BIRDLIFE PRESIDENT RIDGE Randburg’s Own Bird Club
affiliated to
August 2016 – No. 64
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The Rufous-tailed ScrubRobin the first record for Southern Africa (photo by Peter Sharland)
Cape Vultures taken at Vulpro from the hide (photo by Celia Human)
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IN THIS ISSUE Number 64 PAGE Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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The Chairman Tweets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Down in the Bird Sanctuary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Youth Africa Birding by John Kinghorn . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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BLSA News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Proper use of Playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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The Big Twitch by Duncan Butchart &The Sharland’s . .
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Rietvlei Walk by Chris and Jean Dell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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You Saw What? .. In your Garden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Outing Reports: Barberton by Val Hellman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vulpro by Sophie Banfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Panfontein by Rob McLaren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Devon by John Human . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Black Eagle Project News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Birding Bits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Tree of the Year 2016 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Let’s Learn a Little . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Club Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Front Cover: Malachite Kingfisher by Pierre de Klerk
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EDITORAL The words of a Bob Dylan song “the times they are a-changing” seem apt now with the winter cold disappearing and the August winds blowing in a new season. Although most of the birding community tends to hibernate during winter, it is actually a great time to be out birding. The winter altitudinal migrants make their appearance, you don’t have to get up as early, you can bird all day because of the temperature, the birds can’t hide behind bare branches and then you also have the chance of rarities pitching up. Talking of ‘times changing’, our affiliation with YAB (Youth Africa Birding) is an exciting step to encourage students and younger members to join our Club and inject their enthusiasm and new ideas. Included in this issue is an article on The Use of Playbacks, a topic that needs to be discussed and taken seriously. There are good slogans out there like; birding with a purpose/Spot. Plot. Play a Part – I would like to add ‘birding without disturbing’. As bird club members we need to set the example of good birding practices. We have two articles on Twitching the Scrub-Robin – the difference between dipping and ticking is all in the timing. Etienne Marais gives us insight to the Gauteng 100km challenge and we read about the amazing stats gathered following a Lesser Flamingo. Continuing with ‘times changing’, 2017 will see quite a few of the stalwart committee members making way for a new committee. This is healthy and necessary to ensure continued growth, so please think about stepping up and contributing in some way to the running of our Club. Out of 110 members, we only have 37 that have joined our Facebook page – where are the rest of you? Remember the theme ‘times they are a-changing’, well we are working toward making Facebook our main source of information sharing. The last programme sent out with the April Kingfisher has events planned up to December. We still have 3 weekend away trips, 7 day outings (including the two additional outings as per the Network) and 2 evening talks – the outing organisers are waiting to hear from you.
- Celia Human
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THE CHAIRMAN TWEETS Winter is almost at an end and there is just the beginning of excitement that spring brings every year – this feeling is brought to us by the birds around us starting to call as they become more active. The Southern Boubou and Southern Masked Weavers are the give-aways for me as they just sound different all of a sudden. I am sure you have your favourites that tell you that the seasons are changing. Should you think there are no birds around in winter – think again – with some amazingly special birds being found all over the country. Many of these you had better find in winter or fear missing them for the year. Within the 100km zone there have been many African Finfoot seen, along with Olive Woodpecker, Mountain Wagtail, Burchells Courser, Double Banded Courser, Temnicks Courser and Karoo Robin Chat. The list continues further afield to major rarities like Bridled Tern, Yellow-throated Leaf-love and Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin. Our membership continues to grow and our events remain well supported with many fun outings being enjoyed by members. Life lists increase and in the BirdLasser Club Event we have collected an awesome 630 species in Southern Africa so far this year. All the best to Jane and Joe Irvine on achieving Honorary membership, we will miss them as they retire to KZN. We have appointed a new treasurer, Joy Theron. Val Hellman will now fill the auditor position – thank you to both these ladies for their help. A few larger projects have been taken on at the Bird Sanctuary by Errol and Jean-Claude with help from a few others – thank you for the effort and commitment. I would like also to mention a very special person who is slowly handing over the reins of the Bird Sanctuary portfolio. Gill Hardingham has been Mrs President Ridge Bird Sanctuary since its inception and in fact if it wasn’t for Gill there probably would have been no Bird Sanctuary nor Bird Club. Gill now deserves to sit back and enjoy her hard work, commitment and loyalty over many years. She is a special lady and seldom receives the credit she deserves. I personally would like to thank her and let her know that we appreciate her company, dedication and sharp birding skills over so many years. I know Gill will continue to be involved with everything that we do and will certainly bring her birding skills to all events. Her quiet direction in the background will be ongoing and appreciated as always. Gill you are a legend – thank you.
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It’s almost summer, so get out there and join fellow birders in the enjoyment of this wonderful birding hobby. Please share your birding experiences on our Facebook page. Have fun and ‘spot’ you out there. - John Human Thank you letter from Jane and Joe Irvine We were overwhelmed by the wonderful remarks at the Christmas in July lunch and the Booklet of messages and photo's to remind us of our 15 years with the club. So flattered to have been made Honorary members. With the magazine, website and Facebook we will be kept up to date with all the news. Our time spent with everyone on day outings plus the longer trips was very special. Enjoyed being involved in the 100K challenge, especially the very early starts and long days! My time spent with the Sanctuary working team and our chats over tea most enjoyable. Having been able to visit our lovely Bird Sanctuary after hours with friends a privilege. I enjoyed working with the committee in the planning of the programme, finding new venues and doing reccies. Henk, thank you for 'Lasser' and making everyone get involved with lists and atlassing. We will miss everyone’s friendship but will definitely stay in touch. Keep birding - as I intend to in Natal. with warmest regards Joe and Jane Irvine
to Rob McLaren on reaching 500 Southern African species seen.
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MEANWHILE‌.DOWN IN THE SANCTUARY, SOMETHING STIRRED During the winter months, Errol and Jean-Claude joined the Thursday maintenance team. Errol & Jean-Claude have upgraded the drainage system that entered the Sanctuary from Shanwood Lake and went under the duck board joining the wheelchair path. The rain had eroded the banks supporting the board, making it uneven and possibly dangerous. Shanwood Lake assisted by supporting their boundary bank in the area with some gum pole fencing to stop erosion. The work will be completed soon when some paving is laid to join the wheelchair path. The team wishes to thank members who made donations and supported the Christmas in July raffle to enable us to carry out this project.
