Wednesday 11 December 2013

Outings January to April 2014

BIRDLIFE KZN MIDLANDS OUTINGS TO APRIL 2014
Committee: Chairman Drummond Densham 033 330 4039, Outing activities Eve Hughes 033 330 2723, Evening activities Peter Divall 033 239 5537, Treasurer Viv O’Neill 083 464 7666; Secretary Sally Cumming 072 119 4253, Membership Secretary Pam Nicol 033 330 2947.  Pmb evening meetings are held at Woodgrove Retirement Centre and will be advertised in the press and by email and sms.  Howick evening meetings are held in the Amber Valley Centre usually on the 3rd Wed of the month; registration from 17:30 for 18:00.  Costs:  BirdLife Members R15 pp. Non-members R20 pp.

Please contact the coordinator before an outing to confirm the time of meeting and other arrangements.

January
Sun 5 -  morning outing to Darvill at 6am.  Coordinator Gordon Bennett – 033 386 5555.
Sun 12 – Morning outing to Queen Elizabeth Park at 6am.  Coordinator David Crampton – 082 771 7274
Wed 15 – Evening meeting at Amber Valley at 5.30 for 6pm:  a presentation by David Johnson on “Birds of the Drakensberg”.
Sun 19 – Day outing to Durban Bay with Gordon Bennett who must be contacted to arrange transport, time and meeting place – 033 386 5555.
Wed 29 – Morning outing to Bed Rock which is a property a few kilometres past Benvie. There is a fee of R20 per person. Meet at Greendale Shopping centre, Howick, at 6.30am to arrange transport.  Coordinator Eve Hughes - 033 330 2723 or 082 872 4333.                                                                

February
Sun 2 – Morning outing to Darvill at 6am.  Coordinator Gordon Bennett – 033 386 5555.
Mon 3-7 – Birdlife KZN Midlands outing to Zululand, with accommodation at Sand Forest Lodge near Hluhluwe.   Costs:  Camping: R100 pppn;  Bungalows: R175 pppn;  Cottages: R250 pppn sharing;  Cottages: R400 pppn single.  Daily outings from the lodge will be organised. We will visit Hluhluwe GR, Muzi Pan, Mkuze GR, and False Bay. Coordinator Eve Hughes - 033 330 2327 or 083 872 4333.
Sun 9 – Morning outing to Bisley at 6am.  Coordinator David Crampton – 082 771 7274.
Tues 11 – Evening meeting at Woodgrove, Old Howick Rd, Pmb at 5.30 for 6pm:  a presentation by Mike Spain on “Birding!  Where, Why and How?” 
Wed 19 – Evening meeting at Amber Valley at 5.30 for 6pm:  a presentation by Martin Taylor on “2013 Regional Red List of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland”.
Sat 22 –  25th AGM of Birdlife KZN Midlands. The meeting will be held a Fernhill Hotel, and the guest speaker will be Professor Peter Ryan, past president of Birdlife South Africa. There will be an outing to Umgeni Valley at 7h00 before the AGM, followed by tea at Fernhill.  Lunch will be served after the AGM.
Contact Sally Cumming at 072 119 4253 / 033 330 7175 and sally.j.cumming@gmail.com.
Wed 26 - Morning outing to Milestone Forest, the property of Priscilla Francis in Balgowan.  Meet at Greendale Shopping centre, Howick, at 6.30am.  Coordinator Eve Hughes – 033 330 2327 or 082 872 4333.
March
Sun 2-   Morning outing to Darvill at 6.30am.  Coordinator Gordon Bennett – 033 386 5555.
Sun 9 – Morning outing to Queen Elizabeth Park at 6.30am.  Coordinator David Crampton – 082 771 7274.
Sun 16 – Day outing to Gwahumbe, this is an Estate near Tala Valley which has very good birding. There is an entrance fee of R55pp and R70 per vehicle.  Contact Coordinator Hugh Bulcock - 082 373 6569 or hugh.bulcock@gmail.com, to arrange meeting place and time.
Wed 19 –  Evening meeting at Amber Valley at 5.30 for 6pm:  a presentation by Adam Riley on “South African endemic and near-endemic birds”.
Wed 26 - Morning or day outing to Fountain Hill Estate near Wartburg. There is a conservation fee of R50pp.  Meet at Greendale Shopping centre at 6.30am.  Coordinator Eve Hughes - 082 872 4333 or 033 330 2723.

April
Sun 6 –   Morning outing to Darvill at 6.30am. Coordinator Gordon Bennett – 033 386 5555.
Tues 8  - Evening meeting at Woodgrove, Old Howick Rd, Pmb at 5.30 for 6pm:  a presentation by Peter Divall on “Birds and mammals of Namibia and Botswana”.
Sun 13 – Morning outing to Bisley at 6.30am.  Coordinator David Crampton – 082 771 7274.
Sun 20 – Morning outing to Umgeni Valley. There will be a fee of R24.00 per person.  Meet at Umgeni Valley reception at 6.30am.  Coordinator David Crampton – 082 771 7274.
Wed 29 – Morning outing to Umgeni Valley. There will be a fee of R24.00 per person. Meet at Umgeni Valley reception at 6.30am.  Coordinator Pam Nicol - 033 330 2947 or 072 145 7802

