BIRDLIFE PRESIDENT RIDGE Randburg’s Own Bird Club August 2014 – No. 58
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IN THIS ISSUE Number 58 PAGE From the Editor’s Perch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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The Chairman Tweets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Down in the Sanctuary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Letter to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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BLSA News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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The Sharland’s Travels – Australia, Part 2 . . . . . . . . .
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Cape Town Pelagic Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Photographic Trip – Chobe National Reserve . . . . . . .
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SASOL Bird Fair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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BLPR Trip Report - Cumberland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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BLPR Trip Reports – Aloe Creek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Bird and Conservation Club – Mpumalanga Escarpment
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News from Nylsvley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Footprint Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Birding with new eyes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Indigenous Garden in the Free State . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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SABAP2 News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Let’s Learn A Little . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Club Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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FROM THE EDITOR’S PERCH Despite it being winter time the bird world has been alive with meetings and discussions on the future of Bird Club members within BirdLife South Africa. In this issue our Chairman John Human expounds on the options available to us as a fully paid-up branch of BLSA. Whatever way your Committee decides you can be assured it will be in the best interests of our members and their Club. And it could be easier on your pocket! We hope to be able to announce something to you within the next 6 months. We have four members who are actively participating in the 100km Wider Gauteng Challenge; Peter Sharland (235), Jane Irvine (304), Celia Human (329) and Henk Nel (340). This year-long challenge was started four years ago by Etienne Marias to encourage birders to bird locally and to submit SABAP2 field sheets where possible. Jerome Ainsley is the top birder a present with a total of (414) species seen. With 4 prime birding months still to go, the final totals will be impressive. We congratulate Helen McNally on achieving the healthy age of 80 years. Helen is one of our stalwarts who makes sure the Bird Sanctuary is opened each weekend for you and the general public to enjoy. She is also present when the weekly Thursday sanctuary maintenance team assembles there to keep the place nice for you. Happy Birthday Helen and many more of them! Gill Hardingham refers in her column to the need to change locks yet again on the small entrance gate to the Bird Sanctuary. Combination locks are not for the birds it would seem and we have had perforce to resort to a good ole’ lock and key system. This change has had to be financed so we have decided to charge those who wish to access the Bird Sanctuary during nonopening hours R50 for the privilege. They will also sign a ‘code of conduct’ letter, part of which urges them to take care of the key and not to lend it or give it to anyone else. If this and the other conditions of entry are ignored then we shall change the lock thereby denying them entry. The President Ridge Bird Sanctuary is just that, a bird sanctuary and not a public recreation area. Therefore our responsibility is to the welfare of the birds and we intend to observe this. PAUL HARDINGHAM EDITOR
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THE CHAIRMAN TWEETS Spring is in the air despite the odd late cold front that will now hopefully turn to rain and be followed by warm weather. With this the excitement of coming out of hibernation and looking forward to the migrants return and some fair to hot weather birding. Remember to plan your life around birding, as the summer is short, and one needs to use every opportunity to find that elusive lifer or special that we want to find. Outings, although few in the winter months, have still been fun and reasonably well attended. Our lectures continue to be very well attended – winter or not. It is so good to have our own members present, very professionally I might add, various topics the latest of these being Birds of Zambia by Peter Sharland and Frogs by Danie Du Toit. Refreshments at our lectures remain top class, thank you to Jenny and our ladies. We are enjoying the increasing attendance of visitors at the lectures and thank Paul for the effort in getting our events published in various local newspapers. The web site also helps to reach friends, potential new members and visitors. BirdlLife SA has become a well run business with strong resources and some very large loyal donors. BLSA is recognised and well represented internationally, having won various awards and compliments on environmental projects. We, as a club, are proud to be linked to BLSA and attending the Northern Region Bird Club Forum periodically is proving to be very interesting for Jane and myself. New accommodation for BLSA has been sponsored and they are looking forward to a move to more suitable premises in the near future. BLSA As BLSA develops and continues to change and improve its structures a new option for Clubs has arisen with the end goal being to increase membership. Your committee is thinking very seriously about changing our relationship with BLSA and becoming an affiliate member club. This change to affiliate is really an administration thing and all our BirdLife benefits and relationships continue as normal with a nominal amount being paid to BLSA per family member per year. The main difference is that BirdLife President Ridge retains a single vote and all our members do not have a vote individually at the BLSA AGM anymore. At this stage we will also adjust fees and take on our own administration which has proved very frustrating and slow whilst being handled by BLSA. The fees for senior citizens will not change materially but the standard members will benefit with a subscription reduction.
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Our invoicing of subscriptions will be done in the same month each year, instead of the rolling invoicing that we currently experience which makes membership an all year function. The first year will be pro-rated to take into account what has been paid to BLSA when implementation occurs. The end result of this change will be to reduce the work load, make us more efficient and make joining even more affordable – especially for the targeted age groups. The Africa Birding magazine will unfortunately have to be ordered direct from BLSA by each member and as a result cost slightly more. Once the BLSA constitution allows the change we will set out a special network with full details of the change and our final decision. The goal is to make this change early in 2015, so a final decision must be made soon. Lastly In the Kingfisher magazine there are numerous outings and events advertised which are not mentioned in the programme, so please take note of these dates and come along as they all help to make your hobby more rewarding and interesting. The one thing that is guaranteed in life is that change will happen and while we have lost good friends and committee members Peter and Jenny Mason who have moved to the Cape to be closer to their family, we have gained an old friend back on the committee and welcome Denise Holahan who has kindly offered to run membership and we know she will do this competently. We also know that a volunteer will come forward shortly to help fill Jenny’s shoes in the organising of refreshments for our lecture evenings of which there are around five a year. So if you feel the need to get involved please let me know. Hope to see you all on an outing this season! JOHN HUMAN CHAIRMAN
CERTIFICATE FOR 500 SOUTHERN AFRICAN SPECIES SEEN WAS ISSUED TO: ELRENE VAN DEEMTER
