As was the case last week, we opted to walk at a venue where we would be close to the vehicles in the event of rain. This week we chose to walk at the Rennies' Beach grassland. We parked at the side of 10th Avenue in Port Edward and set off into the grassland. This portion of the grassland was burned in an arson fire some weeks back and as there had been a recent incident of illegal plant harvesting here, we decided there might be things worth seeing.
It was not long before we came across the first of the flowering plants. We saw two Wurmbea kraussii - the first we have recorded in this grassland -- and a few Gnidia woodii. The Eriosema dregei were just starting to flower and while most of the Eugenia albanensis stems were carrying buds, we managed to find one with rather weather-beaten flowers.
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| Gnidia woodii |
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| Eriosema dregei |
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| Eugenia albanensis |
A little further on we entered what appeared to be an earlier burn and here we started seeing signs of plant harvesting. One of the first plants to catch our attention was a single Kniphofia littoralis. Surrounding this were many beautiful Disa similis with the pinky-blue flowers contrasting against the magenta bracts. In this area we also found some Disa versicolor, many clumps of Thesium pallidum and single stems of Thesium natalensis, a small cluster of Senecio speciosus, Commelina erecta and the odd looking fern Ophioglossum polyphyllum.
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| Watsonia pillansii |
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| Euphorbia flanaganii |
A small rock outcrop provided habitat for some other species. We found Albuca setosa in flower and several clumps of Delosperma caespitosum, one with a single flower.
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| Albuca setosa |
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| Delosperma caespitosum |
We then headed across another wetland area where we found several Triglochin milnei. Most of them were already developing fruits but there was one with a few open flowers.
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| Triglochin milnei |
We continued walking until we reached the beach and decided to stop there for lunch. Close by on rocks near the water's edge there was a small group of Swift Terns still in their winter plumage and a bit further away was a pair of African Black Oystercatchers. We had gannets, cormorants, gulls and a Giant Kingfisher fly past and in the distance whales splashed happily.
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| Swift tern in non-breeding plumage |
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| African black oystercatcher |
We headed back along the beach following a set of otter footprints. At the foot of the dunes we saw a clump of Helichrysum teretifolium, several sprawled Carpobrotus dimidiata and a brightly coloured Polygala myrtifolia. At the roadside heading back to the cars there were several Hewittia malabarica.
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