The African Bird Fair is back!

Join BirdLife South Africa in The African Bird Fair 2022, which will be held on 22 and 23 July. This year we’re hosting a hybrid event: the entire programme will be available virtually, but you’re also welcome to join us in person at Isdell House in Johannesburg.

There will be an epic line-up of speakers, exhibitors and workshops, and you’ll also get a chance to connect with other birders across the continent and around the world.

Keynote speakers will be:

• Jonathan Franzen – An interview with Jenny Crwys-Williams and Mark D. Anderson
• Dr Samuel Temidayo Osinubi – Intra-African migration: a look at the Woodland Kingfisher

And there will be workshops on:

• An ecologist’s guide to birding in South Africa’s grasslands, with Dr Melissa Whitecross
• Garden birds: your everyday reward, with Dr Aldo Berruti
• Bushveld birding, with Lance Robinson

Plus a whole lot more…

On Saturday, 23 July you are invited to spend a fun-filled, interactive day at BirdLife South Africa’s head office, Isdell House (17 Hume Road, Dunkeld West, Johannesburg) for an in-person event. Come and get to know our team, meet our sponsors and take a walk around our indigenous garden.

With thanks to our sponsors: Swarovski Optik, Ford Wildlife Foundation, ZEISS, Italtile, Hans Hoheisen Charitable Trust, Canon and the Everard Read Gallery.

ANDY WASSUNG, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

A new newsletter for Mouse-Free Marion

The Mouse-Free Marion Project’s newly launched quarterly newsletter provides updates on progress and the team’s plans for the future. Visit https://mousefreemarion.org/publications/ to read about why the Mouse-Free Marion team headed to Marion in April and how we are gearing up for a productive 2022. 

ROBYN ADAMS, COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER & PROJECT ASSISTANT, MOUSE-FREE MARION PROJECT

A fence for flufftails

The Critically Endangered White-winged Flufftail is considered to be the rarest and most threatened rallid in Africa, its global population estimated at fewer than 250 mature individuals. It breeds at only one known site in South Africa: Middelpunt Wetland. The Greater Lakenvlei Protected Environment, established in 2017, encompasses the wetland and although this form of protection limits activities that could threaten biodiversity, it does not prevent them entirely.

Inland wetlands in South Africa are often mismanaged because the drivers that govern wetland structure and functionality are not understood. Livestock may be left to graze in wetlands at the wrong time of year, resulting in sensitive vegetation being trampled and overgrazed when wildlife species are breeding and rearing their young. In agricultural landscapes, it is essential to control the movement of livestock if wetlands are to be properly managed. Standard cattle fencing can provide this control, but often at the cost of inhibiting, or even seriously injuring, wildlife. An innovative design is needed to effectively control livestock movements while also allowing wildlife to move freely through the landscape. 

The wildlife-friendly fence proposed for Middelpunt Wetland will not only benefit the site itself, but will be evaluated and its effectiveness will be communicated in national guidelines for wetland management throughout southern Africa.

Please consider supporting our quest to conserve the White-winged Flufftail and wetlands for the benefit of people and biodiversity by making a donation via Quicket: https://www.quicket.co.za/fundraisers/176131-middelpunt-wetland-fencing-fundraiser/?ref=link-campaign&lc=enewsletter

DR KYLE LLOYD, ROCKJUMPER FELLOW OF WHITE-WINGED FLUFFTAIL CONSERVATION

Moonlight musings among gannets 

Many years ago, when I was starting out as an environmental artist and illustrator, CapeNature commissioned me to paint a mural at the new visitors’ centre at Bird Island, Lamberts Bay, on the west coast of South Africa. Spending time so close to the large Cape Gannet colony on Bird Island was a truly remarkable experience and it made a lasting impression on me.

