Four black dogs on the trail - and a Black Sparrowhawk

Today there were four black dogs - Milly, Billy, Honey and me - and one wheaten freak on the Constantia Greenbelt trails. Pauline and Sue came too - and Ernest and Maria from Canada. The Alph was not with us as he was riding his bike in Bakoven. Here is freak-face leading the walk with Milly and Billy following. Honey was stuck to Sue's heels and I was WAY behind enjoying the smells and making the Food Lady shout for me to catch up every so often.

We walked the Klaasenbosch Trail, then part of the Alphen Trail, and almost the whole Diep River Trail  - in the heat and dust. Ernest and Maria kept asking what the plants were; and nine out of ten were not even indigenous. These lovely Red-hot Pokers (Kniphofia uvaria) in the Diep River wetlands are indigenous. 

But this Canna indica comes from the faraway Americas.

The path got smaller and smaller, and then the Food Lady relented and we turned round before we all got stuck in the mud.

Yay! Another dog to greet! We rush to say howdy.

Milly and Billy with Ernest and Maria. On and on went the path with me getting hotter and botherder.

Then we passed the bin near the car park that STILL hasn't been emptied, and were on our way home.

Spotted a cool Land Rover with a cool Maltese poodle going to the Constantia Village shops.

The Alph was at home in the pool when we got back and everyone stayed for brunch. "Any chance of some brunch for us?" asked Billy. Not a fat chance! They are extraordinarily mean about handing out food to black dogs in this establishment.

Honey was under the table - attached to Sue - and the Food Lady almost got under it too. They all seemed to have a really good time while we starved almost to death.

Even a large and snary raptor with fancy bangles popped in for a squizz at the possible menu. Sue spotted it and the Food Lady snapped it, thinking it was a large Rufous-chested Sparrowhawk, but turns out it was a rufous-chested Black Sparrowhawk juvenile. 

Peacocks and other noises

Last Sunday we walked in the Contantia Greenbelt. While we waited for Pauline, Honey and Sue, the Food Lady and me and Lad watched the antics of these two hungry "Mystery Buzzard" chicks shouting at their parents for food high up in the tall trees.

Now I can identify with that as I do the same at supper time. 

In fact I did a bit of scrounging myself from the bin that hasn't been emptied for over a month. Such is life in the leafy lanes. There is even a delightfully stinky dead squirrel in there.

Anyway, when Pauline arrived we set off up our normal greenbelt path, then the Food Lady put our leads on and we crossed the road where we came across a signpost to Kirstenbosch. "Shall we try it?" said the Lad. I just kept my normal po-face.

For part of the way there was a big eclectic scary fence.  

But it soon opened up and we went up a fynbos and Silver Tree-lined road,

where we saw a ghost dog that disappeared down a green tunnel.

 Further down, we found a little door in the tree,

which Pauline opened to look inside but no-one was home.

We then crossed another road, and headed back up the mountain.

Everyone was feeling hot, even though it was mizzling a bit, so we found a good tea spot under a big oak tree: me, Pauline, Lad, Honey and Sue.

We watched some walkers pass,

and some Common Waxbills in the meadow.

Then we went back to the car, and had to run the gauntlet of a meeting of champagne-quaffing riders and their quick-hoofed mounts. Honey was not happy and I escaped a swift kick from a particularly annoying horse with a rather loud and shrieky rider!  

Then we nearly ran over a great blue bird that scuttled across the road in front of the car and into the greenbelt. It was making much the same noise as the riders we had just passed so maybe it was hurrying to join what it thought was its friends having fun without him.

 

For more about the Greenbelt walks, click here.

Three walks and a very tired me

 

On Saturday evening we joined Helen and Paul, Pippin and Honey and Sue and (other) Honey and some of their friends for a walk in the Constantia Greenbelt. Harvey was spending the weekend so he came too - although he looks a bit worried about what we are up to and I must say I was a bit worried too as it is nearly our supper time and I am sure the Food Lady has forgotten.

