Colouring-in champions
BirdLife South Africa is pleased to announce the winners of the ‘Win with Faansie’ colouring-in competition, which was part of the African Bird Fair last month. The winner for the 7–10 age group is Nate Eatwell (aged 9) from KwaZulu-Natal; and for the 11–13 age group is Claire Fowler (aged 11) from the Western Cape. Congratulations to you both!
An amazing number of entries were received and we would like to thank everyone who submitted their beautiful artworks. The colouring-in was exceptional, making it very difficult to choose two worthy winners.
CLARE NEALL, EVENTS MANAGER
More trackers on Stony Point penguins
It is once again peak breeding season for African Penguins and we took the opportunity to deploy trackers and miniaturised video cameras on adult penguins at the Stony Point colony near Betty’s Bay in the south-western Cape. These devices collect data on where the adults go to forage, as well as how much and what kind of food they are able to catch before returning to the colony to feed their hungry chicks.
The African Penguin is endemic to South Africa and Namibia, and its populations have decreased dramatically over the past decades. This alarming crash has been linked to declines in anchovy and sardine populations, its main food source. BirdLife South Africa’s Coastal Seabird team therefore deploys trackers on breeding adult penguins every year to monitor their ability to find food and how this relates to conditions at sea. The data we have gathered have proved invaluable in marine spatial planning initiatives around the South African coastline and are used to monitor the effects of different conservation interventions that aim to stem the population declines of Africa’s only endemic penguin.
ELEANOR WEIDEMAN, COASTAL SEABIRD PROJECT MANAGER, AND ALISTAIR McINNES, SEABIRD CONSERVATION PROGRAMME MANAGER
From sun to snow: BioSCapes adventures
July in the Cape Floristic Region is often cold and wet, and the higher and more remote parts can be blanketed in snow. And it was in July that we began the field work for BioSCapes, deploying acoustic monitoring devices to record the bird and frog calls that make up the region’s soundscapes.
But we can’t just place these devices where it’s easy to get to. We have to locate them in thick vegetation, which involves a lot of bush-whacking and stepping into what you hope are hazard-free zones. Prayer is involved too, and when that doesn’t work, you just have to grit your teeth as the umpteenth bramble branch finds a home in flesh and neurons. At least in winter the snakes are still sleeping.
I had just entered some thick vegetation off Prince Alfred’s Pass when I heard an angry buzzing that grew louder and louder. Expecting to be attacked by bees at any second, I burst out of the vegetation and almost collided with a mountain bike humming past, its knobbly tyres buzzing on the dirt road. There’s nothing like a spot of paranoia to get you into real trouble.
Earlier in the day Daniel Cloete had sent me the locations of his planned deployments so that if he didn’t return from the Knysna forest by nightfall we would know roughly where to start looking for him. With no distant landmarks to help orientation, it’s easy to get lost in a forest. And in the Knysna forest, of course, there is that lone grumpy elephant… We rely heavily on GPS navigation, but it quickly drains the batteries in our electronic devices. So far, thankfully, Daniel has emerged from the forests unscathed.
One of the routes selected for deploying the acoustic recording devices was along the 4×4 track that crosses the Anysberg from east to west. I had followed this track many years previously and then it had been studded with large boulders and tyre-shredding rocks, though from the top I had seen the spectacular landscape that takes you from the land of the Karoo Chat to that of the Cape Rockjumper. Now, after record winter rains, Anysberg manager Marius Brand didn’t know if the route was passable, but agreed to send up a support vehicle. Luckily the tyres on our Toyota Landcruisers withstood the rocks’ attacks on this occasion and able-bodied rangers were quick to pack stones into the dongas that had ripped through the track. After 10 hours of bouncing across the Anysberg moonscape we arrived back at the office, physically shaken but mentally stirred.
My long journey then took me to the Cederberg, where fortunately the flood waters of the previous few weeks had subsided. Having scrambled around the Swartberg in a snowstorm with poor visibility and only a GPS to guide me, I knew that the acoustic recording devices survive snow, but was pretty sure they’d never survive inundation.
A happy consequence of the rains is the spectacular flower season that is unfolding along the West Coast right now. A side trip into the Biedouw Valley was certainly a highlight; looking at all those flowers, it is astounding to think of all the colour combinations we get with just the narrow band of the electromagnetic spectrum we can actually see. The permutations across the full range of what the hyperspectral sensors deployed by NASA can ‘see’ is mind-boggling, and I hope we’ll be able to find the right combinations that will give us better insights into birds and biodiversity, which is the aim of the BioSCapes project.
