KINGFISHER
BIRDLIFE PRESIDENT RIDGE Randburg’s Own Bird Club affiliated to
December 2015 - No. 62
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
IN THIS ISSUE Number 62 PAGE Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3
Message from our Club President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4
The Chairman Tweets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5
Down in the Bird Sanctuary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6
BLSA News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7
You Saw What? .. In your Garden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
11
Outing Reports: Mokala Nature Reserve by John Human . . . . . . Borakalalo by Sophie Banfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Seringveld and Rooiwal by Jean Dell . . . . . . . . . Tswaing Crater by John Human . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Birding Big Day by Gill Issac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
15 20 24 26 28
Birding Bits and Environmental News . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
30
Black Eagle Project News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
34
Indigenous Gardening by Karen Nel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
36
IBA – Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve by Ernst F. Retief
38
Club Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
41
Front Cover: Malachite Kingfisher by Jan Fourie Back Cover: Green-backed Heron by Celia Human
2
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
EDITORAL After working with Paul for 61 editions of the Kingfisher magazine, it is with much sadness and some trepidation that I am compiling this issue. One would think that after so many years I would know my is’s from my are’s and my could’s from my would’s but Paul’s grasp of English grammar is legendary. So please bear with me if you do find some grammatical errors amongst these pages. With today’s age of all things electronic and instant messaging, Paul and I were steadfast in our opinion that the written media still has its place. We felt that in the Kingfisher we can include more in-depth articles about conservation and education that can be read leisurely without the need to stare at a computer screen. One can also refer back to an article easily and pass on the magazine to family and friends. With our web site (yes it is back up – sorry about the 2 weeks of problems, server issue) we keep you up to date on a weekly basis about happenings in the Bird Sanctuary, brief Club events and photos submitted. We send out a Network via email once a month keeping you informed about our outings. And then there is the Kingfisher magazine published three times a year. Pretty good information sharing I would say! That being said, all of the above are reliant on YOU. I need you to submit, submit, submit… If you are going away over the holiday season, please consider putting together an article/photos of your trip. I know, as birders, you will always find time to get some birding done in between the family functions. And if you are one of the lucky ones that are staying in Joburg – your garden is a place to start. If you hear of an event/talk that you feel would be of interest to members, (does not have to be bird related) please share. The address: blpr@pitta.co.za or just give me a call on 011 704-3196. Besides all the regular features in this issue, we have an article of concern regarding our vultures, information about the state of our seas, EWT news, SABAB2 news and much more. I hope you enjoy this edition, which is dedicated to our Ed’. - Celia Human
3
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT Another year has passed and we experienced many highlights in the club. It is also with sadness that we lost our Editor and dear friend during this time. We will always remember his kindness, sense of humour and dedication to the wellbeing of our Bird Club. We salute you Paul. Christmas is always a time of happiness and friendship. I am sure you have all had very happy times together and great experiences as members of our Bird Club this past year. Thanks to our committee and organizers that made these experiences happen. We wish every member a Merry Christmas and a very prosperous 2016. I am sure our Club will again go from strength to strength in the New Year Regards - Jan Fourie
INTRODUCING NEW MEMBERS Sue Hill Robert McLaren Jerry and Linda van Gool Richard Whiteway Hilary Dix Peek Anwar & Mehroon Bulbulia
A REMINDER ABOUT FLOCK IN KRUGER 2016 AND LAYMAN’S LAB 9-13 MARCH 2016 SKUKUZA Flock in Kruger will incorporate the 87th BirdLife South Africa AGM on Saturday 12 March 2016. For information about the AGM contact Nikki McCartney events@birdlife.org.za.
4
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
THE CHAIRMAN TWEETS As 2015 draws to a close we end a wonderfully busy and successful 20th year as BirdLife President Ridge. This was a big year for us including taking up the affiliated club option offered by BLSA. We are pleased to have achieved our target of 20 new members in our special year, growing the club by around 22% - it is so good to have new faces and energies to add to the never dying enthusiasm of the existing members. What a wonderful hobby we share and it is so amazing that birding is open to ALL ages, with our youngest birder being 8 and our oldest one nudging 90! No group nor individual should ever be excluded nor criticised about how they enjoy this fabulous activity called “birding”. We have been on some special outings together and attended good and interesting talks as well. Who will forget the brilliant 20th year lunch in July with over 70 members enjoying this wonderful day. Sadly we lost two of our members this year with Janet Hugo and Paul Hardingham having passed away. It is definitely a struggle without my sounding board and friend Paul – our Vice Chair – being around for that call or visit to discuss just about anything. I will certainly miss our laughs, chats and debates. BLSA moved into their new nest this year with the official opening being on the 13 November 2015. It is so good to belong to BLSA and interact with their motivated staff. BLSA is a professional and successful entity and is doing amazing work looking after our birds – the latest IBA status reports have been released along with the updated Red Data Book of Birds. Congratulations to Mark Anderson and his team. With the advent of new species recording abilities out there, it is a goal of mine and the committee to get our members involved in more active recording of data and to move the Club in a fun way towards becoming Citizen Scientists in 2016 – and perhaps giving something back to our hobby which is so special to all of us. We already have Citizen Scientists in our club and we will draw on their knowledge to show us the way. Over the holiday season please think about becoming more involved in the activities of the club, we would appreciate any help and any new ideas. There are many tasks and activities in the running of a successful club and we would really like to spread the load – note that many of these tasks can be taken on without coming to meetings. Lastly all that is left to say is enjoy the magazine, have a wonderful and safe festive season and remember that this is the best time to be out there birding! - John Human 5
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
MEANWHILE‌.DOWN IN THE SANCTUARY, SOMETHING STIRRED Our sanctuary continues to be well maintained by Luvo and Shartwell. High winds and a hail storm brought down large tree branches, twigs and leaves but Luvo and Shartwell soon had the Sanctuary tidy again. We have had many compliments from appreciative members of the public and Bird Club members. The grass is cut regularly by contractor Philip but sadly there is no sign of him arranging for safety certificates for Luvo and Shartwell to use brush cutters and take over this task. The aloe flower bed next to Shanwood Lake fence has been extended and the new plants that have been added are growing well. The bird life has changed, the Grey and Black-headed Herons, Cattle Egrets and Reed Cormorants have largely deserted the Sanctuary. I guess because of the great numbers of Sacred Ibis and evidence of a water mongoose. We have added a new bird to the Sanctuary list, Jane spotted a male Red-backed Shrike that unfortunately didn’t say around for long. Malachite, Giant, Brownhooded and Woodland Kingfishers, Red-chested Cuckoo and a small flock of Bronze Mannikins have all been seen recently. There is no sign of breeding Ovambo or Little Sparrowhawks this season. The Sanctuary Breakfast on Big Birding Day the 28th November was attended on a rather chilly morning by a record 42 members and friends. Warmth was added by friendship and cholesterol breakfasts. Sasol Calendars as spot prizes were well received and a junior certificate was presented to Gaby, the granddaughter of Ian & Dee Cuthbertson for spotting 100 species. Well done Gaby! Thank you to members who donated to BBD at the evening lecture and at the breakfast. A total of R1 100-00 was raised for BirdLife SA. If you are staying at home for Christmas, do drop into the Sanctuary and take your friends. I wish you all a happy, peaceful Christmas and look forward to great birding in the New Year. Gill Hardingham BIRD SANCTUARY CUSTODIAN