To avoid getting in the way of visitors during the centre’s operating hours, I elected to paint the mural at night. As daylight faded, the raucous noise of the crowded gannet colony became quieter. The exhausted adult birds settled down for the night, their chicks, for once, not begging for food. The downy youngsters dozed next to their parents or nestled safely on their feet. Occasionally a loud, argumentative squawk could be heard, but slowly the sound of the waves crashing against the shore became the dominant noise of the night. During breaks to stretch my aching muscles, I would wander out, breathing in the pungent, guano-laden and salty air. The ghostly silhouettes of the birds on their nests glowed silver in the moonlight. It was magical. I felt privileged to spend time with such remarkable creatures. The colony’s constant presence provided the creative inspiration I needed to complete the mural, working through to the early hours of each morning.

The focus of this month’s Bird of the Year 2022 educational material is life in a Cape Gannet colony. It will be available for free download at https://www.birdlife.org.za/bird-of-the-year-2022/

LEIGH WOLFAARDT, ARTIST & RESEARCHER OF BIRD OF THE YEAR 2022

Mouse-Free Marion update

Along with colleagues from the University of Pretoria, participants in the Mouse-Free Marion Project spent much of April on Marion Island conducting important work that will feed into the planning of the mouse eradication operation. They traversed the island’s incredibly tough terrain, often in less than favourable conditions, to carry out their tasks. Their number included two overwintering researchers, Vhuawelo Simba and Elsa van Ginkel, who will stay on Marion Island for 13 months to continue this work, supported by the University of Pretoria and the Mouse-Free Marion Project. 

ROBYN ADAMS, COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER & PROJECT ASSISTANT, MOUSE-FREE MARION PROJECT

Tourism on the road to recovery

Tourism was one of the industries hardest hit by the economic effects of Covid-19 and in South Africa the impact was particularly severe; when global travel stalled for two years our inbound market disappeared. Now, with the darkest days behind us, this vital sector for the South African economy is beginning to pick up as travel resumes and businesses that were brought to their knees are looking to bounce back.

In April I attended two tourism events in Cape Town to gauge the market and to network. The first was the Southern African Tourism Services Association conference at the Lord Charles Hotel in Somerset West. It featured various presentations and panel discussions ranging from a characterisation of the emerging millennial market to tourism in the metaverse. The overall feeling was one of relief and optimism as service providers gathered to plot a path towards resuming pre-Covid levels of business.

The second event was the World Travel Market Africa expo, which I attended at the request of the organisers. They asked me to give a keynote address about the Flock to Marion voyage in January 2022 and I used the opportunity to explain how and why BirdLife South Africa succeeded in hosting the highest volume cruise in two years and how we are using a growing interest in birds to unlock tourism jobs. Afterwards I networked with representatives from provincial and national governments, destination marketing companies, accommodation owners and tour operators.

The return of tourism to and within South Africa cannot come quickly enough. The sector is particularly important as it brings jobs and income to a wide spectrum of people and places, particularly in rural areas. Tourism also underpins much of the funding for conservation in South Africa; without it our birds and their habitats are at even greater risk.

ANDREW DE BLOCQ, AVITOURISM PROJECT MANAGER

Owl Awards

Do you know someone who is making a significant contribution to the conservation of South Africa’s birds and their habitats? If so, BirdLife South Africa would like to hear from you! We recognise the valuable work that many people and organisations are doing to ensure that our country’s birds and the land, sea and sky they inhabit will still be around for future generations to enjoy. This recognition takes the form of Owl Awards that are presented each year to deserving recipients. This year the Owl Awards presentation will take place at 10h00 on Tuesday, 20 September.

Please view the nomination process and categories above and submit your nominations to me at Isabel.human@birdlife.org.za on or before Friday, 22 July 2022.

DR ISABEL HUMAN, HR MANAGER & EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Ocean awareness on Earth Day

Dr Mariëtte Wheeler, who teaches Life Sciences and Marine Sciences at Protea Heights Academy in Brackenfell, Western Cape, and John Cooper, Communications Officer with the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP), joined forces to organise an Ocean Awareness Celebration to mark Earth Day on 22 April. The event brought together learners from Protea Heights Academy, Melkbosstrand High School, Groote Schuur High School and Bernadino Heights High School who are taking marine sciences and are eager to listen to and be inspired by marine researchers, as well as get career guidance.