The laying of pipes at the early stages of construction
Side view - near completion
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11 August – only the paving still to be done go
Shartwell left us in April but we continue to pay Luvo to work for us on Thursdays and he worked extra days to assist Errol & Jean. We are waiting to hear if City Parks will pay for some labour this coming spring and summer. One Thursday in July, we found 7 dead Laughing Doves in the Bird Sanctuary with no obvious injuries and a further two the following week. Shirley Tebbutt told us she had found 40 dead birds from a variety of species in Delta Park. BirdLife SA suggested it was a virus, possibly Newcastle disease which would eventually die out. No further dead birds have been seen in the Bird Sanctuary for the past few weeks. The aloes have brightened the Bird Sanctuary during winter months and we have planted some more near the spillway. A Black-crowned Night Heron has once again been present during winter months. The birds are singing, Egyptian Geese and Red-knobbed Coots have chicks, spring must be round the corner. Errol has kindly offered to take over my job as custodian of the Sanctuary so that I can retire. However, I will still turn up to join the team on Thursdays to carry out light duties and enjoy tea and chat. Visit the Sanctuary, bring your friends and enjoy the peace and the birds. Please share any special sightings with us. - Gill Hardingham BIRD SANCTUARY CUSTODIAN
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Message to Gill from Peter Sharland (Sanctuary Roster Co-ordinator) I'm sure it is a bittersweet thing for you to be handing over the custodianship of the sanctuary. You have done such an amazing job over the years! I think back to last weekend and my roster duty, finding the sanctuary in such fine condition was a joy and delight. My part in the efforts is a small and humble one, of which I am happily proud. With many thanks for your dedication and diligent attention to the detail. Errol shall most surely have my full support as he takes over from you. Very best Peter
INTRODUCING NEW MEMBERS Johanna Geldenhuis Bella Geldenhuis Elizabeth de Lange Sharron and Brian Diack Shirley Ralph Sue and Owen Oertli
Thank you to you, our members, for your generous financial contributions towards sanctuary projects and exhibitor stand costs at the African Bird Fair. Special thanks to: Owen and Sue Oertli for the boat they donated for the bird sanctuary Errol and Kay Kilpatrick for monthly contribution towards Luvo’s wages Celia and John Human for the timeshare accommodation to raise funds to all that donated prizes and bought tickets in the Christmas in July raffle
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YOUTH BIRDING FLEDGING WITHIN BIRD CLUBS by John Kinghorn The youth birding scene in Africa, and more specifically South Africa, has been fairly inactive and some would even venture to say that it has been almost non-existent. However over recent years as birding has grown as a hobby not only internationally but locally as well with more and more youth taking an interest in this incredible hobby but having no real place to express and grow their passion with social norms in schools not allowing for those interested in nature and wildlife to express this interest in fear of being bullied or ridiculed for being interested in something other than rugby or partying. It was with this in mind that an organization called Youth Africa Birding was formed with the sole purpose of creating a platform for young birders in South Africa, and eventually Africa, to express and grow their interest in birds and birding. YAB is operated solely through social media with outings and events organized for different parts of the country throughout the year; monthly quizzes which assist those newer to birding with brushing up on their ID skills; a place for sharing stories and pictures as well as a place to ask for advice on where to bird and what to look for and where. There has been a whatsapp group formed called “YAB Twitchers” which was created for youth interested in twitching any rare birds that may turn up and organizing lifts and other twitching logistics with one another. Youth Africa Birding has been running for just over a year now, is run by a committee of six people and has over 360 members to date. It is a well-known fact among youth that the traditional bird clubs are more for the older generation of birders and thus they tend to avoid joining one, however together with Birdlife South Africa and its affiliated clubs, YAB is debunking these myths and making bird clubs ‘youth friendly’ and as part of this YAB has started an initiative called “YAB Approved Bird Clubs” which focusses on YAB committee members working in conjunction with a respective club’s committee members and redesigning their youth structure creating a beneficial relationship for both parties. 10
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So if you start to see more and more younger birders joining your club I can only but encourage you all to embrace it; embrace the youth, the young energy and often the expertise that these young birders bring along with them and help us encourage the youth to join the more traditional bird clubs and in our quest to not only preserve the birding hobby but preserve bird clubs as well. Yours in Birding, John Kinghorn Youth Africa Birding Chairman
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BIRDLIFE SOUTH AFRICA - NEWS BirdLife South Africa's 32nd Birding Big Day will take place on Saturday 26 November 2016. The purpose of Birding Big Day is to celebrate the wondeful bird diversity we have in South Africa, to raise valuable funds for conservation and awareness for BirdLife South Africa's conservation work. In addition this year we want to showcase the exciting mobile application, BirdLasser. We plan to make Birding Big Day this year bigger and more exciting than ever before by: Partnering with BirdLasser (www.birdlasser.com) to show the progress of teams during the day on an interactive map. Publicising the event widely in social and printed media and on radio. Establish an Operations Centre at Isdell House during the day where updates about which birds have been recorded and progress of teams will be posted to the various media outlets. Please consider entering a team and be part of the fun! Challenge your friends, work colleagues or other bird club members. You can obtain more information here: http://www.birdlife.org.za/events/birding-big-day and need to register here: http://www.birdlife.org.za/birding-big-day-2016-entry-form We also have a Facebook Events Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/179752395770520/ Looking forward to receiving your entry forms. Ernst Retief Regional Conservation Manager: Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Free State Do you have field guides that you no longer use? Joe Grosel from Birding Africa works closely with local guides some of whom do not have the necessary reference books to assist them, not only in the birding field but in all aspects of nature guiding. Please contact Sharron Diack on 083 488 9357 12
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EXTRACT FROM ARTICLE WRITING BY DAVID SIBLEY ON THE PROPER USE OF PLAYBACK IN BIRDING How does it work? Playback works best on territorial species during their nesting season, when the real bird thinks the recording is a rival threatening to encroach on either its territory or its mate. The territorial male will then (ideally) come out to confront the intruder by patrolling the edge of its territory and singing, or it may stay silent and close to its mate to guard against an adulterer. For her part, sometimes the female will approach the recording to assess the “new guy” and may even solicit some attention. Playback will arouse the curiosity of any species at any time of year, but the response is most dramatic from a territorial bird in breeding season, and weakest from non-territorial birds such as migrants. What Not to do Under no circumstances should you play a recording continuously or at very high volume. The epitome of bad playback etiquette is the birder who walks around with a device continuously and loudly broadcasting sound, or the photographer who sets up a device on continuous playback and waits for the bird to fly in. This is ineffective, unnecessary, and is the kind of playback most likely to be harmful to birds and disturbing to other birders. A note on volume: I have found that the built-in speaker on the iPhone 3G is adequate for every playback situation I have tried, even though it is not as loud as an actual bird. If you are using a device with a built-in speaker, there is probably no need for an added, powered speaker. Whatever device you are using, your starting volume should be lower than the sound you imagine the bird would produce. Respect for the birds To be really effective, playback requires just as much care and “field-craft” as any other birding technique. You need to be aware of, and sensitive to, the habits and behavior of the bird you are trying to lure. Plan carefully and understand your quarry so that you can guess where the bird is, or where it is likely to be. If you have already heard it or seen it, consider those locations when deciding where to play audio. You must be in (or very near) the bird’s territory to get a useful response.
