A couple of weeks ago we moved to Lonehill, one of the northern suburbs of Johannesburg.  We spent the first 3 months in Pineslopes, right next to Lonehill, and while living there we discovered the lovely Lonehill Nature Reserve.  The first time we visited was on a sunny and quite hot New Year’s Day and it was then that I set out on a mission to find us a place to live in Lonehill.

Lonehill Nature Reserve

There are actually 2 parts to this park; the nature reserve itself which is a separate closed off area only open on the weekends and the rest of the park which is always accessible for picnicers, walkers, bird watchers and even for fishing.  I really love that we can safely walk from our home to such a beautiful place whenever we like.

Lonehill Park

Let me start with the non-reserve part.  I’ll call it Lonehill Park but I really don’t know if that is its official name or not.  The most prominent feature of this part of the park is a small dam which is absolutely teeming with bird life.  In fact there is a small island in the middle of the dam (first photo center) and almost every possible tree branch is inhabited by one or more birds.

Bird Island

Red Bishop

I believe this is a Cormorant but not sure which type

Red-knobbed Coot

Egret

Juvenile Egret ?

Black-Headed Heron

African Black Duck

Egyptian Goose

Well behaved dogs are also welcome in the non-reserve part of the park and a pooper-scooper is provided in case you forgot your baggies.

Community Pooper Scooper

The actual Lonehill Nature Reserve is open only during summer, and only on the weekends.  You can climb to the top of the rock koppie (hill, remember that from my Melville Koppies post?) or take a more leisurely stroll around the base of the koppie.

Lonehill Koppie

I chose the lazy stroll around in the hot mid-day sun and enjoyed taking photos of the “friends” I met along the way.

Helmeted Guineafowl

As I was walking around the Koppie, I kept scanning the rocks as I had this eery feeling of being watched.  I was imaging leopards (no, there aren’t any here) and cape cobras (never know) and then I saw him.

Rock Dassie on the Koppie keeping a good watch over me

I just love the Rock Dassies, so cute.  Can you believe they are most closely related to the elephant (really it’s true!) ?

Now that we are settled in Lonehill, I am sure we will make visits to this great little reserve.  I might even climb to the top of the Koppie one of these days !