Philile Emelda Mvula, Caroline Sejeng and Tania Duba, all postgraduate students at the University of Cape Town, shared their experiences of studying oceanography, and Thomas Mtontsi from the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON) answered the learners’ questions. Other professionals included Dr Tamaryn Morris and Mardené de Villiers from the South African Weather Service and Anche Louw and Tahlia Henry from the Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, as well as staff from Iziko Museum.

The subject of my talk was the effects of seabird bycatch and the critical work the Albatross Task Force (ATF) is doing by engaging with various fisheries to reduce the accidental killing of albatrosses and petrels during fishing operations. I explained how connecting with fishers at multiple levels – from harbour visits and activities aboard fishing vessels to awareness training, research and broader stakeholder interactions – are key to being effective in saving seabirds. It was exciting to see learners participating in the talks, giving us hope for a better future for seabirds and healthy marine ecosystems in general. 

During the interaction and exhibition period after the talks, Mariëtte and I chatted to learners who were keen to learn more about albatrosses. A stuffed Tristan Albatross (we call it ‘Bob’) that was caught on a pelagic longline a few years ago proved to be a huge attraction. 

Another important threat to the survival of seabirds is the presence of invasive species on their breeding islands and Robyn Adams, Communications Manager for the Mouse-Free Marion Project, gave a talk on this subject. The project will attempt to rid Marion Island of the invasive house mice that are attacking and causing the deaths of thousands of seabirds. A highlight for the learners was listening to a voice clip sent to them by Anton Wolfaardt, Project Manager of the Mouse-Free Marion Project, who was aboard the SA Agulhas II en route to the island. Anton has been carrying out research on Marion Island to ensure that the eradication of the mice is carried out successfully.

We were interested to hear about some of the learners’ aspirations and their ideas for conserving marine biodiversity, such as the development of electronic data-capturing devices, which are likely to play an important role in monitoring the impact of humans on marine ecosystems.

We would like to thank the many learners who raised funds for the Mouse-Free Marion Project by taking part in a raffle and the Ocean Art competition. 

This interactive event inspired future marine scientists and practitioners, giving learners a real connection to their future aspirations. Despite the many threats and anthropogenic stressors, the future of a holistic approach to sustainable marine ecosystem management is looking great.

REASON NYENGERA, ALBATROSS TASK FORCE PROJECT MANAGER, AND DR MARIËTTE WHEELER,
HIGH SCHOOL SUBJECT HEAD: MARINE SCIENCES, PROTEA HEIGHTS ACADEMY

A ground-hornbill called Darla

Maura Powers, a zoologist at Palm Beach Zoo and Conservation Society in Florida, was thrilled when she took delivery of a parcel of Southern Ground-Hornbill items from Shop for the Birds! ‘Oh my goodness, your box arrived and everything is beyond adorable!’ she wrote. ‘That was so kind of you to include the pins and an extra magazine. I cannot thank you enough for making this happen. Our staff, including our adored Abyssinian (Northern) Ground-Hornbill, Darla, were so excited to explore the goodies. Thank you again for all that you do, not just for hornbills, but for so many other species. Keep up the magnificent work!’

Southern Ground-Hornbill items, including T-shirts, fluffy toys and pin badges, are still in stock at Shop for the Birds! You can purchase them at https://shop.birdlife.org.za

CLARE NEALL, EVENTS MANAGER

SABAP2 virtual workshop

SABAP2, part of the African Bird Atlas Projects using the BirdMap protocol, is southern Africa’s most important bird monitoring project. Contributing to the project may seem intimidating, so Christina Hagen of Conservation Conversations and African Penguin fame hosted a virtual workshop about SABAP2 on 23 April 2022. The meeting was organised by Ernst Retief and Sanjo Rose to introduce the project to new birders, explain some technical details and highlight the scientific value of contributions. Nearly 200 people attended, most of whom were new to atlasing.

