20 June 2011

Leopard Link

I've been wanting to post a link to the Cape Leopard Trust for a while now. Today I got a email that some new information was uploaded on their website. So, I thought it's the perfect time to share the link:
http://www.capeleopard.org.za/updates/spotted_cats_of_the_southern_boland.html

Some of you might have noticed the link to their site on the side bar of this blog. The two girls from the Cape Leopard Trust are probably the biggest camera trappers in our neck of the woods and although they focus on Leopards, they also have a deep appreciation and interest in all forms of live.

19 June 2011

Cat News

I was very happy last week when I checked my Bushnell. I got a couple of interesting photographs of the mammals at Tygerberg. Below are two noteworthy contributions from the cats.

Caracal (Rooikat - Caracal caracal) youngster practising the stalk

This little guy appears to be still more kitten than cat to my eyes, but the attitude is coming along fine.

I was very happy to finally get my first "kill" photograph. I've been camera trapping at Tygerberg for over a year now, but I didn't have any photograph of a predator with it's prey, until now.

My guess would be it's holding a Mole Rat in its mouth

15 June 2011

The Backlog

Here are some images I've been wanting to post, but didn't get around to. I'm going to be a bit lazy and just include the images without writing up a story as well...

A Sorrel (Suring - Oxalis sp.) being visited by a small fly

A patch full of pink Sorrel (Suring - Oxalis sp.)

Porcupine (Ystervark - Hystrix africaeaustralis) near the pond at Tygerberg

Another one near a tiny stream

We came across the old dominant male Bontebok (Bontebok - Damaliscus dorcas dorcas) the other day while it was very misty. He lost one of his horns in a fight with his son...

My wife standing next to a huge mushroom

12 June 2011

High Time For Some News

A random species of Sorrel (Suring - Oxalis sp.) at Tygerburg

It's been a while since my last post... I haven't had many cameras in the field, but luckily my trusty Bushnell Trophy Cam (2009 non-viewer) captured some interesting things.

A Spotted Thick-Knee (Dikkop - Burhinus capensis) possibly fascinated by the strange glowing lights?

A Thick-Knee seemed, once again, to be fascinated with the camera or maybe they seem to like the company of the "strange thing with the glowing red eyes".

When the nights get lonely, the Thick-Knee knows that his "friend with the red eyes" will keep him company

I used a tuna can as bait with this camera trap set, but it didn't attract as much attention as the previous one. I caught some images of this guy eating the grubs that grow in and under the tuna can.

There were other visitor as well.

The Bontebok (Bontebok - Damaliscus dorcas dorcas) herd did their rounds as well

The Bontebok came in for a sniff. In one of the images it appears as if the antelope was standing over the camera.

I guess the hind feet must be behind the camera...

I usually place my cameras close to the ground to get nice photographs of the small to medium sizes mammals at Tygerberg. Bontebok might be smaller than many of the other antelope species but at Tygerberg they are the largest mammals in the reserve.