6
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
BIRDLIFE SOUTH AFRICA NEWS
It is sad day for conservation in Africa when we announce that four of Africa’s vulture species have been uplisted to Critically Endangered, one step away from Extinction. Press Release below. BirdLife International, and particularly the BirdLife Partners in Africa, will be stepping up its efforts to conserve these threatened and valuable birds. - Mark D. Anderson
Conservationists warn Africa’s vultures are sliding towards extinction Africa’s largest and most recognisable birds of prey – vultures – face a grim future, according to the latest assessment carried out by BirdLife International for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, on behalf of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Six of the continent’s 11 vulture species have had their global threat status upgraded to a higher level, meaning that they face a very real danger of extinction. The six species of African vultures that have seen their status worsen: Hooded Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus): Endangered to CRITICALLY ENDANGERED White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus): Endangered to CRITICALLY ENDANGERED White-headed Vulture (Trigonoceps occipitalis): Vulnerable to CRITICALLY ENDANGERED Rüppell's Vulture (Gyps rueppellii): Endangered to CRITICALLY ENDANGERED Cape Vulture (Gyps coprotheres): Vulnerable to ENDANGERED Lappet-faced Vulture (Torgos tracheliotos): Vulnerable to ENDANGERED
7
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
BirdLife SA News (continued) The main causes of the drop in African vulture populations are thought to be indiscriminate poisonings, where the birds are drawn to poisoned baits, use of vulture body parts in traditional medicine, and deliberate targeting by poachers, as the presence of vultures can alert authorities to illegally killed big game carcasses. Dr Julius Arinaitwe, BirdLife International’s Africa Programme Director, said: “As well as robbing the African skies of one of their most iconic and spectacular groups of birds, the rapid decline of the continent’s vultures has profound consequences for its people – as vultures help stop the spread of diseases by cleaning up rotting carcasses.” “However, now we are becoming aware of the sheer scale of the declines involved, there is still just enough time for conservationists to work with lawmakers, faith-based organisations, government agencies and local people, to make sure there is a future for these magnificent scavengers.” Worldwide, 40 more bird species are now classified as having a higher risk of extinction in the 2015 Red List. Besides the vultures, these include many wading shorebirds, and other iconic species like Atlantic Puffin, European Turtle-dove and Helmeted Hornbill. Conversely, 23 species have been downgraded to lower threat categories. In some cases, this reflects a better understanding and more accurate picture of how they are faring, but some species have undergone remarkable recoveries as a result of conservation action, including Seychelles Warbler and Chatham Petrel. The Red List is the world’s most comprehensive information source on the conservation status of plant and animal species, and BirdLife International is the official authority for birds. For a full list of all the changes, see: http://www.birdlife.org/globally-threatened-bird-forums/ For the new Red List assessments and factsheets, go to: http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/search
8
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
BIRDLIFE SOUTH AFRICA: BIRDER’S CODE OF ETHICS (Ed’: We have printed this in a previous issue, but with the recent incident of birders thrashing through the reeds at Marievale trying to flush a Red-chested Flufftail we thought it should be highlighted again) Birders have an obligation at all times to protect wildlife, the natural environment and the rights of others. We provide leadership by adhering to guidelines of good birding behaviour. Birders do not endanger the welfare of birds or other wildlife. We will: Observe and photograph birds without knowingly disturbing them in any significant way. Avoid chasing and repeatedly flushing birds. Sparingly use recordings and similar methods of attracting birds and not in heavily birded areas or during breeding seasons. Keep appropriate distances from nests and nesting colonies, not disturb them or expose them to danger. Refrain from handling birds and eggs unless in recognised research activities. Birders do not harm the natural environment. We will: Stay in existing roads, trails and pathways to avoid trampling or disturbing fragile habitat. Leave all habitats as we find them. Birders respect the rights of others. We will: Respect the privacy and property of others by observing “No Trespassing” signs, and by asking permission to enter private lands. Practice courtesy in our contacts with others. For example, limit requests for information, and make them at reasonable hours. Always behave in a manner that will enhance the image of the birding communities in the eyes of the public. Birders in groups have special responsibilities. We will: Take special care to alleviate problems and disturbances multiplied when more people are present. Act in consideration of the group’s interest, as well as our own. As group leaders we will: Assume responsibility for the conduct of the group Learn and inform the group of any special rules, regulations or conduct applicable to the area or habitat being visited Limit groups to a size that does not threaten the environment or the peace and tranquility of others Teach others birding ethics through words and example
9
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
SPOT. PLOT. PLAY A PART BIRDLASSER APP MAKES EVERY BIRDER A CONSERVATIONIST 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/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3GLiPPXtzw (you might be surprised who you see‌) http://www.playapart.co.za/
Wader Conservation World Watch. 7th & 8th November 2015
A huge thank you to all observers for making 2015 a very successful wader count. THE RESULTS Together we have seen 125 species (117 last year) There have been 178 observers (70 last year) In 33 countries (19 last year) On 6 continents and all 9 flyways (as last year) 10
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
YOU SAW WHAT? ….. IN YOUR GARDEN WHY? … by Don and Wendy Mattison This Hadeda, affectionately called, Cupid, who wanders around our complex, was shot by someone with a bow and arrow about a few months ago. At the time he limped very badly but now walks about and eats quite normally. We've been trying to get pictures of him for this entire time and finally managed to sneak some pics through a gap in the curtains! We aren't sure about what will happen to him but how do we stop people doing such horrendous things to wild life? --- --
WHAT? … by Henk Nel Sitting in my office at home, I hear the familiar call of a Cape Sparrow, or so I thought. Had a careful listen again, no - it's a House Sparrow... silly mistake. But then it calls again, and I'm sure it's a Cape - calls again, but this time it I'm convinced it's a House. Not wanting to look up - I desperately try to work this one out in my head, I hear it call again - this time round I want to freak out, because now I'm sure it's a Southern Grey-headed! I had to look to get me out of my misery – what did I see… All three species next to each other.
