Wednesday 5 September 2012

Midlands Activities: July - December 2012


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, Treasurer Viv O’Neill 083 464 7666 Howick evening meetings are held at WESSA in their Goldfields Education Centre on the 3rd Wed of the month, registration from 17:30 for 18:00. Pietermaritzburg evening meetings are held at the Zoology Lecture Theatre, John Bews Building, Life Science Campus, end of Carbis Road at 19:00. Costs: BirdLife Members R10 pp. Non-members R15 pp.

People wanting to go on the outings should contact the coordinator beforehand, because the venue may change due to unforeseen circumstances.
July
Sun. 1 – Morning outing to Darvill at 07h30.  Coordinator - Gordon Bennett  033 386 5555
Sun. 8 – Morning outing to Queen Elizabeth Park at 07h30.  Coordinator - Mike Spain 033 347 2797
Tues. 10 – Mark Brown and team will be ringing in Pam & Bill’s Garden (13 Riley Crescent), all welcome  to come and watch from ±10:00, tea will be provided
Sun. 15 – Outing to Beachwood Mangrove Park in Durban where we may see the Mangrove Kingfisher. There is a booking fee of R250 and the cost will be shared between all the visitors. The coordinator must be contacted before in order to arrange the meeting time and to get directions.  Bring tea and lunch because there may be visits to other sites.  Coordinator - Colin Summersgill 033 818 9013 or 083 782 5113                                                              
Wed. 25 – Outing to Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve in the vicinity of Durban.  Meet at Umgeni Valley at 07h30 to arrange transport or at the reserve gate about 09h00.  Take the N3 south and turn off towards Queensburgh (M7). Take the Bellville Road off-ramp and turn right back over the N7 and then left into Main Road/Hoofweg which becomes Sania Road.  At the traffic lights at Coedmore Road turn right and drive through the Cement Factory property, then travel for 3 km and the entrance to the reserve is on the fight where we will meet.  There is an entrance fee unless you have a Rhino or Wild Card.  Venues sometimes change owing to weather etc. so please phone the coordinator first.  Coordinator - Drummond Densham 033 330 3940
August
Sun. 5 – Morning outing to Darvill at 07h30. Coordinator Gordon – Bennett - 033 386 5555
Thurs. 9 – No evening meeting in Pmb
Sun. 12 – Morning outing to Bisley Valley at 07h30. Coordinator - Mike Spain – 033 347 2797
Wed. 15 – Evening meeting at WESSA – Illustrated talk by Craig and Karin Nelson – ‘Pitta Pilgrimage.’
Sun. 19 – Morning/Day outing to Spioenkopdam Game Reserve at 07h30.  Coordinator - Janice Shipway - 082 574 7879.  Janice must be contacted to make travel and meeting arrangements
Wed. 29 – Morning/Day outing to Spioenkop Game Reserve. Meet at Umgeni Valley at 07h00 to make travel arrangements.  Coordinator - Pam Nicol – 033 330 2947
September
Sun. 2 – Morning outing to Darvill at 07h00.  Coordinator - Gordon Bennett – 033 386 5555
Thurs. Fri. Sat. 6,7,8 – ‘The Basics of Birds and Birding’ a short ‘basic beginners’ course by Mark Brown at WESSA. Thurs. and Fri. registration from 17:30, then two sessions with half hour between for a break, ending at about 20:30 latest!  Tea/coffee will be served in the interval but please bring your own snacks.  Sat. morning outing to Cedara to put into practice what we have learnt.  Cost for the whole course R200 p/p. Further details to follow later. Contact Pam Nicol – 033 330 2947 or pnicol@vodamail.co.za
Sun. 9 – Morning outing to Queen Elizabeth Park at 07h00.  Coordinator - Mike Spain – 033 347 2797