I could tell you about a close kudu encounter and how I nearly vanished from the face of the earth in quicksand, but you probably don’t want to hear about me hiking out of Prinspoort without trousers. Suffice to say that this field work is memorable, with still a month to go and then the entire spring survey. Of course, for the data scientists the adventures will be in the exploration of the sound and hyperspectral data that the devices will provide.
A big thank you goes to my sponsors – AFRIT, Ekapa Minerals, Eskom and Italtile and Ceramics Foundation – and to NASA for sponsoring the BioSCapes project, to BioSoundSCapes partners and to the volunteers and CapeNature rangers who have been doing such great work under challenging conditions.
ALAN LEE, SCIENCE AND INNOVATION PROGRAMME MANAGER
30×30 around the world
In December 2022, government and conservation representatives met in Montreal, Canada, to set the global targets for the Kunming-Montreal Global Diversity Framework. Now more than ever, an international spotlight is focused on the protection of habitats, both terrestrial and marine, and especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity ad ecosystem functions and services. These areas are to be not only conserved, but also effectively managed.
Keeping in mind the Global Biodiversity Framework Target 3* to protect at least 30% of terrestrial and inland water areas, and of marine and coastal areas, by 2030, like-minded NGOs formed a coalition (coordinated by WILDTRUST) to provide support to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) in meeting this target set through the Convention on Biological Diversity**. The global targets under the Framework focus not only on protecting and restoring habitat, but also on halting the extinction of species and developing finance mechanisms to support biodiversity conservation.
In June, three of BirdLife South Africa’s conservation staff (Dr Simmy Bezeng, Dr Melissa Whitecross and I) attended a three-day workshop arranged by the DFFE and the NGO coalition at the Birchwood Hotel, Boksburg, during which first discussions took place on how South Africa can achieve the 30×30 target by 2030. The workshop also focused on existing national protected area targets, including the SANParks Vision 2040***. The stakeholders contributed to four breakout groups, comprising Terrestrial Protected Areas, Marine Protected Areas and Estuaries, Strategic Water Source Areas and Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (Conservation Areas). BirdLife South Africa’s work on OECMs was presented by Melissa, who was also a co-lead for this breakout group.
BirdLife South Africa will remain involved in these discussions going forward, providing support to both the NGO coalition and the DFFE. Our strategic objectives for habitat protection will be aligned with those of the global and national targets. The 30×30 target is also one of the key thematic areas discussed at the quarterly meetings of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) South Africa National Committee (currently co-chaired by BirdLife South Africa).
*Global Biodiversity Framework Target 3 aims to ensure and enable that by ecologically representative, well-connected and equitably governed systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, recognising indigenous and traditional territories where applicable, and integrated into wider landscapes, seascapes and the ocean, while ensuring that any sustainable use, where appropriate in such areas, is fully consistent with conservation outcomes, recognising and respecting the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities, including over their traditional territories.
**Convention on Biological Diversity, known informally as the Biodiversity Convention, is a multilateral treaty. It has three main goals: the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources.
***SANParks Vision 2040 is a collaborative, inclusive process that will re-imagine and co-create a new future for national protected areas with a rigorous effort to include the citizens of the country and the world in the co-creation of National Protected Areas of the future.
DR HANNELINE SMIT-ROBINSON, HEAD OF CONSERVATION
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SANSAB Heritage Challenge
BirdLife South Africa has launched the South African Names for South African Birds (SANSAB) project to produce a list of bird names in traditional South African languages, which will enable more South Africans to appreciate and conserve the country’s birds.
In celebration of Heritage Month, Birda and BirdLife South Africa challenge you to head out into nature – wherever you are in the world – and support the SANSAB project by logging 12 bird species in September on the Birda app, in acknowledgement of our country’s 12 official languages. By doing so, you will not only be supporting the SANSAB project, but will be in line to win a pair of Vortex Diamondback HD 10×40 binoculars and a selection of Birda merchandise.
Many young speakers of South Africa’s official languages don’t know the names of birds in their first language, as in many cases no specific names for the species exist. BirdLife South Africa wants to change this by working closely with birders who traditionally speak these languages to come up with species names that reflect not only the language, but also the culture of the people who speak these languages at home.
