Aloe Arborescence with Gurney
After a rather chilly weekend on Paardeplaats Nature Retreat, and with an unexpected windfall (excuse the pun ‘rainfall’) of 20mm of soft rain, the sun has returned and the winter ‘Magnus Opus’ of the Aloe Arborescence together with the Wild Dagga, is here and with us for the next 2 months. This comes together with plenty of busy activity from the sun birds and our beloved Gurneys Sugar Birds, whom Dawie De Swardt researched on Paardeplaats for more than 35 years. These birds nest in the Proteas but love to feed on the nectar of the aloes and wild dagga at this time of year.
The whole Lydenburg, Long Tom Pass area was blessed with wonderful rain this season and we truly look forward to our normal, balmy days and chilly cloudless, star spangled winter nights around a log fire.
Early morning Gurneys on Aloe with Wild Dagga
We start our day, as dawn breaks, with a busy, frenzied display of these birds from our bedroom window. The day is never free of the excited chattering of both the Gurneys and the little sun birds. All we have to do is tune in.
Magnus Opus 2021
Wild Dagga with sunbird
