76
BIRDSCONTOUR REPORT (06.05.'13 – 19.05.’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):
Ababis Farm
Agrimark Shell Service Station (Rehoboth)
A-little-Sossus Lodge
Avis Dam
Bwabwata NP
Casa Piccolo Pension
Camp Chobe (Caprivi, Namibia)
Chamäleon Reisen
Chobe NP (Botswana)
Etosha Safari Camp (Gondwana)
Gorges Lodge (Zimbabwe)
Mahangu NP
Nunda River Lodge
Pack Safari
Redecker Irmi
Seidarap Gästehaus
Sossusvlei
Susuwe Island Lodge (Birre Island)
Swakopmund
Victoria Falls Airport (Zimbabwe)
Victoria Falls NP (Zimbabwe)
Voigtland Farm (Stefan Voigts)
Voigts Stefan (Farm Voigtland)
Windhoek, Von Falkenhausen Str.
BirdsConTour Report (Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe)
Personal Highlights:
BIRDSCONTOUR FOR A CLEANER BIRD HABITAT
BLACK STORK
BOOTED EAGLE
LAPPET-FACED VULTURE, TAGGED
WHITE-HEADED VULTURE
WING-SNAPPING CISTICOLA
Distance traveled: 5 103 km
06.05.'13 Farm Voigtland Lappet-faced Vulture (1) In Kenya they are known to break open Common
Ostrich eggs with their bill.
06.05.'13 Pension Casa Piccolo, Windhoek
Rock Kestrel (1) Prey availability
motivates a post-breeding movement whereas the territory-holding males stay
longer in nesting area than females. Also see more interesting observations on
these Kestrels in the article nr. 68 under www.birdscontour.blogspot.com.
07.05.'13 Agrimark Shell Service Station,
Rehoboth House Sparrow (2)
The occurrence of these two birds at this recently opened new petrol station
about two weeks ago proof the adaptability of this species. Making use of a
scavenging niche in urban and suburban areas they spread throughout southern
Africa since the 1800’s when they were introduced at Durban in South Africa.
07.05.'13 Farm Ababis, Naukluft Black
Stork (2) Seemingly this pair will start
laying eggs soon and if conservation continues possibly one day this species
will not be classified as endangered in Namibia anymore. This winter breeding
habit is explained through having an abundance of food in ponds where the water
level is receding this time of the year.
07.05.'13 Avis Dam, Windhoek Great
White Pelican (40) Mrs. Irmgard Redecker
reported fourty Great White Pelicans at Avis Dam in Windhoek. Greatest
movements of these large birds occur when water levels of wetlands get low, but
mostly they remain within 200-300 km of breeding sites. Occasionally, such as
in extremely dry years such as the current year, they wander in groups more
widely.
07.05.'13 Sossusvlei Temminck’s
Courser (3) They are often found next to
the road that leads from Sesriem to Sossusvlei. It is possible that they feed
on the insects that are killed or injured by the passing vehicles. This habit
might have developed from their method of feeding on killed or injured insects
by fire.
07.05.'13 A-little-Sossus Lodge Short-toed
Rock-Thrush (1) During winter time they
are found predominantly in flat country, whereas in summer in rocky outcrops
and escarpments. This explains the absence of this bird at A-little-Sossus
Lodge during summer.
08.05.'13 Walvisbay Lagoon Egyptian
Goose (1) This long living bird, up to 15
years, is South Africa’s most
abundant waterfowl on wetland surveys. Although historically it was probably
restricted to flood plains and large rivers, it nowadays can even be found in
the ocean, such as this individual bird.
08.05.’13 Seidarap
Gästehaus Great White Pelican
(8) Stephan Lukaschik, owner of Guesthouse
Seidarap, reported 8 Great White Pelicans flying over his property in eastern
direction. Greatest movements of these large birds occur when water levels of
wetlands get low, but mostly they remain within 200-300 km of breeding sites.
