Birding for BirdLife South Africa

I just got back from an interesting trip to Johannesburg for Martin Taylor and BirdLife South Africa. I have joined the team to assist with the consolidation of the bird guide training programme and to see how we can take Birdlife's capacity-building focus further. I must admit I am really excited by the prospect of working with Martin, Mark and the rest of the team.

On a slightly different note I had some cracker viewing of a Little Sparrowhawk over Seaview yesterday which provided some really excellent viewing at perch in a Eucaplytus tree. Towards the Sunset it pulled off heading Westwards, with a the Dark-capped bulbuls, Forked-tailed Drongo's and Spotted-backed Weavers crying foul.

In my local trips around Durban I have noticed a renewed bout of earlish nesting activity by Spotted-backed Weavers in stands of Fever Trees and Ankle-Thorns. Fresh new nests being built with resurgent grass growth in and around the suburbs. The upswing in Lesser-striped Swallows has also seemed rather marked and quite a few individuals are roaming around Westville and down towards Cato Manor.

Swallows aplenty!

 

Well I have not been on my birding blog in awhile. The long weekend of the 24th through to the 27th was absolutely brilliant for some atlassing although we experienced some intermittent wind and rain over the course of our explorations. It was great to see mixed flocks of Swallows with Barn, Wire-tailed and Lesser Striped perched on this telephone line outside Bonamanzi on the way to Hluhluwe. At times we have species richness with mixed Flocks of Grey-rumped, Barn, Lesser Striped, Red-breasted and Wire-tailed Swallows at roost or foraging together.

We did several new pentads and I will be adding those to my next posting. One thing we did notice was the absolute change in early calls and the muted dawn chorus. Winters grip is tightening and even the Purple-crested Tauraco's have changed their call to the more rapid bubbling winter call now. Winter is certainly being felt up in the Maputaland region.

Recommendation: Organsing distant members and groups

Well its official. Trish Strachan and I plus Darren Richter finally got ourselves organised and are in the process of creating an atlasser and birder friendly online resource for the local North Coast, Zululand and Maputaland region.

Whilst working on a formal project with allot of international colleaguesin my company capcity we ended up our using a web-based project management system which has been incredibly user friendly called Base Camp HQ.

Simultaneously, we are searching endlessy trying to find something that would help Trish as our provincial coordinator, myself commuting between Durban and Hlulhuwe as well as Darren in Durban North and other new atlassing members.

Well after much investigation we found out via YouTube actually that National Geographic and the World wildlife Fund (WWF) use Basecamp to run their conservation and documentary projects. We did a months pilot and needless to say it has all turned out really well. It is not as detailed or overly focused as MS Project and similar project management suites and of course relies on very basic internet literacy and the ability to use a schedule. Of course for bird and conservation clubs it is a perfect resource. As we gain ground with the establishment of the atlassing project we expect it to really benefit us significantly. I really recommend that you have a look at it for birding and conservation oriented projects and perhaps even more.

It was Easter but there no chocolate eggs

Well back into civilisation in Durban from an absolutely brilliant Easter weekend with my wife Clare, an avid raptor and Owl fan of note. We did a concentrated atlasing (SABAP2) run across the Elephant Coast or Southern Maputaland region, spanning the iSmangaliso Wetland Park (historically known as St.Lucia) covering areas that have not been atlased or surveyed ornithilogically. Although many keen bird watchers and naturalists have spent many years popping in and out of the region. As you can see on the left our farm is marked by the yellow placeholder right on the edge of the Fasle Bay and Hluhluwe River area, historically known as teh Bushlands District. A mix of eucalyptus forestry, sugar cane, slash & burn agriculture, pineapple farming and ecotourism and conservation operations. A real example of mixed land use. Not necessarily sustainable but a very tangible interface of both modern and historical land use in action.

The regions key stone species or major 'ticks' in bird watching parlance are the Lemon-breasted Canary, Pink-throated Twinspot, Woodwards Batis, Rudds Apalis and Neergards Sunbird. With our early morning forays into the area and its highly diverse habitats we saw all the top species plus a few other regional rarities like Red-headed Quelea, Black Coucal, African Crake plus Rosy-throated Longclaw. The regions major ecological dynamics are driven by the riverine systems interlocking with the estuarine and marine environments as well as being the geological end-point of the Great Rift Valley system which literally ends with the foot hills of Ubombo Mountains at Phinda Game Reserve. Factoring mountains, plus the ocean as well as two major biomes (Forest & Savanna) with the estuary provides the basis for incredible bird watching as well as game viewing for the keen naturalist. We had plenty. We are blessed to own a farm, called Marula Ridge that neighbours the world renown Bonamanzi Game Reserve, which has well conserved portions of estuarine grassland, riverine woodland, wetland marshes, Ilala Palm Savanna, Broad-leafed Woodland and the highly endangered Sand Forest habitat. This lovely birder and family friendly reserve caters to all price ranges as well as tourist types from backpackers through to self-catered chalets and camping sites. The staff are incredibly friendly and welcoming. For a birder this reserve offers a real opportunity to see the regions specials plus more and to also find some time to just unwind.