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DOWN IN THE SANCTUARY – something stirred The several combination locks we have used to secure the Bird Sanctuary’s small entrance gate over the past few months, hoping that this would save having to invest in many keys, have caused nothing but trouble! And we have just now decided to return, reluctantly, to using a padlock and key. For volunteer gate openers on the roster, you will now need to access the Bird Sanctuary via the Shanwood Lake complex where you pick up keys from their security men in the guard room at the entrance. ALWAYS return the keys to the guards after opening and closing. We need to restrict the number of keys we issue for security reasons and we shall be making the photographers, to whom we have given permission to enter the Bird Sanctuary outside normal opening hours, sign a consent letter and pay for the privilege. The Shanwood Lake complex replaced their old mesh fence on our boundary with a smart new plastic coated one but then realised that, in some sections, it was very close to the collapsing bank. So they have built a low wall of concrete pre-cast units, which has greatly improved the appearance of that section of our bird sanctuary. We shall turf the upper section of the bank to ensure there will be no landslides! A late grass cut in June has kept the grass short all winter so, overall, your Bird Sanctuary is looking good – except for the ever-growing piles of tree cuttings and larger pieces, which I am still trying to get City Parks to take away. In early August, while the water level was low, Mr Chair, John Human and Mr Treasurer, Errol Kilpatrick, supervised their gardeners cutting the reeds, (Phragmites), in front of the SASOL Hide. They used the club’s trimmer, which was unfortunately not up to the task and the job was finished by hand using pangas. This had to be done in winter in order that new growth will come through in the spring and can then be sprayed. The previously sprayed reeds that have now decayed, have revealed open stretches of water and mud banks at the edges of the dam, making the water birds happy and greatly improving visibility for visitors. Bird activity has been quiet but a pair of Black-crowned Night Herons have been present all winter and we are hoping they will stay and breed. Craig Whittington-Jones of Gauteng Conservation removed two male Mallard Ducks, which he believes were dumped in the Sanctuary. However a remaining female has, so far, evaded capture. 10 members of Rand Barbets Bird Club visited the Bird Sanctuary in May and 17 Wits Bird Club members came in August. Both groups were led by me and Jane Irvine. To all who drop by the Bird Sanctuary at the weekends, enjoy and let us know of anything unusual you may see. GILL HARDINGHAM – Custodian 7
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR Dear Mr Editor, Being a past member of the Bird Club, I know your readers report sightings of the feathered kind in their gardens. I had a sighting, or rather an encounter at close range, of another kind on Sunday, 18th May. After a lovely relaxing Sunday afternoon, I started the normal routine of cleaning the swimming pool. It was while I was cleaning the leaf trap in the motor housing that I saw, out of the corner of my eye that there was a big ‘MOO POO’ in the corner of the housing! How did a cow get into the small housing I asked myself but then it moved and it flashed through my mind that this ‘MOO POO’ was only 15 centimetres below where my hand has just been. I closed the lid gently. What next? I thought I already have a pet, I don’t need another one so a plan had to be made to find a home for the new one. Whose name came to mind? John Human, of course because he knows everything about everything. When I phoned he gave me the telephone number of member Craig Napier. He ‘nogal’ said that Craig loves what I had to deal with! Lucky me. Craig was on his way home when I phoned him and offered to come to my house to sort out the creature, whatever it was. It was already dark when he and his daughter, Tiffany, arrived IN AN ORDINARY VEHICLE. It had no safety bars, cages or steel plates. Nor did they wear PROTECTIVE CLOTHING or MASKS. And HE LOOKED QUITE NORMAL. He only brought a stick and a bag. He asked for an ordinary torch and by the torch light I pointed out where I left the ‘thing’ and it was still there when he lifted the lid. Without further ado, he lifted it out and stretched it to its full length of approximately half a metre. It had a white tummy, was an inch in diameter and it had a forked tongue which it flicked in and out. Craig said it was called a BROWN HOUSE SNAKE and it was about as big as it can get. I was almost disappointed when Craig said it was harmless. He showed me the two identifying stripes on top of its head in case this one’s friend comes to look for its mate. Craig promised that he will release it in the wild and I said a tearful goodbye to it, (with a sigh of relief.) Now I need advice – shall I change my indigenous garden back to an exotic one to encourage anacondas? Sincerely Elise Naudé 8
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WITS BIRD CLUB HAS SENT US THE FOLLOWING INFO ON A COUPLE OF THEIR EVENTS. WE FELT YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED 25 OCTOBER 2014 / BIRDING BASICS COURSE KLIPRIVIERSBERG NATURE RESERVE PRECINCT CENTRE If you are keen on learning more about birds and birding and have always wanted to develop the correct habits of looking at the bird then this Birding Basics course, endorsed by BirdLife South Africa, is just what you have been looking for! The course will be presented by Philip Tarboton and Lance Robinson. The first part of the session will cover the theory and the afternoon session will be a practical session in the Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve. DATE: Saturday 25 October 2014 WHERE: Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve Precinct Centre ROUTE: At the Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve entrance (alongside the Recreation Centre). From the M1 South, follow the Southgate indicators and take the R82 toward Vereeniging (the M1 becomes R27 and at Kibler Park sign becomes R82). At Kibler Park sign robot, turn left into Gordon Road. At the second road turn left into Pierpoint Drive and follow the road to PeggyVera Road. Turn left on Peggy-Vera, pass the Klipriviersberg Recreation Centre, the entrance to the KNR is the next right (thatched entrance). Cost: TBA *For further information and bookings contact Lauraine in the office on either witsbc@mweb.co.za or (011) 782-7267. EAST RAND SATELLITE BRANCH OF WBC CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF BIRDING IN THE EAST RAND 16 SEPTEMBER 2014 The East Rand Bird Club will be celebrating our 25 years of birding in the East Rand; you are all invited to join us on this momentous occasion. Our Speaker for the night will be Dr Ross Wanless For further information please contact Willem Grobbelaar at mwgrobb@mweb.co.za or 082 579 2053 Meetings will be held at 19:30 in the Benoni Library Auditorium. Free secure parking at the library entrance. - 26º 11ʹ 09.43ʺ S - 28º 18 ʹ 56.28ʺ E Directions; From Tom Jones take the mezzanine level entrance to Lakeside Mall at the traffic light intersection with Victoria avenue. Cost to all - R 25 9
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BIRDLIFE SOUTH AFRICA NEWS
High-seas heroes recognised for their success!
Conservation success: Bronwyn Maree (Albatross Task Force team leader, South Africa) received the 'Future for Nature Award'. Photo: Christine Madden, ATF Our Albatross Task Force (ATF) in South Africa has reduced the death of albatrosses in local fisheries by more than 90% and is receiving welldeserved attention. The overriding threat to albatrosses and their close relatives is accidental, yet deadly, interaction with fisheries. Innovative bird-scaring lines are preventing seabirds from accidentally drowning on long-line fish hooks, and Birdlife South Africa's Albatross Task Force recently won "Greening the Future" and "Future for Nature" awards for their elegantly simple solution (awarded by the Mail & Guardian newspaper).The ATF are an elite team of international highseas heroes that venture out to sea with local fishermen, testing and finding solutions. The ATF’s work in South Africa’s largest, most economically valuable fishery – the hake trawl fishery – began in 2004. After the ATF work uncovered seabird mortalities in this fishery at astonishing levels – some 14 000 birds were being killed each year – they took action.
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A line strung off the back of the boat, with streamers that dangle off the main line, was all that was required to scare the seabirds away from the danger areas behind trawlers. Earlier this year, the ATF team and their collaborators published a study showing that their lines were responsible for reducing accidental deaths by 90%. For albatrosses alone the benefits were even bigger – a reduction of 99%. BirdLife South Africa has also supported a disabled community by training them in how to make the bird-scaring lines, and selling these lines on to fishing companies. Mark Anderson, CEO of BirdLife South Africa, said: “The Albatross Task Force has achieved truly remarkable results, effectively eliminating a conservation problem, under very difficult circumstances, with limited budgets, and in a way that benefits the fishing industry rather than creating costs. It’s a very pleasing conservation success for BirdLife South Africa.”