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Choose your spot and set the stage – Visualize the scenario of the bird coming into view. How will it approach the recording, and where will it sit so that you can see it? You should play the recording from a location that offers the bird a comfortable approach through its preferred habitat, and also has openings, edges, and/or prominent perches where it will come into view. Many playback efforts are unsuccessful either because the bird will not cross unsuitable habitat, or because dense vegetation allows it to approach closely while remaining hidden. Begin by playing the recording quietly for just a few seconds – for example just two or three songs, then stop, watch, and listen. Use short snippets – If there is any response, try very short snippets of song after that, even stopping the recording after half of a normal song, to try to tease the bird into the open without posing a serious challenge to its selfesteem. Watch for a response – If there is no obvious response after 30-60 seconds, play another 15-30 seconds of sound. Remember that the bird may respond by approaching silently, or by guarding its mate, so a lack of song is not necessarily a lack of response, and you can assume that you are being watched. Watch the vegetation carefully on all sides for an approach, and also watch and listen for a response from neighboring males. Remain calm – If you still don’t detect any response, play the recording again, watch and wait, and repeat. But don’t keep this up longer than about five minutes, and resist the urge to finish with a prolonged, loud barrage of song. Check back later – Many birds will remain silent in the immediate aftermath of the playback, and then begin singing vigorously minutes later. Males in other territories might monitor the playback, and the challenge to their neighbor, and also be stimulated to sing minutes later. If you can wait around, or circle back to check on the area after 10 to 30 minutes, you may find that the desired response to playback is occurring then. Respect for fellow birders Don’t surprise people – Before each burst of playback, announce to the group that you are about to start playback (just quietly saying “playback” will do), and hold the device up above your head during playback so other birders can see at a glance the source of the sound.
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Be courteous – Before starting, ask your fellow birders if anyone objects to using playback. Be unobtrusive – Keep the volume low and play only short clips of sound – 30 seconds or less – then pause to watch and listen for a response. In conclusion With playback, you are effectively teasing a bird into the open, just like trying to get a fish to bite a lure. If a fish makes a pass at your lure on one cast, you wouldn’t switch to a bigger, more colorful lure and throw it right on top of the fish over and over. No… you would use the same lure, cast it carefully and gently beyond the fish, and retrieve it with as much finesse as you can muster. In the same way, if you are trying to attract a bird into the open and it shows some interest in what you are doing, your next move should be the same thing again but lighter, with more finesse, trying to pique the bird’s curiosity. It is up to all of us to encourage our fellow birders to behave responsibly in the field. Field trip leaders who use playback should make an effort to educate their clients about the proper use of playback. If trip participants want their leader to use less or more playback, they should have a calm and reasoned discussion about it. In many cases we will need to educate new birders about the impact they have by playing recordings from the app they just downloaded to their phone. In the face of all this, it is understandable that heavily-visited parks and refuges often choose the easily-enforceable solution of a total ban on playback, and that should be respected. As in all things related to birds, there is a lot that is unknown about their response to playback. More research on the effects of playback, including varied species with different social systems, would be very helpful. In the meantime, being courteous and respectful to the birds and to fellow birders should avoid most of the potential conflicts and allow us to continue to enjoy birding with minimal impact on the birds.
