63
BIRDSCONTOUR REPORT (31.03.'13 – 13.04.’13)
Text from Stefan Rust
2013
(In terms of the Geneva Convention the copyright of these
texts belong to Stefan Rust)
Dear birding friends,
as birdwatching is a relatively new and one of the fastest
growing and a most popular pursuit, it attracts people of all ages around the
world. There can hardly be a better place than southern Africa (Namibia,
Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland, Lesotho, South Africa) to nurture an
interest in birds as it supports almost 1000 bird species, which is about 10
per cent of the world's entire bird. Taking birding to new heights,
Hobby-Ornithologist Stefan Rust together with BirdsConTour represents some of
the ontour bird sightings and several other interesting birding aspects to
showcase the fun of birding, promote citizen science, highlight conservation,
indicate where to view what birds and raise awareness of southern Africa's
(sometimes international) birds and their habitats.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS WORK GETS DISTRIBUTED INTERNATIONALLY
Have a quick look if you, your site or neighborhood is
included in this scientific informational work (alphabetically arranged):
A-Little-Sossus Lodge
Allgemeine Zeitung, Namibias Wildvögel
Cañon Roadhouse
Damara Mopane Lodge
Etosha N.P.
Etosha Safari Lodge
Frans Indongo Lodge
Gondwana Lodges
Hohenstein Lodge
Kalahari Farmhouse
Khorixas
Klein Aus Vista
Lüderitzbucht
Namib Desert
Omandumba Farm
Onjala Lodge
Otjiwarongo
Rust Daike & Harald
Schmidt Wiebke, Allgemeine Zeitung
Solitaire Guest Farm
Sossusvlei
Swakopmund
Voigts Gaby & Stephan
Voigtskirch Farm
Walvisbay Lagoon
BirdsConTour Report (Namibia) Personal Highlights:
BOOTED EAGLE
COMMON OSTRICH, reintroduction
GREAT WHITE PELICAN
LONG-LEGGED BUZZARD
NAMIBIAS WILDVÖGEL, Allgemeine Zeitung
WAHLBERG'S EAGLE
WHITE-WINGED TERN
Distance traveled: 4 165 km
31.03.'13 Farm Voigtskirch Cape
Glossy Starling (1) It is worthwhile
observing this clever and handsome little bird more closely. Eating almost
anything that comes in its way, it regularly associates with other animals. At
the end of last year it was recorded for the first time that it associated with
warthogs, feeding on the pigs and foraging on the ploughed ground nearby. This
scene happened about 30 km further east from Farm Voigtland and it will be
interesting if more of the Cape Glossy Starlings have the association with
warthogs.
01.04.'13 Otjiwarongo, 50 km south
Lappet-faced Vulture (2) Regarded
as uncommon in southern Africa these two and three other birds at Sossusvlei
were the only ones observed during a 14 day tour leading through almost whole
Namibia.
01.04.'13 Frans Indongo Lodge, Otjiwarongo
Cape Penduline-Tit (3) These
three birds were found engaged in allopreening. Allopreening is an activity in
some bird species, where one individual preens the feathers of another bird.
Mostly the focus lies around the head feathers, which a bird cannot reach
itself. Additionally, allopreening has an important social function and occurs
between mates and close relatives.
01.04.'13 Frans Indongo Lodge, Otjiwarongo
Red-backed Shrike (1 Immature)
This migrating species depart our grounds within first ten days of April. So
this juvenile was one of the last birds of this species to be seen for this
season. Interestingly the adult birds depart earlier than the juveniles. The
juveniles have to find all the way to Europe and west Asia all on their own.
02.04.’13 Allgemeine
Zeitung, Windhoek Column Thanks to the support of Mrs. Wiebke Schmidt,
BirdsConTour today started a monthly column on Namibian wild birds (Namibias
Wildvögel) in the tourism attachment (Tourismus Beilage) of the German
Allgemeine Zeitung. A big THANK YOU goes to Mrs. Wiebke Schmidt and in
appreciation a BirdsConTour award was handed to her on the 26th of
March 2013.
02.04.'13 Etosha N.P. Kori Bustard (13) For this season having had low rainfall in
average throughout most of Namibia, will force these big birds, 1.50 m and 12.4
kg, to move when food gets scarce. Extra care should be taken not to disturb
these animals too much because they are sensitive to disturbance.
02.04.'13 Etosha Safari Lodge Wahlberg's
Eagle (1) In this species three colour
morphs are found. The pale morph as this seen individual, represent only about
8-12 %
of the southern African population.
03.04.'13 Etosha N.P. European
Bee-eater (5) Winter records of these
bee-eaters are not confirmed, as they are migrating birds. But their presence
throughout our winter, April till August, is most probably possible in north
central Namibia. Please record winter sightings to BirdsConTour or any other
bird related organization.
03.04.'13 Etosha Safari Lodge Double-banded
Sandgrouse (3) This near-endemic species
is grouped into two subspecies in southern Africa. In Namibia only the Pterocles
bicinctus bicinctus is found. Described as ‘secret ceremony’ is
their habit of synchronized drinking at dusk together with socialized
chattering.