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THE SHARLAND’S TRAVELS, AUSTRALIA - Part 3 of 4 By Peter & Jenny Sharland Day 9: Monday, 15 December (23 lifers) We arrived in Cairns by air from Darwin at mid-morning and immediately headed off to the Esplanade, which had been recommended by every trip report and every bird book we had read. Unfortunately the tide was in and so we took a nice walk through the park area adjacent to the Esplanade. This delivered a few new birds: Indian Myna (new for the Australia list, but also an extension of the range as shown in the most recent edition of Morecombe’s Field Guide), Fork-tailed Swift, White-breasted Woodswallow, Varied Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Yellow Honeyeater, and Fairy Gerygone. We went to the cemetery, which had been recommended as a very good spot to pick up Bush Stone-curlew. After about half-an-hour we were approached by one of the ground staff on his tractor and he told us that we weren’t looking in the right area and pointed out where to go. When we told him we were from South Africa we had quite a chat about the cricket tour about to start. He was very pessimistic (correctly so) about Australia’s chances in the Tests as he felt that Ponting was too old and should retire! We followed his instructions and there they were, Bush Stone-Curlew, looking not unlike a very large Spotted Thick-knee. We then headed out of town on the spectacular road north towards Cooktown. En route, we had to stop and gape at the views. Turning inland into the mountains, we made our way towards Kingfisher Park. Well, if you don’t stay there on a visit to Northern Queensland, then you have only yourselves to blame; it is a birder’s dream come true. We made a cup of tea and went out onto the verandah to drink it. There, directly in front of us, quite unconcerned, was one of our truly hoped-for target birds, a Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher male in all his glory. We were so gobsmacked we just sat there watching him, camera forgotten. The Kingfisher wasn’t the only special bird – we just sat there ticking away. Yellow-bellied Sunbird, Redbrowed Finch, Macleay’s Honeyeater, Graceful Honeyeater, Lewin’s Honeyeater, Emerald Dove, Figbird and Silvereye. After tea we hurried off to explore the grounds. The path leads from the house down through a small patch of forest, then through an old orchard and down to a stream. Whilst on our amble we came across Pale Yellow Robin, Spectacled Monarch, Pacific Baza, Metallic Starling, Brown Gerygone, Dusky Honeyeater, Bar-shouldered Dove, Pied Imperial Pigeon and Rainbow Lorikeet. Down at the river we sat and waited for quite a long time hoping for 12
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Buff-banded Rail, which is a special there, and Duck-billed Platypus which is known to breed in the banks of the streams. We didn’t have any luck with either, but did see Azure Kingfisher and Little Shrike-Thrush. While walking back to the Park, there were several birders gathered in some excitement, watching a Papuan Frog-mouth chick. No sooner had Peter dashed off to fetch his camera, than out hopped a Noisy Pitta, 3 metres from where Jenny sat. By the time Peter reappeared, it had disappeared into the forest again. Fortunately, this relatively tame Pitta was seen foraging in the orchard several times over the next two days. What a day! Despite spending about 6 hours travelling, we still got 23 Lifers and a day list of 47. Day 10: Tuesday,16 December (17 Lifers) We had to get up early today – the dawn chorus was too spectacular to miss. Wompoo Fruit-Dove and Double-eyed Fig-Parrot were added to the list, but just wandering around the grounds was wonderful. After breakfast we headed off to Mt. Lewis, another top birding spot close to Kingfisher Park. It is a longish drive up the mountain and although there were signs recommending 4-wheel drive, we had no problem in our Corolla. I can imagine that at the end of a long, wet rainy season the road may be tricky, but the dry-season drive was fine. Blue-faced Parrot-Finch, which is a target bird for the spot, was nowhere to be found – sigh! We did go walking up a boulder-strewn path which almost certainly serves as a stream bed when it rains. While walking we came across the first of several Catbirds with its really weird, noisy call. When we got back to the car Jenny felt a slight itch above her one ankle. Sure enough she had been bitten by a leech – YUKKKK! Instead of following Peter into the long grass (and possibly more leeches) she went off down the road. Unfortunately, while she was gone Peter saw a White-headed Pigeon which was to be the only one seen on the trip, so he moved 1 lifer ahead. Many sulks ensued! The trip up Mt Lewis did prove to be really successful with many specials seen: Australian Brush-turkey, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Large-billed Scrubwren, Fernwren, Yellow-throated Scrubwren, Yellow-spotted Honeyeater, Bridled Honeyeater, Brown-Backed Honeyeater, Eastern Spinebill, Chowchilla, Bower’s Shrike-Thrush, Chestnut-banded Mannikin and Bassian Thrush. After a short afternoon rest, a dusk/night walk around the property ensued. Nocturnal beasties included a Wombat (briefly), the Papuan Frogmouth (Adult and juvenile this time) and a Masked Owl.
