Randburg’s Own Bird Club April 2016 - No. 63
KINGFISHER
April 2016
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Jean and Chris Dell CONGRATULATIONS on 500 Southern African species seen
AGM - 9 February 2016 Errol Kilpatrick is thanked for his hard work as Club Treasurer
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April 2016
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IN THIS ISSUE Number 63 PAGE Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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The Chairman Tweets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Down in the Bird Sanctuary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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BLSA News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Mkuzi and Ndumu by Chris and Jean Dell . . . . . . . . . .
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Chasing Highland Specials by Andrew Metcalfe . . . . .
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St Lucia by Rob McLaren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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You Saw What? .. In your Garden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Outing Reports: Rietvlei Nature Reserve by Maryke Ewen . . . . . . Wolfhuiskraal by Rob McLaren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blouberg Nature Reserve by Celia Human . . . . . .
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PRBC and I by Shirley Glover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Black Eagle Project News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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A Penguin Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Birding Bits and Environmental News . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Indigenous Gardening by Karen Nel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Club Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Front Cover: Half-collared Kingfisher by Jan Fourie
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April 2016
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EDITORAL Rarities and uncommon sightings have been the order of the day over the first three months of this year. A Red Phalarope caused quite a stir at Mkhombo Dam near Rust de Winter accompanied by Caspian Plovers in striking breeding plumage, two Black-tailed Godwits and a Lesser Blackbacked Gull. More than 2 000 birding enthusiasts went to see the Spotted Crake at Waterfall Village in Midrand. A Tree Pipit made an appearance at Wonderboom Nature Reserve in Pretoria. A Common Whitethroat had photographers flocking to the parking lot of the Origins Centre at Wits. A Painted Snipe was seen at Borakalalo. Marievale’s Western Marsh Harrier was back and many birders got to see the Yellow-throated Sandgrouse near Sun City. And how did we know about these sightings? – Facebook! Facebook groups such as SA Rare Bird Alert, Birder’s Gen, Gauteng 100km Challenge and BirdLife SA have become essential tools to keep in touch with birding events, sightings and conservation discussions. To add to our arsenal of information sharing we now have a Club Facebook page (BirdLife President Ridge). Please join, share your birding news and visit the page regularly. The programme committee has put together a varied and exciting list of events for the rest of the year. Please book early, especially for the weekend away trips, as we have had to pay deposits upfront to secure our bookings. In this issue, apart from the all the regular articles, there is a feel good story about a penguin and a fisherman; an overseas birding experience by Andrew Metcalfe, The Dell’s trip to KZN and Rob McLaren makes us jealous with all his lifers seen on his trip to St Lucia. Shirley Glover is the first member to share with us “what the Club means to me”, which I hope will become a new regular feature. The Kingfisher is your magazine and needs your input to stay current and to keep up with other forms of communication. If you have any comments (positive or negative) - suggestions for articles or any other ideas, I would be happy to hear from you. - Celia Human
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April 2016
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THE CHAIRMAN TWEETS With the AGM and all the formalities over we start a new year after our 20th Year celebrations, perhaps with a little apprehension about what will make this a good year for our Club. Need not worry too much with all that happens on a daily basis at BirdLife President Ridge, life remains very interesting! Already some interesting lectures and rewarding outings – both day trips and further afield events make belonging to a Club a good experience and a way to see special birds and visit places with good people. I have had a peek at the new programme of events for the year – all I can say is - book early! A warm welcome to Lynn Pickering our new Minute Secretary and to Val Hellman who will take over the role of Treasurer for 2016. Congratulations to Errol Kilpatrick who will fill the Vice Chairman position for the year. I have been voted into the Chairman position for a fourth term and would like to thank you all for this vote of confidence. I would, however, really like to suggest it is my last – new ideas and drive are always healthy for any organisation. We have just returned from a wonderful Club trip to the Blouberg Nature Reserve and will be heading off to Aloe Ridge Guest Farm in Barberton shortly – and we are only in April! The number of our members involved with BirdLasser, SABAP2 and the Gauteng 100km Challenge is increasing and I encourage you to get involved in this form of birding as it helps to improve your knowledge and you actually go out more often. We have just launched our very own Facebook page and invite you all to become active on this site. It is a good way to share your birding and trip experiences with other members and it is also a way of making everyone aware of special birds that pop up around the country. You may, of course, load pictures of birds that you would like help with identification. If you are looking for company on a birding adventure – ask on Facebook and you may just find someone who is also going your way. Our new mailed form of networking will be key to communication this year and backs up the website with all the information you need to keep you up to date with the many activities of BirdLife President Ridge. Happy birding – ‘spot’ you out there. - John Human
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MEANWHILE….DOWN IN THE SANCTUARY, SOMETHING STIRRED After a very long hot summer the Sanctuary is preparing for winter. The leaves are falling from the willows and the migrants are flying north. Luvo & Shartwell continued to take care of the Sanctuary until the 10 th March when their services were terminated at 24 hours’ notice by City Parks because of lack of funds. This was a great shock to us all. We will continue to pay Luvo & Shartwell to work in the Sanctuary on Thursdays until the end of April, possibly into May. Hopefully by then they will have found other employment. We do not know if a similar scheme will start up again in the spring but City Parks have told us they will not employ the same labourers. The maintenance team is preparing to work once more but will still find time for coffee. In March, children from Unika Primary School in Robindale and Crest Primary School in Ferndale enjoyed walks in the Sanctuary. After years of chasing, City Parks have at last removed the huge woodpile close to the Ile de Paradis/Cross street gate which was a fire hazard and the appearance of that corner begins to look much better as the grass begins to grow. Some of the more interesting birds seen recently include, Giant & Brownhooded Kingfishers, Woodland Kingfishers with a juvenile, Black-crowned Night Herons and a Yellow–crowned Bishop which was a new addition to the Sanctuary list. Helmeted Guineafowl, Egyptian Geese and Yellow-billed Ducks all produced chicks but few survived. The water mongoose has been seen several times with a juvenile, we suspect they are the culprits. Some of the aloes in the new flower bed are in flower and the small trees planted earlier this summer are growing well except that two washed away during heavy rain! Come along to the Bird Sanctuary on Saturday 30th April and enjoy a bird walk, breakfast and meet old and new friends. Gill Hardingham BIRD SANCTUARY CUSTODIAN
INTRODUCING NEW MEMBERS Ronelle Grobler Susan van der Merwe Grant Egen 6
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April 2016
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BIRDLIFE SOUTH AFRICA NEWS
SOCIABLE WEAVER - BIRD OF THE YEAR FOR 2016 Identification: Measuring around 14 cm in length, the Sociable Weaver has a black chin, black barred flanks and a scalloped back. It weighs between 26 and 32 grams and sexes are indistinguishable. Habitat and Distribution: The Sociable Weaver’s range is centred within the Northern Cape Province of South Africa, and it is strongly associated with the arid savannahs characteristic of the southern Kalahari region. Breeding: Sociable Weavers build large compound community nests, a rarity among birds. These nests are perhaps the most spectacular structures built by any bird. The communal nest mass contains multiple independent nest chambers that are used for roosting throughout the year and for breeding. These weavers are cooperative breeders, with up to five (or sometimes more) ‘helpers’ assisting the breeding pair by bringing additional food to the young in the nest. Sociable Weavers breed in response to rainfall, so the length of the breeding season varies from year to year. Females usually lay 3-4 eggs in a clutch, and can lay successive clutches, as long as the breeding conditions remain favourable. A maximum of 15 clutches was recorded in a 10 monthlong breeding season, as a result of continuous predation by snakes. The oldest recorded adult was 16 years old. Relationships with other species: In an ecological sense, Sociable Weavers are more than just birds, they are ecosystem engineers. Colonies cooperate to build the largest nests of any bird in the world. These iconic structures provide shelter for not only the weavers themselves, but many other species of small birds, including Black-cheeked Waxbills, Acacia Pied Barbets and others that can be found roosting in the nest chambers at night. The Pygmy Falcon has a near-obligate relationship with the weavers, existing only where there is a nest to support it. The weavers seem to tolerate the falcons, despite losing the odd chick to their lodgers – but the true nature of the relationship remains to be unravelled. 7
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Food: The Sociable Weaver is insectivorous, with insects comprising 80% of their diet. As an adaptation to living in the dry Kalahari Desert, where water is scarce, they obtain their water from the insects they feed on, although they will also drink water from stock troughs and farm dams when it is available. They also feed on seeds and other plant products, foraging predominantly on the ground, but also on bark and leaves of trees. Interaction with humans: With the recent availability of man-made structures like telephone and electricity poles, the weavers have even expanded their distribution range to some areas of the northern Nama-Karoo, where they couldn’t nest in the past due to the lack of trees. It has been speculated that this expansion may be facilitated by reduced nest predation by snakes in these areas – given the difficulty of climbing the smooth, upright poles – thereby freeing the weavers from one of their main causes of breeding failure. However, other human activities may yet affect the weavers in other unpredictable ways.
