-buffelsdrift
Photo capture date & Location: 2018-08 Segaia Bush Retreat