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Day 11: Thursday, 17 December (10 Lifers) Waking up early again, we heading towards the neighbouring farm where we hoped to pick up the Austalian Owlet-nightjar which nests in one of the trees. Excellent views of Top-knot Pigeon and Pacific Baza at its nest with two chicks were followed by the appearance of a large bird in a tree across the road. With huge excitement we gazed at a bird that we had never expected to see – a Channel-billed Cuckoo, the largest of all parasitic birds. With its massive size (equivalent to an African Harrier Hawk) and its huge bill, it is utterly unmistakable. Another bird flying around the field was White-rumped Swiftlet. Breakfast followed, and then we reluctantly bid farewell to Kingfisher Park, heading off to Mission Beach (South of Townsville) via an inland route through Atherton and the Atherton tablelands – with one of our target birds being Sarus Crane. First though we drove to Mary’s Farms specifically to look for Australian Bustard. We had crippling views of a pair of birds right next to the car close to the farm house. Other lifers in the area were Australian (Richard’s) Pipit, Pied Butcherbird and Golden-headed Cisticola. Unfortunately the weather on the drive was cool and rainy which prevented us from seeing many roadside birds and, in particular, no Sarus Crane. However, one new bird for our list was Pied Currawong which we saw close to the road just outside the town of Malanda. A quick stop at Curtain Fig National Park revealed a board walk around a massive Fig tree which seeded in the crown of another tree. It then sent down its roots and over time the support tree died and left the Fig standing supported by the massive roots. Hopping around the boardwalk supports was a Grey-headed Robin, one of the specials for the area which although common has a very limited range. Another special bird seen lurking amongst the roots of the fig tree was a Chowchilla. We arrived at our destination, Sanctuary Retreat, which is in Bingil Bay just north of Mission Beach. The accommodation is beautifully set in rainforest, high on a hill overlooking Brookes Beach, and is surprisingly inexpensive. Guests leave their cars at the bottom of the hill and are taken up to their accommodation in the Retreat’s 4x4. This was to be our ‘relax’ part of the holiday and we certainly took time out from the rather frantic birdwatching we had done up until now. However, this doesn’t mean that we didn’t get any lifers! Our first one at Bingil Bay was Black Butcherbird. (Here we will end this Part 3 of the epic travels of Peter and Jenny. Stay tuned, as they say on 702, for the next and final episode in our November edition – Ed’)
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CAPE TOWN PELAGIC TRIP – 9 AUGUST by Craig and Tiffany Napier Saturday 9 August. The day of our previously planned and long awaited pelagic trip had finally arrived. We had once already had to postpone this trip due to a bad weather forecast. The Zest which is the ex-navy vessel which has transported many bird watchers on the seas retired due to old age. So our mode of transport was a launch or large speed boat. The leader of the trip was Trevor Hardaker who is arguably one of Cape Town’s most dynamic and knowledgeable birding enthusiasts. With about 10 other people including the skipper, Tiffany and I boarded the boat just before 7h00 at Hout Bay Harbour. We were also accompanied by our friend Gerald Wingate who was until recently chairman of the Tygerberg Bird Club and is also one Cape Towns’ most active birders and atlasers. Our aim was to try and find a fishing trawler, which attracts the sea birds especially if they are cleaning their catch. So we headed out at a fast pace, our target being about 70km offshore in a Southerly direction. The sea wasn't very flat but was certainly not rough with small to medium sized swells. We were all holding on for dear life and our breakfasts while being bounced from wave to wave. Within 10 minutes the first sea bird (besides gulls) had been spotted. White Chinned Petrel. This was a lifer for me, but I was soon to find out that it was the most common seabird out there. Cape Gannet was next to be ticked on our list. A Shy Albatross made an appearance and as we got further off shore the ticks got more frequent. Sooty Shearwater, Subantarctic Skua, Black Browed Albatross, Indian Yellow Nosed Albatross, Northern Giant Petrel, Pintado Petrel and Wilson's Storm Petrel were all identified by Trevor and added to the list. Trevor had earlier that morning picked up a Southern Giant Petrel from SANCOB which was to be released on our trip. It was in a blue crate and we stopped off to give it its freedom. After untying the strings on the crate, taking great care to keep his fingers out of the way of the sharp bill he gingerly tipped it over the side of the boat. As it swam away, someone asked "can we tick it now?" Up until that time a Southern Giant Petrel had not yet been spotted. Well that dilemma was solved a short while later. We heard Trevor shout from the other side of the boat "Southern Giant Petrel!" This bird was the rare and beautiful white morph. The cameras snapped away as it flew by. 15
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But as quickly as it had arrived, it was gone. Fortunately some had managed to get some excellent photographs. Apparently Trevor has not seen this variation for a number of years and he spends a lot of time out at sea, so we counted ourselves very lucky that day. Shaun the skipper gave us the bad news that despite carefully scanning the radar and making some radio enquiries, there were no trawlers in the immediate vicinity. So we stopped the boat and did some chumming with fish oil and pilchards for about 2 hours. This attracted quite a few birds. I'm afraid though that the constant swell and the boat drifting up and down over the swells got the better of me and I felt dreadfully ill. This was despite having taken pills for sea sickness before we departed. I did my own version of chumming over the side of the boat but It didn't attract any birds! It is now a scientific fact that seabirds prefer fish to partly digested Woolworth's carrot muffin. In stark contrast, Tiffany has never looked or felt healthier in her entire life! She had a smile on her face which extended from ear to ear for the entire day. It was the best bird watching trip she has ever been on and all the while devoured muffins, cheese and tomato sandwiches and chocolates. At last it was time to head back. Traveling with the current, we took a bit more than an hour to dock back in Hout Bay Harbour. In conclusion, it was a fantastic day. I added 10 lifers to my list. It's a trip which I can thoroughly recommend, but I advise you try to get aboard a larger, more stable, boat. The weekend was made even better when early on Sunday morning I accompanied Gerald Wingate to Strandfontein Sewage Works where we picked up the Franklin’s Gull to add to my life list. A short visit also to Rondevlei Bird Sanctuary rounded off one of my most memorable and unforgettable bird watching trips ever! 16
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A PHOTOGRAPHIC TRIP TO THE CHOBE NATIONAL PARK, BOTSWANA by Dieter Dreyer In July 2014 I had the pleasure of joining a small group of photographers enjoying a few days in the Chobe National Park in Northern Botswana. We flew from OR Tambo to Kasane International, spent one night in the Thebe Lodge in Kasane and three nights in two private camps in the Park. Our tour operator was Kalahari Safaris in Kasane. After we checked into the Thebe Lodge we went on a boat cruise along the Chobe river. We were lucky to have our private boat with a very competent skipper and guide. The sightings are spectacular, as you can approach elephant, buffalo, hippo and crocodile at very close range and take incredible shots. The birdlife is, even in winter, very rich and it proved a clear advantage to be in a private boat, as we could tell our skipper precisely from which side to approach an object, so that the light is optimal, and when to switch off the engine to avoid blurred shots. If you love water birds, this is the place to be! We repeated the boat trip on the following morning, albeit on a slightly larger boat. Again, incredible sightings and photographic opportunities. Then we loaded our gear on a game drive vehicle and drove deep into the Park, mainly along the river. The camps were basic, with about ten two-man tents, a field kitchen, bush toilet and bush shower. No fences! We had elephants visiting us at night and, most spectacularly, a leopard in the middle of the camp! Our day started with a light breakfast and at about 6h00 and well before sunrise, we went on our morning game drive, which lasted about four hours. Then a brunch was served and afterwards we had time to shower and read a book. At about 15h00 we departed for the afternoon game drive and returned after sunset. The game drives were excellent, our driver and guide knew every animal and bird and directed the car precisely where we wanted him to. I’m not sure whether the other passengers enjoyed it as much as we did, as we stopped for every bird and were able to bag many stunning shots. After dinner (nothing fancy, but good food) we gathered around a camp fire and had a chance to chat with the other guests, who came from all corners of the globe. Interestingly, we were the only visitors from South Africa! Visiting Chobe in July meant cloudless skies and very pleasant temperatures during the day. At night, however, it got quite nippy and especially the morning game drives required warm clothing. Even with four layers and a blanket it was still chilly after sunrise.
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The best time to visit Chobe for birding is the summer months, as then all the migratory birds are there. For game viewing, however, the best time is May to October, when rainfall is very low and elephants and antelopes come to the river to drink and bath. The Chobe National Park is a perfect spot for game viewing and birding. Without really trying hard, we saw 134 bird species near, at or on the river and the number and quality of the animal sightings was spectacular! Even the relative short period of time we spent there yielded an amazing number of great pictures and memories. It is indeed a privilege to be able to experience such a trip.