Thurs. 13 – Evening meeting at the Zoology Lecture Theatre in Pmb – Illustrated talk by Shane McPherson – ‘Raptors of the Steppe. The Mongolian Saker Falcon and the Artificial Nest Project’
Sun. 16 – Morning outing to Benvie. There is a fee of R30 p\p. Please phone coordinator - Colin Summersgill 033 818 9013 or 083 782 5113 to confirm meeting place and time
Wed. 19 – Evening meeting at WESSA – Illustrated talk by Adam Riley – ‘Brazil’s birds and wildlife.’
Wed. 26 – Morning outing to Tala Valley. There is an entrance fee of R30 p\p payable to the coordinator who will then pay the entrance fees by credit card or you pay with your own card. They don’t take cash at the gate. Coordinator - Drummond Densham - 033 330 4039.  Meet at Umgeni Valley at 06h30 to arrange transport.
October
Sun. 7 – Morning outing to Darvill at 06h30.  Coordinator - Gordon Bennett - 033 386 5555
Thurs. 11 – No evening meeting in Pmb.
Sun. 14 – Morning outing to Bisley Valley at 06h30.  Coordinator - Mike Spain - 033 347 2797
Wed. 17 – Evening meeting at WESSA – Illustrated talk by Meyrick Bowker – ‘Zululand Bird Research – the fun side’
Sun. 21 – Morning outing to Tala Valley. There is an entrance fee of R30 p\p payable to the coordinator who will then pay by credit card at the entrance or you pay with your own card. They don’t take cash at the gate. Please phone the coordinator - David Crampton - 082 771 7274 to confirm time and meeting place
Wed. 31 – Morning outing to Linwood Plantation near Midmar Dam. Meet at Umgeni Valley at 06h30 to arrange transport. Coordinator - Peter Divall - 033 239 5537 or 083 263 4169.
November
Sun. 4 – Morning outing to Darvill at 06h30.  Coordinator - Gordon Bennett - 033 386 5555
Thurs. 8 – Evening meeting at the Zoology Lecture Theatre in Pmb – Speaker and topic to be announced
Sun. 11 – Morning outing to Queen Elizabeth Park at 06h30.  Coordinator - Mike Spain - 033 347 2797
Sun 18 – Day outing to Sani Pass. Coordinator - Hugh Bulcock - 082 373 6569.  Please phone Hugh to arrange time and where to meet.
Wed. 21 – Evening meeting at WESSA – Illustrated talk by Sonja Kruger – ‘Bearded Vultures.’
Wed. 28 – Morning outing to Eston Sugar Mill Dams. Meet at Umgeni Valley at 06h30 to organise transport, or at the Mill entrance at 8h00.Take the N3 south and turn off at the Umlaas Road off ramp. Over the bridge and bear left on the R603 towards Eston for about 20km. Pass Tala Game reserve and turn right just before the Caltex Service station onto the R624, the entrance to the Sugar Mill is the second on your left. Please go to Security to register, after which we will drive down to the dams. Take tea.  Coordinator - Eve Hughes - 033 330 2723 or 082 872 4333
December
Sun. 9
End of year Braai at Hilton College Lapa. We will be birding in the morning and then return to the Lapa for the braai. Please bring your own food, drink and chairs.  Meet at the gate of the college at 07h00 if you want take part in the birding or arrive later for the braai. Fee will be R20pp for the use of the Lapa. Coordinator - Drummond Densham - 033 330 4039

Tuesday 4 September 2012

Palm-nut Vulture in the Midlands

A bit of a belated post, as Malcolm sent these photos to me on 21/07/2012.
Iain Guthrie first recorded a Palm-nut Vulture in October 2009 in the pentad that covers the eastern section of Albert Falls and along the Umngeni to the Croc Farm on the Wartburg road [2925_3025].
Malcolm and I subsequently recorded it again three times until 26/12/2010, with Malcolm recording it again in 2925_3030 on 29/12/2010.
So exciting for Malcolm to have recorded it again in just before Cumberland NR in pentad 2930_3030 on 20/07/2012, when he managed to take these photos.