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KINGFISHER
April 2016
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HOLIDAY TO MKUZI AND NDUMU – DECEMBER/JANUARY by Chris and Jean Dell Mkuze: 2 nights. Mkuze has become very popular since the introduction of the Big Five and all the hides have been revamped since we visited the park in 1998. The guided Fig Forest Walk is still our favourite activity. There were 8 of us on our walk and while walking around with the hippos watching our every move, we came across the African Broadbill (lifer) singing about 20m from us. Great excitement for all.
The revamped look out towers and swing bridges makes bird watching easier. The park had some rain 2 weeks before we arrived, filling up Insumo Pan. It was nice to see the hippos having water to relax in. Water holes are fed by borehole water, encouraging the birds and animals to these spots. Sightings: African Goshawk, African Harrier-Hawk, Broadbill Roller, Senegal Lapwing, Southern Banded Snake-Eagle, Neergaard’s, Amethyst, Scarletchested Sunbirds. Numerous sightings of the Gorgeous Bush-Shrike were had. Our disappointment was the never seen Green Twinspot and to hear the news that the resident bird guide is retiring after 37 years.
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April 2016
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Illala Palm Park: 5 nights. This a great stop over spot in between Mkuze and Ndumo. This 6 campsite park has your own kitchen, sink/shower unit on each spacious site. The birding is great. Here we saw besides the already seen, the great entertainer, the Olive Sunbird. Chris was using his call screener with the book checking sunbird calls. The next moment we had a very responsive male, jumping with much energy in the tree above us. Never witnessed a bird respond so quickly. (Jean still laughs when recalling the moment). Magpie Manikins, Pink-throated Twinspots are plentiful in the campsite. Birding at Sudwana Bay was disappointing, not a seabird in sight. Ndumo: 4 nights. The road is tarred all the way to the park. The drought has really taken its grip on the area. We never saw any francolins or many ground birds. The main dam had so little water in it. Viewing from the hides was hard with the water edge so far away. We did view an African Harrier-Hawk trying to curtail his caught meal. There is a gem of a hide at a borehole fed watering hole. A Little Sparrowhawk was drinking from the trickle of the spring. The unusual viewing was a Purple-crested Turaco drinking in amongst the tortoises and buck. Some lifers for us were the Dark-backed Weaver, Pale Flycatcher, Grey Penduline-Tit. The Fig forest walks are always rewarding. Because it was so dry, we walked a lot further into the forest and river areas. Those trees are mind boggling in their size. A pair of Warthog piglets kept us well entertained in between looking at the plentiful Trumpeter Hornbills.
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April 2016
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We took the 4x4 road after Red cliffs area, being open due to no water. We drove past an anti-poaching patrol. It was nice to chat to them about their work and the good they do. We have never seen such large Ficus and Natal Mahogany trees before. Their trunks at the base are just so huge. On our last evening stroll in camp we came across a pair of African Yellow Whiteeyes in the birdbath near reception. We camped under a very special Natal Mahogany tree which supplied much needed shade. The day temp was 44deg. but the heat off the grassless campsite sand made it feel like 50deg. The only downfall to the camp site is you have to walk 250m to the ablutions near the chalets. A loo is needed in the camping area. This was a first for us in Dec/Jan with no rain.
This publication is long overdue, as the last regional red list was published in 2000. Since then, ecosystems and habitats in the region have been classified and assigned their own threat levels, which has painted a rather disheartening picture; many habitats are under significant threat or in a bad state of fragmentation and/or degradation. Global extinction is, of course, the final step in the deterioration of species’ conservation status, and is also irreversible. The purpose of the Red List categorisations is to produce a relative estimate of the likelihood of extinction. There is so much to do for bird conservation, that prioritising is essential. The 2015 Eskom Red Data Book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland represents an important tool to do this. The challenge now is to marshal resources and work together towards ensuring that the reversal of the extinction wave is well underway by the time the next regional assessment is undertaken. Available from BirdLife SA Head Office - 011 789 1122 Cost: R325-00
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April 2016
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CHASING HIGHLAND SPECIALS by Andrew Metcalfe Though South Africa is now my home, I try to get back to the UK at least once a year – usually at Christmas. Those of you who have experienced Christmas in the UK know how special it can be! This year, I decided to make it even more special, with a short trip to the Highlands to hunt down some of those birds that had always managed to elude me – even though I’d lived in Scotland for over 20 years. Making the most of the opportunity, I’d decided to hire a local guide, who knew just where the birds were to be found. And just as well, because Dave Slater turned out to be one of the most experienced guides that I’ve ever had. Not only did he find me nearly all the birds that I was looking for, but he made the whole experience really enjoyable from start to finish. My trip started with an uneventful drive up to Grantown-on-Spey. There were one or two Red Kites around Perth, and the odd Buzzard, but the only interesting bird was a massive, dark, long-tailed game bird that swooped in front of the car. It transpired to be a melanistic Pheasant – apparently more and more of them are being introduced in the Highlands “to make the shooting more interesting”. Dave had booked me into the Grant Arms Hotel. The Hotel has been turned into a haven for wildlife watchers, and is the jumping off point for guided tours of all shapes and sizes. The hotel also has a massive reference library, and its own lecture theatre – with wildlife talks every evening. They even publish a newsletter every day (“The Daily Chirp”), with the previous day’s sightings and the forthcoming trips. The accommodation was fantastic, the staff was amazing, and the food was delectable. And don’t get me started on the Cairngorm Brewery beer (why, oh why, can no-one brew like that in South Africa?). Anyway, back to the birds. I met up with Dave in reception on the first day, after a wonderful cooked breakfast. He’d planned a route to maximise my chances of seeing the birds that I was looking for. We’d been on the road only 10 minutes when I mentioned that I’d forgotten to include a couple of the white-winged gulls on my list of wants. He screeched to a halt, veered up a side-road and said “what, you mean like that one”! And there, in a flock of Herring Gulls was a beautiful white Glaucous Gull. Tick number 1 – just like that. Five minutes later, came tick number 2, the Black Grouse, and perhaps the highlight of the whole trip – after only 15 minutes!
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Glaucous Gull
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I’d always wanted to see a Black Grouse, but unless you know where the Leks are, your chances are slim (a Lek is a place where the birds gather to display; the same Leks can often be used by birds for generations). Dave had brought me to a known Lek at Nethybridge. I will never forget my first sight of a group of 10 or so displaying males as the sun made its first appearance over the horizon. Apparently, they display all year round, so that by the time spring comes (and mating) everyone knows their place in the pecking order. To see a couple of males squaring up to one another, white tails raised, wings beating, was a sight never to be forgotten. I even got to see one of them on a fence post, with the long, lyre-shaped tail clearly visible. How could one beat that – well, Dave was determined to try. It was off to the coast, to try for some of those elusive sea-ducks. First, there was a little cultural diversion in Forres. Dave showed me the Witches Stone on the main road. Apparently, it marks the place where they used to try ‘witches’. They used to roll the supposed witch down a hill, in a barrel full of spikes. If she died in the barrel, she was innocent. If she survived, she was a witch and was executed. And we think we have a problem with justice!
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Just further on, we stopped to see the Sueno stone. It’s a beautifully carved stone, around 12 feet high, that dates from the times when the Picts occupied Scotland. It’s actually mentioned in Shakespeare’s MacBeth. Legend has it that it contains MacBeth’s three witches, locked up for eternity, but that if it is ever broken the witches will escape to wreak their revenge on the land. As Dave wryly remarked “it must have been cracked for a long time – how else do you explain my ex-wife”!
Long-tailed Duck
So we arrived at the sea at Roseisle, and after a wee bit of searching, we identified a well-marked Slavonian Grebe in beautiful winter plumage. They breed in Scotland as well, and I promised myself that I would one day return in the summer to see the bird with its amazing golden ear-tufts. That was tick 3, and they were coming thick and fast now. Just around the corner, in Burghead we saw, in quick succession, Long-tailed Duck (really great views of these spectacular ducks up close), and both Common and Velvet Scoter. Ticks 4, 5 and 6. There were also flocks of beautifully marked Eider, some Goldeneye and Red-breasted Merganser, diving Gannets and Shags, and both Red-throated and Black-throated Divers. Also, plenty of Carrion Crow and two that Dave thought were probably Hooded Crow, and some Jackdaw and Chaffinch. But sadly, no Great Northern Divers, which proved elusive throughout the whole trip, as did my Black Guillemot. And no Arctic Skua either, though these are not particularly rare in the area. But finally, there on the shoreline, in amongst the Eurasian Oystercatchers, Redshanks, Blacktailed Godwits, Curlews and Turnstones, was tick number 7 – Purple Sandpiper.