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DIPPING OUT ON THE BIG TWITCH BY Duncan Butchart Picture the scene. A disorientated man somehow boards the wrong aeroplane and ends up at an airport in a foreign country. He cannot speak the language, he’s wearing unusual clothes and he has lost his passport and wallet. As this odd and bewildered individual paces back and forth across the terminal, somebody spots him, reaches for their camera and takes a snap. Another two people notice this and point at the man. By now, the image is out on instagram and people are so fascinated by the wayward traveller that they get in their cars and drive to the airport to see him. Soon enough, a crowd has gathered and they have circled the shy and fidgety man who is now moving restlessly from pillar to post trying to figure out his next move. This, in a nutshell, is what twitching is all about – seeking out birds that have turned up in places where they are not supposed to be. Here in South Africa, the latest vagabond to pitch up is a Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin that has been knocking about at a place called Zeekoeivlei for the past week. This species has never been observed in South Africa before – it’s not in the books – and this individual has evidently taken the wrong direction home from its wintering grounds in equatorial Africa. It should be nesting in the Mediterranean now, not being blasted by gale force winds and doused with cold drizzle at a public picnic site on the outskirts of Cape Town. Personally, I’m not in the habit of running down these lost birds, but am always fascinated by local birding guru Trevor Hardaker’s ‘Rare Bird News’ and read his regular reports with interest. At any rate, since I had to drive through to Cape Town for meetings on Tuesday 19 July, I thought that it would have been churlish of me not to pay this straggler a visit. For days now, I’ve read that the bird has been perching out in the open, low down on wooden posts were everyone can see and photograph it. So it was, that I joined a bunch of binocular-wielding, anorak-clad voyeurs sheltering under a sparsely foliaged myrtle tree at the sodden picnic site. A cold wind was cutting across the wetland, driving rain into the faces of the twitchers while the object of their desire – the scrub-robin – was apparently hunkered down, out of sight. I was on a tight schedule, so couldn’t wait it out and got back in my car and drove off after about 15 minutes, wiper blades at double speed. Two hours later, meetings done, I was back. A different group of birders were in place but the weather hadn’t changed. The scrub-robin was allegedly hiding in a particular bush, so any move on its part would have been rapidly detected by the hardy twitchers, as their scopes, cameras and binoculars were all pointed fiercely at that greenery. 16
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I left the group to their business, thinking that if it had secretly slipped from its cover, as birds do, someone had better be casting the net a little wider. Traipsing along the well-beaten pathways through high grass at the water’s edge I flushed three ducks that heaved themselves out of the grey water and rose up into the leaden sky. A wagtail with a missing foot limped ahead of me. I was expecting a shout, “there it is!” at any moment, but it never came. Twenty minutes later, there were only three people left, all drenched, and I was looking at my watch. Five more minutes is all I could do, the rush-hour traffic was about to build up and I had a 150 km drive ahead of me. A minute passed, followed by another minute, then, a different minute passed. It was time to go, I had dipped out. But, in some bizarre way, I felt strangely relieved. I hadn’t had to lock eyes with the bird that was never going to make it home. SUCCESS AT THE BIG TWITCH by Peter and Jenny Sharland And so we embarked on the Long Twitch for the Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin leaving Punda Maria at 08h30. Along the way our Prado blew a gasket somewhere near Modimolle (Nylstroom), so we left both it and our caravan in the care of Jan at Waterberg Toyota, via the AA and Willem the tow company man. Got to Johannesburg at 19h30 and packed our backpacks. Put our heads down for 6 hours, caught the plane to Cape Town and arrived "on site" at 10h00. We were frustrated until quite late in the day, with Jenny getting a poor view in the morning and then zip. At 16h00 our gloom lifted as the bird showed really well and cracking views and photos ensued. The happy couple retired to celebrate over a cappuccino. (photo on inside front cover)
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A WALK AT RIETVLEI NATURE RESERVE by Chris & Jean Dell On the 2nd of July we joined the Friends of Rietvlei for a walk at Rietvlei Nature Reserve near Irene. We all gathered at the large lapa and after a quick cup of coffee to warm our shivering hands, the 5 deg crisp wind was a good incentive to start walking. The birds were still sleeping I think as it was so cold when we started off. Plenty Blesbok and Zebra on the grass hills. It is mainly grassland with the odd koppie here and there. WAIT FOR IT……… a Cheetah running right in front of us about 100m away. What a sighting. There were plenty of Cape Longclaws in the open areas. After walking for about an hour, we came across 9 Rhino at the feeding area. They were waiting for breakfast. It was truly awesome to be up close to these magnificent animals. Only a month before there was a poaching attack killing 2 adults and a baby. All the remaining rhinos have been dehorned.
The African Stonechats were at last saying good morning, perching on what twigs were available.
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Near the end of the walk are enclosures for the Cheetah rehabilitation (she was ripped open by a Blesbok’s horns whom she tried to catch) & saw another 2 Rhinos very close…….(the rocks moved).There is a new bird hide (Finfoot) built on the river near the Otter Bridge before the animal enclosures and an African Finfoot has been resident there since Dec’15. We never had time to enjoy the rest of the day looking, but will come again when a little warmer. A Half-collared Kingfisher has also been seen at the Finfoot hide in the early mornings. We walked for about 3 hours doing 7km. There is a nice coffee shop at the finish and was well supported by the group after the cold walk. On the way back to the cars (in a game drive vehicle) sighted an African Fish Eagle flying above the dam. Capped Wheatears, Pied Starlings and Crowned Plovers are plentiful along the roads. The Marais Dam feeds 10% of Pretoria’s water (41 Mega litres per day). The Sesmyl rivier runs into this dam. Our guide Sibu was great and we have booked him for the night drive on 1 October.
Our Club will have a stand at the fair – please pop in and say HI.
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YOU SAW WHAT? ….. IN YOUR GARDEN Seen at The Willows by Pierre de Klerk For 2 weeks during early June, a number of us avid bird photographers living in the Willows Estate were treated to a “garden” birding bonanza, second to none. Each day, from early morning to late afternoon, we had close-up views of a resident Purple Heron, a resident Green-backed Heron and a Grey Heron day visitor. As if this was not enough, there were simultaneous sightings of Giant Kingfishers as well as Pied and Malachite Kingfishers – at times no more than 5 or 6 metres away from our cameras. A Pied Kingfisher skimming low over the water makes for a spectacular photo – that is if you are good enough to shoot off a few high speed exposures in time! To top all the above excitement, we saw Darters and Cormorants fishing for all they were worth. It is quite fascinating to watch a darter flip a large fish in the air so that it slides head first with precision accuracy down the bird’s gullet. Our usual residents were also in evidence every day: Moorhens, Coots, Black Ducks, Egyptian Geese, Sacred Ibis, Rosy-ringed Parakeets, Barbets and a Green Wood-Hoopoe family. Now as I write this in mid-July, everything is doom and gloom. The birdies have flown the coop for pastures new and we are left with just a Grey Heron and a Giant Kingfisher. Birders and photographers – are we EVER satisfied!