Long-time atlaser Colin Summersgill explained the protocol and gave broad strategies for turning birding into SABAP2 contributions. Michael Brooks introduced the SABAP2 website and described how to access your data as well as data by location and species. Sanjo explained the data-vetting process and how to fill in out-of-range forms (ORFs) and correct mistakes in your lists on the website. The vetting process is really important; scientists trust the data from SABAP2 rather than other alternatives because of this. 

Although lists can be submitted via the website, most contributors prefer to use the BirdLasser app. Henk Nel, who developed the app, explained how to submit data using BirdLasser and gave a range of hints about managing lists so they conform to the BirdMap protocol. 

Finally, I gave an overview of the value of the SABAP2 data to science and conservation. Two components contribute to this value: efforts to go wide (increase spatial coverage) and deep (lots of lists for key pentads). The ‘deep’ component provides information about the relative abundance of species at a site and enables us to analyse the information over time. There are so many scientific questions that can be explored with the data. Amazingly, more than 150 scientific publications use SABAP2 data or refer to aspects of the project! The SABAP2 website hosts links to many of these publications as well as other reports.

If you missed the workshop or would like to find out more, you can watch a recording at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhQeZFR4wOA

Every list is valuable, so please contribute yours today!

DR ALAN LEE, SCIENCE AND INNOVATION PROGRAMME MANAGER

RideJoburg 2022

Ride for a purpose and join BirdLife South Africa’s Fast&Featherless team at this year’s RideJoburg event on 20 November. You can enter either the 35km or the full 96km ride and you’ll be putting your pedals to work to help conserve South Africa’s most threatened grasslands and the threatened and endemic birds who call this biome home. 

BirdLife South Africa’s Landscape Conservation Programme has contributed to safeguarding more than 100 000ha of pristine grassland across the eastern escarpment and our work to protect one of South Africa’s most threatened and least protected biomes continues. All proceeds raised for BirdLife South Africa from the RideJoburg event will go to ensuring that the key grassland sites are conserved in perpetuity. 

We are asking each cyclist who signs up to ride with the Fast&Featherless team to raise at least R2000 for this important cause. For your efforts on the day you will receive a branded cycling jersey, access to the BirdLife South Africa training rides in the build-up to the event and a ticket to a lecture I will give on the Landscape Conservation Programme’s grassland conservation work on 29 September 2022. 

RideJoburg is all about fun and whether you ride to win or ride to enjoy, every pedal you turn over will go towards making a difference for nature in South Africa. To find out more and to book your spot on the team, please e-mail Abigail at Abigail.ramudzuli@birdlife.org.za 

DR MELISSA WHITECROSS, LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION PROGRAMME MANAGER

Bird artist Oliver Matamba

On behalf of BirdLife South Africa, Communications Manager Andy Wassung and I recently visited Delta Park in Johannesburg to view the artwork of local artist Oliver Matamba and present him with material that would help him to portray birds realistically. Oliver has a gift for capturing African stories and South African birds and prides himself on the authenticity of his bird portraits. His surroundings, he says, are his guiding light. 

To enhance his knowledge of birds and inspire his creativity, BirdLife South Africa gave Oliver a copy of Sasol Birds of Southern Africa, Bird of the Year material, previous issues of African Birdlife magazine, T-shirts, the Checklist of Birds 2022 and a pair of binoculars. These items will also encourage him to watch birds, particularly in Delta Park and along the Braamfontein Spruit, where he is based.

Should you be interested in Oliver’s artwork, please contact him on 078 203 0929 or pay him a visit next to the blue bridge in Delta Park.

BONGINHLANHLA GCABASHE, COMMUNICATIONS INTERN

Time to ‘raffle’ some feathers

It’s that time of year again… BirdLife South Africa’s annual raffle is now open and you could win a share of R135 000 while helping to conserve our country’s magnificent birdlife. 

This year there are three prizes:

• 1st prize: R100 000
• 2nd prize: R25 000
• 3rd prize: R10 000

For only R500 a ticket, you have three chances to win! There are only 1000 tickets available and they’re going fast, so purchase yours now to avoid missing out. All funds raised go to BirdLife South Africa’s important conservation work.