INTRODUCING NEW MEMBERS
Lorraine and Gordon Duncan John Stroebel Prunella Seels Gert du Plessis
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Images from Dieter’s Chobe Photographic Trip
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1ST PLACE PETER SHARLAND YELLOW-BILLED STORK
2ND PLACE PIET ENSLIN BLACK-HEADED HERON
RESULTS OF OUR 1ST WEB BASED PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION THEME: WATERBIRDS
3RD PLACE CELIA HUMAN EGYPTIAN GOOSE 20
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MORE IMAGES FROM THE PHOTO COMPETITION
Dieter Dreyer Yellow-billed Stork
Alec Ryall Little Grebe
Pierre de Klerk Egyptian Goslings
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SOME OF THE PHOTOS DISPLAYED AT THE SASOL FAIR
Piet Enslin Rock Kestrel
Jan Fourie Cape Vulture
Rock Martin Chicks
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THE SASOL BIRDS AND BIRDING FAIR – 7th and 8th JUNE 2014 WALTER SIZULU BOTANICAL GARDENS by Craig Napier The SASOL Bird Fair, which is Southern Africa's largest annual bird fair, was for the first time held at the Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens instead of the usual venue, the Johannesburg Zoo. SASOL sponsors numerous birding projects and they hosted the event once again in partnership with BirdLife South Africa and the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). There were many interesting exhibitors at the event such as bird clubs and other organisations, and the sales of products and services relating to bird watching and conservation. BirdLife President Ridge had a sizeable stand at the exhibition in order to create awareness of the Club, attracting new members and promoting the President Ridge Bird Sanctuary. A lot of hard work was put in before the show by John and Celia to ensure that we had a stand which would attract the attention of passers- by and one that all club members could be proud of. The stand set-up was done on a cold and windy Friday afternoon by the team consisting of Bruce and Carol Funston, Errol Kilpatrick and John and Celia Human. The stand was attractively decorated with beautiful A4 sized photographs taken by various club members. A large variety of mainly natural history themed second hand books were neatly laid out for sale, generously donated by many of the members in order to raise some much needed funds for the Club. Other small artefacts such as decorated match boxes, sign boards were also popular purchase items. Our thanks to Denise Holahan and Esme Solomons for baking the bird cookies. Saturday dawned bright and sunny but very cold. Fortunately the wind had died down. The stand on the first day was ably manned by Peter and Jenny Mason, Louise Rossouw, Shirley Glover, Ian and Dee Cuthbertson, Jane Irvine, Gillian Isaacs, Jeremy and Dianne Lovell, Errol Kilpatrick and Bruce and Carol Funston, who all operated at different time slots over the course of the day. The Sunday morning shift consisted of Chris and Jean Dell and Craig and Tiffany Napier, Gill and Paul Hardingham. However Chris received a phone call just after 8am from John Human to say that on the way to the venue they had been involved in a terrible car accident just behind the Northgate Mall. It was decided that Chris and Jean would stay behind to hold fort at the stall whilst Craig and Tiffany rushed off to the scene of the accident to see if they could be of any assistance. 23
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When they arrived at the scene, a traumatic sight met their eyes. The Human's old faithful Toyota Condor was lying on its side and Celia was being carefully lifted out of the vehicle on a trauma board by at least 6 professional medical emergency services crew. John was anxiously watching on with a bandaged hand. It was quite a distressing sight to see a club member and friend in this situation. The car had been cut open with the jaws-of- life in order to extricate Celia. Within a short while Owen, Celia's brother and Paul and Gill arrived too. Between everybody they salvaged the belongings from the car and some lying on the street before passers- by started helping themselves. John and Celia were taken off to hospital. It was a sad day, but the show had to go on. So Craig and Tiffany returned to the Botanical Gardens, soon to be joined by Paul and Gill who were taking up the next shift. Len and Cheryl Robinson and Joe and Jane Irvine joined the team for the afternoon shift and all stayed for remainder of the day and to pack away at the end of the show. All agreed that the event itself was a resounding success and that BirdLife President Ridge would definitely be back again next year. Nearly R4000 was raised for the club through the sale of the books and other stuff. Thanks to all involved for their dedication and hard work.
Our aim is to continue to sell ‘pre-owned’ natural history (birds, mammals, trees, flowers etc), coffee table travel books, photographic books etc. at lectures and other events throughout the year. Please check your book shelves and contact Celia Human on 011 704 3196 or email: chuman@pitta.co.za .
Collection will be arranged
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OUTING REPORTS Cumberland Bird Sanctuary – 6 July 2014 by Errol Kilpatrick We had 6 members booked a week before the outing but the extra Network we sent out resulted in 16 of us meeting at 08:30 for birding at this new venue. This was one of those very cold mornings and we were met by Amanda Folicha and the security guard employed by the local residents body on opening days. We were all standing at the covered picnic area when a pair of sharp eyes picked out a small raptor sitting in a tree not too far off – the Black Sparrowhawk! This was 1 of the 2 target birds and Craig Napier said “Well that’s great can we all go home now?” He was referring, of course, to the cold day. The group was split into 2 due to narrow paths and we set off in the hope of at least finding a few birds moving around. As the morning got warmer we began to see birds. The small dam was a very fruitful spot. There were 2 Green-backed Herons, Crested Barbets, Bronze Mannikins, Yellow-billed Ducks and the Common Moorhen. The walk includes a wilderness area, a forested area and a new bridge across the river. We listed a total of 37 birds and ended with tea/coffee and eats at the picnic area, where we were joined by the local Municipal Councilor and a resident out for her morning walk. The general agreement was that with the close location and good birding, a summer visit be planned. The Sanctuary is open the first Sunday of each month and we will include this venue in February 2015.
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Aloe Creek Pristine Gauteng Bushveld, Birding and Fishing
Cell: 072 795 8033 mail@aloecreekfarm.co.za www.aloecreekfarm.co.za Situated close to Rust de Winter within the Dinokeng area, 100km from Johannesburg, with good roads leading up to the venue. A high clearance vehicle is recommended for the latter part of the road to the venue
SELF-CATERING ACCOMMODATION IS OFFERED IN TWO UNITS Lebeo Cottage: R450 per night for a maximum of 2 persons. R150 per extra person per night. Children between the ages of 2 and 12 years pay half price. Kudu View House: R750 per night for a maximum of 4 persons. R120 per extra person per night. Children between the ages of 2 and 12 years pay half price.