Occasionally, such as in extremely dry years such as the current year, they
wander in groups more widely.
09.05.'13 Sea Breeze Guesthouse, Swakopmund
Laughing Dove (1) Sometimes it is
worth it to take some time to even observe a common bird like the Laughing
Dove. During nesting time you might be lucky to be a witness of the behavior
when a brooding bird is disturbed from the nest and gives a distraction display
where it apparently falls from the nest and then drags itself along the ground
as though being unable to fly.
09.05.'13 Etosha Safari Camp Green-winged
Pytilia (1) Interestingly the adults
remove their chicks’ droppings for only about 4 days and then allow it to
accumulate in the nest. Obviously there is a reason to it but is up till now
not known. Like some doves for example use their droppings to strengthen their
nest.
10.05.'13 Etosha NP, Okaukuejo Barn
Swallow (1) This palearctic-breeding
summer migrant usually departs late February till April and some as late as May
in Zimbabwe. So this individual seen at Okaukuejo is either a very late
departure, not recorded for Namibia or it is a rare overwintering bird,
although written to happen perhaps most frequently in Western Cape.
11.05.'13 Etosha NP, Okaukuejo BirdsConTour for a cleaner bird
habitat Today the initiative “BirdsConTour for a cleaner bird
habitat” was officially launched. To celebrate this happening, Stefan Rust,
founder of BirdsConTour, bird conservation and tourism, together with members of
a tour group, chose to clean the big Sociable Weaver nest in Okaukuejo rest
camp in the Etosha National Park from ropes. Several birds already got
entangled in the litter, which they found lying all over in the camp and
incorporated in their nests. This nest is most probably Namibia’s most
prominent nest. Many visitors have photographed it and spend some time
observing the nest building activities of these busy little Sociable Weavers.
For more information on this initiative please read the article nr. 75 under www.birdscontour.blogspot.com.
11.05.'13 Etosha NP, Klein Namutoni White-headed
Vulture (1) This uncommon species in
southern Africa has an estimated African population of 7 000-12 500 birds
whereof about 500 pairs live in southern Africa. This species is not a very
typical vulture as it is a scavenger, predator and a pirate. Being able of
killing small mammals and kleptoparasitising eagles, it is dominant over Tawny
Eagle, Marabou Stork and vultures except the Lappet-faced Vulture.
11.05.'13 Etosha NP, Klein Namutoni Lappet-faced
Vulture (3) Little is known about the
movements of this species. Sometimes non-breeders move further than 1 00 km.
Researchers attach yellow wing tags with a black number on certain birds to
find out more about their movements. Today three Lappet-faced Vultures were
seen at the Klein Namutoni waterhole in Etosha NP, Namibia, at 12:00 with one
having a yellow tag with the number E152 on it. Where was this bird tagged, by
whom and how old is this bird?
11.05.'13 Etosha NP, Klein Namutoni Greater
Flamingo (3) This juvenile and the two
adult birds are still here, since the 2nd of May ’13. Most probably
these three birds make use of Klein Namutoni while dispersing from the drying
out of Fishers Pan. See article nr. 72 under www.birdscontour.blogspot.com.
11.05.'13 Seidarap Guesthouse Bird
& Birder Friendly accommodation What a joy! Celebrating the birthday of
one of the guests of the Caprivi tour on the verandah at Seidarap Guesthouse
with coffee and cake, while enjoying the wild bird activity at the bird
restaurant only about 30 m away. Read more about this bird and birder friendly
accommodation in the article nr. 25 under www.birdscontour.blogspot.com.
How to register your establishment of whatever kind, find out in articles nr.
61, 67 and 71.
12.05.’13 Nunda
River Lodge Pygmy Goose (7) Its
main distribution is set by the availability of water lilies. Its diet consists
mainly of ripe seeds and flower parts of water lilies. In South Africa this
species is classified as near-threatened.
13.05.’13 Mahangu
NP Spur-winged Goose (150) Perhaps this large group is preparing for a
Large winter moult gathering. These localities are often traditional.