Wednesday 19 June 2013

July and August Outings

July
Sun 7 – Morning outing to Darvill at 7h30. Coordinator - Gordon Bennett – 033 386 5555
Sun 14 – Morning outing to Bisley at 7h30. Coordinator – David Crampton – 082 771 7274 
Sun 21 – Day outing to Shongweni Reserve.  Contact coordinator – Janice Shipway – 033 343 3278 or 082 574 7879 to arrange time and meeting place.
Wed 31 – Day outing to Weenen Game Reserve near Escourt.  Meet at the Greendale Shopping Centre at 7h30 to arrange transport. There is an entrance fee of R30.00pp unless you have a Golden Rhino or Wild Card.  Coordinator - Drummond Densham – 033 330 4039 or 083 321 7959.
August
Sun 4 – Morning outing to Darvill at 7h30. Coordinator – Gordon Bennett – 033 386 5555
Sun 11 – Morning outing to Queen Elizabeth Park at 7h30. Coordinator – David Crampton - 082 771 7274
Sun 18 – Morning outing to Cumberland. There is an entrance fee of R10 pp. Contact the coordinator – Colin Summersgill- 033 818 9013 or 083 782 5113 to arrange time and where to meet.
Wed 21 – Evening meeting at WESSA Howick, Eve Hughes will give an illustrated talk on ‘The Flora and Fauna of KZN Midlands.’ Costs BirdLife Members R15 pp, all others R20 pp.
Wed 28 – Morning outing to the PMB Botanic Gardens, there is an entrance fee payable.  Meet at the Greendale Shopping Centre at 7h15 to arrange transport, or at the Garden entrance at 8h00.  Coordinator – Pam Nicol – 033 330 2947

Wednesday 13 March 2013

BirdLife KZN Midlands Outings: May-Aug 2013


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 usually on the 3rd Wed of the month, registration from 17:30 for 18:00. New Costs: BirdLife Members R15 pp. Non-members R20 pp.
People wanting to go on the outings should contact the coordinator beforehand, because the venue may change due to unforeseen circumstances.
May
Sun 5 – Morning outing to Darvill at 7h00. Coordinator – Gordon Bennett – 033 386 5555
Sun 12 – Morning outing to Bisley at 7h00. Coordinator David Crampton – 082 771 7274
Wed 15 – Evening meeting at WESSA – an illustrated talk by Meyrick Bowker entitled ‘Zululand’s large
Colonially nesting birds – how are they doing?’
Sun 19 – Day outing to Sani Pass.  Contact Hugh Bulcock – 82 373 6569 or email – hugh.bulcock@gmail.com 
to arrange time, where to meet and transport.
Wed 29 - A morning outing to Boschhoek Golf Estate in Balgowan. Meet at 7h15 at the Greendale Shopping
Centre to arrange transport.  Bring your own tea or you may buy tea at the Golf Club.  Coordinator – Eve
Hughes 033 330 2723 or 082 872 4333.
June  
Sun 2 – Morning outing to Darvill at 7h30. Coordinator – Gordon Bennett – 033 386 5555
Sun 9 - Morning outing to Queen Elizabeth Park at 7h30 – Coordinator – David Crampton – 082 771 7274
Sun 16 – Morning outing to Mpushini Valley. Contact coordinator – Colin Summersgill – 033 818 9013 or
083 782 5113 to arrange time and meeting place.
Wed 19 – Evening meeting at WESSA – Nic Theron  will talk about ‘ Conserving Birds in the Important
Bird Areas in KZN’
Wed 26 – Morning outing to Cumberland   Meet at the Greendale Shopping Centre at 7h30 to arrange
transport. There will be an entrance fee of R10 pp.  Coordinator – Peter Divall – 033 239 5537 or 083 263 4169.
July
Sun 7 – Morning outing to Darvill at 7h30. Coordinator - Gordon Bennett – 033 386 5555
Sun 14 – Morning outing to Bisley at 7h30. Coordinator – David Crampton – 082 771 7274 
Wed 17  - No evening meeting – too cold!
Sun 21 – Day outing to Shongweni. Contact coordinator – Janice Shipway – 033 343 3278 or 082 574 7879 to arrange time and meeting place.
Wed 31 – Day outing to Weenen Game Reserve near Escourt.  Meet at the Greendale Shopping Centre at
7h30 to arrange transport. There is an entrance fee of R30.00pp unless you have a Golden Rhino or Wild
Card.  Coordinator- Drummond Densham – 033 330 4039 or 083 321 7959.
August
Sun 4 – Morning outing to Darvill at 7h30. Coordinator – Gordon Bennett – 033 386 5555
Sun 11 – Morning outing to Queen Elizabeth Park at 7h30 – David Crampton – 082 771 7274
Sun 18 – Morning outing to Cumberland. There is an entrance fee of R10 pp. Contact the coordinator –
Colin Summersgill- 033 818 9013 or 083 782 5113 to arrange time and where to meet.
Wed 21 – Evening meeting at WESSA – Eve Hughes will give an illustrated talk on ‘The Flora and Fauna of
KZN Midlands’
Wed 28 – Morning outing to the PMB Botanic Gardens, there is an entrance fee payable.  Meet at the
Greendale Shopping Centre at 7h15 to arrange transport.  Coordinator – Pam Nicol – 033 330 2947

Monday 4 February 2013

Some More Midlands Sightings

Malcolm Robinson saw this Palm-nut Vulture on the PMB-Wartburg road on 2/02/2013.
We assume that this is the same bird first seen in this area by Iain Guthrie in Oct-2009. There have been sporadic sightings in this general area ever since.
Malcolm then sent in this photo of a White-naped Crane Grus vipio seen at Darvill on Sunday 3-Feb.
Word from John Carlyon is that this is in fact an escapee.
According to the International Crane Foundation's White-naped Crane data page there are 4,900-5,300 of these birds left. They breed in NE China and winter in S China, the Korean DMZ and S Japan. The closest site is Dongting Lake, which according to Google Earth 10,915 km away.

Temminck's Courser at Cedara

Alan Manson saw this young Temminck's Courser at Cedara on 29-Jan.
Never an easy species to see in the Midlands.