Mpenjati North - 7 April 2022

A cool southerly wind blew and one was grateful for the jacket that was nearly not packed which protected one from the chill that was in the air.  Our female clan congregated on the north side of Mpenjati which had been closed to the public as the public ablutions had been vandalised  but having Yvie with us, the gate was unlocked and we had access into this beautiful little reserve on the Mpenjati river and into the coastal forest which had ancient huge trees in it that have weathered the test of time. 

We began meandering along the trail with Fish eagles and a Crowned Eagle calling.  How majestic and how fortunate to be able to listen to this and not be somewhere else with the noise of a population, sirens and hooters that all come with city life.

The reserve was in need of alien control and our group helped Yvie identify the aliens that KZN Wildlife had to focus on in maintaining the reserve within its boundaries.  Tracy and Anne have eyes that are like a Peregrine falcon when it comes to invasives and no matter if the stems have thorns, they have their hands wrapped around these plants and will remove them with a fight if need be.

Strelitzia nicolai stood tower high with their leaves looking big enough to be a sup board.  Here the Phoenix reclinata growing in the wetland grew into the most magnificent palm tree, so different to when it’s growing in a dry area and stunted with its lethal spines.  The colours on the bark of the Milkwoods were like artwork and one simply just stopped and looked at it, some of patterns looked like a tortoise shell.  The Dracaena aletriformis grew so densely that one wouldn’t be surprised if a dinosaur were to come out of this jungle. 

Tracy with incredible eyes for all things small pointed out tiny frogs that lay on the Lagoon Hibiscus as if they were speckled jelly babies.  It was lunch time and although it was windy with the sand that blew like mirages on the beach, we decided that along the bank we would sit and then Tracy (again) looked at what she thought to be a tyre that was lodged into the embankment only to find it was an African Rock Python!  Oh, what joy to see a reptile of this size.  It was so impressive in its scale that that is where we decided to have our lunch and at the same time keep an eye on each other in case he thought that one of us should be lunch.

We walked with jackets flapping along the coast line, Thick-knees flew lowly above the beach pumpkins.  One’s soul is simply comforted in nature.  It heals everything.  We need to conserve and protect our environment, reserves and land.

 

Ipomoea pes-caprae subsp. brasiliensis

CONVOLVULACEAE 

Yvie, Anne and Tracy

Ipomoea pes-caprae subsp. brasiliensis

CONVOLVULACEAE 

Ipomoea pes-caprae subsp. brasiliensis

CONVOLVULACEAE 

Ipomoea pes-caprae subsp. brasiliensis seed capsules

CONVOLVULACEAE 

Mpenjati beach

Lasiosiphon macropetalus (was Gnidia)
THYMELAEACEAE

Talipariti tiliaceum var. tiliaceum - Lagoon Hibiscus
MALVACEAE

Millettia grandis 
FABACEAE

Mimusops caffra
SAPOTACEAE

Mimusops caffra bark
SAPOTACEAE

Osteospermum moniliferum  subsp. canescens

                                                            ASTERACEAE

Cyperus albostriatus
CYPERACEAE

Peddiea africana - Poison Olive
THYMELAEACEAE

Peddiea africana - Poison Olive
THYMELAEACEAE

Phoenix reclinata - Wild Date Palm
ARECACEAE

Phoenix reclinata - Wild Date Palm
ARECACEAE

Phoenix reclinata - Wild Date Palm
ARECACEAE

African Rock Python

Tracy

Dorothy getting closer to the Python

Sideroxylon inerme inerme - White Milkwood
SAPOTACEAE

Sideroxylon inerme inerme - White Milkwood
SAPOTACEAE

Sideroxylon inerme  subsp. inerme - White Milkwood
SAPOTACEAE

 

Strelitzia nicolai - Natal Mock Banana - stem
STRELITZIACEAE

Talipariti tiliaceum var. tiliaceum - Lagoon Hibiscus
MALVACEAE

 

Talipariti tiliaceum var. tiliaceum - Lagoon Hibiscus
MALVACEAE

Yvie

Arctotheca populifolia - Sea pumpkin
ASTERACEAE

Tracy

Cryptocarya latifolia - Broad leaved Wild quince seed pod
LAURACEAE

The girls hard at it.

Zanthoxylum capense - Small Knobwood
RUTACEAE

Zanthoxylum capense - Small Knobwood
RUTACEAE

Pelargonium capitatum
GERANIACEAE

Taking notes.

Anne having a close inspection.

What is it?

Hibiscus surattensis
MALVACEAE

Hibiscus surattensis
MALVACEAE

Hibiscus surattensis
MALVACEAE

Hibiscus cannabinus - Ambari Hemp
MALVACEAE

Hibiscus cannabinus - Ambari Hemp
MALVACEAE

Hibiscus cannabinus - Ambari Hemp
MALVACEAE

Dracaena aletriformis - Large- leaved Dragon-tree
RUSCACEAE

Deinbollia oblongifolia - Dune Soap-berry
SAPINDACEAE

Commelina erecta
COMMELINACEAE

Chaetacme aristata - Thorny Elm
ULMACEAE

Chaetacme aristata - Thorny Elm
ULMACEAE

Chaetacme aristata - Thorny Elm
ULMACEAE

Chaetacme aristata - Thorny Elm
ULMACEAE

Berkheya erysithales 

Barleria obtusa - Bush Violet
ACANTHACEAE

Asparagus falcatus - Thorny Creeper
ASPARAGACEAE

Asparagus falcatus - Thorny Creeper
ASPARAGACEAE

Antidesma venosum - Tassel-berry
PHYLLANTHACEAE

Aneilema aequinoctiale
COMMELINACEAE

Aneilema aequinoctiale
COMMELINACEAE

Aneilema aequinoctiale
COMMELINACEAE

Allophylus natalensis - Dune False Currant
SAPINDACEAE

Acokanthera oblongifolia - Dune Poison-bush
APOCYNACEAE

 

Trichilia dregeana - Natal Forest Mahogony
MELIACEAE

Rauvolfia caffra - Quinine Tree
APOCYNACEAE

Pondoland C.R.E.W

Tracy T, Anne S, Yvie, Maggie A, Dorothy M and Gail B-W.

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"You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you." - Jane Goodall.

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