11
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
YOU SAW WHAT? ‌.. IN YOUR GARDEN (continued) Atlassing the creative way by Peter Sharland On the afternoon of my daughter's kitchen tea, I was banished from the house to my post in the road outside the house, being the car guard "station". I knew this was going to be somewhat boring unless I came up with something to do for 3 hours, so I decided to wear my binoculars and keep my cellphone/Birdlasser app close at hand. Thus I was bird atlassing from a fixed urban position, which is not the usual protocol. I suspect some of the people walking or driving past our house may have thought I was some kind of Peeping Tom. Nevertheless, I felt good about what I was doing, mainly because I was multi-tasking which is unusual for a male Homo Sapiens. The surprise for me was the fact that I observed 30 bird species in the space of 3 hours, whilst staying within a 50 metre radius of a fixed point! Plus, a new species was added to our garden bird list, namely Streakyheaded Seedeater. I'm just debating whether this new form of bird atlassing should be called Kitchen Tea Atlassing or Car Guard Atlassing. Here's the list, in no particular order :African Palm Swift Fiscal Flycatcher European Bee-eater African Olive Pigeon African Hoopoe Crested Barbet Cape Glossy Starling Black-collared Barbet Cape Robin-Chat Cape Turtle Dove Cape White-eye Streaky-headed Seedeater Cape Sparrow Pied Crow White-rumped Swift Southern Masked Weaver
House Sparrow Western Cattle Egret Common Myna Karoo Thrush Red-faced Mousebird Laughing Dove Grey Go-away-bird Red-eyed Dove White-bellied Sunbird Rock Dove Hadeda Ibis Greater Striped Swallow Amethyst Sunbird Dark-capped Bulbul
12
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
YOU SAW WHAT? ‌.. IN YOUR GARDEN (continued) Barbet Babies? by Don and Wendy Mattison We have a pair of Black-collared Barbets in our nesting log in our garden. There has been quite a lot of activity around the nest lately with the barbets and glossy starlings having a terrible fight one morning. This morning, we noticed a baby sticking its head out of the nest and barbets feeding it. To our surprise we noticed it definitely wasn't a barbet! On further observation and using our camera and Roberts book, we identified the chick as a Lesser Honeyguide.
These two pics were the best we could manage as the fledgling seems to be very skittish.
We are reliant on YOU to keep our web site current. PLEASE share your photos and interesting bits of news by emailing them to blpr@pitta.co.za
13
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
WIDER GAUTENG (100K) CHALLENGE – 2015 by John Human The 2015 Wider Gauteng Challenge as of today, 2 December, has 29 days left. And guess what ? it starts again from zero on 1 January 2016. So we get to do it all over – wonderful! It is such fun and a tremendous method to force you to get out and bird locally in our wonderful country, the bird count starts in your own garden. The Challenge also helps to grow ones birding knowledge and gives a good opportunity of growing life lists as well. You will bump into top birders out there and make many new friends. It really does not matter if you achieve 100 species for the year or 400 – you set your own targets and at the end of the year everyone starts on zero again – point is that nobody judges you. All you need to participate is an internet connection to record your sightings (http://www.birding.co.za/challenge or www.niall.co.za). BUT if you load Birdlasser on your phone (for free) you are now also a fully qualified Citizen Scientist and can join the SABAP2 atlassing group as well – easiest qualification you can get – you are then helping your birds by reporting data to the ADU in Cape Town. As they say “eazy peezy lemon squeezy” ! If you are still not sure – just have a chat to the 11 members that participated this year and they will convince you. They are: Chris and Jean Dell, Craig Napier, Gill Isaac, Henk Nel, Jane Irvine, Peter Sharland, Shirley Glover, Trina MacGregor, Celia Human and yours truly. The 2015 leader for the Challenge is over 450 species – this is an amazing number and is more than half of the total Southern African species in only 100km – phenomenal. Our Club leader, at over 400, is Henk, with Craig, Celia, Jane and I in the 300’s and many others in the 200’s. Well done to each of you and remember to go for it in 2016 again – set your 2015 total as your target to beat in the New Year. Also note that if you visit one of the other regions in SA – then you can participate in their Challenge as well. Four of us have done well in the Zululand Challenge this year and we only spent under a week in this region. The system also records a South African total list (within Challenge areas) and compares this to your previous Challenge years. So get with it folks, let’s see how many of our Club members can participate in 2016.
14
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
OUTING REPORTS (please visit our web site for photos from all the outings – much better in colour) MOKALA NATURE RESERVE 24 – 28 September 2015 by John Human This long awaited visit to one of my favourite reserves had finally arrived and 11 of us set off very early for the Kimberley area and hopefully many new birds and memories. The group that travelled 650km included Jane and Joe, Gill Isaac, Denise Holahan, Trina the real MacGregor, Chris and Jean Dell, Carol and Bruce Funston and Celia and I. Wapp proved very helpful along the way to co-ordinate rest breaks and the pre-ordering of the very important sustenance in the form of milkshakes and breakfast. It also served us well in avoiding speed traps – at least for the following vehicles anyway. What was very apparent on arrival was that we were in for some extremely hot, dry and windy weather – and we were camping! True to form temperatures were seldom below 30 degrees and mostly nearer 40. However this did not stop us as it was better to be birding than sitting around in the heat. It was interesting and helpful that the night temperatures were very cool and this helped one get a good night’s sleep. The campsite was really good with a very special surprise as each site has its own toilet, shower with basin and small kitchen – all built out of brick and all with solar power for lights and hot water. Gas was supplied for cooking. So luxury camping I guess. Once tents were up (this was a challenge for some) and we had unpacked the next three days were there for birding.
15
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
Outing Reports – Mokala (continued) Many species were seen and I will list a few of the 89 species spotted over the trip: Pygmy Falcon, Rufous-eared Warbler, Pale Chanting Goshawk, Chat Flycatcher, Sociable Weaver, Cape Penduline Tit, Ashy Tit, Fairy Flycatcher, Kori Bustard, Namaqua Warbler, Pririt Batis, Short-toed Rock Thrush and Swallow-tailed Bee-eater. Of course we had to fit in regular updates of the rugby World Cup match between SA and Samoa from the news reporter – Chris Dell – all done while birding and stressing for the Bokke - who said men can’t multi-task? The result in SA’s favour made for a festive braai that night!
We had good sightings of all the usual buck and giraffe found in a semi-arid reserve which makes them just a bit different from what we would see nearer to home. Four really special things happened to us: the first occurred when we heard many agitated birds around a dead tree and upon closer inspection (not to close and glad we were in our cars) was a very large puff-adder cruising along the sand under the dead tree. Anyone that says puff adders can’t move at a good speed and that they are lethargic better think again as this one was highly active and appeared not to be slow at all! The puff adder just ignored the birds and eventually went down a hole near the dead tree. 16
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
Outing Reports - Mokala (continued) The second occurrence is written by Jane: Our bird club spent 4 nights at Mokala campsite in September. Mokala has a wonderful camp – especially as each campsite has its own ablutions and plenty of peace and quiet. During the night we heard what we thought was a moth caught between the flysheet and tent. On getting up early the noise was still coming from close to our tent. Looking around we noticed a bird hanging upside down in a thorn tree. We all rallied around to help with John climbing onto a vehicle and into the tree to free the bird with many thorns pricking into him. Another hour or so it wouldn’t have survived in the heat. We identified it as a Cape Wagtail.
We noticed a string around its leg, decided the best was to calm it down so left it in our camera case for a short while. We opened the case a little while later to a welcome sight of the Wagtail sitting up looking a bit brighter. Took it out and managed to cut the string off its leg, gave it some water and placed it on the ground with a small amount of egg which it ate and flew off. A short while later it was back to say thank you. It was obviously used to people in the camp and food around the dustbin to pick up. We named it Hop-a-long.