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Mozambique – African Pitta and Regional Specialities 2016 We are thrilled to provide Southern African birders with the opportunity of a lifetime to seek the mega African Pitta, East Coast Akalat, White-chested Alethe, Livingstone’s Flycatcher, Blue Quail and a plethora of other wetland and forest specialties in Mozambique’s Coutadas 11 & 12. Rockjumper Birding has negotiated special tours with the concession holder for this amazing area, allowing us to stay in a forest camp with these and other highly sought-after birds right on our doorstep. Not only will we have exclusive access to one of the region’s most important birding and wildlife sites, but we will also venture to the Zambezi to locate Southern Africa’s only Böhm’s Bee-eater population. We are offering three 7-day tours starting on 01 December 2016, 08 December 2016, and 15 December 2016. Alternatively, those who wish to leave out the Böhm’s Bee-eater can opt in for the first 5 days only. Prices are ZAR15,000 for 5 days and ZAR21,750 for 7 days. Tour Dates 01-05 Dec 2016 (5 days) 01-07 Dec 2016 (7 days) 08-12 Dec 2016 (5 days) 08-14 Dec 2016 (7 days) 15-19 Dec 2016 (5 days) 15-21 Dec 2016 (7 days) Tour Price (Per Person) From ZAR15,000 to ZAR21,750
Single Supplement ZAR2,000
Flights (approx.cost) ZAR10,000
For more details, visit our website at: www.rockjumperbirding.com/tourinfo/mozambique-african-pitta-and-regionalspecialities-2016 To Enquire or Book, simply contact us via: Email: info@rockjumperbirding.com Phone: +27 33 394 0225
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OUTING REPORTS (please visit our web site for photos from all the outings – much better in colour) BARBERTON – ALOE RIDGE GUEST FARM 8 – 11 April 2016 by Val Hellman (Club members on the outing: John and Celia Human, Gill Isaac, Rob McLaren, Denise Holahan, Trina Macgregor, Sophie Banfield, Jean and Chris Dell) Three cars set off early on Friday 8 April 2016 to meet at Milly’s for breakfast and coffee. Being April the weather was perfect – warm and sunny. Good signs! The drive to Barberton was uneventful and we arrived at our destination, Aloe Ridge Guest Farm to meet the owners, David and Anne Mourant. John and Celia were in the farmhouse itself and the rest of us in the two fully equipped chalets. Very nice braai areas. Being the keen birders we are, we set off for a walk through the property in the afternoon, along the farm road through mostly grass and trees. We took a wrong turn on the way back going into the farm next door that grows vegetables organically which are sold locally. Chris and Jean Dell had arrived by the time we got back from the walk. Chris having last minute work at the Mall of Africa, which was opening the following week. We did the usual evening activity of a braai. The next morning (Saturday) was off to an early start as we were meeting the local bird club in Barberton itself. They were hosting us and taking us to their best spots for the day. The area around Barberton has grassland as well as forest so we were going to both. Having done all the introductions, we all set off up the mountain road (Saddleback Pass) to spot Gurney Sugarbird, a special for the weekend. We had a beautiful view of a male sitting on the top of a protea bush. We could not have seen it better and the photographers in the group had the opportunity to get some great pictures Next we went into a private eco estate, Mountainlands Reserve, which has grass and forest and walked seeing a number of new birds (for some of the party). We could hear but not see the Knysna Turaco.
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From there we went to Peddlar’s Bush for forest birding for the rest of the afternoon. This is an indigenous forest surrounded by plantations. True forest birding with very tall trees and birds flitting from one tree to another very quickly. You definitely need a strong neck for this. The Barberton Bird Club members were great in showing us where they had seen the specials found in the forest. Targets in this area were Orange Ground Thrush, Sombre Greenbul, Lemon Dove, Terrestrial Brownbul. The beautiful Knysna Turaco was seen by some (I really wanted to see this, but not this time). That evening another great braai was had by all. We lived up to our reputation of being able to have a lot of fun; we are not only serious birders. On Sunday morning we went back to Peddlar’s to carry on with forest birding. We did find all the targets, including the very elusive Orange Ground Thrush. This did take a lot of searching and calling but eventually we all saw it. Rob and John were in top form calling sightings very quickly. The Knysna Turaco did appear again and was seen by those who did not get it the day before. The Chorister Robin-Chat was also found in the undergrowth. David Mourant, besides being chairman of the bird club, is a retired geologist and was part of the team who developed the Barberton Geotrail. Unknown to most of us (except Denise who is a retired geologist), the area has some of the oldest rocks in the world. He took us on the Geotrail on Sunday (we stopped to bird at Peddlar’s and those that wanted to carry on with the trail did so). David is very passionate about geology and made this very interesting for those of us who went with him. Some of the oldest rocks are 3.2 billion years old!
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Unfortunately Monday was departure day but we still managed to fit in some more birding. We had been told by David that the Grey-rumped Swallows had been seen on the golf course, so we headed off to try and find them. We were lucky enough to spot them from the road looking over the golf course. Back to the guest farm for a quick breakfast and to say goodbye to our hosts and go back to reality. Total birds for the weekend was 90 birds. Some highlights were Whitenecked Raven, Grey Cuckooshrike, Forest Canary, Terrestrial Groundbul, Orange Ground Thrush, Lemon Dove, Yellow-streaked Groundbul, sunbirds, Dusky Indigobird, Jackal Buzzard. Thanks to John, Celia and Trina for organising the weekend. Thanks also to the Barberton Bird Club for hosting us and taking us around as well as David and Anne for their hospitality while we were on their farm. We all had a great weekend, good company and good birding. This new venue was great and is well worth a return visit. Barberton is a fantastic area for birding.
