14 November 2008

OUT IN THE VELD - ATLASING AND RINGING

The last few weeks had been very exciting on the atlasing scene. With the return of the summer migrants a whole new dimension started and I could list record numbers of species in the different pentads. And for the first time I "struck" a century – 105 species in a 3 hrs stint in one of the pentads north of the Orange River. Some of the birds that I've observed in that specific pentad for the first time was a flock of 11 Glossy Ibises. I counted no less than 7 Namaqua Sandgrouse at the same dam where I found them a few months ago – compared to SABAP1 data totally out of range. This time around it was not necessary to complete an out of range form to verify my sighting as I had done it already the previous time.

A week later we counted 124 species in another neighbouring pentad – a very special species that was observed for the first time in this area, was the Kurrrichane (Small) Buttonquail (Rob 205). Some other specials for that same area were the Barn Owl that we flushed by accident from its hide in a cliff and the nest of a Rufuos-cheeked Nightjar. African Rock Pipits called throughout the day and even before dawn a plethora of Eastern Clapper Larks were strutting their stuff.


Malachite Kingfisher after it has been ringed (ACvdW)

Dawie de Swardt, ornithologist of the National Museum in Bloemfontein, and I did bird ringing in that same pentad in the southern Free State in the same period – about 15 km from town. Some of the interesting and very special birds in the nets in that particular pentad were African Reed Warblers (Rob 631) and a Malachite Kingfisher (Rob 431). A Lanner Falcon tried to rob us of a Cape Turtle Dove in the nets - so we could add a Lanner to the tally of birds in the pentad.
An African Reed Warbler in the hand (ACvdW)
Other specials in the nets were 2 Rock Martins and 2 Greater Striped Swallows. With the bird in the hand it is so much more interesting to observe the characteristics close up – things one would not normally see through the binoculars with the bird at a distance.

Thank you to Francois and Monique Botha for hosting us on their farm at their lodge – Iniklofie Lodge – contact them at 072 736 0944. The lodge is rustic and just the place to recharge after a full and busy week.




Male Red-billed Quelea with an interesting head colouring (Pic: Deon du Plessis)

A week or so later Deon du Plessis – local birder and ringer – and I did some ringing at a site on the farm Zuiderzee just south of the Orange River. We ringed 17 species and a total of 63 birds on the day. It was interesting to see the different colours of the male Red-billed Quelea (Rob 821). Female Red Billed Quelea (Pic: Deon du Plessis)

At first we captured only males, but later in the morning we had some females (with their yellow bills in contrast to the red bills of the males) in the nets as well. Southern Red Bishops were plentiful and a Lesser Swamp Warbler was amongst the birds ringed.Male Red-billed Quelea (Pic: Deon du Plessis)