But on we went, with Lad up front, Harvey on a lead for the moment,

and me and the Food Lady at the back. Can you spot me?

Despite being supper time, it was lovely to be out and about and when we got home the Food Lady remembered to give us our (late) supper.

Then the next morning we set out for Groot Constantia to join the winter Scottie Walk. A blast of imaginary bagpipes, and out they marched with Estea and Knapie in front.

Come on Alph - this is no time for texting.

Now am I seeing double?

No, triple! Lad barrelled in there to say hello to the Gusses - I think they are called Augustus and Fergus. A lot of sniffing

and peeing on the trees, and we all settled down to a sedate Scottie Walk.

Here is Irene and Wally directing traffic in the Scotch mist.

And me at the back as usual, but putting my best foot forward.

There were lots of spider webs in these Blombossies (Metalasia),

and the vines were looking all autumnal and pretty for the Food Lady.

I met a new friend called Nala.

We had to go through this obstacle course,

so I just copied what Nala did,

and soon we were back on the oak-lined lawns.

We had a good time meeting our friends - some of them were happier to see us than others. This is Mila and her small brother MacGuyver.

And there, in the mist, was Estea with Knapie who isn't very happy to see anyone except his own family.

This is my best time as it means TREATS.

Some waited patiently

and others were more pushy! I am always first in the queue for treats and here is my favourite treat lady with treats for me. Nyummmm.

Now lets try the Gusses's mom - she has a bag full of treats too. Nyummmmm.

The Alph found a friend to talk about cars with,

while the Food Lady took some photos. This is Annabelle,

and Jock - with a friend.

Some of the walkers had gone a long way round, and soon appeared in front of the homestead,

and then we had to say our goodbyes to all the Scotties including my old pal Mac who is looking very handsome in his new coat. Then we went home to wait for Phil and Kerryn, and to skype our other human brother, Simon.

A little later on in the day, Phil and Kerryn arrived, and out came the leads and off we set in the Land Rover AGAIN. Truth be told I would rather have had supper, but a walk is a walk I suppose. We drove to Silvermine where we met Paul and set off up one of my least-favourite kinds of roads - sharp gravelly stone.

We saw lots of these fragrant Gladiolus maculatus flowers that open in the evening,

and soon found a path which was easier going for a small black Scottie. But I just couldn't keep up with the youngsters, and I kept worrying about missing supper. What is it with all these suppertime walks?

The Food Lady found some fluffy daisies - probably Geelgifbos (Senecio burchellii)

and hundreds of yellow and pink Oxalis species like these Oxalis commutata flowers to photograph.

The veld is looking so lush that it is hard to imagine that a huge fire swept through here just over a year ago. Only the burned flowerheads of some protea bushes remain to remind us.

The sun was getting lower and lower ...

and my tummy was beginning to grumble.

We soon found a spot for the humans to have some gee (a present from Lydia and the Timoneys) and tee - and for us to have some biltong and cubes which did very little to assuage my prodigious hunger. Phil, the Alph, Paul and Kerryn in the photo. But WHERE is the Food Lady? 

She is photographing these Red-listed (Near threatened) glads around our gee and tee spot - their name, Vlamme, means flames and it is very apt. Their posh name used to be Gladiolus bonaspei but now they are G. merianellus and they only grow wild on the Cape Peninsula and nowhere else.

And WHERE is the Lad? Fossicking around in the fynbos looking for rodents to kill.

And WHERE is Harvey? Not far away from Lad, sniffing the air for passing dogs.

And WHERE am I. At the Food Lady's feet waiting for food.

On the way home we saw a little yellow spider on the Gladiolus maculatus, all aglow in the evening light.

We arrived at the car, everyone just taking their time, oblivious to my hunger.

When we got home, eventually, Laddie killed a rat in the garden as it was trying to steal the cat's food, which delayed supper even further, but eventually we were fed and fast asleep in front of the fire.