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The weather was holding fine – not a drop of rain so far (which is pretty unusual for those climes). So we headed round to Lossiemouth, where Dave had said there had been sightings of an Iceland Gull. The estuary was bathed in sunshine, and we settled down to scan the flock of several thousand Herring and Black-headed Gulls - with a few Common and Lesser Black-backed as well, not to mention a few hundred Widgeon, the odd Grey heron, a Stonechat, a Magpie and a Kittiwake. After around 10 minutes of searching through the scope, Dave exploded in a cloud of uniquely Scottish expletives (some of which even I had not heard before!). A local dog-walker had rounded the point and sent the whole flock into the air. He had to wait for them all to settle and then start again! But his perseverance paid off, and after another 10 minutes, there it was, relaxing on a sand bar – an immature Iceland gull. Tick number 8. Also in the flock was apparently a Mediterranean Gull, an even greater rarity that far north, but a bird that I had seen before in Norfolk and in France. And after a few minutes more searching, there it was. The only difference between the Med. Gull and the Black-headed Gull in winter, is the different shaped mask on the face, and the lack of black in the wing tips. Easy enough you might think, but just try finding one bird like that, in a flock of over a thousand that weren’t. But Dave did it! But the day wasn’t quite yet over – Dave had said there was a good chance of Snow Bunting on the dunes behind the estuary. We searched and searched and finally, there they were – a flock of a dozen or so of these beautifully marked little birds. Nine ticks – embarrassing really, for a country in which I used to live. On the way back to the hotel, we stopped off at Lochindorb, a wonderful grouse estate, and one time home to the Wolf of Badenoch, son of the then King of Scotland. The ruins of his castle (‘the Wolf’s Lair’) are still to be seen in the middle of the loch. What wasn’t to be seen was the Long-eared Owls that often quartered the moor on the estate, nor the Woodcock that were supposed to be feeding at the roadside at dusk. A Woodcock did fly over the car, but yours truly was scanning the verges at that point. Well, they say that you should always leave a bird to return for! But we did have a lovely view of a Barn Owl, just sitting on a branch at the edge of the road. So it was off to the hotel, for a hot bath, another couple of pints of ‘Trade Winds’ and another wonderful meal of Venison Casserole (real deer in this case). Whilst we’d been lucky with the weather on day 1, day 2 started with heavy rain. Dave was pessimistic, especially as we were going for the more difficult birds on day 2. After another try for the elusive Woodcock (no-luck), we started at Darnaway Forest, at a section of the woods where there was known to be a Capercaillie Lek. 15
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Capers were the biggest UK game bird, until the re-introduction of Great Bustards on Salisbury Plain. They can be very aggressive, and have been known to attack walkers and cyclists if they feel threatened. Dave told me that one found shelter in the entrance of a local hotel not so long ago, and noone could get in or out until the local gamekeeper had arrived to shoo it away! But despite these appearances, the Capers are few and far between. Habitat loss and encroachment from humans is decimating the population and Dave reckons they will be extinct in Scotland before too long. So it was a real shame that we couldn’t find one – all we saw was numerous Coal Tit, Wren and the odd Great Tit. But we did find (eventually) a flock of Crossbills – tick number 10. I had a good sighting of a wonderfully-coloured male, before they flew on to the next set of larch cones. And before you ask if they were Common or Scottish Crossbills, I’ve no idea. Nor had Dave. Apparently, the only way to tell is in the laboratory, with a sonogram. In fact, Dave says it’s a good way to find a bird-guide in Scotland - if your potential guide promises to find you a Scottish Crossbill, ignore him and find someone else, because “he’s nae idea whit he’s talkin aboot!”. We then spent a couple of chilly hours in the Findhorn Valley, looking for eagles. The Valley is remote, desolate, but (in between sleet showers) incredibly beautiful. No eagles, but plenty of Ravens and Common Buzzards (each one scanned carefully, because a Rough-legged Buzzard had been seen the week before). Also a flock of Fieldfare (with one Redwing), some beautiful Goldfinches, Kestrels, a Sparrowhawk, a couple of Mute Swans, a Greylag Goose, and the usual Blackbirds and Mistle Thrushes. So thoroughly cold by then, we decided to head back down onto the moors, looking for Hen Harrier and Merlin. Despite extensive scanning, nothing was to be seen apart from dozens and dozens of Red Grouse. Lovely birds, almost comical, until one realises what their fate is to be! Dave was very vocal about the plummeting population of Harriers (less than 200 pairs left in the UK), the persistent persecution that they suffer from the gamekeepers, and the lack of protection from the law. As he put it, a gamekeeper found guilty of shooting a Harrier might face a R30,000 fine, but the local landowner could get that back from just one days shooting, from just one gun, when the grouse season opens. For proof, Dave says, look at Europe, where the Hen Harriers are thriving – because there is no grouse shooting. I thought that was going to be it for my two days, and was well satisfied with my ten ticks. But Dave was determined to end the trip with a bang, and so he did. We went back to the hotel via Carrbridge, and meandered out of the town on Station Road, and up onto the moors. And there, just quartering between the hills, was a fantastic, immature White-tailed Eagle. What a majestic bird, bigger than a Golden Eagle, with a massive 2.4m wingspan. 16
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We stood entranced and watched it for over 20 minutes, in between sleet squalls. So my trip ended on a massive high, with me having seen most of the specials that I was looking for. And having spent a wonderful two days with one of the most knowledgeable, friendly guides I’ve ever had. If you are thinking of Highland birding, you must stay at the Grant Arms Hotel and you must hook up with Dave Slater, of BirdingEcosse, at birdingecosse@hotmail.co.uk . For my part, I’ll be back soon for the Woodcock, the Black Guillemot, the Great Northern Diver and of course the Capercaillie (and if I can time it right, the Dotterel and the Arctic Skua)! Not to mention the opportunity to spend time in one of the most beautiful parts of the world (and that beer!). Thank you to all those members who added a donation to their yearly subscription and to those that gave contributions at the public lecture. Your generosity will help keep our Bird Sanctuary looking its best.