17
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
The third occurrence was a celebration of Joe’s birthday and this was reason for champagne and chocolate cake and yet another special braai. The fourth occurrence was a nest at the reception building of the rest camp at the Lillydale Camp and here were three little mouths waiting to be fed – they were identified as a little family of Rock Martins. This gave the photographers in the group some special opportunities.
18
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
Outing Reports – Mokala (continued) Sadly the time went quickly and we had to leave for our stop over at the Bloemhof Dam. A morning visit to the Kimberley Big Hole brought us back to reality and we watched the highlights of the SA - Samoa rugby match while enjoying lunch. Far less stressful when you know the result! Bradfield Swift was the special bird seen from the viewing deck along with many other swifts and swallows – good place to view these birds from as one looks down on them so they are easier to identify. A Peregrine Falcon did a fly by just before we left. Jane, Joe, Trina and Denise overnighted at Sandveld while we stayed at the Bloemhof Nature Reserve accommodation, which I wouldn’t recommend. Apart from being very run down it was in serious need of a spring clean. However, the birding at the dam which was across the road was really good with a morning count of over 60 species in just over 2 hours. If you have not been to Mokala Nature Reserve then you have to go….. I will be your guide any day!
Twigle Birds app off to a flying start in South Africa Twigle Birds is a birding app designed primarily with beginner and intermediate birders in mind. The user simply takes a photo of a bird and the app uses image recognition technology to identify the species, thus helping birders to identify birds easily. Twigle Birds exhibited at the Sasol Bird Fair held on 5 and 6 September 2015 and the app was released for the southern African region on the App Store at the end of October. It is performing well, being in the top five rankings in the Reference section. Download Twigle from the App Store https://itunes.apple.com/za/app/id917162657 Gift Gana, Twigle Birds, gift.gana@avelgood.com
19
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
Outing Reports (continued) BORAKALALO 23 -25 OCTOBER 2015 by Sophie Banfield Eight of us had a wonderful, though hot, weekend at Borakalalo – me and Denise, Joe and Jane, Henk and Craig and Celia and John. We threaded our way through the maze of potholes and bumped over about 28 speed humps, past the Try Again Cafe and arrived at lunchtime on Friday, met up with Joe and Jane and set about choosing a tent. Unfortunately the nicest ones with the most shade had broken zips and were unusable. It was sad to see that the camp has received virtually no maintenance and the tents are cobbled together with makeshift repairs. One corner of our tent was held down with a piece of wire and a long nail (instead of a tent peg). Fortunately the lu’s flushed and all the taps and showers had running water. Around 2.30pm, John called us to the river bank and said he’d seen an African Finfoot. After a few minutes of scanning for movement a female appeared and powered her way upstream – amazing how fast they can swim – and what a fabulous start to the weekend!
The lucky Finfoot watchers
We also spotted a Black Crake and heard an African Fish Eagle. Henk and Craig arrived a bit later and were disappointed to have missed the Finfoot, though they did eventually see a male on Sunday morning. In the early evening we went for a short walk along the riverbank but did not see anything special. 20
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
Outing Reports – Borakalalo (continued) Peter Gordon-Cummings (one of our bird club members) is an Honorary Official (apparently Kruger Park has exclusively claimed the name of Honorary Rangers) at Borakalalo and also does voluntary monitoring at Pilanesburg and the Rustenburg Nature Reserve (now Kgaswane Mountain Reserve) and he kindly offered to be our guide for the weekend. We set off at 5.30am the following morning and Peter guided us along the dam’s shoreline and into the bush. I was the least experienced birder in the group and Henk, Craig, Celia and John were collecting birds for the 2015 Gauteng 100K Birding Challenge and wanted to find specific birds. I only listed birds which interested me, but the combined total was 169 birds for the weekend! My two lifers for the morning were the Greater Honeyguide and Purple Roller, but we saw a great variety – Red-billed, Yellow-billed and Grey Hornbills, Magpie Shrike, a Common Greenshank running down the track in front of the car, Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Yellow-throated Petronia and many more. After a breakfast break we left the cars and walked a bit through the bush and along the shoreline and spotted all the usual waders, herons, cormorants, terns, etc. A highlight was spotting one lone Lesser Flamingo which was an unexpected sighting.
The Red-crested Koraan sighting made the Gauteng 100k Challengers very happy – ‘new for the list’ they cried.
21
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
Outing Reports – Borakalalo (continued) In the late afternoon, after a rest and cold shower to try and beat the heat (around 37C), we stopped close the weir and walked down to a sandbank in the river where Jane and Joe spotted a Common Sandpiper and Pied Wagtail. We carried on to the bridge where a Pearl Spotted Owlet was enticed to come a little closer and then obligingly sat on a branch in the open (another lifer for me!). There were 3 Red-Headed Weaver nests hanging between 2 electricity poles further up the road towards the gate. There were quite a few birds in the vicinity, including a Marico Sunbird (another lifer!) but no Red-Headed Weavers. Just before we were about to give up a worried female arrived to see what all the noise was about. That gave me 6 lifers for the weekend so far! In the evening we gathered for a braai close to Jane & Joe’s tent – a pleasant shady spot overlooking the river and where Celia and John had kindly erected their Gazebo which gave us extra space and shade. The only problem was the lights brought out a lot of solifuges (large creepy crawlies which look like pink spiders, but aren’t). I wondered why Celia was sitting with her feet in the air and when I looked down the penny dropped and I saw them scuttling all over the place. Henk and Craig then proceeded to act like horrid older brothers and teased Celia and I unmercifully insisting that the solifuges were climbing up our chair legs and I had visions of them climbing up the back of my chair! When Celia couldn’t stand it any longer she leapt up and moved to the other side of the circle and I moved my chair away as far as possible! Solifuges have given me the absolute heebie-jeebies ever since a huge one crawled into my clothing bag at Botsolano and I had to gingerly unpack everything outside the tent until I could shake it out! On Sunday morning John & Celia, Denise, me & Peter set off again at 5.30am in 2 cars and left the others to do their own thing. Henk planned to sit and wait for the elusive Finfoot! We drove towards the west side of the park and hadn’t gone far when Celia and John spotted a Grey-headed Kingfisher. Unfortunately we had driven straight past it and missed spotting it! We waited and walked a bit, but didn’t see it again. Farther on we had a lovely sighting of both male and female Plum Coloured Starlings (sorry, Violet-backed Starlings) – such striking birds. The bush we drove through was very scenic with lots of large old trees – think the proper name is broad-leafed woodland - and it suddenly opened up to a gently sloping open plain, which Peter explained had once been part of a farm and was cultivated. I spotted a Jackal lying down in a gully being harassed by plovers (I think) and thought I could see water – unfortunately an optical illusion. 22
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
Outing Reports – Borakalalo (continued) During the weekend we saw quite a lot of other game – wildebeest, lots of giraffe, mountain reedbuck, zebra, klipspringer and other antelope. We stopped at a picnic table and after breakfast, Celia wandered a little way into the bush looking for a Bennett’s Woodpecker. Instead she spotted a Shikra and a Southern Black Tit (2 more lifers for me). We drove on through a Wild Syringa forest – pointed out by Peter and I thoroughly enjoyed this attractive part of the park. We stopped again at the Grey-headed Kingfisher spot on the way back, but sadly no luck in finding it. Back at camp, I’d just got out of the car and heard a Red-Chested Cuckoo calling very close by, so I looked up into the tree I was standing next to and was thrilled to see one sitting there singing its heart out. I’ve only seen them flying overhead and have, of course, heard them thousands of times, but never had a good sighting before. Henk and Craig packed up and left before the rest of us who decided to have an early lunch before hitting the road. We were eating, sitting and chatting when we heard a lot of splashing in the river below. We all rushed up to the bank and saw a male Finfoot furiously beating his wings and “running” on the water heading upstream! We followed him with our bins as far as possible until he disappeared around a bend in the river. What a wonderful ending to such a fantastic, fun and rewarding weekend – 8 lifers in total for me – what more could I ask for? And I had the benefit of being surrounded by such experienced birders! I’d love to go again, but a word of warning to anyone planning to stay overnight – there were around 28 people staying at the Honorary Official’s campsite down the road doing a weekend birding course. Despite the large group, a car was broken into and a laptop and data equipment stolen just after midnight on the Saturday night. We made a point of taking all valuables into the tents at night and parking the cars as close to the tents as possible. According to our camp assistant, this has become quite a common occurrence and seems to happen just after midnight. He said he was employed to act as our “night guard” and keep watch over our tents. Fortunately nothing happened to us!