We had fun posing for this picture – send us your suggestion for a title to: blpr@pitta.co.za. There will be a small prize for the winning caption. 24
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VISIT TO VULPRO ON 29 May 2016 by Sophie Banfield Celia, John and I arrived early at the entrance to Vulpro (Vulture Programme) and spent a few minutes birding before more members joined us. We had a good sighting of a Cut-Throat Finch amongst the usual Weavers, Sparrows, etc. Three or four unknown cars drew up which turned out to be full of young volunteers who had arrived to help out at Vulpro as part of their practical Scouts programme. Kerri Wolter gave us a very interesting talk concentrating on the threats that face vultures in the wild. She explained that the main causes of deaths and injuries were Eskom power lines, poisoning and lack of natural habitat and uncontaminated food. I was surprised to learn that vultures get electrocuted not just through collisions with power lines, but also from perching on top of the poles and then stretching a wing which then touches a power line. Kerri also explained that poisoning can be unintentional when a farmer leaves a poisoned carcass out which is targeted for predators of his livestock, but the vultures feed on the carcass too. There is also intentional poisoning mostly carried out for the muti trade in vultures and vulture parts, which are seen as good luck tokens (e.g. to help you win the lottery). I can’t remember all the details, but Kerri explained how animals which have been treated with antibiotics during the course of their lives are toxic to vultures and she named a number of antibiotics which are lethal. Considering that most livestock are treated with antibiotics these days to speed up growth and as a preventative measure for disease, this means the poor vultures have few options to feed on. Kerri said she uses only pig carcasses which she sources from a trusted pig farmer. I was amazed to learn that the survival rate in the wild for parent vultures to successfully incubate eggs and rear young to adulthood is only 5% - a sobering thought. We then set off on our tour of the various enclosures led by a very cheerful chap called Obert. We were just admiring the fish eagle which we had heard calling throughout our talk, when Denise spotted a White-fronted Bee-Eater in the grounds. 25
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I’ve listed below the captive birds we saw – most of them were permanent residents because they were unable to fly properly due to their various injuries. One of the saddest items was an open-air enclosure full of vultures which were grounded and completely incapable of flying – some with only one wing. One Fish Eagle One Peregrine Falcon White-headed Vultures Two male Bateleurs White-backed Vultures One Palm Nut Vulture Lappet-faced Vultures Cape Vultures, some in rehab and able to be released once they had recovered. A breeding enclosure for Cape Vultures with a man-made breeding cliff. Obert told us they mate for life and pointed out Percy who is a successful father of 2 hatchings. He was certainly a very attentive partner, walking about with a beak-full of nesting material. A fascinating pair of Andean Condors from the Johannesburg Zoo. Obert said they had been donated 2 – 3 years ago because the zoo was not being very successful in rearing them. The male is a youngster (teenager?) and so far the female’s eggs have been infertile. If they do produce fertile eggs and chicks are reared, then the arrangement is that the chicks will be sent back to South America (goodness knows how, poor things). A pair of Verreaux’s Eagles. We finished off our tour by visiting the hide. The carcasses smelt and are pretty revolting, but once you start concentrating on the birds it’s easier to forget they were once pigs! There were plenty of over-fed marabou storks and some cattle egrets and sacred ibis in the background. After a while the wild Cape Vultures started to make a few fly-pasts until they eventually landed and gradually edged their way closer to the carcasses until they felt brave enough to start feeding. We were all hoping to see a wild White-backed Vulture and Obert identified one juvenile amongst all the Cape Vultures. It was smaller than the others, but otherwise, to me, looked the same as all the rest. However, I was happy to take his word for it! There was a very pleasant lapa where we sat and had our brunch and then wandered around the enclosures and checked the hide again to see if anything else had flown in.
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Some of us watched a couple of the staff giving the rehab vultures some physio and it looked pretty painful having their legs and wings stretched and manipulated. I think I overheard that they received physio four times a day – intensive treatment. Another lovely outing was had by all and we went home with a greater appreciation of the dreadful perils faced by vultures and the very dedicated work that Kerri and her staff are doing to conserve as many of them as possible.
PANFONTEIN, 7 August by Rob McLaren Craig Napier (Leader), Don and Wendy Mattison, Denise Holahan, Gillian Isaac and I had a wonderful morning at Panfontein Some of the highlights were a little flock of 12 Orange Breasted Waxbill, 2 Little Stints in full breeding plumage at the new sludge ponds, Black-necked Grebe and then Don's eagle eyes found the Spotted Eagle Owl at "Craig's Corner" in the pine trees. All in all we found 67 species for the morning. A summer visit might be very productive for waders especially on the new sludge ponds which were full of Kittlitz and Three banded Plovers. We then decided to head off to Deneysville to hunt down some Coursers. Unfortunately Craig couldn't join us but after our Google technician (John Human ) got us our route we managed to get some great sightings of the Double Banded Courser which was a lifer for Don and Wendy. It was a good day with the weather playing the game.
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DEVON WEEKEND: 10 TO 12 JUNE by John Human Well it was with mixed emotions that we set out for Devon early on Friday 10 th June, as always Devon would produce an amazing bird list (108 species) and plenty of laughs (too many to count…) – however this would be Jane’s last trip with the club before her and Joe move off to Pietermaritzburg for a more relaxed life – I will believe that when I see it – they will be very active as always I am sure. So Celia, Trina, Jane and yours truly set off with Gill Isaac and Joy following closely – Henk and Rob were already in the area atlassing - as we had all decided to make the most of Friday and Saturday due to a serious weather warning for the weekend. So we did not start too well as I promptly got embarrassingly lost and stuck in the middle of the six lane freeway with a trailer and a following vehicle – I had five unsympathetic women passing comments and then the GPS chick joined in as well! ‘Wonderful time to look forward to with all the chirping that would follow for two days – from six chicks,’ - I thought to myself! Anyway we unraveled the early mess and then all was good….oops so we thought ….but then we missed the rendezvous point with my backup males (Henk and Rob) as well – ‘even more wonderful and more chirping’, I thought, gripping the steering wheel fiercely. Anyway we changed the plans a bit – unpacked and off we went to get as many new birds for the weekend and also for our own personal goals – I needed 5 winter specials – being Black Harrier, Marsh Owl, Chestnut-backed Sparrowlark, Sickle-winged Chat and Wattled Crane – with my bonus bird being the Grass Owl. This appeared all too easy for Henk who promptly cleaned up on all of the above with the exception of the Grass Owl by Saturday night. I was very content as we had also added Blue Korhaan and Blue Crane (probably over 150 over the weekend) and many amazing species that one only When you need to see just over seems to find at Devon. the rise – back of a bakkie will 28 do
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Strangest bird for the weekend was the Caspian Tern we spotted flying out of some eucalyptus trees on the southern side of Devon! The interesting thing about Devon is that one adds so many waterbirds in what is predominantly a grassveld region. These include: Flamingoes, Blacknecked Grebe, Maccoa Duck, African Snipe, Cape Teal, Red-billed Teal, Cape Shoveller, Yellow-billed Duck, African Black Duck and so on…. The most common bird for the weekend was the African Quailfinch – just everywhere – they are really special little birds. The accommodation remains good with a limit on numbers due to the bathroom arrangement and not for the lack of beds or catering. Braais are special as always in the dining room and we watched SA loose a test match on Henks computer – Willie Le Roux being the reason – per Henk! We even played some seriously “regional” music – which got me the evil eye from Celia…..so wasn’t for very long. And we found a new treasurer on the trip – so be very careful if you go on a weekend outing, you may become Chairman before you find the first mossie of the morning. Thank you Joy Theron for “volunteering”.