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ALOE CREEK WEEKEND OUTING 9 – 11 MAY by Celia Human As I am participating in the 100km Wider Gauteng Challenge this year, I have been concentrating my birding efforts within the 100km radius of the challenge. As Aloe Creek falls in this area and has an impressive bird list I knew the weekend would be fruitful for me. Ian, Dee, Peggy and Hugh were in Lebeo Cottage and John, myself, Trina, Shirley and Jane Spowart were in the Kudu View House. Both accommodations have lovely thatch lapas from which you can sit and relax, watching the comings and goings of various waxbills, prinias, white-eyes etc. that made use of the bird bath which we filled with water when we first arrived. The farm has a good network of roads that take you to the various different habitats on the property; riverine, grassveld and rocky bushveld. On the Saturday morning we decided to spend a few hours on foot, walking through the grassland and flatter bushveld areas. Our bird list was increasing steadily and a highlight was a great view of a Capped Wheatear. An afternoon drive produced excellent sighting of a pair of Gabar Goshawks. The sunset on top of the ridge was breathtaking. We ended the day with the customary group braai and a glass (or two) of wine with the Fiery-necked Nightjar calling in the distance. Early Sunday morning, as we were still clutching our hot cups of coffee, a Pearl Spotted Owlet flew into a tree right next to the patio, wonderful. We all commented that we felt as though we had been away for more than just the two nights as it was so relaxing. There is some game on the farm which is also a bonus. Some specials; Cape Penduline-tit, Plain-backed Pipit, Burchells Starling, Marico Flycatcher, Greater Honeyguide. Our bird list ended on 65 species, which for the time of the year, was quite good. I added 6 birds to my challenge list. I will have to make a plan to visit again when the migrants are back, and being so close to home, will make it a pleasure. Take the family for a weekend- you won’t be disappointed.
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A BIRD AND CONSERVATION CLUB FOR THE MPUMALANGA ESCARPMENT A Steering Committee to plan the formation of Bird Club affiliated to BirdLife South Africa has been formed under the chairmanship of George Skinner, a seasoned birder from Gauteng, who is shortly to be a permanent resident at Walkersons Private Estate near Dullstroom. The Steering Committee is a good mix of experienced locals from the area the club will serve, members of Endangered Wildlife Trust and of the Mpumalanga Tourism Department, and Gauteng birders with holiday homes in Dullstroom. The envisaged club has been named the Escarpment Bird Club and will differ from the usual perception of a bird club essentially focused on bird-watching. What is planned is a bird, and conservation club, in view of the uniqueness of the eastern escarpment with its rich and diverse natural biodiversity. The committee believes this will make the club attractive to the youth. Whilst the club is to be founded in Dullstroom, it is intended to be broadbased, drawing members from the Blyde River Canyon in the north to Chrissiesmeer in the south, inclusive of the towns of Ohrigstad, Graskop, Lydenburg, Dullstroom, Machadadorp, Belfast, Carolina and Ermelo. There is a large influx into the region on the week-ends and especially at holiday times into all these towns, so potential members from Gauteng who have holiday homes or time-share in the region will also be invited to join. The owners of historical family farms held for generations( especially in the Lydenburg to Mt Anderson, Ohrigstad, and Long Tom Pass valleys) with exciting new habitats and birding hotspots are agreeable to these being opened up for the first time to birders accompanied by an Escarpment Bird Club member. Similarly farms in the Mpumalanga Lakes District will become birding destinations on a club member controlled visit basis. The Club intends to document these and all the other under-birded hot-spots on a birding route from the Mpumalanga Lake District in the south, and along the escarpment up to Mount Sheba and Blyde River Canyon in the north, in an Escarpment Birding Route publication. This will also include a register of accredited Birder Friendly Accommodation establishments, and the identification of the bird species that can be seen in these places, and how to arrange to be guided by our local members and community guides. An objective of the club is to support the local disadvantaged communities with educational material and training on conservation, and in particular the training of bird guides. The development of the birding and conservation knowledge and skills of the employees of the Birder Friendly Establishments will also be a part of this programme. 28
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A major project is a planned Bird Fair for Spring 2015 at which the club could be officially launched, but the priority for now is for birders and potential birders across the region (especially young people from the schools where School Affiliate Clubs can be formed) to contact: George Skinner at georges@shopz-group.co.za to register their interest in becoming members.
NEWS FROM NYLSVLEY From Marion Mengell Dear Friends, The August winds are making their presence felt at the reserve, there is lots of water still at Vogelfontein, lots of birds breeding including Spur-winged Geese with goslings. I am so looking forward to passing that way as we go to Sandfields and Forests for the work party from Friday 15 - Sunday 17 August. We have made several sign boards and thank Lisa, Paul, Ben, Ron William and Amos for their enthusiastic work, so far we have produced about a third of what is needed. On Thursday 18 September Clem Sunter will be giving Friends of the General Smuts Foundation an update on the World from his perspective at a supper talk in Irene, please contact Cheryl 011 316 1426/ friends@smutshouse.co.za to book. Also in Irene on Saturday 1 November Geoff Lockwood will be presenting his Introduction to Birding course which is so popular, please also book with Cheryl or myself. We are thrilled to announce the programme for the first part of 2015: 6-8 February Woodland Bird Census: Guest speaker Mark Anderson, CEO BirdLife South Africa. 6-8 March Dragonflies with Dr Warwick Tarboton 27-29 March Grasses with Frits van Oudtshoorn 15-17 May Raptors with Ulrich Oberprieler 17 May AGM at Nylsvley Guest speaker: Ulrich Oberprieler
Tel: 012 667 2183 Cell: 083 455 1736 Fax: 086 244 5420 friendsnylsvley@mweb.co.za mwmwmd@mweb.co.za 29
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FOOTPRINT MATTERS The gap on the World Heritage list has, at last, been filled with the declaration of Botswana’s iconic Okavango Delta as the 1 000th World Heritage site on 22 June 2014. The decision followed the recommendation of IUCN (International Union of Conservation of Nature) which serves as the advisory board to UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee on nature. The Okavango Delta in north-western Botswana is a vast fan-shaped plain of permanent swamps and seasonally flooded grassland. The Kubango River in Angola becomes the Okavango River in Botswana where it flows into a tectonic trough and forms an inland delta in the central basin of the Kalahari Desert. The delta’s abundant vegetation is not the result of a wet climate, it is an oasis comprising a myriad waterways in an arid land. Its extraordinary annual flooding which occurs in the dry season supports one of the greatest concentrations of wildlife in Africa. The delta sustains the populations of threatened large mammals – the Cheetah, the White and Black Rhinos, the Wild Dog and the Lion. It is home to 24 species of globally threatened birds and is key to the survival of Botswana’s 130 000 Elephants. The proposal for World Heritage listing was strongly backed by the indigenous peoples living in and around the delta, who have conserved this iconic wilderness area for millennia. The delta has recently faced threats, including from extractive industries, and World Heritage Listing should, in the opinion of IUCN, hopefully work to keep these challenges at bay. (article by Carol Knoll, Editor of Footprint Limited)
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BIRDING WITH NEW EYES – 4 steps to getting to know birds better by looking at them differently by Faansie Peacock Become colour blind – it’s all in the shape There is a wealth of colourful bird species in Africa: kingfishers that seem to have dived into paint cans; neon rollers so bright you can still see them with your eyes closed; and bee-eaters fresh from the artist’s palette. But colours are too inconsistent to be infallible field marks – plumage colour can be influenced by a bird’s age, sex and location. Perceived colour is also affected by feather wear, moult, staining, weather, time of day, light angle and shadows. So the experts attach greater value to shapes. A birds shape is remarkably consistant and thus useful as an identification character. Even within similarly plumaged groups subtle differences in shape are often key. Pay particular attention to the wing shape and length. The primary projection – or the distance the tips of the feathers furthest from the body extend past the feathers closest to the body - will easily distinguish the short-winged residents from long-winged migrants. Also note the length, shape and thickness of the bill; the length and shape of the tail; and the overall body shape. One useful way to ‘measure’ relative proportions is to compare the bird to itself; is the bill longer or shorter than the distance between the bill and the eye? Is the tail really long or does it just look long because the undertail coverts are short? Judgments like these are best practiced on photos before being attempted in the field. And to test your shape skills try birding at last light or into the sun, when colours are less saturated. Choose a Mascot To really master the art of seeing birds with new eyes, stop looking at birds and look at a bird. Choose a species (common and inconspicuous ones work best) and study it whenever you can. Trying to tell individual thrushes apart, for example, will teach you to look in far greater detail. Examine your mascot species at different ages – hatchling, fledgling, juvenile, first-year, adult – and be aware of seasonal differences. Don’t forget your mascot when travelling as small geographic variations occur in all species. Take out your notebook and sketch Sketching forces your eyes to observe in greater detail and your brain to concentrate more and retain what you’ve seen. If you know that you’re going to sketch a bird immediately after lowering your binoculars, you’ll look much harder at it. Don’t worry if your drawing looks more like a sparrow than the sparrowhawk you’ve been watching – you can crumple it up and throw it away. It’s the process that counts, not the product.
