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CAPE BIRD CLUB NEWSLETTER February 2017
Contents:
An Inportant Note about the CBC Family Camp
A Seabird Identification Course
Kingdom of Daylight - Memories of a Birdwatcher by Peter Steyn
CBC Website News
Club Activities
Bird Counts and Hacks
Kirstenbosch Bird Walks
Zandvlei Nature Reserve Outing Report
Contributions from Members
Thank you to everyone who contributed items for the newsletter.
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AN IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT THE CBC FAMILY CAMP
at Grootvadersbosch
To be held 22 – 25 September 2017
The Family Camp last year was such a SUCCESS that we are planning another Family Camp on 22 – 25 September 2017.
A provisional booking of the 11 cabins at Grootvadersbos has been made. We would like parents and grandparents to let us know if they are interested in this camp or not as we have to confirm the booking as soon as possible. We need to know whether to book all 11 cabins or perhaps reduce the number of cabins booked.
The self-catering cabins have 2 bedrooms with 2 single beds in each. Probably each family will have its own cottage @ R950 per night.
Who can attend a Family Camp?
The aim of the Family Camp is to encourage parents and grandparents to attend the camp with their children , who should be least 8 years old and over. It presents a n opportunity for spending quality time together in the outdoors in a beautiful and exciting forest and fynbos setting –with like-minded families.
This camp will not necessarily be confined to Club members (although they will have preference if we are over-booked) – so if you know of a family where parents and children have shown some interest in bird watching and the outdoors, invite them to join in the fun! We are encouraging young families to join us! If you have one child, get him/her to invite a friend to share the room!
What happens on these camps?
The weekend will consist of one or two introductory birding interactive talks to whet the appetites of any beginners, and then some practical birding in the forest and surrounding fynbos. There will be walks, braais and fun and games. We can promise learning and activity in a relaxed and fun environment, for all levels of children’s birding expertise.
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While ‘formal’ booking for this camp will open only on 1 March 2017, Priscilla would like to have some kind of indication that you and your children (or grandchildren) are interested in attending. PLEASE will you either SMS her (Cell no. 084 803 9987) or e-mail her (pbeeton@mweb.co.za) simply expressing your interest. This will not be a final commitment but will give her some indication of how many cottages to book.
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Enquiries and Registration: Judith Crosswell 021 671 1787 (after 7pm) or email judith@kingsley.co.za
Please pay by EFT to Cape Bird Club, Nedbank Account number 1046380400, Branch Code 104609,
Please provide as reference your Surname & Initial & SEABIRDS
Members must provide their member number
Please email a copy of your proof of payment to Judith.
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Kingdom of Daylight - Memories of a Birdwatcher
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Copies of Peter Steyn's book, "Kingdom of Daylight - Memories of a Birdwatcher" will be available for collection at the Book Table at the monthly meeting
on 9 February.
The cost of the book is R275 (a portion of which will be donated to the CBC for Promerops).
Anne would appreciate it if you have the correct amount of money with you.
Peter will be available to sign your copy.
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WEBSITE NEWS!!
The Cape Bird Club's new website is up and running.
If you have not already done so, please visit the website to see the new version
CBC members are encouraged to create a website account which will allow you to post in the Forum (under "News" in the dashboard).
To do so please go to www.capebirdclub.org.za/wp-login.php?action=register and complete the online form.
Please use your name as your user ID.
Some of the sections on the website will be available to members only - another good reason to join the CBC as a member!
The website is a "work in progress". Much of the historical information may not have been copied across to the new website but it will still be available for some time should anyone need to access it.
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CLUB ACTIVITIES
Saturday 4 February
Outing to Rondevlei Nature Reserve
Leader: Merle Chalton (phone 079 343 1047)
Meet at 08h00. These regular monthly outings are for all Rondevlei enthusiasts and beginners are especially welcome. Duration 2½ hrs.
Remember to bring a warm jacket or anorak - it can be freezing in the hides, even on the hottest days!
Directions: Travel down the M5 (Prince George Drive) towards Grassy Park and look out for Nando’s at the 5th Avenue traffic light. Turn left here into 5th Avenue and at the first set of traffic lights turn right into Perth Road and continue to Rondevlei at the end of the road.