CERTIFICATES FOR SOUTHERN AFRICAN SPECIES SEEN WERE ISSUED TO: TIFFANY NAPIER for 400 (junior certificate) CHRIS DELL for 500 JEAN DELL for 500 ANDREW METCALFE for 700 17
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ST LUCIA: 4 – 7 MARCH 2016 by Rob McLaren Andrew Metcalfe and I arrived mid Friday afternoon to a very hot humid “Parkers Cottages”. A very friendly bubby host, Gwen Lotter, showed us to our wonderfully AIRCONDITIONED rooms. Thank goodness for aircon as 35 degree heat with high humidity we felt like we had just stepped into a sauna. After quickly settling in we were eager to get some birding in before sundown and made our way down to the estuary. After a few stops we found a sandbank with several Pink-backed Pelicans and many tern varieties – Swift, Lesser Crested, Little and Sandwich terns. Out came the scope and with Andrew’s UK background there were more delights – Three-banded, Whitefronted and Common Ringed Plovers, sandpipers and even a Whimbrel. I thought I had hit the jackpot (5 lifers) and we had only been in St Lucia for 2 hours. We thought this was the famous “St Lucia Tern Roost” as the shoreline was a hive of people with binoculars, cameras and scopes. How easy was that – or was it? On our way back to Parkers we stopped for a short forest walk. The trees, shrubs, creepers and birdlife were unlike anything I have seen. The vegetation looked like it came from a movie set with thick woody vines coming down from tall canopy trees, palms, ferns, shrubs of all sizes and shapes and the butterfly variety is a butterfly lover’s dream. I didn’t know which way to look at all the sights and sounds. I have hunted the KZN South Coast without success for a White-starred Robin and now …voila, I had finally found it albeit very briefly. Forest walks are always difficult for spotting birds but add in sunset and it becomes even more trying. Getting too dark we set off back to the car and came across a male and female Brown ScrubRobins in the path getting their last minute snacks before bed time. They were not fussed by us at all and went about their business even when a Yellow-bellied Greenbul started squawking at us. To top off the evening we arrived at the car surrounded by Crested Guineafowl – what a treat! 18
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We walked to a little restaurant a few blocks away for supper. Evening didn’t bring respite from still hot and sticky humid air. “Does this place ever cool down”, I thought to myself. At supper we discussed the next day’s goals that our guide, Themba, would be challenged with. It then dawned on me, we are in South Africa but where are the South Africans? All around me I could hear French, Dutch, New Zealand, American, English and German people talking but no familiar Afrikaans or SA accents. It was strange and fascinating at the same time. Saturday morning got off to another stinker of a day. Meeting up with Themba at 7am we gave him our wish list and after some discussion he decided today was going to be the easy day, local birding in and around St Lucia. First stop was the forest we had been to the evening before. What a difference some sunlight and a good guide made. Soon we had White-eared Barbets, Olive Sunbirds, Woodward’s Batis, Livingstone’s Turaco, Rudd’s Apalis, Darkbacked and Yellow Weavers, Somber Greenbuls and the beautiful male Narina Trogan (to mention a few). The next hunt was for the Pink Twinspot and Red-backed Mannikin. Themba took us to several of the spots that they usually hang out at but today seemed to be the exception unfortunately. Next stop was iSimangaliso Wetland Park. By now it was just before 11am and the heat was really kicking in so if we needed to find a couple more birds on our list we needed to do it soon. We went to one of the hides overlooking a small dried up pan which didn’t produce much. On the way out of the hide after searching for the Green Malkoha in the bush around the hide Andrew and Themba gave up. Not me! I spotted something moving around in the bushes - I had found him! Andrew and Themba hurried back and both got great views too – lifers for both of us. Persistence had paid off! We headed off to another hide which overlooked a massive dried out pan. Fortunately there was just a little water below us which was quite busy. While having a very late breakfast we were kept busy with Fan-tailed Widowbirds, Thick-billed Weavers, Malachite Kingfishers, Rufous-winged Cisicola and a few Wood and Curlew Sandpipers. Suddenly, from nowhere, a large Raptor swooped down trying to pick off one of the Wood Sandpipers. Missed – but my camera didn’t. It all happened so fast and we thought it was a Blackchested Snake- Eagle but on closer inspection of the photos it turned out to be a Marshal Eagle. What excitement and some more nice pics to add to my growing collection. By this time the birding had come to a halt in the midday heat so after a quick unsuccessful trip to Cape Vidal for the Green Twinspot a decision was made to meet in town later where Themba would take us to the Tern Roost. 19
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We explained that we had been there already to which he replied, “That’s one place some gather but the actual roost is a long walk from the estuary along the main beach behind some sand dunes”. Could this possibly give us the Sooty Tern Andrew so much wanted to see? A little after 3pm we got hiking. All that soft sand made an already long walk even longer and harder. Eventually we climbed a dune and in the distance the roost appeared and what a sight it was. A sandbar in the middle of an estuary was covered in white and with a lush green mountain as a backdrop and the sound of sea waves breaking mixed with tern and gull chatter it made for a spectacular sight. A fair distance away Andrew stopped - binoculars up - then a huge smile crossed his face, “I’ve got it!” Right at the back sat one lonely Sooty on its own. Then some people came over the horizon from the other side and the Sooty took flight. I managed to lock my binoculars onto it just in time with Temba’s assistance. What a sight and sighting! We skulked closer to the roost and set up the scope, scanning the terns for more. Andrew retired to the shade and lay back on the sand with a contented smirk on his face. Two goals had been achieved, the Sooty Tern and his 700th lifer. Daylight was beginning to fade so we headed back. Along the way we picked up Greater Plovers, Lesser Plovers and a pair of Ruddy Turnstones. Andrew and Themba had flushed them and they flew towards me and over my head giving me a great view. You just can’t miss those bright orange legs.
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On the way back to town Themba told us the next day would be a hard day with lots of travelling and we must be ready by 5am. We dropped him off in town and went back to Parkers for an early supper and night. Sunday morning’s first stop was False Bay Park. At the main gate the first hunt began for the Red-fronted Tinkerbird which Andrew needed for a lifer. Andrew was happy to finally set eyes on this bird which he had heard many times before but never been able to see. Now Themba was on a mission for the African Broadbill. We made several stops along a forested road and walked into the bush but to no avail. We found other birds; Paradise Flycatches, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Blue-mantled Crested-Flycatcher, Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove, Grey Tit-Flycatcher and Crested Francolin but no Broadbill. At a split in the road Themba called a shouted, “Stop, I hear a sunbird”. Could it be the Neergaard’s? It was! Perched high up in the canopy it sat singing its little heart out. What another find and tick off the list for both of us. Turning around and heading out of the Park for the Niela Peninsula Themba had not forgotten about the Broadbill and decided to give it one last try. We skulked into the bush again and played the call, “They are extremely territorial” Themba said. True to his words one flew out of the trees and landed on a branch right in front of us and refused to budge until it was sure there wasn’t a rival male around. The Broadbill gave us a wonderful views and camera opportunities for 10 minutes before we left him to it, still sitting there guarding his territory. Off the beaten track in and around the rural dwellings of the locals on the Niela Peninsula Themba sent us on what felt like a wild goose chase. Never underestimate a great guide! I spotted a raptor in the sky, a Tawny Eagle, which was circling looking for some prey. At a dried up nearby pan we stopped for coffee and a quick scan of the area which gave up a Goldenbreasted Bunting, Red-backed Shrike, African Pipit, White-browed ScrubRobin and my favourite, Purple-banded Sunbird. Themba knew of another pan that might have a surprise for us and we headed off. As we passed a small clearing Andrew told me to stop and reverse slowly. Keen eyes had spotted the Tawny we saw circling 20 minutes earlier. He had caught a snake. After growing weary of my persistent camera clicking he took flight and I was fortunate enough to get shot of him taking off with a headless snake in his talons.
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Off we went to another pan and after a little walking around on the grassy bank there it was – a Rosy-throated Longclaw. Themba had done it again! In the middle of nowhere he knew exactly where to go. I asked him how he knew. He explained that this was close to where he grew up and he always loved the different kinds of birds he saw as a child despite not knowing what they were. This was one of those spots that you would never find in any book or on any map but the Rosythroat was there. Sadly the pan itself was another desert. A single crudely homemade rowboat was upturned and imbedded in the dried mud and the horizon shimmered like water but was just the heat of the day rising off the baking sand - a sight I will never forget! Themba knew where we would definitely find a pan with some water as he had been there a week before - Muzi Pan. Hopefully it would bring something else new. On our way out of the Peninsula we stopped at one last grassed over empty pan for the Senegal Lapwings. We saw about 5 pairs but unfortunately they were quite skittish and didn’t allow us to get very close. Never-the-less, lifers for both of us again! Themba was on a roll and systematically ticking off the birds on our shortening list. Muzi Pan did have water but according to Themba had shrunk considerably. We found the usual water birds; Goliath, Squacco and Grey Heron, Whiskered and White-winged Terns, Yellow-billed Egret, Greater Flamingo, White Stork, Sacred Ibis, Malachite Kingfisher, Black-winged Stilts and another 2 lifers for me being Collared Pratincole and Sand Martin. Midday was on us again and the intense heat had chased most other bird life away, so we headed back to St Lucia with a detour to the main gate of Bonamanzi NR. In the shade of the trees we found Lemon-breasted Canary feeding on the ground amongst other canaries. We could have easily missed them if we didn’t look carefully. Wow – what a day and a night drive in iSimangaliso Wetland Park that night was still to come! 22
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A welcome afternoon catnap in our cool air-conditioned rooms was just what we needed to freshen up for our last birding session in St Lucia. Themba picked us up in his open top Tour Bakkie at 5:30pm and at another stop we were joined by a UK couple. Andrew hit it off with them immediately and feeling pangs of homesickness. We went in the Dukuduku entrance to start our last adventure. Andrew sat contently with his glass of wine as we watched herds of zebra, antelope and wildebeest gathering in groups under the warm orange glow of sunset. Sadly as the sun faded into darkness so the search for raptors faded too. We came across hippo far from the water grazing, red duiker, bush pigs and two spotted hyena on the hunt. Then in the middle of the road little reflecting eyes in the headlights made the highlight of the night – Swamp Nightjar. We drove right up to it and it didn’t budge. Seeing a nightjar albeit a female that closely in the bright spotlight was the cherry on top of a spectacular weekend’s birding. We also saw a male Swampy but he wasn’t as obliging as the female. The night’s excursion came to an end. Another quick supper ended our long but extremely productive and unforgettable day and weekend. At breakfast Andrew and I tallied up our lifers. We had made a real glut of ourselves! It was easier for me being a relative newbie - 36 lifers for the weekend but astonishingly Andrew cracked his 700 and added 4 more with a total of 11 lifers for the weekend. For exceptional KZN birding I highly recommend St Lucia and an excellent persistent guide like Themba is invaluable. You can find him on Facebook by searching for ‘Themba Birding’. (Editors’ Note: there are more of Rob’s photos on our web site (Gallery – categories - other)
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YOU SAW WHAT? ….. IN YOUR GARDEN My African Grey Hornbill by Heather Rasmussen I have recently heard and seen a lot of the African Grey Hornbill here in Fourways. My neighbour had a pair feeding on fruit from her feeder early in December. They then disappeared but from mid-January we have been seeing them regularly again, giving their plaintive cries as they fly from tree to tree. I saw 3 in a Brachychiton in the park opposite us – mom was feeding a juvenile seeds from the pods while the dad looked on. Today the male was eating flowers from my frangipani, and I have seen mom on 2 occasions feeding the teenager on insects while dad and another male sat nearby (hmmm, sound familiar??, discussing rugby or cricket, I’ll bet) I have no idea where they nested (which is what they must have been doing – successfully) but the female finds a suitable hole in a tree or uses a nesting box and seals herself in using her own droppings, leaving a narrow opening for the male to feed her through. They eat a wide variety of fruit, insects, frogs, other birds’ nestlings etc, and although their usual range is further north, they will move south during times of drought. The male’s bill is black but the female has a yellow upper mandible with a red tip. (Lipstick!) Spotted by Don and Wendy Mattison We ‘spotted’ this Spotted Eagle Owl in a palm tree in our garden in Randpark Ridge on Wednesday 30 March. It sat there all afternoon half asleep so we were very fortunate to get some lovely pictures.
