We had a lovely late lie in before the kids came in with steaming cups of coffee. Then Grandpa made one of his legendary breakfasts. We had a chilled morning. Nicoline, Robyn and Scott came for tea and then our kids rode their bikes the 8km back to their farm. Robyn came on her horse but the others were on bikes.

Later Earl and I took a drive to Nicoline to fetch the kids. We were excited to spot a male Amur Falcon and a few females. One hovered and then dropped down to catch a juicy grasshopper. I managed to get some awesome photographs.

We also stopped to photograph a male stonechat, a banded martin and a white stork.

As we crossed the stream we came across a road block. Quite a common occurrence in rural areas. Cows have the right of way but don’t seem to mind is you slowly make your way through them.

As we approached Nicoline’s we saw a huge flock of crowned crane on her property. They took off and circled and then settled in the field behind the dam. As soon as we could we made our way quietly towards them. The land was boggy and I squelched through a particularly muddy section to get some good shots. I was dressed in a skirt and sandals. The latter had to be removed. What was I thinking. When on the farm dress as the farm girls dress!

I was so intent on getting the photographs that I did not realise that we had wandered into the camp where a bull was watching us with a wary eye. I wanted to go back to the house the long way round but Earl made me walk past the moody bull and climb over the fence near the dam. O my word – he mock charged me and then went to have a gentle drink with is mate!