23
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
Outing Reports (continued) SERINGVELD CONSERVANCY AND ROOIWAL TREATMENT WORKS – 1 November 2015 by Jean Dell 16 Birders met on a sand road just inside the conservancy area at 06h30. Road side birding with many walks in between was the recipe for the day. The early morning birding was good, with the elusive Striped Pipit stretching our patience with a distant call but never coming into view for a positive I.D. for the lifer required by some of the group. After sitting on the side of the dusty road for quite some time we unfortunately had to give up. Just have to come back soon. The call of the Red-chested Cuckoo is a distinctive summer sound but to actually get to see it is not that easy. Later on we heard the Diederic’s Cuckoo, and at least got to see it sitting on a telephone line in full view for a good picture. The special sighting on the walk up Rinkhals Road was finding a Chinspot Batis nest. The tiny cup shaped nest with its lichen stuffing on the sides was still being built by the adults. It was surprisingly only about one metre off the ground. Jane was lucky enough to get this photo of the adult with nesting material in its beak.
24
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
Outing Reports – Seringveld (continued) The day was really turning warm, the predicted 30 plus deg temperatures and the very dry conditions were affecting not only the bird sightings but also the birders. Once reaching the dead end we retraced our steps and after a quick’ pit stop’ headed for Rooiwal. The number of waders at Rooiwal was quite unexpected (not so unexpected were the hundreds of flies that pestered us). By now the temperature had risen to 38deg, and walking along the road with no shade next to the lower dams was trying. US BIRDERS ARE CRAZY PEOPLE!!! It was so cute to see the White-faced Ducks all sitting huddled together under the one lonely small tree on side of the dam.
I was really impressed with the large volume of the same bird species, sitting on the sandbank at the centre dam. This was a first for Chris and I. Some of our group departed, leaving half of us to find some trees and have our well-deserved lunch. A Wahlberg’s Eagle and African Pipit finished off the day’s sightings. It is a super place for waders, just ignore the flies. Total bird calls and sightings: 111
25
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
Outing Reports (continued) TSWAING CRATER - 15 November 2015 by John Human Well the good news is that we identified the target species for this outing which was the African Hawk Eagle. The bad news is that many private events popped up and eventually only three lucky members enjoyed this wonderful raptor! Tswaing is a good birding spot and in fact is the same distance from Randburg to Marievale – definitely not too far for a morning or day outing. As all venues are finding this year, rain is needed badly – however this did not affect a very positive day’s birding with new member Rob McLaren enjoying about 7 lifers! The trick is to make arrangements prior to visiting this reserve to allow early access as the gate only opens at 07h30 and to get permission to drive on “No Entry” roads – we did both of these and ended up with close to 80 species for the morning. As one enters the reserve there is a section of very good bushveld and time was spent there and on the bridge over the river – White-throated Swallow, Common Sandpiper, European Bee-Eaters and all the regulars were heard and seen in this area. We were also entertained by Bronze Mannikins that were collecting nesting material for their very untidy ball nests. The picnic site gave us a nesting Lilac-breasted Roller and a Bearded Woodpecker was seen as we approached the picnic area. Sharp birding by Rob and Celia led us to an African Cuckoo Hawk eating its prey – some poor reptile with a longish tail! Soon after this we spent some time at the nest of a Crimson-breasted Shrike – due to the lack of rain it is easier to find nesting sites as the trees and shrubs have less foliage. After sorting out Burnt-necked Eremomela and Long-billed Crombec with White-throated Robin-chat pictures taken as we viewed the crater, we headed into no–man’s land. The road was fine (not by a slightly hysterical Celia’s view) as we bumped along next to the river trying to avoid young thorn bushes in the road, while trying to work out which way the road or track actually turned. I was confident in my non 4x4 as I had Rob – the mechanic – in my car, so had this false sense of, “he knows about cars and will get us out of anything”. He did not know I was thinking this and probably thought I was mad when he got hooked by a thorn tree that drew some blood! Oops and no indemnity form signed yet! Hope he remains a member – probably won’t travel with me again.
26
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
Outing Reports – Tswaing (continued) This short section of stream brought us special sightings of Klaas’s Cuckoo, Wood Sandpiper and various other bushveld, waders and water birds. The end of this circular road led us to the exit where we paid and headed for home after a good mornings birding. Certainly a venue to visit again after good rains.
Seven-figure number is worthy of a seven-scoop ice cream. Today, 17 November 2015, the bird atlas project, SABAP2, reached the astonishing milestone of generating the millionth record of bird distribution for 2015. This is the first time we have reached a million records for the year, within the year. And we still have one and a half months to take it higher. We can celebrate today. But we need to get back to work, and help measure the impact of the current drought on bird distributions. We can expect the unexpected. Sensational achievement, Team SABAP2. ~ Les Underhill
27
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
Outing Reports (continued) BIRDING BIG DAY – PENTAD 2600_2755 by Gill Isaac On Monday 23 November, I sent John Human a text message asking if he could explain the plan for Saturday’s Big Birding Day and saying: “I would like to tag along with someone to try and get 2 more birds to bring my 2015 Gauteng challenge total to 250 birds. I got a message back saying “Can be arranged. I will let you know”. Well, the outcome of that was that John and Celia fetched me at 04h45 on Saturday morning and after picking up Jane Irvine, we set off to see how many birds we could log for the Big Birding Day challenge.
It was cold and windy but we didn’t let that dampen our spirits as we toured the pentad suburbs looking for any bird that was willing to brave the elements. Although really cold, going to the top of Northcliff hill was spectacular and there we were rewarded with sightings of Cape Rock Thrush and the European Bee-eaters.