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Garden stake-out in Sharonlea by Celia Human In the December issue of Kingfisher, Peter Sharland listed the birds he had seen from his ‘car guard station’ outside his house. This got me thinking “I wonder how many species I could pick up in my garden in a fixed position in three hours?” So on Tuesday, 2nd February starting at 7am with all the items needed for a stake-out at hand (refreshments, cell phone, book, camera, insect repellant and binos) I began. First nice surprise was to hear the Bar-throated Apalis followed by the African Grey Hornbill. The regulars soon made themselves known – Crested Barbet, Karoo Thrush, Cape Robin-Chat, Red-eyed and Cape Turtle Doves. My list was increasing steadily and by the two hour mark I had 18 species logged. I must have dozed off for a few minutes as the Hadeda’s call woke me up with a start. Please don’t judge me, three hours is a long time sitting in comfort under the patio awning! A Streaky-headed Seed-eater trying to balance on the top tip of a very tall conifer provided some amusement. African Paradise-Flycatcher and White-bellied Sunbird were good additions. Three hours were up, my total: 29 species. Well done Peter, you pipped me by ONE species. Now I’m left to wonder what I missed when I dozed off?
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OUTING REPORTS (please visit our web site for photos from all the outings – much better in colour) RIETVLEI NATURE RESERVE, IRENE - 20th January 2016 by Maryke Ewen It is quite amazing that a lot of people have never heard of or been to Rietvlei Nature Reserve. Fortunately our committee know all about this lovely reserve, so when Roos-se-Oord became unsuitable, the venue was changed to Reitvlei. After John had sorted us into four cars with an experienced birder in each car, we started off at 6am on a very drizzly morning. Our first sighting was not a bird but Waterbuck. However, it wasn’t long before we spotted our Target Bird, the Pied Starling. If anybody missed the Pied Starling the first time, no problem, we saw them again and again and again … Maybe our target bird should have been a little more obscure? We drove along the Rietvlei Spruit and onto the Marias Dam. There is a lovely picnic area there with two hides. There we saw Spur-winged Geese, Black and Yellow-billed Duck, Common Moorhen, White-throated Swallow, Glossy Ibis and Red-knobbed Coot with Lesser Striped Swallow nesting in the hide. We then made our way to the Coffee Shop area via the Fern Hide, where we had the most amazing sighting of a male and female Ostrich with 7 chicks. Both male and female became very aggressive, flapping their wings and mock charging the cars. Celia managed to get some cute photos of the chicks (inside back page). At the Coffee Shop we had hoped to see some rhinos up close, but we weren’t lucky. Due to the lack of nutrients in the grass in winter, the buffalos and rhinos are fed. They are fed in the Coffee Shop area, which is great for visitors. We did however see Groundscraper Thrush, and the Paradise and Fiscal Flycatchers. In all we saw and heard 103 birds. Among them an Amur Falcon, African Fish Eagle, Steppe Buzzard, Gabar Goshawk, White Fronted and European Bee-eaters, Zitting, Cloud and Levaillants Cisticolas, African Quailfinch, Yellow-crowned Bishop, Pied and Malachite Kingfishers, Banded and Brownthroated Martins and Fan-tailed, Long-tailed, Red-collared and White-winged Widowbirds. A great day’s birding with animal spotting as a bonus.
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WOLFHUISKRAAL WEEKEND OUTING 26 February - 28 February 2016 by Rob McLaren (Club members on the outing: Gill Isaac, Denise Holahan, Shirley Glover, Sophie Banfield, Andrew Metcalfe and myself) The weekend got off to a muddy start with heavy rains just before lunch on Friday which made the roads very slippery and filled with some rather deep mud pools. I was the first to arrive with the ladies arriving shortly afterwards. After we had all settled into our rooms we went for a short late afternoon walk around the farm. A raptor on a tree in the middle of an open field caught our eye. We went to inspect, slowly walking ever closer trying to figure out what it was. After much deliberation and many photos later we went back to camp to figure out this unidentified raptor. Andrew, who had arrived while we were away, was unofficially nominated as the bird expert and we related, in detail, what we had seen. Calmly he said nothing and kept taking in all the info while busy on his cell birding app. Looking up from his phone he made us feel rather embarrassed at being caught out by, yip you guessed it, a Common Buzzard. We settled in for the evening around the fire chatting about the afternoon, braaing and making plans for Saturday morning. Amur Falcon silhouettes hunting insects in the glow of the setting sun was a sight to behold and one I will not easily forget. Saturday morning we got off to an early start setting off for the Pond, stopping every so often along the way. The pond turned out to be quite lucrative with Andrew spotting a large bird which when it left its perch we managed to identify as an African Marsh-Harrier (It was still fresh in our minds from a recent trip to Abe Bailey with Henk). We were kept busy with numerous flycatchers, European Bee-Eaters, some Spur-winged Geese flew over and, of course, plenty of Cattle Egrets. Just around the corner we were treated to two African Fish Eagles perched atop a tree giving us great views and ‘that’ African call that we all know and love! On our way back to camp for late brunch we tried to hunt down a few warblers. Typically we heard several but they were so elusive in the dense bush. As none of us were that clued-up on warblers or their calls it was a torturous task, hearing and being within mere meters of the little guys but not being able to spot anything. Ultimately we only managed to find and identify two, a Willow Warbler and the Barred-Wren Warbler, thanks to Andrew’s keen hearing. 27
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I was on a mission to find the Barred-Wren Warbler for my Wider Gauteng 100K Challenge and after coming up empty at the “No-Entry” dirt road I had to give up the cause. However Andrew again came up with the goods! Right at the entrance to Wolfhuiskraal we heard it calling and after a quick scan of the trees came up with him. By now the heat of the day had kicked in and after the previous day’s rain it was also extremely humid so we decided to take refuge at camp and go out later in the afternoon to the floodplain at Kgomo-Kgomo. Around 3pm we headed off (Andrew unfortunately had to leave us at this point for family commitments). We soon came across a commotion in a tree. It looked like a Gabar Goshawk had gotten tangled up in a small dead thorn tree, wings all splayed, while two Grey Go-Away Birds squawked at it. After some time it managed to free itself and perch on an open branch in an adjacent tree. We had a great view of the Goshawk and even managed to move right up to the fence for a perfect photo opportunity. We were still surmising whether it was injured from its ordeal in the thorn tree as it looked uncomfortable and one wing was hanging strangely. Boy were we in for a surprise! Suddenly it dropped to the ground out of sight. Screeching, squawking, flapping – out flew the Goshawk with a Crested Francolin chick in its talons and a very upset mother Francolin in tow. I had no idea a Francolin could fly so far or so fast but she was no match for the Goshawk’s speed and agility. Now we knew why the Goshawk was not bothered by us, it had supper on its mind. It was an amazing event to witness. A little further on Denise spotted some Blue-cheeked Bee-Eaters on the power lines, which turned out to be a lifer for Gill. When we got to the floodplain (with no water in it) out came the scopes and we began to scan the empty pan for birds. There was a small little stream not too far away which turned out to have quite an array of birdlife amongst the thirsty cows; Black-winged Stilts, African Spoonbill, Red-billed Teal, Glossy Ibis, the usual water loving Blacksmith Lapwings, Egyptian Geese and some waders (Common Greenshank and Wood Sandpipers). We went a bit further on by car to see if there was anything we had missed but came up empty, well so I thought. When Gill turned the car around, atop a pylon, sat a beautiful Black-chested Snake-Eagle. We called the lead car on the walkietalkie to stop and we all admired this majestic raptor. I had never seen one so close up before so it was yet another treat for the weekend.
