Diary of Events to August 2011

Howick evening meetings are held at WESSA in their Goldfields Education Centre on the 3^rd Wed of the month, whilst Pietermaritzburg meetings will be resumed shortly at a venue to be announced. Costs - BirdLife Members R10 pp. Non-members R15 pp. Howick morning outings take place on the last Wed. of every month whilst other Branch outings are as below. Saturday morning outings are soon to be arranged.

Committee: Chairman Drummond Densham/033-330-4039, Outing activities Eve Hughes/033-330-2723, Evening activities Peter Divall/033-239-5537. Secretary Sally Cumming/072-119-4253, Membership Secretary Pam Nicol/033-330-2947

Sun. Mar. 20 – day outing to Mpushini Conservancy, Ashburton - Leader Nevill Durow. For meeting arrangements please contact Sally on 072-119-4253 or sally@wessa.co.za

Wed. Mar. 30 – Morning outing to Queen Elizabeth Park. Meet at Umgeni Valley at 07:00 to arrange transport, or at the Reservations Car Park at 07:30. Leader Peter Divall 033-239-5537

Sun. Apl. 3 - Morning outing to Darvill at 06:30. Leader Gordon Bennett 033-386-5555

Sun. Apl. 10 - Morning outing to Bisley Valley at 06:30. Leader Mike Spain 033-347-2797

Sun. Apl. 17 - Morning outing to Umgeni Valley Nature Reserve at 06:30. Leader Peter Divall 033-239-5537. There is an entry fee for non-members of WESSA of R18. per adult.

Wed. Apl. 20 Howick – Illustrated talk by Ann Burke, Volunteer Reserve Manager, KZN Crane Foundation, on ‘The Secret Love-life of Cranes.’

Wed. Apl. 27 – Morning outing to Umgeni Valley. Meet at the Valley at 06:30 and we will arrange to take a couple of vehicles down into the Valley for those not able to walk down. Entrance Fee - R18 if you are not a WESSA member. Leader – Pam Nicol 033-330-2947

Sun. May 1 - Morning outing to Darvill at 07:30. Leader Gordon Bennett 033-386-5555

Sun. May 8 – Morning outing to Queen Elizabeth Park at 07:30. Leader Mike Spain 033-347-2797

Sat. May 14/Sun. 15 – Weekend (or Sunday) outing to Zulu Falls (Southern Bald Ibis colony) near Mooi River. Accommodation has been offered on the Saturday night at a special rate of R1050 for 14 people (R75 per person provided all rooms are occupied). Saturday will be an informal day. David Crampton 082-771-7274 will guide on Sunday. Please contact Sally 072-119-4253 or sally@wessa.co.za if you wish to book accommodation.

Wed. May 18 Howick – Illustrated talk by Adam Riley on ‘Birding in Tanzania.’

Wed. May 25 – Morning outing to Cumberland Nature Reserve. Meet at the Umgeni Valley at 07:00 to arrange transport, or at the Reserve at about 08:00. There is an honesty box. Leader Eve Hughes 033-330-2723

Sun. June 5 - Morning outing to Darvill at 07:30. Leader Gordon Bennett 033-386-5555

Sun. June 12 - Morning outing to Bisley Valley at 07:30. Leader Mike Spain 033-347-2797

Wed. June 15 Howick – Illustrated talk by Carolyn Goble and Pat Cahill on the ‘Karkloof Conservation Centre.’

Sun. June 19 – Day outing to ‘Cumberland Nature Reserve’. Meet at the main picnic site (not the campsite) at 07:30. There is an Honesty box. Leader Hugh Bulcock 033-330-3055 (h), 082-373-6569

Wed. June 29 – Morning or all day outing to Spioenkop Dam Meet at Umgeni Valley at 06:30 to arrange transport, or at the Reserve Gate at 08:00. Entrance fee payable if you don’t have a Rhino or Wild Card. Leader - Drummond Densham 033-330-4039

Sun. July 3 - Morning outing to Darvill at 07:30. Leader Gordon Bennett 033-386-5555

Sun. July 10 - Morning outing to Queen Elizabeth Park at 07:30. Leader Mike Spain 033-347-2797

Sun. July 17 – Morning out to the Botanical Gardens, Pietermaritzburg. Meet at the carpark at 07.30. Leader Adrian Ogilvie 033-347-1685

Wed. July 27 – Morning outing to Pigeon Valley in Durban. Meet at Umgeni Valley at 07:00 to arrange transport. Pigeon Valley is a small patch of coastal forest just off South Ridge Road, near the University. Turn left down King George V Avenue, then turn right into Princess Alice Avenue, and the entrance is set back on the right. Leader Peter Divall 033-239-5537

Sun. Aug. 7 - Morning outing to Darvill at 07:30. Leader Gordon Bennett 033-386-5555

Sun. Aug. 14 - Morning outing to Bisley Valley at 07:30. Leader Mike Spain 033-347-2797

Sun. Aug. 21 – Mhlopeni. There is accommodation for about 15 people in two rustic camps, UmPhafa camp (a house/lodge) and UmVumvu camp which is being rebuilt. We will travel on Saturday late morning and spend the afternoon in the reserve. Richard or Andrew Alcock will lead a walk on Sunday morning. Please contact Sally on 072-119-4253 or sally@wessa.co.za if you wish to spend the weekend at Mhlopeni. The access road, we are told, is improved to the extent where it can be negotiated by a normal sedan driven slowly!

Red-chested Cuckoo

Brenda Davies sent me these two pictures featuring a Red-chested Cuckoo in her garden.

The first shows a very busy Cape Wagtail feeding the Cuckoo, while the second shows the contented looking Cuckoo resting, no doubt replete after the poor wagtail's efforts.

Thank you to Brenda for sending these pictures in.

Birding Further Afield

Dr John Carlyon sent me these two very interesting photos from his recent trip to Mpumalanga.

The first is of a Striped Crake with chicks taken in Kruger. This is a very interesting shot, besides being of a bird very few of us have seen, it may very well also represent the first breeding record for this species in South Africa.

The second picture is of a Bat Hawk taken in White River.

Thanks to John for sending these in.

Lesser Moorhen at Karkloof Conservation Centre

These pictures of a Lesser Moorhen were were taken by Pat Cahill on 28/2/2011 at the Karkloof Conservation Centre.

Pam Nicol and Karin Nelson saw it again on Thursday 3/03/2011.

Thanks to Pam Nicol for forwarding me these photos.