Help create a future where all South African children have names for the incredible diversity of birdlife that the country has to offer, in their mother tongues.
If you would like to support the project, please join the challenge at https://birda.app/sansab; if you’d like to donate to SANSAB, you can do so via https://www.givengain.com/e/sansab-heritage-challenge/
Valery shines in Alaska
From 14 to 20 July, I attended the 13th International Mammalogical Congress in Anchorage, Alaska, and in the course of the congress gave a presentation from my PhD project on the prey preferences of and dietary overlap between the aardvark and Temminck’s pangolin.
Attending the congress gave me an opportunity to engage with and learn from other researchers from around the world who are in the same field. I was also excited at the prospect of presenting my research at a top international congress for the first time and getting feedback from experts. In addition, attending an international congress of this calibre was an opportunity to improve my communication and presentation skills and build my CV, as well as have some fun! The highlights of my trip included engaging with other researchers, seeing a moose for the first time and hiking on the Matanuska Glacier.
VALERY PHAKOAGO, LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION PROGRAMME INTERN
Selati’s Verreaux’s Eagle project
Like many large raptors, Verreaux’s Eagles generally breed once a year, nurturing one or sometimes two chicks. Their success varies and they may not produce offspring every year due to various environmental factors and the demands of chick-rearing.
To better understand the breeding behaviour of a pair of Verreaux’s Eagles on Selati Game Reserve, Selati Wilderness Foundation has installed a live-streaming camera system at the nest that documents, with minimal disturbance to the eagles, their breeding cycle from nest preparation through hatching to the fledgling’s inaugural flight.
At the time of writing, the chick is about seven weeks old. Just click here https://selatiwf.org/verreauxs-eagle-project-landing-page to catch all the latest action on the free live stream, such as the chick exercising its wings, the adults feeding it and the chick even starting to feed on its own.
CIT McWILLIAM, MARKETING MANAGER, SELATI WILDERNESS FOUNDATION
The African Bird Fair 2023
The 2023 edition of the African Bird Fair was held on 22 July at the Country Club Johannesburg (CCJ) – Woodmead in partnership with MSC Cruises and what a successful day it turned out to be. The in-person event was a sell-out and the virtual element provided for those tuning in from around Africa and, indeed, the world.
The jam-packed programme started at dawn with guided bird walks around the beautiful bushveld areas of the CCJ. They were followed by birding workshops and a full day’s programme of talks on birds, birding and bird conservation, with opportunities in between for attendees to explore the exhibition area with its art, merchandise, bird food and books. An exclusive camera, optics and hospitality area was available too, and authors Faansie Peacock, Vernon Head and Hélène Loon were on hand to sign their books. The day ended with our renowned African Bird Fair Quiz, which provided a good ‘wine down’ and lots of laughs. Attendees were certainly spoilt for choice, while those who couldn’t make it in person had the option of tuning in to the live stream of the programme, thanks to top-of-the-range equipment provided by Canon.
We had the pleasure of announcing the winners of the BirdLife South Africa Photography Competition, in partnership with Canon, and also ran an online auction, with a wide variety of items on offer from our many generous auction sponsors, and with all funds raised going to conservation.
We would like to thank the following sponsors for their support of the African Bird Fair 2023: MSC Cruises, Ford Wildlife Foundation, ZEISS, Italtile, Canon, Chamberlain and Mail & Guardian.
BirdLife South Africa would also like to extend its gratitude to the Country Club Johannesburg for hosting us, and to all the volunteers, speakers, exhibitors and attendees. We hope to see you again next year!
MPHO MAGIDI, COMMUNICATIONS INTERN
And the ZEISS binoculars go to…
New BirdLife South Africa member John Guy Taylor was the lucky winner of a pair of ZEISS Terra ED 10×42 binoculars as a result of signing up to join the organisation at the African Bird Fair 2023. We wish him many happy years of birding with BirdLife South Africa and his amazing new binoculars.
Photography competition winners
In case you’ve missed it on our website or social media platforms, we are excited to share with you the winners of the inaugural BirdLife South Africa Photography Competition, in partnership with Canon South Africa. A professional panel of judges had the tough task of whittling down more than 3000 images received to a shortlist of 200, and then finally to these exceptional winning images in different categories.
The main categories were Action; Portrait; Birds in the Environment; and Garden. In secondary categories, prizes were awarded for the best photos of a threatened and an endemic species, the best photo taken by a young photographer (under 18), and the photo receiving most votes from the public.
