MacFarlanes
Nature
&
Education
MacFarlanes is an excellent location for immersive learning. Ideal for families looking to learn about all things natural, farming, fossil life and local history. For families living homeschooling this is the ideal spot to make theoretical knowledge practical.
Animal life
This is natural rewilding, as farming practices change, so nature reclaims itself.
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From small wildlife and reptiles to bigger species like buck, otters and monitors.
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The dam is home to various fish species, including bass and catfish.
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Plant life
Eastern Free State Sandy Grassland in the South African Grassland Biome.
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The farm has a valley with small rivers, flood plain, mountain slopes and cliffs, representing different where different plant species thrive.
List of birds found at MacFarlanes (Sabap1 and Sabap2)
English names
Acacia Pied Barbet
African Black Duck
African Black Swift
African Harrier-Hawk
African Hoopoe
African Jacana
African Paradise Flycatcher
African Pipit
African Quail-finch
African Rail
African Rock Pipit
African Sacred Ibis
African Snipe
African Stonechat
African Wattled Lapwing
Alpine Swift
Amur Falcon
Ant-eating Chat
Banded Martin
Barn Swallow
Bar-throated Apalis
Black Sparrowhawk
Black-chested Snake Eagle
Black-collared Barbet
Black-headed Heron
Blacksmith Lapwing
Black-winged Kite
Blue Crane
Bokmakierie
Brown-throated Martin
Buff-streaked Chat
Cape Batis
Cape Bunting
Cape Canary
Cape Clapper Lark
Cape Crow
Cape Eagle-Owl
Cape Glossy (Cape) Starling
Cape Grassbird
Cape Long-billed Lark
Cape Longclaw
Cape Robin-chat
Cape Rock Thrush
Cape Sparrow
Cape Turtle (Ring-necked) Dove
Cape Vulture
Cape Wagtail
Cape Weaver
Cape White-eye
Cinnamon-breasted Bunting
Cloud Cisticola
Common (Steppe) Buzzard
Common Greenshank
Common Moorhen
Common Myna
Common Quail
Common Reed Warbler
Common Swift
Common Waxbill
Crested Barbet
Crowned Lapwing
Dark-capped (African) Yellow Warbler
Dark-capped Bulbul
Diederik Cuckoo
Drakensberg Prinia
Egyptian Goose
European Roller
Fairy Flycatcher
Familiar Chat
Fan-tailed Widowbird
Fork-tailed Drongo
Giant Kingfisher
Glossy Ibis
Great Egret
Greater Honeyguide
Greater Striped Swallow
Grey Crowned Crane
Grey Heron
Grey-winged Francolin
Ground Woodpecker
Hadeda (Hadada) Ibis
Hamerkop
Helmeted Guineafowl
House Sparrow
Jackal Buzzard
Karoo Prinia
Klaas's Cuckoo
Lanner Falcon
Laughing Dove
Lesser Kestrel
Lesser Swamp Warbler
Levaillant’s Cisticola
Little Grebe
Little Rush Warbler
Long-tailed Widowbird
Malachite Kingfisher
Malachite Sunbird
Marsh Owl
Marsh Sandpiper
Mountain Wheatear
Natal Spurfowl
Neddicky
Olive Thrush
Pale-crowned Cisticola
Pied Crow
Pied Kingfisher
Pied Starling
Pin-tailed Whydah
Plain-backed Pipit
Red-Billed Hoopoe
Red-billed Quelea
Red-billed Teal
Red-capped Lark
Red-chested Cuckoo
Red-collared Widowbird
Red-eyed Dove
Red-footed Falcon
Red-knobbed coot
Red-throated Wryneck
Red-winged Starling
Reed Cormorant
Richard's Pipit
Rock Kestrel
Rock Martin
Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk
Secretarybird
Sedge Warbler
South African Cliff Swallow
South African Shelduck
Southern (Common) Fiscal
Southern Bald Ibis
Southern Boubou
Southern Grey-headed Sparrow
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Pochard
Southern Red Bishop
Speckled Mousebird
Speckled Pigeon
Spike-heeled Lark
Spotted Eagle-Owl
Spur-winged Goose
Streaky-headed Seedeater
Swainson’s Spurfowl
Tawny-flanked Prinia
Three-banded Plover
Verreaux's Eagle
Wailing Cisticola
Western Cattle Egret
White Stork