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Get confused Familiarity is an enemy when it comes to observing birds, once a bird is familiar your eyes see only a glimpse and your brain fills in the rest. Combat this by facing the unknown head-on: visit an unfamiliar area or even an exotic bird park. Memorise, sketch or photograph the mystery birds. Back at home, prepare for an epic Google session. Given sufficient detail the Internet will spew out the identities of your mystery species. The final word is that nothing beats experience in the field. Try to identify every single bird you see, and also to put your finger on what exactly your brain uses to determine the identity. Always ask yourself questions about what you’re seeing. In the end, looking at birds with new eyes helps you appreciate species you’ve seen a thousand times. (article extracted from Africa Geographic – September 2012)
SANParks Honorary Rangers West Rand Region Raptor Identification Course 9 to 11 November 2014 Shingwedzi Rest Camp - Kruger National Park
Join leading Limpopo Province ecologist and bird specialist Joe Grosel on an exciting three day course. Activities include diurnal and nocturnal raptor excursions on open SANParks vehicles. The course is limited to 18 participants Course Package: R3 650-00 per person sharing includes: 3 nights in self-catering bungalows Beverages and snacks during lectures All practical excursions All course material and colour raptor ID manuals Incentive and lucky draw prizes Reservations and additional information; westrandbirders@gmail.com or Norma Gardiner 011 476 3057
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AN INDIGENOUS GARDEN IN THE FREE STATE by Sylvia Gordon (Our club has visited Sylvia and John at their farm ‘Uitskuif’ a few times and we are always amazed to see how the garden has developed. We have an outing planned for January 2015 – Ed’) I have read in various gardening magazines on several occasions that, due to the extreme climate (very hot summers, very cold winters and rainfall below the average of other areas of the Highveld), it is not feasible to have an indigenous garden in the Free State. Even within the Free State, there are markedly different climate zones and here in the Northern Free State our winters are not as bitterly cold as those of the Eastern Free State but then we do not benefit from their high rainfall. I have to admit that there are occasions when I wonder whether planting a garden full of exotic plants would be an easier option than trying to establish and maintain an entirely indigenous garden. Being such an avid (my husband says “obsessive”) gardener, I have found it hard to watch plants I considered drought-hardy perishing in the drought; Felicia amelloides and newly split Dietes grandiflora have been the main victims despite constantly reading and believing these plants able to withstand drought conditions. To prevent myself from sinking into a deep depression, I have started a new project involving the use of hard landscaping and plants that definitely require no water other than rainfall; these include Cotyledons, Plumbagos, Aptenia cordifolia, Crassula arborescens and greyleafed Euryops pectinatus. We are fortunate to have masses of rocks of all shapes and sizes on the farm and we are using these to great effect. My new project will stretch from the existing garden beds along both sides of the driveway to the front gate, a distance of about 50 metres. This undertaking should keep me busy for a long time to come and it is already looking very attractive. My husband commented that he was relieved that we had to put a game fence around our house. Ostensibly erected to prevent the game from destroying the plants, it limits how far I can extend the garden, leaving me only 2 hectares! Living on 450 hectares of land has given us some amazing observations of the natural world surrounding us. About six years ago, I heard the most beautiful birdsong coming from a bird perched on our deck balustrade. This was the introduction to our long association with a family of Mocking Cliff Chats. Our timber frame house is built on wooden stilts and the Chats took over an existing swallows’ mud nest built under the house, lined it with soft materials and have proceeded to raise two clutches of chicks every year since in the same nest. Once the first clutch of the season has fledged, the old nest lining is discarded and a new lining is laid for the second 33
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clutch. Either two or three eggs are laid each time but only once have three chicks fledged, the norm being two fledglings. The sexual dimorphism is immediately apparent in the chicks and all the chicks from both clutches stay with the parent birds for several months. The male chicks leave first with the female chicks staying until the parents are ready for the following season’s breeding. I suspect the reason these Chats stay around our house is because of the amount of food available here; insects appear in their thousands at night, attracted by our electric lights, the only ones occurring in this area. In the mornings, we are awakened by the “patter of little feet” as the Chats (our cleaning service!) run across the deck to glean the dead insects from the living room floor. The garden birds also alert us to the presence of snakes in the garden, particularly the Chats and the Fiscal Shrike. The latter’s piercing alarm call warns all the other birds to the presence of danger, most often a snake but also occasionally a mongoose. Until we lived here, I did not know that the Slender Mongoose climbed trees and shrubs; I have seen the Kalahari form of this Mongoose, which is a beautiful dark red colour, clambering around a Ehretia rigida shrub while being dive-bombed by a mob of angry birds. Most of the snakes we see are not dangerous but we do have four venomous species occurring here; Puff Adder, Rinkhals, Boomslang and Cape Cobra. Unfortunately, the most dangerous of these is also the most common and we sadly lost a very precious Staffie bitch, Bella, from a Puff Adder bite. The Boomslangs pay regular visits to the numerous Masked Weavers’ nests hanging in trees around the house. Despite the weavers clearing all the leaves from the branch to be used for a nest and building the nest at the extremity of a thin branch, the Boomslang manages to wrap its tail around a thicker branch to hold its weight and then proceeds to thrust its head into the nest and devour the chicks. One can actually see the lump of the eaten chick passing through the snake’s body! Probably the most amazing snake sighting we have every witnessed was the mating of two Boomslangs; a tangle of the green male and pale brown female in a sapling outside our kitchen window. This carried on for several hours and when they eventually fell out of the tree, they were still tied together; incredible! So, while I do occasionally complain about the trials and tribulations of life on a Free State farm, there are compensations in the forms of sights that I am privileged to witness. These more than make up for the disadvantages. (Note: Sylvia’s article (shortened) was extracted from the online magazine The Indigenous Gardener – www.theindigenousgardener.co.za - subscription is free. 34