The competition, which raised funds for BirdLife South Africa’s important conservation work, captured the imagination of South Africa’s birding and photography community. More than 400 photographers entered in the hope of winning one of the amazing prizes from our generous sponsors, worth almost R500 000 across 10 categories.
The quality and variety of images entered were simply outstanding. Roger Machin, Product Marketing Manager for Canon South Africa and the competition’s senior judge, commented, ‘We were really impressed by the photographers’ efforts to get such amazing pictures of our country’s birds. Canon South Africa was very happy to be part of this competition, most notably with the big prize in the Youth Category. We really want to see the next generation of birders and bird photographers showing their stuff. Our judging team had a really hard time choosing the winners, and there were a few late night debates, but I’m sure you’ll agree that we have some great shots for BirdLife South Africa’s first photography competition.’
The overall winner, which also won the Birds in the Environment category, was a photograph of a Cape wetland just after sunset, with a single silhouetted Blue Crane reflected in the fiery orange water. The talented photographer, Halima Beale from Somerset West, walked away with the grand prize of a three-night, all-inclusive stay for two people at the magnificent Tswalu Kalahari Reserve worth R240 000, as well as access to more than R1-million worth of Canon camera gear to use on loan while at Tswalu. The prize includes dinner at Klein JAN restaurant with Michelin star chef, Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen, a personal guide and tracker for the duration of the stay, as well as botanical and pangolin walks with the resident experts.
Beale was ecstatic upon hearing that she was the overall winner and shared the story behind the image: ‘We were heading out to Witsand for our family getaway with the kids and grandkids. The sun was already setting when we drove past this piece of water with Blue Cranes and the most magnificent sunset! But it was already dark and we were late, so we drove past. Then my husband said to me, “No, let’s go back. This is too beautiful. You have to take this picture!” So we did, and I jumped out in the dark with my camera and took a series of pictures. And here we are!’
Adam Buckham, the winner of the Youth category, was just as excited. ‘Living in Cape Town, I have taken hundreds of pictures of Cape Sugarbirds,’ he said. ‘However, on a particular day with a pumping south-easter, my dad and I decided to visit Tafelberg Road. After finding a group of sugarbirds feeding on a protea, we decided to try to get a winning shot. In this particular picture, I love how the wind has caused the tail to flap to the side of the bird’s body, creating a unique pose of an amazing bird. I have also grown to love soft lighting, so the overcast day provided an excellent opportunity.’ Adam takes home a brand-new Canon EOS R7 camera with RF-S 18-45mm, RF 100-400mm and RF 600mm f11 lenses, valued at R50 000.
The other main category winning images were of a male Pennant-winged Nightjar displaying (Johannes van der Merwe; Action); a female Swee Waxbill perched delicately on a branch (Dionne Miles; Portrait); and a female White-bellied Sunbird hovering in place while drinking nectar from a Chinese hat plant (Philip van den Berg; Garden). The secondary categories featured a Cape Cormorant framed from above against a crashing wave (Andrew Jenkins; Threatened Species); a male Swee Waxbill feeding on a grass stem (Mike Buckham; Endemic Species); and a male Cape Sugarbird gripping a protea flower in a howling south-easter with its resplendent tail trailing horizontally behind it (Adam Buckham; Youth). The People’s Choice winner was a shot of a rare Black Coucal in flight carrying its praying mantis prey (Roger Hogg).
The announcement of the winners was the culmination of months of effort by staff members of BirdLife South Africa and Canon South Africa, who partnered to launch this first-of-its-kind competition. Mark D. Anderson, CEO of BirdLife South Africa, explained the significance and objectives of the competition. ‘The BirdLife South Africa Photography Competition provides us with an opportunity to showcase South Africa’s 870-plus magnificent bird species through images captured across the length and breadth of our beautiful country, whether in a famous national park or in a local garden. It is also a platform for our organisation to raise much-needed awareness of and funds for our conservation efforts, and we are extremely grateful to the many photographers who entered their images and thus contributed to our work.’
We would like to thank the many sponsors of the 2023 BirdLife South Africa Photography Competition for their support: Canon South Africa; Tswalu Kalahari Reserve; Tintswalo at Boulders; The Royal Portfolio; The Oyster Box; RETURNAfrica; Struik Nature; Gardena; Elaine’s Birding and Wildlife Products; Birding Africa; and Cape Town Pelagics. BirdLife South Africa would also like to thank and acknowledge the five professional judges for their contributions: Roger Machin, Richard Flack, Lizet Grobbelaar, Prelena Owen and Sandiswa Kula.