After two hours of birding we had logged a good number (62) and set off back to the bird sanctuary in President Ridge to meet up with our other club members for breakfast. What a super turnout it was. 42 members had turned up and they too had had a good morning birding in the sanctuary. Amongst their total of 46 birds were sightings of Woodland and Malachite Kingfishers, African Olive Pigeon, Black-crowned Night Heron, Lesser Swamp Warbler and Green-backed Heron. After a much needed breakfast and hot coffee, the four of us set off again to see what else we could find to add to our list. We were again rewarded for our perseverance with sightings of Black-shouldered Kite, Red-headed Finch, African Paradise Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher and the list went on. 28
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
Outing Reports - BBD (continued) By about 3pm our total was on 90. We were all starting to feel a little weary but not wanting to give up yet, Celia suggested we should pay Pierre and Margie de Klerk a visit at The Willows Estate in Kelland. After a quick phone call, we headed off to their complex and thanks to them, we were able to add another 5 birds to our total including the Greater Honeyguide. By now, we had been at it for almost 12 hours but every bit was worthwhile and most enjoyable. Our grand total for the day was 96 species. I was delighted to have got my Gauteng challenge figure to 251 and in the process I again learnt a lot from being with such wonderfully patient and experienced birders. PS. My biggest challenge for next year – to learn more bird calls!!! Thanks a ton John, Celia and Jane.
29
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
BIRDING BITS and ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS If you're lost, you need a map and a compass. The map pinpoints where you are, and the compass orients you in the right direction. Migratory birds, on the other hand, can traverse entire hemispheres and end up just a couple miles from where they bred last year, using their senses alone. Their compass is the sun, the stars and the Earth's magnetic field. But their map is a little more mysterious. One theory goes that they use olfactory cues—how a place smells. Another is that they rely on their sense of magnetism. Researchers in Russia investigated the map issue in a past study by capturing Eurasian reed warblers on the Baltic Sea as they flew northeast towards their breeding grounds near Saint Petersburg. They moved the birds 600 miles east, near Moscow. And the birds just reoriented themselves to the northwest—correctly determining their new position. Now the same scientists have repeated that experiment—only this time, they didn't move the birds at all. They just put them in cages that simulated the magnetic field of Moscow, while still allowing the birds to experience the sun, stars and smells of the Baltic. Once again, the birds re-oriented themselves to the northwest—suggesting that the magnetic field alone—regardless of smells or other cues, is enough to alter the birds' mental map. And if you're envious of that sixth sense—keep in mind that since the Earth's magnetic field fluctuates, the researchers say magnetic route-finding is best for crude navigation. Meaning for door-to-door directions—you’re still better off with your GPS. —Christopher Intagliata WHAT GOES INTO THE OCEAN, GOES INTO YOU 7th October 2015 The dumping of plastic waste into the ocean is on the rise. Surveys carried out in South African beaches five years apart, show that the densities of all plastic debris have increased substantially and that plastic constitutes over 80% of all debris collected (Derraik, 2002). Some of the threats faced by our oceans include overexploitation and harvesting, dumping of industrial and domestic waste, invasions of alien species, coastal development and climate change. One particular form of human impact constitutes a major threat to marine life: land-based marine pollution.
30
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
Birding Bits – EWT (continued) Bridget Corrigan, the EWT’s Source to Sea Programme Manager, comments: "Marine pollution is a huge concern from a biodiversity and ecological standpoint as well as from a human health aspect. Oceans are not dumping grounds and we cannot consider dilution to be a solution. Eventually, our waste will catch up with us and make it impossible to ignore. Everyone has a role to play in reducing the scourge of marine waste." Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), such as micro-plastics and heavy metals from industrial waste streams, often become concentrated in apex predators, such as tuna. Given that humans consume vast quantities of seafood, this should seriously concern us as we are the ultimate apex predator and these pollutants accumulate in our fat and muscle tissue. Chemicals incorporated in, or attracted to plastics floating in seawater have a broad range of potentially toxic, carcinogenic and hormone disturbing effects. Plastic is now found on virtually all South African beaches, even the most remote, and researchers are now also finding plastic rubbish in Antarctic regions. Sea turtles and sea birds are some of the most seriously affected species, as a consequence of not only habitat loss and bycatch, but also through entanglement in, and ingestion of marine litter ( SAEON, 2011). The EWT’s Source to Sea Programme works across southern Africa on a range of freshwater and marine projects, including mainstreaming the Ecosystems Approach at the Orange River Mouth estuary, blue economy development along the Wild Coast and protection of Dugongs in the Bazaruto Archipelago Marine National park, Mozambique. "Only by thinking globally and acting locally, can we hope to turn the situation around. A combination of improved legislation and a greater awareness of ecological processes is likely to be the best way to solve such environmental problems. Collectively with the general public and the scientific community, we need to ensure that governments and businesses get actively involved in preserving our marine resources. It is, without a doubt, an imperative that we address issues threatening our oceans’ biodiversity, such as the pollution by plastic debris" remarks Corrigan. Join our conversations across our social media platforms: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EndangeredWildlifeTrust Twitter: www.twitter.com/TheEWT
31
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
Birding Bits and Environmenal News (continued)
The Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Wildlife & Energy Programme (EWT-WEP), in partnership with Eskom and Preformed Line Products, broke new ground near Kroonstad in 2014 by installing the world’s first nocturnal light emitting diode (LED) mitigation device. These devices are a combination of the basic bird flapper and bird flight diverter concepts, but are equipped with a solar panel which powers flashing LED lights throughout the night to try and prevent mortalities of bird species flying at night.
“Through the years Eskom and the EWT have worked together to reduce the number of wildlife mortalities on Eskom infrastructure across South Africa.