13.05.’13 Susuwe
Island Lodge Lesser Striped
Swallow (many breeding) There are two
subspecies in southern Africa, the Hirundo abyssinica unitatis
and the H. a. ampliformis. Interestingly
the breeding times of these two subspecies differ greatly. The peak breeding
season for the H. a. unitatis is
in October till January, whereas the other ones peak is in May. These peak
breeding seasons match with the rain season in the distribution area of the H.
a. unitatis and with the high water of the
rivers in the distribution area of the H. a. ampliformis. These are the times with the most food abundance.
13.05.’13 Susuwe
Island Lodge Long-toed
Lapwing (2) This natural rare species in
southern Africa due to its need of special habitat, is found only in the
Caprivi Strip, Namibia, Okavango Delta, and Chobe River in northern Botswana,
and at the Zambezi River at Kazungulu in northwestern Zimbabwe. This uncommon
bird is found only one bird per 146 km river in northern Botswana and perhaps
in Namibia as well.
14.05.’13 Susuwe
Island Lodge Grey-headed
Bush-Shrike (1) In Namibia this is an
uncommon species, in eastern Caprivi Strip. They make ‘larders’, where they
impale prey on thorns or spikes. Its diet can be prey as large as a 1 m long
Bird Snake. In case of prey to big to swallow, they often wedge it into a
forked twig or crevice to tear it to pieces with their beak.
14.05.’13 Bwabwata
NP. Red-billed Oxpecker (3) In Namibia live estimated 2 800 birds. Their
food consists mostly of ticks. In one birds stomach there were 1 665 ticks
found and almost all food is obtained on host animals.
15.05.’13 Camp
Chobe Whiskered Tern (±50) Our southern African population is quite
small, less than 7 500 pairs. Although this species is not classified as
threatened, one needs to be aware that the global population of Chlidonias
hybrida sclateri is a small and breeds mostly in southern Africa.
Unfortunately cattle wrong managed can be a big disturbance. Birds will
abandone their nests if this disturbance occurs before egg laying.
15.05.’13 Chobe
NP., Botswana Luapula
Cisticola (2) In whole southern Africa
this species is only found in north central and northeastern Namibia, northern
Botswana and northwestern Zimbabwe. The foraging and food of the Luapula
Cisticola is until present undescribed.
16.05.’13 Chobe
NP. African Fish-Eagle (9) One pair on the southern side of the Chobe River
started already with the incubation of eggs. Fishing activities by locals is
direct competition for the eagle. Uncontrolled fishing decreases the African
Fish-Eagle population. This was clearly proved when guerilla activities drove
people away, where after birds returned because large fish abundance increased.
16.05.’13 Camp
Chobe, Namibia Red-billed
Buffalo-Weaver (7) These birds tend to
build their bulky thorn twig nest with 1-6 nest chambers into high trees,
windmills, towers or similar within the vicinity of water. They do not only
benefit from artificial water but also from the disturbance of woodland, the
presence of domestic livestock and rural settlements. Altogether they profit
from human neighborhood.
16.05.’13 Camp
Chobe, Namibia Wing-snapping
Cisticola (1) Although not yet being
registered for this area, the exploitation of this species, easily confused
with the Cloud Cisticola, into this further west region can be explained with
the rapid transformation of grasslands to croplands in its natural habitat.
Camp Chobe unconsciously creates an ideal habitat for this
species in that they regularly mow the grass around the infrastructure and
having occasional bare patches between natural grass tufts.
This occurrence of the Wing-snapping
Cisticola (Cisticola ayresii) at Camp Chobe, 4 km east of Ngoma border post to Botswana, is a first
timer for Namibia.
Read more in the article nr. 77 under www.birdscontour.blogspot.com.