Henk checking BirdLasser for next move? OR just trying to hide from us?
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A few concerns about the area were the lack of Owl numbers compared to the previous year’s visit and Henk confirmed this trend a fortnight later on his next visit with BLNG. The drought has really negatively impacted on the vegetation – although the late rains seem to have filled up the dams. Also the ongoing threat of the mining sits very heavy with me and would be such a disaster should this happen – I hope and pray that they leave Devon alone – it is such a wonderful place. If you haven’t been before then GO before it is too late. Sunday resulted in heavy wind and freezing cold – but we didn’t mind as we had enjoyed a wonderful weekend so just went home. So lucky to have spent this time with a sharp group again and especially with Jane.
BIRDLASSER APP MAKES EVERY BIRDER A CONSERVATIONIST
Spot. Plot. Play a Part
https://www.birdlasser.com/ 30
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BLACK EAGLE PROJECT ROODEKRANS·6 AUGUST 2016 News Flash - The beginning of a new era Dear Facebook Friends, and Eagle Lovers, We’ve had some interesting developments that occurred this year and would like to announce the beginning of a new, exciting Chapter for Black Eagle Project Roodekrans. The 2016 breeding season started off in the normal way, with nest refurbishment, firstly by bringing dry branches and sticks to the nest, and progressing to lining the nest with green sprays to ensure a comfortable platform to lay and incubate the eggs. However, as time went by, and no eggs were laid, we entered into period where speculations were the order of the day. It was suggested that they could just be taking a gap year, which is a known fact amongst other eagle watchers. The aftermath of the severe drought experienced during our last rainy season was considered, and even the possibility of Emoyeni having become infertile due to her age. We also noticed slight behavioural changes during this period. The fact that both male and female went on particularly long sorties, was unusual during this period, as the female would normally remain in close proximity of the nest prior to egg laying. It was very interesting that one of the Black Eagle Project Roodekrans’ monitors spotted three adult Black Eagles in the immediate breeding area on Saturday 9 July 2016. There was no aggression witnessed between any of the Black Eagles on that day. It is a known fact that it is extremely difficult to distinguish between different individuals of this species, and it was only when one of our official photographers noticed Thulane was accompanied by a new female, that we went into a deeper investigation. This was indeed a great shock to all of us, but we have to accept that nature will take its own course and we as humans can only stand by and observe. Emoyeni (Upon the Wind) has had a full life, reaching an age which is considered an achievement for a Black Eagle in the wild. She also raised many juveniles, with amazing breeding success over the time Black Eagle Project Roodekrans’ monitored her. It is indeed sad that our most beloved Emoyeni is no longer in the immediate breeding area, but we are very grateful that Thulane managed to persuade a new young female to join him in what must be considered a very difficult environment. 31
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BIRDING BITS EXTRAORDINARY FLAMINGO MOVEMENTS AMAZE SCIENTISTS On the 10th of June 2016 the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) recorded some extraordinary movements by a Lesser Flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor) recently fitted with a GPS/GSM satellite transmitter. This individual covered a staggering distance of 1,069 km in one single flight over 16 hours, crossing the Indian Ocean from Mozambique to Madagascar. Flamingo no. 27 (a small female) had been satellite tagged at Delareyville in the North West Province as part of the Eskom/EWT partnership’s efforts to track flamingo movements to develop measures to protect them from collisions with power lines. When Flamingo no. 27 crossed the border into Mozambique, she didn’t stop there and instead she proceeded at 7pm on Saturday the 10th of June to cross the Mozambique coast at Maxixe. She finally reached the western shores of Madagascar near Morombe at noon the following day. The recording of these extraordinary movements by Flamingo no. 27 is a breakthrough for the project and flamingo science in Africa, as to our knowledge, this is the first time that a Lesser Flamingo has been tracked flying between mainland Africa and Madagascar. All of the long range movements (>100 km) recorded by each of the six tagged flamingos have been at night, specifically between 6pm and 2am, confirming the theory that they are night fliers and thus susceptible to nocturnal powerline collisions.
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Over the past 20 years the Eskom/EWT partnership has been collecting information on avian mortalities relating to electrical infrastructure. The Lesser Flamingo has been one of the major species of concern due to collisions with overhead power lines. One of the methods used to reduce these mortalities is to mark powerlines with bird flight diverters, or ‘flappers’: devices that can be spotted by birds to prevent collisions. However, a number of flamingo powerline mortalities are still being reported, even in areas where the lines have been clearly marked.