03.04.'13 Etosha Safari Lodge Orange
River Francolin (2) This Francolin is
severely sensitive to disturbance and unfavorable land management. A few
successive years of unnatural land management through unfavorable grazing
methods, burning of grasses or disturbance because of too much human activity
leads to local extinction of this species. Extra care should be taken to avoid
fires and overgrazing in the park of this lodge not to loose the nice early
morning call kibitele kibitele of this bird.
04.04.'13 Khorixas, 30 km west Booted
Eagle (1 juvenile) This might well be an
overwintering individual. Namibia has an average of 2-20 breeding pairs.
04.04.'13 Damara Mopane Lodge Long-tailed
Paradise-Whydah (12) Six males are present
in the rich in food garden and are in complete breeding plumage, whereas only
one that was having its territory in the bush, has lost the extended long tail
feathers. The others are visiting the garden. Most probably the ‘garden males’
are still in breeding plumage in comparison to the ‘bush male’ because they
have the advantage of the green and food-rich garden.
05.04.'13 Farm Omandumba Common Ostrich (2 juvenile) Family Rust has the intention to
reintroduce ostriches onto the farm for the first time since this species'
disappearance 40 years ago. They therewith support the BirdsConTour Bird of the
Year 2013 Namibia activity
05.04.'13 Hohenstein Lodge, Erongo Monteiro
Hornbill (2) Confined to Namibia in
southern Africa, this near-endemic bird is of great value to Namibia in the
birding industry.
06.04.'13 Namib Desert Namaqua
Sandgrouse (150) Artificial waterholes
spending reliable water together with 42% of Namibia’s surface being under
conservation are of advantage for the population of the Namaqua Sandgrouse.
06.04.'13 Swakopmund Cape Wagtail (2) In towns one often sees Cape Wagtails with
missing toes. Because these city dwellers often forage in gardens, the loss of
toes or misshapes thereof is most probably caused through insecticides that
affects them through their food.
07.04.'13 Walvisbay Lagoon Great
White Pelican (1) Breeding opportunities
for the Great White Pelican in Namibia are rare. During breeding human
disturbance and fires are a threat.
07.04.'13 Walvisbay Lagoon White-winged
Tern (5) Although considered as rare on
the Namibian coast, Walvis Bay and Sandwich Harbour form an exception. This
mainly inland wetland species departs southern Africa in April.
07.04.'13 Walvisbay Lagoon Kelp Gull (1) This Kelp Gull carried a sea snake in flight
and dropped it over the paved walkway at the lagoon most probably attempting to
kill it. Smashing on the hard surface, the snake was not dead, the gull came
down and started swallowing this about 45 cm long and still alive sea snake in
one piece.
07.04.'13 Solitaire Guest Farm Cape
Bunting (2) Out of 11 subspecies in
Africa, southern Africa presents 9 of them. One, the Emberiza capensis
bradfieldi, is on southern African grounds only found in Namibia.
08.04.'13 Sossusvlei Lappet-faced
Vulture (3) Regarded as uncommon in
southern Africa these three and two other birds at Sossusvlei were the only
ones observed during a 14 day tour leading through almost whole Namibia. These
three where restlessly trying to feed on a springbok roadkill, but were often
disturbed by passing vehicles and curious people.
08.04.'13 A-Little-Sossus Lodge Long-legged
Buzzard (1) This in our regions very rare
Palearctic vagrant breeds in south-eastern Europe, Asia and northern Africa.
Since 1923 there exist only 12 sight records. Some are controversial. In
Namibia two were seen at Okahandja in 1930 and 46 years later again two at
Büllspoort in April 1976. This time it is a single adult of the pale morph. Its
large size and the coloring distinguish it from the Steppe and Augur Buzzard.
09.04.'13 Klein Aus Vista Black-headed
Canary (2) Two subspecies exist. The
breeding range of this northern race Serinus alario alario is
unknown. It is possible that the second subspecies, Serinus alario
leucolaema, is a distinct species, but
still needs further evidence.
10.04.'13 Lüderitzbucht Black-necked
Grebe (1) This uncommon to locally common
bird regular overwinters inshore on the Namibian coast. Surely this individual
felt sheltered in the Lüderitz embayment.
11.04.'13 Cañon Roadhouse Mountain
Wheatear (2) The two subspecies, Oenanthe
monticola monticola and O. m. atmorii, meet around this area. One couple representing both subspecies live
in the Klein Aus Vista garden. Even the two color forms of the males, grey and
black, are present.
12.04.'13 Kalahari Farmhouse Shaft-tailed
Whydah (1) Assumable the Black-faced
Waxbill with its high abundance in Namibia this season was the main host for
the Shaft-tailed Whydah.
13.04.'13 Onjala Lodge Orange River
Francolin (5) This Francolin is severely
sensitive to disturbance and unfavorable land management. A few successive
years of unnatural land management because of unfavorable grazing methods,
burning of grasses or disturbance because of too much human activity leads to
local extinction of this species. Extra care should be taken to avoid fires,
overgrazing and unnecessary human disturbance in the park of this lodge not to
loose the nice early morning wake-up call kibitele kibitele of
this bird.
Enjoy Birding,
Stefan Rust
Please note: Most scientific information has been taken
from Roberts Birds of Southern Africa, V11th edition!
(For more information contact Stefan Rust on +264
(0)81 129 8415 or birdscontour@iway.na)
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