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