“We hypothesised that recurring mortalities under marked sections of powerlines might be as a result of their nocturnal behaviour, as conventional flappers would be rendered invisible to birds flying at night. In order to prevent mortalities, we may therefore have to mark lines with nocturnal bird flight diverters, devices that illuminate the position of overhead powerlines in the dark” said Matt Pretorius, Senior field officer at the Endangered Wildlife Trust. Between March and June 2016, the Eskom/Endangered Wildlife Trust strategic partnership conducted two successful captures of Lesser Flamingo at Delareyville in the North West Province of South Africa. Six individuals were fitted with GPS/GSM satellite transmitters to investigate and map the extent of their nocturnal activity/movements. 33
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The Eskom/EWT partnership, in conjunction with Pre-formed Line Products, has also designed and tested the world first nocturnal bird flight diverter called the “OWL” device, a solar-powered device equipped with LED lights. Satellite tracking information will assist the partnership to identify powerlines to mark with the OWL nocturnal bird flight diverters to improve the visibility of powerlines for birds flying at night. “This initiative will not only assist us to prevent powerline related mortalities in Lesser Flamingos, but will also provide valuable information on the movements, habits and breeding behaviour of these birds” said Constant Hoogstad, Manager of the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Wildlife and Energy Programme. A previous study has shown that Lesser Flamingos undergo long range movements within southern Africa, between their non-breeding range and breeding sites in Namibia and Botswana. A link between the East African Rift Valley lakes and the southern African population has also been suggested based on anecdotal evidence. However their migratory routes are yet to be mapped using satellite telemetry. A recent genetic study also suggested a possible link between Lesser Flamingos in Africa and India. The project is supported by Eskom Research, Testing and Development. To continue to assist in decreasing the number of bird mortalities on powerline infrastructure, the EWT would like to encourage members of the public to report any wildlife and powerlines incidents to wep@ewt.org.za , 011-372-3600 or Toll free 0860-111-535. Contact: Constant Hoogstad EWT Wildlife and Energy Programme Manager constanth@ewt.org.za 011 372 3600 www.ewt.org.za
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LET’S GO INDIGENOUS – TREES OF THE YEAR 2016 September is Arbor Week celebrating just a few of the 2,000 indigenous tree species in South Africa. Arbor Week highlights two specific trees; one common and one rare species. COMMON SPECIES Ficus thonningii Common Wild Fig/Gewone wurgvy Family: Moraceae National Tree No. 48 An evergreen tree up to 15m tall, with a rounded to spreading and dense crown. Bark on young branches hairy, with a stipular cap covering the growth tip, but smooth and grey on older branches and stems, the whole plant exuding a milky latex. Usually starts life as a strangler on other trees or on rocks. Often masses of aerial roots can be seen hanging from the branches and main trunk. The figs, which may be hairy, grow singly or in pairs in the angles formed by the leaves. As in all figs, the flowers are inside the fruit and are not visible. The ripe fruits are eaten by fruit-eating bats and it is one of the best tree species to attract fruit-eating birds. This tree has an aggressive root system and should not be planted in a small garden or near buildings, swimming pools or paths. It makes a successful contain plant for the patio. RARE SPECIES (two have been listed for 2016) Maerua cafra Common bush-cherry/Gewone witbos Family: Capparaceae National Tree No. 133 An evergreen shrub or small tree that grows up to a height of 2-9m, depending on the local conditions. Its light-coloured trunk accounts for the common name "white-wood" or "witbos" in Afrikaans. It has alternate, compound leaves with 3-5 leaflets with a long petiole up to 60mm. The scented flowers are borne in terminal clusters and are comprised mainly of a tuft of spreading white stamens, tipped with green.
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The slender stamens give the flowers a spider-like appearance. Flowering occurs in early spring from August to October. Flowers are followed by oval, plum-like fruit in October - December. These are up to 45mm long, pale green with dark green ribs. When the fruit ripens it remains green, but becomes soft and strongly sweet smelling and is relished by many different bird species. It is a common plant in the bushveld regions, wooded grassland and along the forest margins, also occurring in rocky areas. Maerua angolensis Bead-bean Tree/Knoppiesboontjieboom Family: Capparaceae National Tree No. 132 An evergreen tree up to 15m tall with a dense rounded canopy. Flowering from July to December and fruiting from September to April. Flowers are borne in terminal clusters and sweetly scented. Fruit a non-splitting pseudo-pod up to 160 mm long and markedly constricted around the seeds. It is a rewarding garden tree with its dark green leaves and the masses of whitish flowers attracting a myriad of insects and they, in turn, many insect-eating birds. An ideal tree for the smaller garden, forming a neat shade tree. The larvae of various butterfly species feed on the leaves. The root system is not aggressive. It is frost and drought-resistant and grows equally well in shade and full sun.
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LET’S LEARN A LITTLE
(by Trevor Hardacker)
One of the most important things to get to grips with when starting out in this wonderful hobby of ours is to understand the anatomy of birds. It is more important than knowing the specific characteristics of a particular species because, once you have a good general understanding of the anatomy of birds, you will find the specific identification challenges a lot easier to deal with because you will immediately know the various parts of the bird that are being referred to. So, do yourselves a favour and get to know where the primaries, secondaries, coverts, scapulars, etc. are on a bird because I promise you that it will make things a lot easier in the future.
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CLUB COMMITTEE PRESIDENT CHAIRMAN VICE-CHAIRMAN TREASURER MINUTE SECRETARY MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY NETWORK BIRD SANCTUARY ROSTER
Jan Fourie John Human Errol Kilpatrick Joy Theron Lynn Pickering Denise Holahan Denise Holahan Gill Hardingham Peter Sharland
044 384-0295 011 704-3196 082 326-9278 011 888-9690 011 792 1045 011 791-7154 011 791-7154 011 462-9682 011 782-8600
PROGRAMME SUBCOMMITTEE Co-ordinator Jane Irvine Programme Secretary Trina MacGregor Outing Organisers Errol Kilpatrick Ian Cuthbertson Chris & Jean Dell Maryke Ewen Peter & Jenny Sharland Sophie Banfield Denise Holahan MEMBERSHIP LIAISON
Dee Cuthbertson
011 782-9923 082 587-4863 082 326-9278 011 447-8602 012 807-0226 011 608-4043 011 782 8600 011 465 0256 011 791-7154
011 447-8602
JUNIOR CERTIFICATES BirdLife President Ridge has set in place a scheme to award pupils and scholars, ages 0 to 18 years, JUNIOR CERTIFICATES for sighting a minimum of 100 Southern African bird species. Further certificates will be awarded (increments of 50) as the young peoples’ life lists increase. Encourage your children and grandchildren to start their life lists now! Apply to Celia Human for more details: 011 704 3196
FOR MORE PICTURES AND OTHER NEWS PLEASE VISIT OUR WEB SITE www.blpr.co.za AND OUR FACEBOOK PAGE 38
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Gurney’s Sugarbird taken on Barberton Outing
Grey Heron taken at The Willows
(photo by Celia Human)
(photo by Pierre de Klerk)
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Christmas in July lunch
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