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Camp was calling us as the sun was setting so we headed back. We stopped to get a better look at the chattering Red-billed Buffalo Weavers in the massive tree shadowing the main farmhouse. They were extremely busy and noisy but in the shadow of the late evening they were difficult to see. At camp I busied myself with making the fire for the night as I was the only ‘thorn amongst all the roses’. We went through our lists of what we had seen for the day while preparing our eats for the braai and having sundowners around the fire. After supper the sandman came quickly for us all – it had been a good hot day’s birding. Sunday morning Sophie was all bright eyed and bushy tailed discovering another Red-billed Buffalo Weavers nest above the cars and we got some great views. It was then that Gill heard a soft tap-tap-tap not too far away. The hunt was on for a woodpecker. Into the bush we went following cattle trails until we came upon a dead tree which had to be the spot. We scanned and scanned – gotcha – a Bearded Woodpecker. We went back for breakfast and around the kitchen table we decided to have a walk around one of the “blocks” marked on the map of the farm. It didn’t look too far so on came the hiking boots, binoculars, hats and sunblock. The walk got off to a slow start from a birding point of view, with only Rattling Cisticola keeping us busy. After finding a leaking water main from an adjacent farm the birding picked up and we saw Amethyst and White-bellied Sunbirds, Violet-Eared and Blue Waxbills, Marico and Spotted Flycatchers, Sabota Lark, Neddicky, Chestnut-Vented Tit-Babblers, Scaly-feathered Finch, many Red- backed and Lesser Grey Shrikes and two raptors – another Common Buzzard (we were not going to be fooled again) and a Black-shouldered Kite. The walk was not as short as we had thought and by the end we were praying to see the camp - tired, hot and thirsty. Camp eventually materialised and after some much needed cool liquid refreshment we packed up for the trip home. All in all, between everybody, we came away with 113 species for the weekend. It was a great weekend with many highlights. I need to give a huge big thank you to Gill, Denise, Shirley, Sophie and Andrew for making my first birding weekend away with the club an excellent and memorable one and I look forward to the next trip. Thanks guys! 29
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BLOUBERG NATURE RESERVE – NEAR VIVO, LIMPOPO PROVINCE LONG WEEKEND OUTING: 17 – 21 MARCH 2016 by Celia Human It’s not often that a birding venue is a first for all members going on the outing. For Dee and Ian Cuthbertson, Joe and Jane Irvine, Trina MacGregor, Denise Holahan, Errol and Kay Kilpatrick and John and I - Blouberg was just that. I don’t know why we all waited so long! The description below, which is taken off the Blouberg Nature Reserve web site, describes the reserve better than I can: “Situated in the lowveld of northern Limpopo, it is graced with a beautiful mountain as well as typical bushveld. The varying topography, from mountain down to the plains and the Brak River in the south lends itself to a rich diversity of plant and animal life. Our reserve has five different veld types! Unique features are the tamboti woodland, fig forest, baobabs and the Brak River floodplain. It has possibly the largest selection of trees for any similar size reserve in the country, and with this large selection of trees comes a prolific bird population. A good variety of animals, including Buffalo and Leopard, also inhabit the Reserve. Blouberg Nature Reserve is an unknown gem with some fantastic drawcards. The reserve is 9348Ha (93,5 km2) of prime wildlife habitat. The flagship for the reserve is the Cape Vulture. The breeding colony hosts more than 1000 breeding pairs that form the biggest stronghold for this threatened species in Southern Africa. Visitors can view these birds at close range, especially during winter months at the vulture restaurant when they daily come to bathe at the waterhole or feed on a carcass when provided. Fifteen other bird species that are on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species are also found on the reserve. The reserve is also one of only six provincial nature reserves that is home to a breeding program for Sable Antelope, hosts a successful Cape Buffalo breeding program, and is home to lots of other iconic species such as zebra, giraffe, leopard, hyena (both brown and spotted).” It might sound like the Friends of Blouberg are ‘just blowing their own trumpet” but I can assure you they are not. The reserve is a feast for anyone slightly interested in trees. Somehow, the birds took second place over the ever changing habitats.
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We stayed at Tamboti Tented Camp which can only be booked as a group. Four permanent tents with an ablution block and communal kitchen set out under the shade of Tamboti Trees. Other accommodation is available on the reserve (their web-site will have more details). On our first morning’s birding we stopped at a clearing where a bird party was in full swing. Half an hour later we left having seen 24 species in one large dead tree. White-crested Helmetshrike, Grey-headed Bushshrike, Reitz’s Helmetshrike, Green-backed Camaroptera, Black-headed Oriole, Barred Wren-Warbler, Orange-breasted Bushshrike, White-browed Sparrow-Weaver to name just a few. On the afternoon drive heading along the bottom ridge of the mountains we picked up Bearded Scrub-Robin, Yellow-bellied Greenbul and Yellow-breasted Apalis Despite the rain, we did the usual braaing every evening. A light shower was not going to put us off.
(Trina, Kay, Errol and Dee keeping dry) The rain turned the veld into rivers and it was quite a sight to see the water slowly seeping through the bush the next morning.
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One of the highlights was seeing many small (compared to The Big Tree) baobabs amongst the other trees. The Big Tree was just that, BIG.
(Dee, John, Joe, Kay and Errol showing you just how big) While we were having some refreshments and taking in the majestic view of this giant we kept our eyes and ears open and added Greater Honeyguide, Bushveld Pipit, Red-headed Weaver, Black Cuckooshrike, and Marico Flycatcher to our ever growing bird list. Just a bit further on from this spot you enter a small section of Fig Forest. Jane was quick to spot Crested Guineafowl, Collared Sunbird and Ashy Flycatcher. The White-browed Robin-Chat gave us a wonderful repertoire of its call but was reluctant to show itself. Most of the roads on the reserve only require a vehicle with high clearance but the road to the Vulture Colony is strictly 4x4 only. Denise put her recent 4x4 training to good use and did a sterling job negotiating Rapanyan’s Neck cutting through the Eastern and Western Blouberg mountain range.
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To view hundreds of Cape Vultures lifting off the cliffs at different times, swirling in the sky, some landing again is really something special. I think we were all rather presumptuous in thinking that we would find the ONE Ruppell’s Vulture without knowing exactly where the nest is and out of breeding season. However, we were all content just to enjoy the moment. A bit of advice if you are planning a Ruppell’s stake-out – it takes longer than you think to get to the colony so leave early. Also give yourself plenty of time for scope viewing, take enough refreshments for the day and a couple of headache tablets will come in handy!
(Dee and Trina with the Blouberg Mountains and Vulture Colony in the background) I initially thought that a visit of four nights would be too long but I was wrong. We didn’t have time to visit the Brak River area and if there was a carcass at the vulture hide you would want to spend some time there. You are allowed to drive around after dark (just get permission first) and could get some interesting night birds. Bronze-winged Coursers are resident, owls and nightjars also a possibility. On our drive we got a Spotted Eagle Owl and a few sightings of Bushbabies. We did, however, hear from the comfort of the camp Barn, Scops, Pearl-spotted and White-faced Owls as well as Fierynecked and Freckled nightjars. 33
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On our last evening as we enjoyed the evening braai, we tallied up the birds seen: 118 group total.
(Cheers) I do hope I get the opportunity to revisit the reserve and spend some more quality time at this ‘hidden gem’ MONTY BRETT – ON LINE - ARMCHAIR COURSES Our Armchair Courses offer you the opportunity to learn from the comfort of your own home or favourite space. Join other like-minded people from South Africa and around the globe, and learn from the experts. The online sessions are live and interactive Attend from wherever you are – home, office, even overseas All you need is a device with an internet connection (PC, iPad/Tablet or smart-phone) No night-driving, no traffic You get a link to the recording of each session, so you can catch up on anything you miss, and do recaps at your leisure Your partner and kids get to share in the fun www.montybrett.com
Tel No: 082 824 9378 34
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BIRDLIFE PRESIDENT RIDGE AND I - by Shirley Glover I first came to live in Randburg in 2011 not knowing anyone and settling into a strange environment –from a big family home to a retirement village. I was fortunate to strike up a friendship with Louise Rossouw and she suggested I accompany her to a meeting of her bird club. I was immediately struck by the friendliness and welcome I received from the members on my first visit and there and then decided to become a member – a decision I have never regretted. I knew a little about birds. My husband and I were keen amateurs and on our many visits to the Kruger National Park would try to identify as many birds as possible. We were not very good but enjoyed ourselves, and when I joined the Club I was able to use these sightings to start my life list. I have been on quite a few outings with the Club since joining as well as away weekends. The one that really sticks in my mind is our trip to Mapungubwe with its spectacular scenery and many birds. We were able to watch a family of Black Stork from our chalets. The company was most enjoyable and we even had a genet who came to visit. The nightjars were about but unfortunately I heard them but did not see any. A real pleasure that has become an important part of my life is the Bird Sanctuary and the time I spend there on Thursdays with the people who have become special friends. When I first started going to the Bird Sanctuary we worked really hard at keeping it neat and tidy for the week-end visitors, making sure the wheel chair path was swept and any littler we could safely reach was picked up and unsightly weeds taken out. We then would go for coffee and a chat. Then magically Luvo and Shartwell arrived, the two workers provided by the council and they have taken over all the manual work and are making a wonderful job of keeping the Bird Sanctuary in top condition. We still go every week, have a leisurely walk around the dam and tell Luvo and Shartwell what they are required to do and then have our coffee and a long friendly chat. I really enjoy my weekly visits to the sanctuary and the company of the other team members there.
