Grant's birthday weekend 16 Feb

On Sunday afternoon, Grant and I drove across to Wessel, Louise and young Wessel at the client camp. The men had arranged to do a spot of fishing on the mine as the sun set. Louise and I accompanied them, sat at the vehicle and shared a month's worth of news since we'd both been out to South Africa on leave.

 

 Malachite Kingfisher perched on a reed on the other side of the recycled sewerage pond

 Blacksmith Lapwing (Plover) on the wall of the not-so-recycled pond nearby

The fishing location was the recycled dam near the town's sewerage works. While this can be quite a smelly noisome place at which to spend any length of time, a sewage pond is traditionally known to be a prolific birding spot too. 

 Intrepid fishermen get to it, while Louise watches 

 Young Wessie was in his element: I think he would fish every hour of the day if he was allowed to! 

After losing a very large fish, Grant was the first to land a big barbel (catfish)

 Wessel (Snr) kindly removed the hook from the barbel's mouth (you can see Grant's sandalled toes behind the fish) and then released it back into the dam

Twenty minutes later young Wessie landed his barbel (catfish)

Note how the lad watches his father free the hook from the barbel's mouth (Wessel had to do this without touching it!) and released it back into the water

 Young Wessie's catch! 

Congratulations to Birthday Man, Grant and young Wessie on great catches which are swimming free again today! 

Here's wishing all reading this post today, a wonderful week ahead!