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CAPE BIRD CLUB NEWS SNIPPETS April 2015
CLUB ACTIVITIES
Don't miss the outing this Sunday.
We will be going to Driftsands Nature Reserve, which is a new venue for the Club.
We will be meeting at the Nature Reserve offices at 8am, where we will meet the Reserve Manager, Teboho Maliehe and Mkhuseli Boesman, who will be walking around with us. We will walk for about 3 hrs, then come back to the offices for tea and to draw up a bird list, which Teboho can use to verify the reserve's bird list (and hopefully add to it).. We will be walking on paths, but some of them are a bit sandy.
See below for directions, or email Felicity Ellmore for a map.
Sun 19 OUTING: Driftsands Nature Reserve
Leader: Felicity Ellmore (021 762 0176 / 072 261 0170 or email at fellmore@absamail.co.za)
Meet at 08h00 We will be doing a morning walk through the reserve. Driftsands Nature Reserve contains Cape Flats dune strandveld as well as wetlands, so there is potential for seeing a variety of birds.
Directions: Take the N2 in the direction of Somerset West, turn left at the Swartklip Interchange onto the R300 in the direction of Bellville. Keep left and continue on the R300 to the Brentwood Park/Hindle Road off-ramp. Turn left onto the Hindle Road off-ramp, proceed to the stop street and turn right onto Hindle Road. Continue to the traffic lights and turn right. Keep right (there is a petrol station on the left) and proceed to the security gates. Turn right at the security gates and then left before the MRC entrance. Keep going straight until you reach a small car park and some buildings, where we meet.
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Notice of Prescribed Ecological Burn
Where: False Bay Nature Reserve, Rondevlei Section, Erf 1834
Date: April 2015 (date weather dependent)
Please note:
• Application has been made to obtain the required burning permit from both City Health’s Air Pollution Control Section and City Fire and Rescue Services
• False Bay Nature Reserve staff will be conducting a prescribed ecological burn along the northern shoreline of Rondevlei, between the public footpath and the vlei.
• The vegetation to be burned on the site consists predominantly of reed beds and small tracts of Cape Flats dune strandveld.
The reduction and removal of the biomass by burning will:
- Assist in controlling the excessive growth of reed beds in the wetland
- Reduce excess nutrients in the wetland ecosystem and promote healthy nutrient cycling
- Rejuvenate senescent (old and overgrown) vegetation and enhance biodiversity
- Reduce the available fuel load which poses a risk of uncontrolled wildfires
• Professional and competent fire fighters, as well as fire -fighting equipment and vehicles will be present during the burn.
• Precautionary measures will be taken to ensure the operation is executed safely.
• The burn will be executed during a northerly / north-westerly wind direction, therefore smoke and ash will be directed away from residential areas surrounding the reserve. However, we advise that windows are kept closed on the day of the burn so as to reduce smoke fumes potentially entering homes.
• Please note we will only carry out the prescribed burn if the weather conditions are ideal. Controlled ecological burning will NOT take place on Fridays, public holidays or weekends.
• Rondevlei will be closed to the public on the day of the burn operation for safety reasons.
For any queries please contact Tamaryn Khan at 021 396 4283 or email Tamaryn.Allan@capetown.gov.za
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BIRD COUNTS AND HACKS
Friday 17 April: Rietvlei Quarterly Count
Meet at 09h00
Leader: Koos Retief (021 444 0315 (w))
Saturday 18 April: Zandvlei Quarterly Count
Meet at 08h00
Leader: Gavin Lawson (021 705 5224)
Saturday 18 April: Paarl Bird Sanctuary CWAC
Meet at 09h00
Leader: Yvonne Weiss (021 872 4972)
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SAVE THE BIRDS - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The organisers of the Princess Vlei Save the Birds would like to invite adult volunteers to assist with guiding the children's observation and thinking.
The idea is to create a game in which the children look at birds as if they have never seen them, and to draw conclusions from what they see regarding their dietary and habitat needs, and what steps should be taken to ensure their continued survival.
The event starts at 2.15pm but the facilitators/ volunteers should arrive at about 1.15 pm for a briefing session.
If you would like to participate please email me at cdleslie@kingsley.co.za
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Contributions for the Newsletter
Please send any contributions for the newsletter (interesting sightings, photographs or any interesting news items) to Cheryl Leslie at cdleslie@kingsley.co.za.
Photographs should not exceed 1MB in size.
Postal and Email addresses
Please ensure that we have your correct postal and email address, otherwise you may not receive the Bird Club newsletter or reminders.
Address changes: Please notify BirdLife promptly by post at P O Box 515 Randburg 2125 or fax to 011 789 5188 of any change in address to ensure that you continue receiving Promerops.Email changes:
Please contact BirdLife at membership@birdlife.co.za if you change your email address with a copy to ackroyd.joan@broadwalk-mews.co.za
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