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Tessa Joughin | profile | all galleries >> Fact and Fiction >> Eastern Free State Farms and Towns >> Gilboa Nature Reserve tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Gilboa Nature Reserve

Beautiful Game and Nature Reserve in the Witteberge of the Eastern Free State.
A Double Rainbow welcomes one to a magic place
A Double Rainbow welcomes one to a magic place		 Gilboa Dam
Gilboa Dam		 Walk to the dam at the bottom of Gilboa mountain
Walk to the dam at the bottom of Gilboa mountain		 Startled Impala dart away
Startled Impala dart away		 Sometimes their curiosity overcomes them!
Sometimes their curiosity overcomes them!
The male Impala - on guard!
The male Impala - on guard!		 Sometimes they come up to the dwellings
Sometimes they come up to the dwellings		 The main stone cottage on the farm
The main stone cottage on the farm		 The Stone Rondavels look over the valley
The Stone Rondavels look over the valley		 Interior of rondavel L.jpg
Interior of rondavel L.jpg
Gilboa panorama with eland
Gilboa panorama with eland		 View up the valley showing the dyke
View up the valley showing the dyke		 The eland grazing near the dam
The eland grazing near the dam		 Eland
Eland		 Male and two females
Male and two females
Hoping to see the female Rhino Masintle and her new-born calf
Hoping to see the female Rhino Masintle and her new-born calf		 A clump of wild agapanthus on the far cliffside
A clump of wild agapanthus on the far cliffside		 Stereo image of Gilboa balancing rock
Stereo image of Gilboa balancing rock		 At last - images of the new baby rhino!
At last - images of the new baby rhino!		 Grazing with Mum Masintle
Grazing with Mum Masintle
Sunset
Sunset		 2856 - 006.jpg
2856 - 006.jpg		 2856 - 033.jpg
2856 - 033.jpg		 Tina, the jack russell in the long grass!
Tina, the jack russell in the long grass!		 We saw wildflowers on the way..
We saw wildflowers on the way..
..and moss...
..and moss...		 ..and a big frog!
..and a big frog!		 We saw the clump of agapanthus almost over it's flowering..
We saw the clump of agapanthus almost over it's flowering..		 ..but no sign of Masintle and her baby.
..but no sign of Masintle and her baby.		 We could see the whole Rhino Camp from up there.
We could see the whole Rhino Camp from up there.
We saw Roger, the male rhino, having a warm sand bath!
We saw Roger, the male rhino, having a warm sand bath!		 We saw Egyptian Geese enjoying the dam, but no Masintle!
We saw Egyptian Geese enjoying the dam, but no Masintle!		 The rhino's favourite grove of trees
The rhino's favourite grove of trees		 We had gone through the grove two weeks earlier..
We had gone through the grove two weeks earlier..		 and into the thick bush on the other side...
and into the thick bush on the other side...
..hoping to see the baby, but this is all we saw..two little ears!
..hoping to see the baby, but this is all we saw..two little ears!		 Masintle became aware of us, galloped off with the baby and disappeared!
Masintle became aware of us, galloped off with the baby and disappeared!		 We had to give up, but it was beautiful under the trees.
We had to give up, but it was beautiful under the trees.		 Rhino route to the dam!
Rhino route to the dam!		 From the ridge there was no sign of them in the grove
From the ridge there was no sign of them in the grove
We decided to return to the cottage as there was a storm coming.
We decided to return to the cottage as there was a storm coming.		 We took a short cut, past butterflies...
We took a short cut, past butterflies...		 ...through thick grass...
...through thick grass...		 ...and last year's leaves....
...and last year's leaves....		 ...down through a mossy watercourse....
...down through a mossy watercourse....
..and through the leaning gum trees.
..and through the leaning gum trees.		 The storm approached..
The storm approached..		 Sun set rock
Sun set rock		 Storm over the valley
Storm over the valley		 The unusual rock that forms the dyke
The unusual rock that forms the dyke
The storm gets closer
The storm gets closer		 After the storm we drove into the camp. Roger and Mamelo were on guard!
After the storm we drove into the camp. Roger and Mamelo were on guard!		 Masintle was in the distance but the long grass hid the baby!
Masintle was in the distance but the long grass hid the baby!		 She turned and went into the bush
She turned and went into the bush		 The mist rolled down and Roger looked at us threateningly
The mist rolled down and Roger looked at us threateningly
We drove back and surprised an impala grazing in the grove
We drove back and surprised an impala grazing in the grove		 we passed a cormarant and heron in the willow.
we passed a cormarant and heron in the willow.		 The mist boiled on Gilboa like a cauldron
The mist boiled on Gilboa like a cauldron		 Masintle was walking off into the bush
Masintle was walking off into the bush		 She turned and saw us - and disappeared again into the bush!
She turned and saw us - and disappeared again into the bush!
At Last! I could see a little body in the bush near her huge mum!
At Last! I could see a little body in the bush near her huge mum!		 2856 - 204.jpg
2856 - 204.jpg		 Masintle was becoming uneasy, and they moved into the thick bush again.
Masintle was becoming uneasy, and they moved into the thick bush again.		 We saw Masintle's head come out....
We saw Masintle's head come out....		 and they suddenly made a dash for it!!!
and they suddenly made a dash for it!!!
Baby white rhinos run ahead of their mothers and black ones run behind.
Baby white rhinos run ahead of their mothers and black ones run behind.		 They galloped off to the safety of the distant bush
They galloped off to the safety of the distant bush		 Her ears were flapping like a rabbit's,
Her ears were flapping like a rabbit's,		 and look at that fat little bottom!
and look at that fat little bottom!		 Roger was eyeing us warningly from below
Roger was eyeing us warningly from below
We had another last glimpse of them as they made another dash for the bush behind the grove
We had another last glimpse of them as they made another dash for the bush behind the grove		 Cape Longclaw (previously known as the Orange Throated Longclaw)
Cape Longclaw (previously known as the Orange Throated Longclaw)		 Cape Longclaw
Cape Longclaw

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John20-Jul-2012 16:13
Tessa Joughin, you are a lover of nature! wonderful beauties of God's creations. Keep it up.
Dalene 24-Feb-2008 05:34
I am so glad I came across your galleries. Your pictures are stunning and make me terribly homesick (but in a good way). Maybe your pictures will show why some of us can be so fiercly in love with the Free State! Thank you...
Jane Joughin 18-Feb-2008 10:04
Thanks Tessa for making your fab photos available to all of us!
Claudia Kisch 17-Feb-2008 05:32
What a magnificent set of pictures!
Pete 15-Feb-2008 07:50
An awesome gallery - love the story of Masintle and baby
Guest 14-Feb-2008 12:56
Glorious colourful images of the stunning location.
Mihai06-Feb-2008 10:44
Superb gallery !!!! Vote !
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