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Louise Rossouw and I have taken on the catering duties for the monthly meetings which involves ensuring that we have enough volunteers to provide eats for the evening. Here again this has resulted in my making new friends. I have joined the Wider Gauteng 100km Challenge for 2016 and I am making good progress. Unfortunately last year was not a good one for me and I was not able to make much of a go of anything, having to miss outings and cancel any away weekends I was booked on. At this point I would very much like to thank Chris and Dorien Schoombie for their help and concern over my health, I really appreciate it. I am looking forward to my birding in 2016. My first away weekend will be Wolfhuiskraal where I have been once before and had enjoyed it very much. I will be working hard on my challenge list as well as my life list all through the year and hope eventually to reach that magic 500 number for my life list.
It is long overdue that we stop seeing ourselves as dominant over all species but rather as a mere strand in the web. It is then that we fully appreciate the richness of biodiversity and begin to protect it.
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BLACK EAGLE PROJECT ROODEKRANS by Boudewijn van der Lecq NEWS - WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 2016 After half of the nest got blown away during the January thunderstorm, nest refurbishment was inevitable, which fortunately only lasted a few days of continued rebuilding in an effort to get it to resemble a nest again. With at least 20 years taken off the original nest, must add that I’m quite happy to see it reduced, as it was getting precariously large and slightly top heavy. At least now it is safer and we can all rest in peace that nothing untoward should occur… The Black Eagle Project Roodekrans members have commenced with their monitoring duties from 1st March onwards that should take them through until at least November later this year, long haul indeed! This eagle pair usually commences with intensive nest refurbishment any time from early to late March, but feedback received from the project is that it is mostly quiet on the Western-front with the pair only making infrequent appearances and then flying off to wherever the thermals may take them. During their “holiday” period, they spend a lot of time within their approx. 250 sq. km territorial boundaries ensuring that possible intruders are ousted and they will also look at prey resources, abundance and availability that will ultimately determine if this season will be a successful breeding period or not. Unlike other eagles in the real wild (ideal habitat) that may only breed if prey availability is utmost, the Roodekrans pair seem to think that any season is as good as the next, so we will see what they have in mind. Taking into consideration that average Highveld temperatures are yet on the higher “sweat-side” when it comes to heat, it is also possible that the eagles are holding back a little hoping that temperatures will become a little cooler as it is not funny for a pitch black bird to sit on eggs incubating them in extreme heat conditions, hyperventilating until the sun disappears behind the rock face affording some cooler incubation conditions. Hopefully the El Nino heat wave and associated drought period will subside soonest and offer even the eagles some much needed temperature reduction. More so, the weather bureau predicted that we are likely to receive late rains - well into autumn and winter - and this too may result negatively upon the eagles’ breeding. We’ll see…let’s hope all turns out just fine.
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A PENGUIN BEFRIENDS A FISHERMAN - METRO NEWS 6 MARCH 2016 Today’s most heartwarming story is brought to you from a beach in Brazil. It’s the story of a South American Magellanic penguin who swims 5,000 miles each year to be reunited with the man who saved his life. Retired bricklayer and part time fisherman Joao Pereira de Souza, 71, who lives in an island village just outside Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, found the tiny penguin, covered in oil and close to death, lying on rocks on his local beach in 2011. Joao cleaned the oil off the penguin’s feathers and fed him a daily diet of fish to build his strength. He named him Dindim. After a week, he tried to release the penguin back into the sea. But, the bird wouldn’t leave. ‘He stayed with me for 11 months and then, just after he changed his coat with new feathers, he disappeared,’ Joao recalls. And, just a few months later, Dindim was back. He spotted the fisherman on the beach one day and followed him home. For the past five years, Dindim has spent eight months of the year with Joao and is believed to spend the rest of the time breeding off the coast of Argentina and Chile. It’s thought he swims up to 5,000 miles each year to be reunited with the man who saved his life.
(Picture: Rio de Janeiro Federal University) 38
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‘I love the penguin like it’s my own child and I believe the penguin loves me,’ Joao told Globo TV. ‘No one else is allowed to touch him. He pecks them if they do. He lays on my lap, lets me give him showers, allows me to feed him sardines and to pick him up. ‘Everyone said he wouldn’t return but he has been coming back to visit me for the past four years. He arrives in June and leaves to go home in February and every year he becomes more affectionate as he appears even happier to see me.’ Biologist Professor Krajewski, who interviewed the fisherman for Globo TV, told The Independent: ‘I have never seen anything like this before. I think the penguin believes Joao is part of his family and probably a penguin as well. ‘When he sees him he wags his tail like a dog and honks with delight. And, just like that, the world seems a kinder place again.
BIRDLASSER APP MAKES EVERY BIRDER A CONSERVATIONIST SPOT. PLOT. PLAY A PART
As keen birders know, birds are exceptionally good indicators of a healthy ecosystem. So when species become endangered there is good reason to take note and make a special effort to aid conservation. This is where an easy to use, free app enters the frame. Created by keen birders, conservationists and app developers, the BirdLasser app brings the recording of bird sightings, especially endangered species, to the palm of your hand. The user friendly app makes the geolocational recording of birds as simple as selecting the bird on the screen. Most importantly, the app allows birders to make a valuable contribution to conservation efforts by providing an easy method through which to submit their sightings to a central database (SABAP2). An added benefit is that sightings of threatened species are fed through automatically to conservation causes such as BirdLife South Africa’s Threatened Species Cause, making every user of the app a citizen scientist and social conservationist. https://www.birdlasser.com/
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BIRDING BITS and ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS CRITICAL WATER RESOURSES GOBBLED UP BY ALIEN INVASIVES (extracted from EWTalk Newsletter, Issue 61: February 2016) As South Africa continues to battle the drought which is further impacting on already scarce water supplies, the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) is implementing measures to conserve wetlands – a primary source of fresh water – and to prevent the loss of water resources to alien invasive plants. Since long before the era of the Egyptian Pharaohs, wetlands have supported the livelihoods of successive generations of African communities. Despite all the social, economic and technological changes that have taken place over the centuries, communities across the continent continue to depend primarily on wetlands for water, food and fibre. Two of the most important wetland ecosystem services affecting human wellbeing involve fresh water availability and fish supply. The principal supply of renewable fresh water for human use comes from an array of inland wetlands. Physical and economic water scarcity and limited or reduced access to water are both major challenges facing South African society and key factors which could limit sustainable economic development. Apart from providing goods and services to humans, wetlands have for millennia provided breeding and feeding habitats for birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians. The Chrissiesmeer Protected Environment (which forms part of the protected area network of South Africa) comprises over 300 lakes and pans, as well as other wetland types. Due to its richness in wetlands and water birds it is a proposed Ramsar site (wetland of international importance). Many of our threatened bird species depend on wetlands for their survival. These include the Grey Crowned Crane which uses the Chrissiesmeer wetlands for breeding in the summer months. The health of these wetlands is negatively impacted by invasive alien plants such as Black Wattle and Bluegum trees, which take up huge amounts of water which would otherwise have flowed into the wetlands, thus impacting negatively on the amount of water available within the wetlands for use by plants, animals and humans. Ursula Franke, Senior Field Officer for the EWT’s African Crane Conservation Programme notes that there is a visible difference in water quantities when comparing wetlands where alien invasive clearing has not been undertaken to that in cleared wetlands.
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Communities living within the Chrissiesmeer Protected Environment can celebrate the start of a new invasive alien clearing project this World Wetlands Day (2 February). Funded by the Department of Environmental Affairs, the project will focus on local job creation through the clearing of invasive alien plants, and will be undertaken in partnership with Eastern Wetland Rehab. This will ensure the improved health of the wetlands and surrounding grasslands and thus have a positive impact on water availability for communities and cranes within the Protected Environment. The value of this is especially pertinent during this current dry period.