Tuesday 7 February
Weekday Outing to False Bay Ecology Park / Strandfontein Sewage Works
Leader: Merle Chalton (phone 079 343 1047)
Meet at 08h00. Some consider the wetland systems of the False Bay Ecology Park amongst the top five birdwatching areas in southern Africa. Waders should be good at this time of the year.
Directions: For those coming from the north, take the M5 down to the Ottery Rd turn-off and turn left. Continue past the Ottery Hypermarket onto New Ottery Rd. Turn right into Strandfontein Rd. and proceed through Lotus River to the False Bay Ecopark turn-off where you turn right and continue through the checkpoint to the works. We meet just before the entrance to the "Birding Area".
Those coming from the Muizenberg side should travel along Baden Powell Drive and turn left into Strandfontein Road. Continue to the turn off to the False Bay Ecopark. Follow this road through a checkpoint to the works where we'll meet just before the entrance to the "Birding Area".
Thursday 9 February
Evening Meeting: Boat-based ecotourism and recreation: their impacts on waterbirds
Speaker: Andrew de Blocq
Meet at 20h00. Andrew is a local from Rondebosch who did his master’s degree in Biological Sciences at the FitzPatrick Institute, UCT. His talk on the disturbance impacts of boat-based tourism and recreation on the waterbirds at De Hoop Nature Reserve is based on the content of his master’s thesis. In his spare time Andrew is a bird guide for Birding Africa and Cape Town Pelagics.
We meet at the Nassau Centre, Groote Schuur High School, Palmyra Road, Newlands.
Tea and biscuits are served after the meeting at a cost of R5.00.
Visitors are welcome - there is a charge of R10.00 for visitors and non-members.
Sunday 19 February
Sunday Outing to West Coast National Park
Leaders: Vernon Head Phone: 076 569 1389 Email vhjarch@kingsley.co.za
Mel Tripp Phone 083 461 4365 Email trippmel3@gmail.com
Meet at 07h15 at Geelbek Homestead car park.
Catching the tides at the right time is crucial for optimal viewing of waders at Langebaan Lagoon. Thus we need to make an early start. Abrahamskraal can be done in the afternoon after lunch. We suggest you allow for a full day’s outing. Please try to share transport, and remember to take your Wild Card so that you do not have to pay the entrance fee of R45.
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BIRD COUNTS AND HACKS
Sunday 5 February: Kirstenbosch BIRP Count.
Meet at 08h00
Leader: John Magner (082 881 3845)
Thursday 9 February: Wildevoelvlei Count
Meet at 08h30
Leader: Eric Barnes (021 782 5429)
Saturday 11 February: Zandvlei Hack
Meet at 14h00
Leader: Gavin Lawson (021 705 5224)
Sunday 12 February: Strandfontein Count
Meet at 08h00
Leader: Dick Barnes (021 689 1106)
Thursday 16 February: Athlone WWTW Count
Meet at 13h00
Leader: Dick Bos (021 423 2546)
These counts will take place weather permitting
Saturday 25 February: Paarl Bird Sanctuary CWAC
Meet at 09h00
Leader: Yvonne Weiss (021 872 4972)
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KIRSTENBOSCH BIRD WALKS
There will be two bird walks this month
Tuesday 14 February
Led by Otto Schmidt
Meet at 8 am
These bird walks are led by members of the Cape and Tygerberg Bird Clubs.
Anyone who is interested in learning more about our Kirstenbosch birds is welcome to join the walks.
The walks are free of charge but the entrance fee for Kirstenbosch is payable if you do not have a BotSoc Card.
The walk usually lasts around 2 hours, please wear suitable clothing for the weather.
Meet at at the Information Desk at Gate One.
Please contact Linda Hibbin on 021 788 1528, or e-mail hibbins@telkomsa.net if you have any questions
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ZANDVLEI NATURE RESERVE OUTING
ON SUNDAY 15TH JANUARY 2017
We met in the Public car park just before 08h00, having been let in by the Ranger on duty.
We were 14 in number, which is considerably less than the attendance for the past two years but I’m sure that a good number of birders were taking the opportunity to visit Strandfontein to look for the five “Rarities” which have been on show for a while and also to Rondevlei where a second Spotted Crake has made an appearance.