32
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
Birding Bits and Environmental News – EWT (continued) One of the major impacts identified over the years was the collision of water birds, such as Flamingos, with power lines. Interestingly it has been observed and recorded that these bird species often fly at dawn, dusk, and after dark, making them prone to collision with power lines. The Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus and Lesser Flamingo Phoenicopterus minor are found in most regions of South Africa and Eastern Southern Africa, and both of these species are considered near threatened. Often larger birds such as these will collide with power line infrastructure by simply not being able to see the obstacle in their flight path,” commented Constant Hoogstad, Manager of the EWT-WEP. One of the areas where Greater Flamingos were noted to be affected by power lines was on a farm called Rooihoogte, which is 30km outside Kroonstad. Over the past three years more than 50 Flamingos had collided with already marked power lines on this property. The line was fitted with diurnal anti-collision devices but they proved to be ineffective. “The EWT, Eskom, Preformed Line Products, and one of the local concerned landowners, collaborated to fit the first ever nocturnal LED solar charged device on power lines. This was a truly a historic day for the Eskom EWT partnership as we are extremely optimistic about the success of this LED nocturnal anti-collision device and the site will now be monitored to establish its effectiveness. If the devices prove to be successful we hope to integrate them in other parts of the country in order to continue to reduce the mortality rate of large water birds,” concluded Hoogstad. Thanks to Eskom and their dedicated team, Performed Line Products and Rooihoogte Game Farm for their assistance and support on this project. UPDATE – 2 December 2015 The devices have been up for more than 12 months now and we have seen a 95% reduction of mortalities at the sites. We are taking the study to the next level now and tagging some flamingos and marking some additional lines. Constant Hoogstad Endangered Wildlife Trust - Wildlife & Energy Programme (WEP) Programme Manager: Wildlife and Energy Programme
33
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
NEWS FROM THE BLACK EAGLE PROJECT ROODEKRAANS – WALTER SISULU BOTANICAL GARDENS by Bo van der Lecq Fortunately the adult eagle pair cut their offspring some slack in that her stay in the garden and surrounds has been prolonged to normal “staying-standard” of their usual 2½ - 3 month period. Currently (3rd December) she is 12 days shy of being three months off the nest, and if she can hang in until mid December, she will be in a perfect position to survive. Don’t get me wrong, two-and-a-half months are beautiful too, but three months gives her an additional edge. Harassment has intensified during the last three weeks or so, which is normal behaviour as this is the crux of the behavioural lessons taught to their offspring. The only lesson that the juveniles are excluded from is hunting...by far the most valuable lesson of all and if the juvenile is unable to grasp this very quickly, will make or break any eagle...hence the mere 20-30% survival rate in their first year away from their natal home range. However, the three-month period on the nest post hatching affords the chick / eaglet / juvenile ample time to familiarise herself with the prey that is brought to the nest by the adult eagles as she imprints on each item individually and will thus know what to hunt for. Instinct too plays an enormous roll and without it, no eagle will survive. The only prey that comes for free is a carcass and although juveniles will make full use of this, carcasses aren’t always safe in that it may be laced with poisons to trap and kill vermin such as jackal and caracal. It is important thus that she does not solely rely on dead meat as hunting your own fresh prey revitalizes the functioning of the eagle that will ensure strength and prolonged good health in order to survive. Looking back on the 2015 breeding season, it was an interesting nine months in that the hatching period was “very long” being 49 days instead of the usual 44/45-day incubation period. It was clearly indicative too that the female assisted with the hatching process, which is generally unheard of. When the second chick hatched a day later, we thought that there might be a chance that both chicks could survive...alas...the second chick mysteriously disappeared overnight...suggesting that the adult female may have pushed the chick out of its comfort zone causing it to die of starvation and or exposure. We will never know exactly what caused the second chick’s demise.
34
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
News from Black Eagle Project (continued) Then if that was not a large pill to swallow...the juvenile managed to spend a solid 110 days on the nest instead of the usual 95–100 days for females...males fledge a little sooner, usually 90–95 days being a lighter in weight and smaller in overall size eagle. We wish her all the best in her endeavours out there in the real and ruthless wild...promises of exhilarating thermals...ample prey in a variation of hyrax, guineafowl, rock rabbit, scrub hare and francolin...may the fruits of the loom be plentiful and that the eagle-gods will accompany her until she finds a territory of her own...a mate...and raise many eaglets – you go and all the best loved one... Black Eagle Project Roodekrans
35
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
LET’S GO INDIGENOUS - Top tips for buying plants by Karen Nel As we all know, gardening can be an expensive undertaking. That’s why it is crucial to get the most bang for your buck right from the start with every purchase made. So here are some tried and tested tips that will save you money in the short and long run so that you can buy more for the same amount, which is my kind of thinking. Indigenous is best As you can guess by now, my first principle is always to buy indigenous – or better yet, endemic – where possible. This ensures a naturally better survival rate and less effort to maintain the plant when it is established and has recovered from potential root shock after it has been transplanted. Proper maintenance includes regular watering for the first two weeks (with two proper soaks once a week), where after you should wean the plant so that it adapts to the natural rainfall cycle. You should add foodstuff (such as 3:1:5) when planting and add at least two handfuls of bone meal with compost around the roots to ensure a good start and sustained growth. Handy hint: It is probably best to avoid bone meal if you have dogs that will dig it up– though it is certainly the more cost-effective option, you should rather opt for a chemical slow-release fertiliser. Head local Opt for the small, independent nursery around the corner rather than the commercialised nursery with all the bells and whistles. This is because many large nurseries buy large scale from suppliers that feed plants with concoctions of artificial fertilizers and growth hormones to boost sales. Plants in these nurseries are also heavily protected under shade netting and thrive on regular watering (or moisture-locking pearls) and excess food granules. Once transplanted and exposed to our harsh natural climate, these ‘synthetic’ plants often don’t survive. Plants at smaller ventures often get less artificial stimulants because there is less pressure on turnover, which means that they are better adapted to the climate and less prone to disease. Girth over height When choosing your specific plant, always look at the main stem. A thicker stem indicates a stronger root system and generally a healthier plant. Don’t be impatient and solely select a plant based on its height and abundant branches. Although you should definitely consider shape based on the purpose of the plant in your garden – will it be a dense screen or form a tall focal point, for example – the first priority is always that the plant must survive. The right shape, height and density will come with time if you’ve chosen a sustainable plant. 36
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