17.05.’13 Chobe
NP, Botswana Southern
Ground-Hornbill (2 adults, 4 juveniles) Nowhere in southern Africa
common and allover vulnerable to human activity. The low density and slow
population turnover leads to the alarming disappearance and slow recovery of
these birds. To rescue the Ground-Hornbills, one of the actions taken is in
gathering and hand-rearing of otherwise redundant last-hatched chicks.
17.05.’13 Chobe
NP., Botswana Green-backed
Heron (1) This secretive and solitary bird
prefers sites not fished by humans. Because of its shyness no precise
population numbers exist.
17.05.’13 Victoria
Falls NP, Zimbabwe Trumpeter
Hornbill (2) This species is vulnerable to
forest exploitation. Droughts that effect tree growth is another matter of
concern because the Trumpeter Hornbill depend on warm, coastal, lowland forest.
17.05.’13 Gorges
Lodge, Zimbabwe Verreaux’s
Eagle (1) They are known to be territorial
year-round. Because of political circumstances in Zimbabwe illegal hunting is a
matter of concern and this again influences the available prey for the
Verreaux’s Eagle. To support this terrestrial pair of eagles the managers of
Gorges Lodge are feeding this wild pair for quite some time. By now they got
accustomed to the feeding that this eagle feeding developed to an additional
guest attraction. Read more about this in the article nr. 4 under www.birdscontour.blogspot.com.
18.05.’13 Gorges
Lodge, Zimbabwe Little
Sparrowhawk, Lanner Falcon, Augur Buzzard, Booted Eagle, Black-chested
Snake-Eagle ( ) An absolute paradise for
people enjoying birds of prey is the Dibudibu lapa at the Gorges Lodge. Here
you can set up your scopes and do some undisturbed and unforgettable birds of
prey spotting.
Breeding Booted Eagles arrive at breeding area mid July
and depart by March. This individual can well be an overwintering bird.
18.05.’13 Gorges
Lodge, Zimbabwe Black Stork (2) It is good possible that this is a breeding
pair. May is the month when most observed birds in Zimbabwe started with
egg-laying. Winter breeding is an adaptation to make use of the abundance of
prey when the water levels are receding. In all southern Africa the only
country where this species is not classified as threatened or similar is in
Zimbabwe.
18.05.’13 Victoria
Falls Airport, Zimbabwe Violet-backed
Starling (1) Normally a migrant from
tropical Africa, this male bird seems to be a member of a small year-round
population in the northern parts of southern Africa.
18.05.’13 Caprivi
Strip, Namibia Spotted
Eagle-Owl (7 roadkills) On a 500 km length
of road 7 roadkill owls were seen. It seems as if they are feeding on roadkill
carcasses more often as thought, whereby they collide with vehicles. This Trans
Caprivi Highway is especially by night highly frequented by trucks.
18.05.’13 Bwabwata
NP, Namibia Southern
Ground-Hornbill (2 adults, 2 juveniles) Nowhere in southern Africa
common and allover vulnerable to human activity. The low density and slow
population turnover leads to the alarming disappearance and slow recovery of
these birds. To rescue the Ground-Hornbills, one of the actions taken is in
gathering and hand-rearing of otherwise redundant last-hatched chicks.
18.05.’13 Windhoek,
Von Falkenhausen Str. Spotted
Eagle-Owl (1) They are often territorial
in towns and cities, hunting insects and rodents under street lights and
nesting on buildings. They increasingly move into urban and suburban habitats.
Just before sunset, a dark juvenile African Harrier-Hawk
mobbed this individual and later a handful African Red-eyed Bulbuls.
18.05.’13 Windhoek,
Von Falkenhausen Str. African
Harrier-Hawk (1 dark juvenile) This dark
version juvenile was recognized while being busy mobbing the Spotted Eagle-Owl.
It would be interesting to know if this juvenile was born here in Windhoek.
Over the past almost two years regularly adult African Harrier-Hawks were
observed in this area. This needs some closer observation, because Namibia has
surprising scarce breeding records of this species. Previously written about
this bird in article 53 under www.birdscontour.blogspot.com.
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)