White-bellied Korhaan (Bustard)
White-breasted Cormorant
White-faced Whistling Duck
White-necked Raven
White-throated Swallow
White-winged Tern
Willow Warbler
Wing-snapping Cisticola
Yellow Bishop
Yellow-billed Duck
Yellow-billed Kite
Yellow-crowned Bishop
Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird
Zitting Cisticola
Afrikaanse name
Bonthoutkapper
Swarteend
Swartwindswael
Kaalwangvalk
Hoephoep
Grootlangtoon
Paradysvlieëvanger
Gewone Koester
Gewone Kwartelvinkie
Grootriethaan
Klipkoester
Skoorsteenveër
Afrikaanse Snip
Gewone Bontrokkie
Lelkiewiet
Witpenswindswael
Oostelike Rooipootvalk
Swartpiek
Gebande Oewerswael
Europese Swael
Bandkeelkleinjantjie
Swartsperwer
Swartborsslangarend
Rooikophoutkapper
Swartkopreier
Bontkiewiet
Blouvalk
Bloukraanvoel
Bokmakierie
Afrikaanse Oewerswael
Bergklipwagter
Kaapse Bosbontrokkie
Rooivlerkstreepkoppie
Kaapse Kanarie
Kaapse Klappertjie
Swartkraai
Kaapse Ooruil
Kleinglansspreeu
Grasvoël
Weskuslangbeklewerik
Oranjekeelkalkoentjie
Gewone Janfrederik
Kaapse Kliplyster
Gewone Mossie
Gewone Tortelduif
Kransaasvoël
Gewone Kwikkie
Kaapse Wewer
Kaapse Glasogie
Klipstreepkoppie
Gevlekte Klopkloppie
Bruinjakkalsvoël
Groenpootruiter
Grootwaterhoender
Indiese Spreeu
Afrikaanse Kwartel
Kleinrietsanger
Europese Windswael
Rooibeksysie
Kuifkophoutkapper
Kroonkiewiet
Geelsanger
Swartoogtiptol
Diederikkie
Drakensberglangstertjie
Kolgans
Europese Troupant
Feevlieëvanger
Gewone Spekvreter
Kortstertflap
Mikstertbyvanger
Reusevisvanger
Glansibis
Grootwitreier
Grootheuningwyser
Grootstreepswael
Mahem
Bloureier
Bergpatrys
Grondspeg
Hadeda
Hamerkop
Gewone Tarentaal
Huismossie
Rooiborsjakkalsvoël
Karoolangstertjie
Meitjie
Edelvalk
Rooiborsduifie
Kleinrooivalk
Kaapse Rietsanger
Vleitinktinkie
Kleindobbertjie
Kaapse Vleisanger
Langstertflap
Kuifkopvisvanger
Jangroentjie
Vlei-uil
Moerasruiter
Bergwagter
Natalse Fisant
Neddikkie
Olyflyster
Bleekkopklopkloppie
Witborskraai
Bontvisvanger
Witgatspreeu
Koningrooibekkie
Donkerkoester
Rooibekkwelea
Rooibekeend
Rooikoplewerik
Piet-my-vrou
Rooikeelflap
Grootringduif
Westelike Rooipootvalk
Bleshoender
Draaihals
Rooivlerkspreeu
Rietduiker
Kransvalk
Kransswael
Rooiborssperwer
Sekretarisvoël
Europese Vleisanger
Familieswael
Kopereend
Fiskaallaksman
Kalkoenibis
Suidelike Waterfiskaal
Gryskopmossie
Swartkeelgeelvink
Bruineend
Rooivink
Gevlekte Muisvoël
Kransduif
Vlaktelewerik
Gevlekte Ooruil
Wildemakou
Streepkopkanarie
Bosveldfisant
Bruinsylangstertjie
Driebandstrandkiewiet
Witkruisarend
Huiltinktinkie
Veereier
Witooievaar
Witpenskorhaan
Witborsduiker
Nonnetjie-eend
Withalskraai
Witkeelswael
Witvlerksterretjie
Hofsanger
Kleinste Klopkloppie
Kaapse Flap
Geelbekeend
Geelbekwou
Goudgeelvink
Geelblestinker
Landeryklopkloppie
Information about pre-historic fossils found on the farm
In several riverbeds on the farm fossils have been found of the Lystrosaurus Putterilli.
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Lystrosaurus (meaning "shovel lizard) is a genus of the Late Permian and the Early Triassic Period. This creature lived around 250 million years ago in what is now Antarctica, India and South Africa.
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Being a dicynodont therapsid it had no teeth except for two tusk-like upper canines. It usually weighed around 50 and 90 kilograms and were approximately 0.9m long.
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This species of lystrosaurus, the putterilli, has a specific connection with the Harrismith area. It was named for an amateur paleontologist, Arthur Putterill. Putterill was a blacksmith who lived in Harrismith and made several paleontological discoveries in the area around the town.
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