To purchase a ticket and see the terms and conditions, go to https://www.birdlife.org.za/jackpot-birding-2022

Society Lottery Scheme is registered with National Lotteries Commission (Reg. no. 00293/04).

ANDY WASSUNG, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

Finfoot Lake Reserve

The wildlife – and birdlife – is abundant at Finfoot Lake Reserve, making exploration by game drives or guided bush walks very rewarding. Alternatively, you can try canoeing, fishing or barge cruising, or if you simply want to relax there’s a beautiful rock pool, a spa and a games room.

This lodge is naturally crafted from wood and thatch, complementing the surrounding woodland and foliage, and offers two accommodation options: comfortable chalets (for 50 guests in total) or two stylish self-catering villas that can accommodate eight and 10 guests respectively. Conference facilities are available for up to 60 people and a number of interactive team-building activities can be arranged.

The large thatched lapa serves as the main hub at Finfoot Lake Reserve. This open-sided building is home to the camp’s bar and the cosy lounge areas where most meals are served. Go down a few steps and you’ll find the sun deck, where there’s plenty of seating to sit back and soak up the view.

To find out more, send an e-mail to finfoot@dreamresorts.co.za or go to https://www.finfootlakereserve.com

Ostrich online 

Ostrich: Journal of African Ornithology has made several articles available online before going to press. You can access them at the links below:

• A large team headed by Abubukar Ringim reports on its impressive efforts to contribute to the Nigerian Bird Atlas Project. The article is free to read at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2989/00306525.2022.2058105
• Ever wondered what separates Northern and Southern black korhaans? Steven Evans gives the answer at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2989/00306525.2022.2061063
• The news isn’t good for Africa’s storks! Jonah Gula and his team report on range and population declines for most species at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2989/00306525.2022.2045642
• Kate Carstens and her team describe monitoring Cape Parrots in Limpopo Province at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2989/00306525.2022.2053599
• Which birds do and don’t respond to ‘pishing’? Read about a neat control experiment Eckhart Buchmann and Chevonne Reynolds used to find out: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2989/00306525.2022.2029968
• And you’ve never heard of a Levaillant’s Woodpecker? You’ll have to go to North Africa to check out that one: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2989/00306525.2022.2048719

Happy reading!

DR ALAN LEE, SCIENCE AND INNOVATION PROGRAMME MANAGER

The AGM is this Saturday!

BirdLife South Africa will hold its 93rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) at 10h00 on Saturday, 28 May 2022. It will be a virtual event, held via Zoom and hosted at the organisation’s head office at Isdell House, and we would like as many members as possible to attend.

The meeting will include highlights of some of the important work undertaken in 2021, the presentation of the prestigious Gill Memorial Medal to a distinguished ornithologist and an announcement about the next ‘Flock at Sea’.

Please use the following link to register to attend: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YKOUs_jeRvmVHo8vRJkfGQ

The agenda, minutes of the 92nd AGM and proxy forms are available at https://www.birdlife.org.za/support-us/events/93rd-annual-general-meeting-agm/

If you have any questions or experience technical difficulties registering, please contact Dr Isabel Human at isabel.human@birdlife.org.za

ANDY WASSUNG, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

Bird of the Year 2022

A spectacular high-speed diving bird, the Cape Gannet has unusually narrow-set eyes and an exquisitely painted face that make it as unmistakable as it is beautiful. It is also an excellent ambassador to highlight pressing conservation issues facing South Africa’s seabirds, having lost more than half its population in the past 60 years and consequently being listed as Endangered.

Our comprehensive and beautifully illustrated educational material about Cape Gannets will tell you much more about these fascinating birds and can be downloaded for free at https://www.birdlife.org.za/bird-of-the-year-2022/. The posters, infographics, fact files, lesson plans and colouring-in pages have been created by Leigh Wolfaardt and generously supported by the Hans Hoheisen Charitable Trust.

ANDY WASSUNG, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER