What happened at Dunefields?
We are delighted about the arrival of our compound and stereo microscopes. The stereo microscope is being used to investigate objects larger than 2mm in size (e.g. insects and flowers), and the compound microscope is used to investigate the patterns on the hair found in caracal scat to determine which animals they prey on.
In the laboratory we have been busy with our species wall. This wall is a visual representation of some of our fauna and flora that occur at Dunefields. The wall is also a constant reminder of what we get to protect every day.
Lily Trail meanders through a mosaic of fynbos-thicket vegetation leading to our wetland. Here one can take some time to observe the aquatic beetles, frogs, water lilies, and a variety of bird species that come to drink water or have a bath
Tiaan saw this Brown-hooded kingfisher fly into a window whereafter it fell to the ground. Tiaan immediately caught it and drove with it on his finger to our stabilization station where we provided it with everything it needed to recuperate. After a few hours in our care the bird was successfully released.
Zanri was honoured to raise awareness on Cape gannets at the Wilderness Residents and Rate Payers Association. This whole year Zanri visited many different organizations where she presented interesting information and striking visuals of the endangered gannets in aid of celebrating this important species off Paradise Ridge.
We have been recording plant and insect diversity at Dunefields, and mapping the species distribution on iNaturalist using a special camera with a built in GPS. This will not only give us an idea of where different species occupy the landscape, but at the same time contributes to plant and animal distribution mapping used by scientists and map developers when mapping the range of species in our country.
Fuel load management is a constant management practise within a natural environment. Here we burnt away stacks of dry plant material that were collected from trails, roadsides and invasive alien plant removals. This burn was safely executed by the Southern Cape Fire Protection Association and Working on Fire team.
Zanri and Tiaan took turns to keep watch throughout the night after the stack burn has been done. Every time when the coals started glowing and smoking, Tiaan used the bakkie sakkie to keep it under control. He emptied a total of 8 bakkie sakkies on the coals during the night.
Zanri responded to a report of a deceased Bottlenose dolphin that had washed up on the rocks at Buffels Bay. Under the permits of Bayworld in Gqeberha, Zanri collected valuable data for Dr Greg Hofmeyr as part of his research collection. Samples were taken of the skin and blubber, and she collected one tooth. This can be used to study an array of different research questions, particularly what its diet consisted of, through the means of isotopic analysis.
Fire plays an important role in fynbos ecology. The heat and smoke from fire allow for the seed of many fynbos species to germinate, and in bulbous species it triggers flowering. Hence we are excited to see the diversity of plants post-fire.
Christo and Pieter have been hard at work collecting and transporting dried branches of invasive alien plant material to certain parts of the reserve where it will be chipped onto the roads. The wood chips help for a smoother ride on the roads, reduced the dust clouds when driving and prevent soil erosion.
This area used to be covered by a large pile of wood. After the wood was moved elsewhere, the soil was bare. Christo and Pieter transplanted a variety of species in this area to prevent soil erosion, and to provide habitat once again to a variety of plant species.
The gannet that we stabilized last month was successfully rehabilitated and released by the Seabird and Penguin Rehabilitation Centre. Gannets are very heavy flying birds, hence it was released on a sand dune where the uplift of wind could aid in a successful maiden flight post-rehabilitation.
Who calls Dunefields Home?
For the first time in 12 months a Cape grysbok was recorded on one of our camera traps. We are extremely happy to see this grysbok male casually walking past the camera. Currently, grysbok is our smallest antelope species but we are in search of the (even smaller) Blue duiker, and have strategically placed some of our cameras to aid in its detection.
This month we noticed blotches of bubbles on some of the herbaceous plants. Inside this foam nest lives a spittlebug. Spittlebugs are insects that tap into the sap of the plant, drink the sap, and excrete it in the form of bubbles around its body. These bubbles are excreted together with a sticky chemical that helps to adhere to the plant.
Can you guess which animal species stood this close to the camera trap with its furry chest? Look how long and soft the fur is. Give it some thought, and then find the answer in the end of this newsletter.
With the oldest bushbuck male at Dunefields now becoming too old and weak to defend a territory for mating rights, the young ones have been fighting for the position. This is a very interesting bachelor herd that has been formed since the old individual is seeking refuge with the younger ones who have better sight and hearing abilities (both now impaired in the old individual) aiding in predator detection.
Poppy plants started flowering this month. This orange-flowered annual, Papaver aculeatum, is endemic to the southern hemisphere, and we are delighted to have this beautifully wrinkled flower all along our roads in the nature reserve at the moment
Tiaan was outside the office when he heard the sound of a Knysna turaco – a sound that we have never heard at Dunefields. Upon investigation we were blessed with a sighting of two turacos perched on a branch. They were searching for Milkwood fruit in the thicket vegetation along the frontal dune.
October saw lots of butterflies, all of different shapes and sizes. While driving and/or hiking we constantly had to be on the lookout to not bump into butterflies crossing the roads. Butterflies are important pollinators of fynbos flowers, and are particularly attracted to purple, white, red and yellow flowers. Some flowers even have a nectar guide (lines on the petals) with which it guides the butterfly to the nectar-producing part of the flower, in attempt to have the flower pollinated in the process.
** The animal with the furry chest that came close to the camera trap was a male bushbuck. Some plant species have hooked seed capsules which are ideal for getting stuck on the fur of mammals walking past the plant. This is a good method of seed dispersal.