We spent several hours bird watching and atlassing in this wonderful reserve, where one can watch Red Duiker foraging alongside Terrestrial Brownbuls with elusive Eastern Nicators dashing in to snatch a exposed insect on the forest floor. Pictures will follow shortly with further detail for you all.

From an atlassing perspective, we spent time covering at least four new pentads. STarting from the rarely explored Lower Mkuzi papyrus swamps through to the Manzimbomvu trail in the wilderness area. This avian, plant and ecosystem rich jewel is only accessible by 4 x 4 and it is highly recommended that you travel with at least two vehicles and make usre you have a kinectic rope and highlift jack for the sandy patches and wet areas. It can be great fun, but very daunting so come prepared.

Our top pentad count took us to 197 in 10 hours which was a mammoth count but in a region which tops over 300 bird species it is quite possible. Though I am citing bird numbers my focus is really the conservation status and robustness of such a vast protected area that is the main source of survival for many indigenous Zulu communities that fish, harvest, hunt and live off this amazing land. Climate change is certianly being felt here with extended rains which were still falling this weekend.

Well there were no chocolate Easter eggs but we certainly had a beautiful weekend and we did manage to down some of Woolworths organic dark chocolate with organe pieces as a major consolation prize. Enjoy the rest of the week everyone.

Introduction to ringing!

I would appreciate any inputs here. Although I obtained a trainee ringing permit I unfortunately could not complete it in Gauteng. If any of you have any information on ringing I would appreciate it. I thought that considering Steven was a ringer it might be great to do a article on ringing.Here is an excellent ringing clip with a familiar bird for all of us, the Willow Warbler.

Tribute to Steven Piper!

As stated in my previous posting Steven Pipers passing and loss to global ornithology is truly saddening. The one impact Steven had on my life was to certainly open my eyes to the art of ringing and more than that. The very sense of the precious quality of life. Particularly when holding a beautiful warbler in your hand or gently coaxing a Cape Vulture off after ringing it. I could not really find the inspiration to say anymore about Steven other than the fact that both through his courses, his writings and influence in bird clubs that he was an inspiration to truly contribute to life in a meaningful and profound way. Unfortunately I coudl not find a verse or picture that could remotely capture the spirit of who he was and what he did. I did manage to find a YouTube video clip celebrating life and bird ringing. My own small tribute to Steven.

KZN YBK sighting update, Barn Swallows at Mt. Moreland & Steven Piper's passing.

It has been a great morning with allot of emails coming in regarding sightings of YBK's throughout KZN. It seems like they were seen from Weenen, Highflats, Durban, Toti, Glenwood, Mt. Edgecombe through to Richards Bay. Reports are still coming in from Johannesburg and the Kruger National Park which might indicate birds heading north and in transit.

Interestingly no one has yet to report any sightings of YBK's today. I did not see any myself and perhaps the last remnants are migrating out. Lets see what unfolds this week.

On a slightly separate note and different migrant. Clare and I spent a wonderful late afternoon at the Mt. Moreland Barn Swallow roosting site yesterday. The experience was of epic proportions and just absolutely humbling to see. I must compliment and congratulate the Barn Swallow site conservancy and rate payers association and the local custodians of the site for a well-organised experience. They are a testament to how an important bird area (IBA) can be conserved and utilised sustainably. Their booklet on the entire history, current challenges with the La Mercy/King Shaka airport, ringing activities and visitors statistics is of really high quality and very informative. Using the ringing certificates is also a really innovative idea and I sincerely hope that more support can be garnered for this programme and depth of this wonderful community-conservation-bird partnership.

On a truly sad note, the world renown Professor Steven Piper passed away yesterday. Acclaimed Ornithologist, conservation champion and educator of note. His impact and legacy will be felt for yours to come. His influence at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and is Zoology department will not be forgotten. I suspect that many bird-watchers and nature lovers across South Africa and further afield will miss his charm, humour and passion for birds. His role in supporting the Mt.Moreland roost site for the Barn Swallows was a recent achievement not easily underated. He assisted in providing a framework for a successful relationship and scientifically-based solution to the conservation and mitigation of the La Mercy/King Shaka airport operations. Rest well Steven. We shall truly miss your presence and fellowship.