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SABAP2 NEWS - Turning the Kruger Park – Green by Peter Lawson (Lowveld Bird Club) We had been set a target by SABAP2 to atlas 350 pentads during 2014 in Greater Kruger National Park. That includes the entire National Park plus all pentads east of 31degrees and north of 26degrees. Thus all private reserves to the west and south are included. There is more to this challenge though as the target is for 1250 checklists to be submitted to SABAP2 by the year end. Now that is a mammoth task and a vast area to cover, but I am pleased to report that by 31 July there has been coverage of 292 pentads which is 83.43% of the target. Also, 784 checklists have been submitted which constitutes 62.72% of what initially looked like an impossible target. Our team has done exceptionally well so far, but there is more to it than this as citizen scientists from throughout South Africa have contributed enormously when visiting Kruger National Park and surrounds. I commend everyone for this and valuable data has been collected. The more data collected the better and no pentad can ever have too many cards. As far as ’turning Kruger green’ goes we are also well into the project. For those of you not aware of what the meaning of this term is, the original target set by Doug Harbottle and Les Underhill when they were approached by the SANParks Avian Research Manager, Sharon Thompson, to register the SABAP2 project with SANParks, was to focus on turning as many pentads as possible within the Kruger National Park green by the end of 2016. Thus all pentads must be atlased a minimum of four times during this time period. We have been making good progress so far and every opportunity is taken by our team of four registered observers to travel to remote areas away from tourist routes. Of course there is still a long way to go but we are on track. Besides the four observers registered with Scientific Services we have a list of registered assistant observers on file and can call on these willing workers whenever needed to accompany us on excursions to remote areas. We are required to work in pairs and hence the reason for assistants. For ease of management Kruger National Park is divided into four Regions, each under the control of a Regional Ranger. Each Region is sub-divided into five or six Sections, each managed by a Sectional Ranger. The Marula South Region is the closest to our Nelspruit base. There are six Sections in this Region, namely Pretoriuskop, Stolsnek, Malelane, Skukuza, Crocodile Bridge and Lower Sabie. They cover a massive area of 419290 hectares and 69 pentads are included. It gives me great pleasure to announce that as at 31 July there are only five pentads in 35
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this entire Region that have not as yet turned green, and of these one requires one more card submission, three need two cards each and one needs three cards. The area has been covered by myself and Duncan McKenzie, assisted by Navarre de Villiers, Jacques de Villiers, Lynton Balcomb, John Davies, and Tom Vorster, (all blokes? Ed’). Plus of course all areas open to the public, including some on the boundary, by various citizen scientists. In the Nxanatseni Region North, Joe Grosel has recently turned eight pentads in the Shangoni Section orange and the Marula Region North has had coverage by myself, Duncan McKenzie and assistants Johan Eksteen, Dave Malloch-Brown and Robert Wienand. I commend everyone for the diligent work they have done so far. To those individuals and organisations who have contributed in some way or another to date we owe a big thank you. Without your generosity we most certainly would not have been as advanced as this report shows.
WEST RAND HONORARY RANGERS 2015 KRUGER NATIONAL PARK BIRDING WEEKEND (IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BIRDLIFE SOUTH AFRICA AND SASOL) Reservations for our 2015 event are now open. We are excited to offer you ‘mid-week’ options at Satara and Biyamiti for the first time. First Weekend 23 – 25 January 2015 Pretoriuskop (normal birding) and Punda Maria (extreme birding) Second Weekend 30 January – 1 February 2015 Crocodile Bridge, Lower Sabie, Olifants and Shingwedzi (normal birding) and Punda Maria (extreme birding) Mid-week 4 – 6 February 2015 Satara (normal birding) Third Weekend 6 – 8 February 2015 Letaba (normal birding) Fourth Weekend 13 – 15 February 2015 Olifants, Pretoriuskop and Punda Maria (normal birding), The weekend cost is R2350.00 per person sharing for main rest camps (with the exception of Punda Maria) and R2550.00 for Punda Maria. This price includes two nights shared accommodation, two dinners and approximately 8 to 12 hours’ of bird viewing and game drives. Please contact Norma on 011 476-3057 for more information on Bush Camps and costs. 36
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LET’S LEARN A LITTLE
Palmate
Describes a foot structure where the toes are completely webbed for their entire length – resembling the palm of the hand.
Passerine
Describes birds that have unspecialized feet (they simply perch) and a specalised syrinx (voicebox) capable of complex calls and songs.
Pectoral tufts
Small, colourful patches of erectile feathers in the shoulder region (base of the wing) – they are usually yellow and serve a display function in the breeding season when erected by the males.
Pin
The name given to a new feather that emerges from the skin in a pointed, membraneous sheath – referred to as pin feathers.
Preen gland
Gland at the upper base of the tail that secretes oils and waxes used to maintain the plumage during grooming
Primary feather The principal flight feathers from the secondary feathers to the end of the wing Precocial
Decribes a chick that hatches at an advanced physical stage and is able to move and leave the nest shortly thereafter requiring minimal adult care
Pumping
Decribes the rapid forward and backward movement of the tongue within the closed bill of filter-feeders such as flamingos. This acts as a pump that sucks water (carrying food) into the bill and then forces it out again through the filtering lamellae that catch the food.
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CLUB COMMITTEE PRESIDENT CHAIRPERSON VICE CHAIR TREASURER MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY NETWORK SANCTUARY ROSTER MINUTES SECRETARY PUBLICITY/KINGFISHER PROGRAMME SUBCOMMITTEE Co-ordinator Programme Secretary Outing Organisers MEMBERSHIP LIAISON
Jan Fourie John Human Paul Hardingham Errol Kilpatrick Denise Holahan Diane Lovell Gill Hardingham Peter Sharland Diane Lovell Paul Hardingham
044 384-0295 011 704-3196 011 462-9682 082 326-9278 011 791-7154 011 478-2452 011 462-9682 011 782-8600 011 478-2452 011 462-9682
Jane Irvine Trina MacGregor Errol Kilpatrick Ian Cuthbertson Dee Cuthbertson
011 782-9923 082 587-4863 082 326-9278 011 447-8602 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 150 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
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