To find out more about the photography competition, see the amazing prizes and to view all the winning images, visit birdlife.org.za/photography-competition-2023
ANDREW DE BLOCQ AND ANDY WASSUNG, PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION ORGANISING COMMITTEE
Conserving the biodiversity of the Cape Floristic Region
The newly re-imagined Cape Floristic Region Partnership (CFRP) will support collaboration, advocacy, learning and communication among a diverse group of stakeholders and role players. Its goal is to conserve the unique biodiversity of the Cape Floristic Region, building on the legacy of Cape Action for People and the Environment (CAPE).
In a coordinating role, the Table Mountain Fund’s Care Programme is supporting BirdLife South Africa and Conservation Outcomes to convene, champion and administer this new collective, which will provide a platform for voluntary engagement and exchange with the aim of fostering broader collaboration across the region.
Launched in June 2023, the project will initially concentrate on reinvigorating the CFRP’s conservation base by drawing on existing strategies and plans. It will also examine the needs of partners in the landscape to explore and better align new avenues for conservation and sustainable use within the Cape Floristic Region.
Please do get in touch at any stage with expressions of interest, questions or thoughts about the future of the CFRP by sending an e-mail to cfrp@birdlife.org.za
DR GISELLE MURISON, WESTERN CAPE ESTUARIES CONSERVATION PROJECT MANAGER
Stay up to date with Mouse-Free Marion
The sixth issue of the Mouse-Free Marion newsletter is out and it features many interesting reads, including a story by ecologist Elsa van Ginkel about her year in the field on Marion Island. It also provides details about the first reported adult Wandering Albatross fatalities, as a result of attacks by invasive mice.
You can read the full stories here: https://mousefreemarion.org/newsletters/
ROBYN ADAMS, COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER AND PROJECT ASSISTANT, MOUSE-FREE MARION PROJECT
Attend the Owl Awards online
BirdLife South Africa invites you to attend its Owl Awards online via Zoom on 19 September 2023 at 16h00. This annual event recognises the contributions that individuals and organisations make to the conservation of South Africa’s birds and their habitats.
To attend, please register at https://tinyurl.com/OwlAwards2023
ANDY WASSUNG, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Win a birding trip to Morocco!
Enter BirdLife South Africa’s annual fundraising raffle and stand a chance to win a 13-day birding trip for two people to Morocco worth R150 000, with Rockjumper Birding Tours.
This adventure of a lifetime gives you the opportunity to see some of Morocco’s most exciting birds, such as Moussier’s Redstart, Barbary Partridge, Northern Bald Ibis, Cream-coloured Courser and White-headed Duck! There are only 1000 tickets in total (at R650 each), and they sell out fast. All funds raised support BirdLife South Africa’s important work to conserve our country’s magnificent birdlife.
To enter and to view the terms and conditions, please visit birdlife.org.za/jackpot-birding-2023
Swipe your MyPlanet card for conservation
Simply swipe your MySchool/MyVillage/MyPlanet card and you can contribute to BirdLife South Africa – it’s that easy!
If you already have a MyPlanet card, just nominate BirdLife South Africa as your chosen beneficiary. Then when you go shopping at Woolworths, Waltons South Africa, Loot.co.za, Engen SA One Stop shops (not fuel), present your card at the check-out and a percentage of your spend is allocated to BirdLife South Africa automatically, without any additional cost to you.
To sign up for a card, visit www.myschool.co.za. It may take a few minutes of your time now, but in the long run it will make a huge difference to conserving our country’s birds and their fragile habitats.
We’re hiring!
BirdLife South Africa is looking for new members to join its team. This is a chance to make a huge difference in the conservation of South Africa’s birds and their habitats. The roles we are currently hiring for are:
- Landscape Conservation Programme Manager (applications close 25 August)
- Institutional Fundraiser / Grant Writer (applications close 31 August)
- Philanthropy Officer (applications close 31 August)
If you or someone you know could be the right fit for any of the above roles, please visit https://www.birdlife.org.za/who-we-are/vacancies to learn more.
DR ISABEL HUMAN, HR MANAGER & EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
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