Let’s go Indigenous (continued) Handy hint: While you are inspecting the stem, pay close attention to the soil in the bag – select a plant that isn’t infested with weeds that will contaminate your soil and add to your labour. Making the best of promotions Gardening really gets expensive when you need large plants, such as more established trees, to create instant appeal. This is often essential for new gardens or when you are planting slow-growing plants. As one nursery owner once rightly said ‘Don’t you know that you’re merely paying for the bag of soil?’ If you need to buy ‘a bigger bag of soil’, it is best to do so at an end-ofsummer sale. Nurseries often want to boost sales at this time as gardening activity declines towards winter, and Nicolas Plants (a firm favourite of mine) have an annual tree sale with select species at less 50%. This makes up for the transportation and fertilizer fees, which increase the total cost significantly. Plus, May/June is actually the ideal time to plant trees, with a restful winter ahead to recover before the growing season starts. Handy hint: Be sure to plant the tree in a generously sized hole with ample compost and bone meal, and acclimatise it sufficiently to ensure survival. Another popular time for discounts on plants across the board is at the start of the year when the festive season has left most people cash-strapped. This is intended to kick-start gardening spend. Also be on the lookout for markdowns on plants that are approaching the end of their flowering season. While these plants probably don’t have the same glorious appeal now, you will reap the benefit of your patience and vision with the next flowering season – at less than half the cost. Stock the essentials Compost, bone meal, support stakes and pesticides are never fun to buy because it doesn’t have the visible promise of a new plant. Yet, to ensure the success of your gardening effort, you should make sure that you have these on hand and keep an eye out for discounts. Builders Express and Builders Warehouse often have promotions. It helps to build a mental library of where to find the best deals on the best products – cheaper compost is not necessarily better when the particles are much larger with less spread. And I don’t know about you, but I am much more inclined to apply best practice when everything I need is readily available. It also helps to have a clear vision or plan in mind to exclude impulse buys. May these hints give you more gardening pleasure at the lowest price possible. Patience, strategy and diligence – all characteristics of a keen gardener – are key. So have a blessed Festive Season and enjoy daydreaming about your next garden adventure! 37
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
IMPORTANT BIRD AND BIODIVERSITY AREAS OF SOUTH AFRICA There are 98 IBA’s in South Africa. Gauteng has three IBA’s; Blesbokspruit, Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve and Devon Grasslands. You can support these IBA ‘s by merely visiting them. Many of these IBA’s are included in our Club programme. Below is an article extracted from the BirdLife SA’s recent IBA publication on Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve. The full publication can be downloaded from the BirdLife SA website www.birdlife.org.za Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve Status: Sub-regional IBA (C1) • Province: Gauteng • Size: 17 950 ha • Protection: Fully Protected Site description: Located 50 km south of Johannesburg, Suikerbosrand lies between the towns of Heidelberg and Meyerton in Gauteng’s industrialised Highveld. The reserve has been expanded in recent years by the addition of an extension northward to the R550 and east up to the N3. The new section includes a large area of grassland, wetlands along the Rietspruit and drainage lines. This extension is extremely valuable as it contains habitats suitable for African Grass Owl Tyto capensis and Secretarybird Sagittarius serpentarius. The reserve is dominated by Suikerbos Ridge, which runs from west to east, rising from the surrounding plateau (1 500 m a.s.l.) to reach its greatest height (1 918 m a.s.l.) in the form of knolls on the central plateau east of Kareekloof. The ridge is broken by numerous seasonal streams, and the associated well-wooded kloofs and steep cliffs (varying in height from 15 to 45 m) contrast with the predominantly open grassy plains. Two important areas are the aloe forest near Kareekloof and, in the south-west, the vegetation community dominated by Vachellia (formerly Acacia) karroo trees. Although the annual average is 700 mm, rainfall can vary considerably over short distances, with the most rain falling in the east and the least in the west. In addition, the ridge forms a divide, so that rain may fall to the north but not to the south and vice versa, further complicating local rain events. This steep rainfall gradient results in a wide variety of vegetation types occurring within the reserve. Sour grassveld dominates most of the area, although bushveld also occurs along the watercourses and in the east and south. Large parts of the foothills were once cultivated land but are now returning to their natural state. Birds: The diversity of habitats in the reserve has resulted in more than 270 species being recorded during SABAP2. It is not certain how many Whitebellied Korhaans Eupodotis senegalensis occur and further research is needed in order to obtain exact numbers. The inclusion of the extended area into the reserve has ensured that African Grass Owl remains listed as a key species. Counts produced 12 birds in 2007 and eight in 2014. 38
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
IBA’s – Suikerbosrand (continued) Melodius Lark Mirafra cheniana has been added as a key species because it has been reported regularly in this IBA since 2007. Up to 50 individuals have been recorded at one time. Secretarybird breeds in the reserve and two pairs have been recorded here in recent years. Sentinel Rock Thrush Monticola explorator occurs in the east and Kalahari Scrub Robin Erythropygia paena, Red-headed Finch Amadina erythrocephala, Black-faced Waxbill Estrilda erythronotos and Violet-eared Waxbill Uraeginthus granatinus are regularly reported. Independent observers as well as those participating in SABAP2 have recorded Blue Korhaan Eupodotis caerulescens, Corn Crake Crex crex and African Marsh Harrier Circus ranivorus. IBA trigger species: The globally threatened species that occur in the IBA are Melodious Lark, Blue Korhaan and Secretarybird (two pairs). Regionally threatened species are African Grass Owl (12–30 individuals) and Whitebellied Korhaan. Kalahari Scrub Robin and White-bellied Sunbird Cinnyris talatala are the only biome-restricted species in this IBA.
39
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
IBA’s – Suikerbosrand (continued) Conservation issues: Threats - The biggest immediate threats to this IBA are unplanned fires and uncontrolled grazing and trampling by cattle. Fire is an important tool for grassland management and the burning plan for the reserve takes into account the requirements not only of the veld and ungulate species, but also of the broader biodiversity. However, a lack of financial resources hampers efforts to secure the reserve against unplanned fires and illegal grazing, and these are a perennial problem. Incompatible fire and grazing regimes negatively affect the availability of suitable habitat for key bird species such as African Grass Owl and are thought to be the primary cause of local population declines in the northern extension. A number of mining applications have been submitted for the extension and adjacent properties; if approved, they could have a severe negative impact on the key species in the IBA. A number of transmission lines traverse the IBA and could be a threat to large-bodied species such as Secretarybird. More monitoring is needed to determine whether they are indeed a threat. Conservation action: Suikerbosrand was proclaimed a nature reserve in 1974 and initially comprised sections of nine farms, with a combined extent of 11 595 ha. Additional sections of six farms to the north of the original reserve were purchased between 2000 and 2006. The process of incorporating this extension into the main reserve has yet to be completed, but as of 2014 the proclaimed extent of the nature reserve has been expanded to 14 726 ha. The reserve is managed by GDARD and is extremely important at a local level as it is one of the few areas in the southern Highveld where significant remnants of the original flora and fauna remain. Located within one of the most densely populated and industrialised regions in sub-Saharan Africa, Suikerbosrand is used intensively for environmental education, outdoor recreation and resource management. Densities of almost all the larger wideranging birds in the area have been reduced as humans have increased and intensified their use of the land. A species such as Secretarybird has had its density considerably reduced in Gauteng, while Cape Vulture Gyps coprotheres and Martial Eagle Polemaetus bellicosus are now rare species for this reserve and are seldom seen. Appropriate landscape management, including proactive awareness campaigns to prevent the persecution of large birds in the district, could result in the return of some of these wide-ranging raptors to the area. However, the reserve in isolation is probably too small to support viable populations of any of the larger wide-ranging birds. - Ernst F. Retief
40
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
CLUB COMMITTEE PRESIDENT CHAIRPERSON TREASURER MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY NETWORK BIRD SANCTUARY ROSTER MINUTES SECRETARY PROGRAMME SUBCOMMITTEE Co-ordinator Programme Secretary Outing Organisers
MEMBERSHIP LIAISON
Jan Fourie John Human Errol Kilpatrick Denise Holahan Pierre de Klerk Gill Hardingham Peter Sharland Margie de Klerk
044 384-0295 011 704-3196 082 326-9278 011 791-7154
Jane Irvine Trina MacGregor Errol Kilpatrick Ian Cuthbertson Chris & Jean Dell Maryke Ewen Dee Cuthbertson
011 782-9923 082 587-4863 082 326-9278 011 447-8602 012 807-0226 011 608-4043 011 447-8602
011 462-9682 011 782-8600
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 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
41
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
John Human presents a certificate to Gaby Kleynhans for 100 Southern African Species seen
Simon Gear congratulates Alec Ryall who won the Image of the Year with his photo of an African Barred Owlet
42
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
Mokala Nature Reserve -Short-toed Rock Thrush by Gill Isaac
Tswaing Crater - White-browed Robin-Chat by Celia Human 43
KINGFISHER
December 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________
Wishing you a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year
44