After weeks of intense heat and gale force winds we were really fortunate to have an overcast and windless morning and the birds, especially the Swallows and Swifts made the most of the conditions with mixed flocks of Barn Swallows (many hundreds) , Greater Striped and White-throated Swallows as well as African Black, Little and White-rumped Swifts all hawking the clouds of “miggies”.
An interesting sighting was of a pair of Black-shouldered Kites building a nest at the top of one of the Pine Trees near the entrance and it is probably the same pair who nested in an adjacent Pine some months back and raised at least three fledglings which I photographed at the end of November last year.
The canal adjacent to Marina da Gama did not really produce many birds but a couple of Caspian Terns were flying up and down and occasionally diving into the canal – without any obvious success !
Moving down the path to the Lookout Deck we saw or heard Southern Boubou, Bokmakirie, Levaillant’s Cisticola, Lesser Swamp and Little Rush Warbler and Karoo Prinia.
Because of the high water level in Zandvlei there was little or no beach in front of the Deck and so, other than Hartlaubs and Kelp Gulls and hundreds of Red-knobbed Coot, there was little else on show.
Between there and the Skirpus Hide there were a number of Reed and White-breasted Cormorants on the dead trees in the Vlei and quite a few African Darters flying overhead as well as four Greater Flamingoes.
As opposed to last year, when the Centre Pan and Salt Marsh Pan were dry, this year both had quite a lot of water as were the various streams and channels which provided an additional habitat for some of the water birds. Of note is that we saw Purple Herons on a number of occasions, at times two at once, and whilst some of the sightings may have been of the same birds there were definitely quite a few.
Further on from the Skirpus Hide we had good views of a pair of African Fish Eagles which initially had been sitting next to the structure which had been built for them some while ago.
Next was the Salt Marsh Pan where there were two Purple Herons, Black-winged Stilts, a Common Greenshank (which on cue called when it flew), a Three-banded Plover and two Blacksmith Lapwings.
On the Centre Pan there were a number of Cape Teal (one duckling) a Cape Shoveler, Little Egret and a number of Pied Avocets. Also worth mentioning is the number of Pied Kingfishers we saw all over but on Centre Pan there were four sitting in the same dead tree.
Once back at the car park we collected our refreshments and moved to the nearby shady picnic area. At the end of the day it was a most enjoyable morning with great company and a creditable tally of 69 species.
My thanks to John Magner for his help and input on the walk, to Zandvlei Nature Reserve for arranging access and most importantly, to the Club Members who supported the outing.
Graham Pringle
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Alongside the Canal
Photograph by Hayley McIntosh
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Black-shouldered Kite
Photo by Hayley McIntosh
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Checking Grey-headed Gulls
Photo by Priscilla Beeton
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Grey-headed Gull (Non-Breeding)
Photo by Linda McIntosh
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Purple Heron
Photo by Priscilla Beeton
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Pied Avocets
Photo by Linda McIntosh
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Grey Heron
Photo by Linda McIntosh
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African Fish Eagle
Photo by Linda McIntosh
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Refreshment Time
Photo by Linda McIntosh
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Contributions from Members
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Spotted Crake seen at midday at Rondevlei at Wheeler Hide (15/01/2017)
Photo by Linda McIntosh
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Alastair Kilpin reported seeing a White-faced Duck pair with 7 ducklings on a farm dam in the Vyeboom valley near Theewaterskloof Dam (20/12/2016). This is the first breeding record he knows of in this area.
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Membership of the Cape Bird Club
Please note that receipt of this newsletter or membership of the Facebook page does not imply that you are a member of the Cape Bird Club.
If you would like to become a member of the Cape Bird Club, please go to our website to download the application form or contact Joan Ackroyd on ackroyd.joan@broadwalk-mews.co.za or call 021 530 4435 for more information
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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 Private Bag X5000 Parklands 2121, fax to 011 789 5188 or email to membership@birdlife.org.za of any change in address to ensure that you continue receiving Promerops.
Email changes: Please contact BirdLife at membership@birdlife.org.za if you change your email address with a copy to ackroyd.joan@broadwalk-mews.co.za
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