Malmesbury is the largest town in the Swartland and is known for its agricultural lands farming grain as well as livestock sheep, cattle and poultry farming.
Malmesbury lies along the N7 highway “Cape Namibia Route” which bypasses the town centre to the west and leads north finally arriving at the country of Namibia and south towards Cape Town.
We went to have a look and following the little back roads we discovered fields of canola and wheat along with wires filled with birds and some domestic and wild animals.
Some beautiful birds like the male Stonechat with his beautiful orange waistcoat.
The female Stonechat however is not as bright as her partner.
Wheatfields abound and we had to have a closer look.
We spied a handsome ram with a radio collar.
Some beautiful wild butter daisies or Verbesina-enceloides.
A juvenile shrike which is also commonly known as the butcher bird or Jacky Hangman because they hang their prey on a thorn or on barbed wire.
And the hangman’s larder
Of course the most beautiful sight in these lands are the Blue Cranes which are the National bird of South Africa.
Far in the distance we spied these fox cubs playing in the fields.
In winter it is really nippy as it snows on these Swartberg mountains.