EILAT - ISRAEL 29 MARCH 2016 Champions of the Flyway is an international bird race that challenges the norm. Its primary purpose is to celebrate the extraordinary miracle of bird migration. Champions of the Flyway is also a race run for conservation. All teams are competing to raise the greatest amount of conservation funding. The prestigious title “Champions of the Flyway� is awarded to the team recording the highest number of species. In the event of a tie, honours will be shared equally. Members of the South African Team: Trevor Hardaker, Jason Boyce, Dylan Vasapolli and Andrew Walker.
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Report from Trevor Hardaker: “Well, it's officially over. Once again, the Champions of the Flyway event was fantastic and everyone involved can be super proud of themselves! As to how we did, we managed to raise the second highest amount of money (the equivalent of around R150000) so thanks to everyone that got behind us and supported us - we all proved that South Africa really cares about our birds! On race day, we managed to scrape together 163 species placing us in 4th position, just one species behind 3rd place and a "podium finish". The winning team clocked 174 species. Sixteen teams participated. It's been great fun racing for the birds and thanks again to everyone who supported us! South Africa is now a force to be reckoned with in the international birding and conservation circles and we can all be proud of being a part of it.�
For all the results and more details: http://www.champions-of-the-flyway.com/
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LET’S GO INDIGENOUS - Ericas – delicate yet tough Compiled by Karen Nel A trip to the Paarl Mountain Local Nature Reserve in search of the Protea Canary really put a spotlight on the glorious beauty of our treasured fynbos biome. Although the bird search proved unsuccessful, the park’s indigenous garden showcased an impressive range of erica species, which begs for a closer look at this spectacular local variety. Ericoids are heath-like shrubs that naturally grow in the Mediterranean climate of the South Western Cape in a narrow belt that stretches north and east of Cape Town. It forms part of only 4 genuses that make up the fynbos biome, others include proteaceae, restoids (reed-like grasses) and geophytes (bulbous plants). But first, it is worth mentioning exactly how special the biome and species are: it has the greatest amount of species per square kilometer in the world (not even the Amazon’s rain forest can compare) of which many species are under threat and protected. There are 3000 species of ericoids in the biome, of which 600 are erica species – compared to only 26 species found in the rest of the world! By definition, heaths are typically dwarf-like with small leathery leaves and bell-shaped flowers, characteristic of uncultivated land. Ericas are beautiful woody shrubs that are mostly small but sometimes large in size and best recognized by its exquisite display of flowers. It bears clusters of attractive tubular flowers that are curved or puffed up in all colours except blue. Its foliage is finely textured, with clusters of needle-like leaves in tints of bright green to greyish. Apart from its sheer visual appeal, the plants also attract many insects and nectar suckling birds. The general perception is that fynbos is hard to grow and maintain and that it hardly thrives outside of this natural biome. But a better understanding of the fynbos habitat highlights a sensibility towards choosing the species best suited to your region and simply promoting similar circumstances. Endemic species to the biome flourish in poor sandy, dry soil and can withstand harsh weather conditions with windy, hot, dry summers. While fynbos requires very little attention as a rule, experts recommend regular watering, feeding and pruning, especially since they flower year round and make for a striking garden addition. Here are some general fynbos rules and how to adapt these to get the most out of the ericas in the home garden.
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Apart from its small leaves, woody branches and hairy flowers, ericas also adapted to its habitat’s low nutrient levels by developing fine roots near the soil’s surface for maximum uptake. This makes it sensitive to chemical fertilizers or animal compost with high levels of phosphates that burn their fine roots and causes them to die. However, for splendid flowering throughout the year, you can feed plants with low concentrations of diluted organic liquid or small amount of organic pellet fertilizers (www.plantzafrica.com). You can also feed ericas before flowering with a slow release 3:1:5 fertiliser (www.stodels.com). Fynbos doesn’t respond well to weeding and digging around its roots, which should rather be avoided as a rule. Mulching is best practice to keep the roots undisturbed and protected from harsh chemicals. Try bark chips, stones or pine needles to lock in the soil’s moisture and exclude weeds. Wet winters and dry summers deter fungi from pestering fynbos plants. Gardeners often do great damage when they water plants in the heat of summer or in the middle of a hot day, as this will only promote fungal growth. Only water ericas early morning when it’s cool, but give young plants a deep watering every second day until well established. In general fynbos plants prefer sandy soil that drains well, but ericas can handle clay and non-porous substrates to an extent and are often an indicator of wetlands and swamps in the biome. Erica curviflora, commonly known as Water Heath, grows beautiful flowers, often propagated for cut flowers. It performs well in pots, but needs to be watered often as can be deducted from its name as it naturally occurs alongside riverbanks and water streams. Still, well-drained positions are best, where rockeries provide better drainage in heavier soil or an added a layer of gravel half a meter under the soil surface. The soil needs to be acidic with a pH of 4 to 5.5. Mix pine needles into the soil, along with half good soil and half old compost when planting. Ericas also need sunlight and good air circulation to thrive. Those adventurous enough to propagate fynbos, need to emulate the biome’s extreme natural climate conditions. Seeds only germinate after the winter rainfall starts and only when there is an extreme drop in temperature between the heat of day and a cold night (which must drop below 5 degrees C). A veld fire often eradicates surrounding shrubs, ensuring such intense temperature shifts. In gardening, these conditions can be simulated through smoke treatment – ‘soaking the seeds in Smoke Primer and putting them in a refrigerator overnight’ (visit finebushpeople.com for seed packs and tips from Julie Oertel).
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But an easier way to propagate ericas is vegetatively by rooting fresh semihardwood tip or heel cuttings, using a semi-hardwood rooting hormone to aid the process. Place them in multi-trays with a porous bark and sand mix on heated benches under mist spray to replicate its natural environment. Stodels.com have some useful tips on plant combinations and choosing the right Erica species. Plant them in combination with their natural companions, such as restios (elegia spp., chondropetalum spp and thamnochortus spp.). Add proteas, helichrysums, agothosmas and colenema to the mix to get the most naturalistic effect. Ericas with small flowers look best planted en masse (such as E.baccans, E. quadrangularis and E. peziza). Below is a list of erica species that are suitable for both summer and winter rainfall gardens and concludes this brief article that celebrates our unique floral kingdom (sourced from stodels.com). Spring-flowering: Albertinia heath (Erica bauera), lantern heath (E. blenna), Grahamstown heath (E. chammisonis), E. conica, E. cyathiformis, four sisters heath (E. fastigiata), E. gallorum, E. holosericea, E. nana, E. mauritanica, kapokkie (E. peziza), mealie heath (E. patersonia), Swellendam heath (E. walkeria). Spring- and summer-flowering: Water heath (E. caffra), E. deliciosa, E. formosa, E. gibbosa, E. glauca var. glauca, E. gracilis, E. lanipes, baby heath (E. quadrangularis), E. sparrmannii, E. tenella. Autumn-flowering: Albertinia heath (E. bauera), E. oatesii, mealie heath (E. patersonia), E. sitiens, E. versicolor. Winter- and spring-flowering: Ker-ker (E. sparsa). Summer-flowering: E. densifolia, E. hirtiflora, nine-pin heath (E. mammosa), E. sitiens, wax heath (E. ventricosa).
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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 Val Hellman Lynn Pickering Denise Holahan Denise Holahan Gill Hardingham Peter Sharland
044 384-0295 011 704-3196 082 326-9278 083 253 5392 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 46
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Calling all birding enthusiasts…
Forest Birding Weekend Eshowe 2016 Eshowe – the only town in South Africa which completely surrounds an indigenous forest - is home to the popular “Forest Birding Weekend” and is the Holy Childhood School’s annual fundraiser. The weekend will focus on early morning guided birding in a number of different habitats, with planned outings to Ngoye, Dlinza and Nkandla forests as well as the uMlalazi Nature Reserve. These sites offer a host of plant and bird species which include: Green Barbet, Green Malkoha, Eastern Bronze-Naped Pigeon, Spotted Ground Thrush, Orange Ground Thrush, Kynsna Turaco, Palmnut Vulture, Green Twinspot, Yellow Streaked Greenbul, Brown Scrub-Robin, Purple Crested Turaco, Narina Trogon, Date: 27 October to 30 October 2016 Cost: R3 500
This cost includes accommodation, meals, transport to birding sites, guides and a 3 day pass to the Dlinza Forest Aerial Board walk.
Deposit:
50% non-refundable – to confirm booking
For bookings please contact Gayleen Foster or Meg Kennedy on: 035 474 1225 or 083 286 5768.
Fax:
035 474 2753
Email Address: holychildhood@telkomsa.net or megkennedy@mtnloaded.co.za RSVP before 30th September 2016. Numbers are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment 48