This past week we had 48 hours of almost non-stop rain, all in all more than 100mm, that's 4 inches. Walked down to the furthest pond on the farm with the dogs, they were ecstatic as with all the rain they hadn't been out for several days. The surface of the water was covered with rings of bass rising and taking emerge rs, there was also a fall of flying ants, (termites). Bass can be as picky as any trout when there's a hatch on, and today I only took a small foam popper with me.
Usually you know when a bass takes your lure or fly, they are great smash and grab artist, but there are times when there takes are very subtle. So it was this afternoon, I was watching my popper lying on the mirror smooth water and giving it the tiniest of twitches every now and again. Without me noticing it as bass sucked the popper under the surface and it was a long moment before I realised what had happened and tightened the line, fish on. It wasn't the worlds biggest fish, but it was the first bass of spring.
Click to enlarge.
Posed for a quick photo and international fame, next to my trusty 6 weight rod, and released again.
A bit later I walked up to the pond just below the cottage but here there was not a fish to be seen, although there were dozens of fluttering termites on the surface. The two ponds are only about a kilometer apart yet you will often catch fish in the one and nothing in the other.
The lonely swallow I posted a photo of about a week ago, has been joined by it's mate.
An interesting sunset to end the day with.
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Saw the first swallow of summer today, seems to have out flown his mates from where ever it was they spent the winter.
White-throated swallow. This guy looked a bit lonely, but I suppose the rest will arrive in the next couple of day.
Saturday the 1st of September is officially the first day of spring here in the southern hemisphere and also the opening day for trout fishing on our streams. So you know where I will be, 2 or 3 weight rod in hand.
Started my afternoon walk in what I now call "The new territory". Good decision as I was immediately rewarded by the sighting of these Spurfowl below.
Swainson's Spurfowl, (Pternistis swainsoni). This Spurfowl stood not more than 15 meters away from me and preened itself, totally unconcerned. It then wandered of into the grass on the verge of the Farm road.
If you look closely in the left hand corner of the photo above you will see it's mate crouched in the long grass. There is a whole family of these birds that live, close to and around the main house and the three cottages here on the farm.
Southern Red Bishop and I, beak to beak! Mano a Mano! He seems to be saying, "if you know what's good for you, you will get that camera out of my face.
Cape Glossy Starling, (Lamprotornis nitens).This photo was taken at an extreme distance and the bird was in full shade, so my ID might not be 100%. You can see the iridescent sheen on it's shoulders in this photo.
A pair of White Throated Swallows enjoying the late afternoon sun, on a willow branch over the water.
The sharp eyes of an African Wattled Lapwing, focuses on some hapless creature.
