A sea of Pokers!

The river levels have dropped again although they remain fast flowing. The roads have been repaired well enough for one to traverse the entire Estate. Most footpaths along the rivers are still under water and many footbridges have been washed away. So far, I have managed to locate 6 of them and these are far from where they originated! Believe me, they are extremely heavy but I'm sure all will be in order (barring no further floods!) for the long weekends in April. Of the annual total, so far, of 981mm, 336mm fell in the last three weeks since cyclone Dineo hit land.

Note: The top right thumbnail on this page gives all rainfall information until the day. I update it as it rains - thanks Nick Moore.

Saw a massive colony of more than 200 Common Marsh Pokers, Kniphofia linearifolia, today! Never seen so many in one place before. While I stood in among these striking flowers I had six Sunbirds fluttering around enjoying the nectar these flowers provide!

There is a smaller colony pretty close to the Kliprots road just south of the Solitude junction and another on the northern bank of the Shark Tank left of the crossing to the staff village.....

The striking inflorescence of the Kniphofia linearifolia, Common Marsh Poker

Hard to appreciate in a photograph but there are more than 200 individuals in this colony of Common Marsh Pokers just above K9. The Sunbirds where having a ball!

A smaller colony of Kniphofia linearifolia on the bank of the Shark Tank (W3). You can see "Elsmere" in the distance.

The flowers turn a soft yellow when the bracts open and the stamens extend. Sunbirds perch easily longitudinally on the robust stem and insert their long bills from the bottom to get to the nectar.