Wednesday 19 August 2009

BIRDLIFE KZN MIDLANDS - OUTINGS & MEETINGS: AUGUST TO DECEMBER 2009

Sunday 2nd August – morning outing to Darvill; Leader Gordon Bennett 033 386 5555; Time: 8am

Sunday 9th August – morning outing to Queen Elizabeth Park; Leader: Mike Spain 033 347 2797; Time: 8am

Thursday 13th August - evening meeting at Ezemvelo Headquarters in QE Park at 7pm. Stuart Mclean will give a presentation on Sani Pass.

Sunday 16th August – day outing to Stainbank Nature Reserve. Please phone the leader, David Crampton on 082 771 7274 to arrange meeting place and time.

Sunday 6th September - morning outing to Darvill; Leader Gordon Bennett 033 386 5555; Time: 7am

Thursday 10th September – evening meeting at Ezemvelo Headquarters in QE Park at 7pm Simon Bellingham will give a presentation on Mana Pools

Sunday 13th September – morning outing to Queen Elizabeth Park; Leader: Mike Spain 033 347 2797; Time: 7am

Sunday 20th September - day outing to Nature’s Hideaway, Mpushini. Please contact Sally on sally@wessa.co.za or 072 119 4253 to arrange meeting place and time.

Sunday 4th October – morning outing to Darvill; Leader Gordon Bennett 033 386 5555; Time: 6am

Sunday 11th October – morning outing to Queen Elizabeth Park; Leader: Mike Spain 033 347 2797; Time: 6am

Sunday 18th October – day outing to Karkloof Conservancy and to Karkloof Canopy Tours forest. Meet at the Conservancy at 6.30am. Please note there is an entrance fee to both venues. Contact the leader, Eve Hughes on 033 330 2723 for directions.

Sunday 1st November - morning outing to Darvill; Leader Gordon Bennett 033 386 5555; Time: 6am

Sunday 8th November - morning outing to Queen Elizabeth Park; Leader: Mike Spain 033 347 2797; Time: 6am

13th to 15th November – weekend outing to Wakkerstroom. We have booked the dormitories and campsite at the BirdLife Centre (self-catering). Cost per night: members R95, non-members R120, camping members R35, camping non-members R45. We will also use a local guide at a cost of R350 per morning or afternoon session – cost to be shared between all people on the outing. Contact Sally (phone 072 119 4253 or sally@wessa.co.za). Numbers are limited, so it’s first come, first served!

6th December - End-of-year braai at Benvie. Meet for a walk at 6.30am. Braai fires will be lit at 11am. Bring braai food and chairs, as well as family and friends.

HOWICK BIRDING GROUP - DIARY OF EVENTS TO JANUARY 2010

Evening meetings are held at WESSA in their Goldfields Education Centre on the 3rd Wed of the month. Tea/coffee and registration at 17:30. BirdLife Members R5 pp. Non-members R10 pp. Morning outings usually take place on the last Wed. of every month.

Committee: Drummond Densham – 033-330-4039, Eve Hughes – 033-330-2723, Pam Nicol – 033-330-2947, Bob Moore – 033-239-2331, Shirley Bennett – 033-330-3234.

Wed. Aug. 26 – Morning outing to ‘Bar Circle Ranch’ to see, hopefully, the Red-billed Oxpeckers and do some Atlasing. Meet at Umgeni Valley at 07:00 to arrange transport, or at the Ranch at 07:45. Directions, take the Motorway south turning left at Exit 65, marked Lynnfield Park (R103), turn right to Lynnfield Park, and drive under the motorway, turning right almost immediately signed Bar Circle Ranch, and back under the motorway. Carry straight on to a Gate marked Imvelo Ranch (which please close) and carry on to a white pole fence, bearing right to the main house where we will meet. Bring tea. Leader – Pam Nicol

Wed. Sept. 16 – Illustrated talk by George Zaloumis on ‘Madagascar’.

Wed. Sept. 23 – Morning outing to ‘Ben Vie’ to see the specials and the azaleas. Meet at Umgeni Valley at 06:30 to arrange transport or at Ben Vie at 07:15. Entrance R20.00 p p. Bring tea. Don’t forget to Atlas! Leader – Bob Moore

Wed. Oct. 21 – Illustrated talk by Roger Porter on ‘Antarctica’.

Wed.Oct. 28 – Morning outing to ‘Mbona’ in the Karkloof. Meet at Umgeni Valley at 07:00 to arrange transport, or at the entrance to Mbona at 07:45. Bring tea. Don’t forget to Atlas!

Leader – Eve Hughes

Wed. Nov. 18 – Well illustrated talk by Mark Brown on Bird ringing - why it is so important’

Wed. Nov. 25 - Morning outing to the Perry’s farm in the Dargle. Meet at Umgeni Valley at 07:30 or at their farm at 08:00. Patti Perry has kindly offered to provide tea! Proteas, Grasslands and Indigenous Forest – something for everybody. Take Exit from N3 – Howick North/Tweedie towards Tweedie, at T-junction turn right onto the R103 towards Lions River. Turn left onto the Dargle/Impendle Road and travel for 6 kms, then right onto the D17 dirt road. A further 2.2 kms turn left into ‘Carlisle Farm’ and follow the signboards. Don’t forget to Atlas! Leader – Pam Nicol

Thurs. Dec. 3Mark Brown will be ringing in Pam & Bill Nicol’s garden. Anybody is free to pop in for as long as they like to see birds in the hand, and watch how ringing is done. Contact – Pam Nicol

Wed. Jan. 20 – Illustrated talk by Adam Riley on ‘KZN’s Best Birds’.

Wed. Jan. 27 – Morning outing to ‘Cumberland Nature Reserve’. Meet at Umgeni Valley at 07:00

to arrange transport, or at the Reserve at 08:00. Bring tea. Don’t forget to Atlas! There is an

honesty box of R10 pp. Leader – Drummond Densham