105 | BIRDSCONTOUR REPORT (09.06.'13 - 23.06.'13)

105

BIRDSCONTOUR REPORT (09.06.'13 – 23.06.’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):

Airport Jagd & Gästefarm (Uwe & Janet Trümper)

Birds in Words booklet (Birgit Leicher)

Campbell Malcolm & Louisa (Lovedale Farm Holidays)

Chamäleon Reisen

Delta Kindergarten (Sabine Gerber)

Elnatan Private School

Erindi Private Game Reserve

Gamkarab Farm

Gerber Sabine

Gillmann Martin & Regine (Kempinski Estates)

Gillmann Regine (John Meinert Printers)

Hähner Wilfried (Hitradio Namibia)

Helmeringhausen

Herrlich Heino

Hitradio Namibia (Wilfried Hähner)

John Meinert Printers (Regine Gillmann)

Kempinski Estates (Gillmann Martin & Regine / Heino Herrlich & Ute Schadt)

Leicher Birgit (Birds in Words booklet)

Lovedale Farm Holidays (Malcolm & Louisa Campbell)

Namib Sand Sea Unesco Natural World Heritage Site)

Onjala Lodge

Pack Peter (Pack Safari)

Pack Safari (Peter Pack)

Schadt Ute

Smith Jana-Marie (Travel News Namibia)

Stampriet

Steyn Andrew

Sossusvlei

Sperrgebiet NP.

Travel News Namibia (Jana-Mari Smith)

Trümper Uwe & Janet (Airport Jagd & Gästefarm)

UNESCO

Usieto Luca & family

Vermeulen Hugo (Private School Elnatan)

Voigtland Farm (Stephan & Gaby Voigts)

Voigts Stephan & Gaby (Farm Voigtland)

Dall Charles & Yvette (Farm Gamkarab)

BirdsConTour Report (Namibia) Personal Highlights:

“BIRDS IN WORDS” BOOKLET

INTERVIEW WITH HITRADIO NAMIBIA

NEW LOGO

WATER FOR SOSSUS BIRDS - PROJECT

Distance traveled: 2 385 km

09.06.'13  Kempinski Estates  Gabar Goshawk (1) The Wild Bird Support Station with its bird-friendly water tables on Gillmann’s property suits this bird of prey well because it bathes regularly.

12.06.'13  Otjiwarongo  Tawny Eagle (4) Being a multi-talented forager, predator, pirate and scavenger, he is often observed alongside roads scavenging at roadkills, making him vulnerable of becoming a roadkill himself.

12.06.'13  Farm Gamkarab  Bird & Birder Friendly Award As truly Namibian farmers with a passion for their beautiful farm and its nature, Charles and Yvette Dall registered with their camping facility and farm as a two penguin-rated bird and birder friendly establishment to enhance sustainability and to preserve their birdlife for themselves and for their guests to enjoy.

12.06.'13  Gillmann Regine, John Meinert Printing  New BirdsConTour logo Regine Gillmann designed and printed the new BirdsConTour logo at John Meinert Printing. Respond from clients and readers gave fantastic feedback, such as from Elke Hoeltzcke being a graphic designer in Germany: “Du hast ein sehr schönes, modernes neues Logo, wer hat dich so gut beraten?” (You have a very beautiful, modern new logo, who consulted you that well?) Thank you to Regine Gillmann from John Meinert Printing!

14.06.'13  Hitradio Namibia  Interview Wilfried Hähner from Hitradio Namibia interviewed Stefan Rust from BirdsConTour about the project “Water for Sossus Birds”. This project is managed under the “Travel gives Wings” division and it supports the Sossusvlei birds that are influenced by the ever-increasing numbers of visitors to this sensitive and arid attraction.

14. – 15.06.'13  Onjala Lodge  Preparations for a Rosy-faced Lovebird-friendly environment  The co-owner of Onjala lodge, Mr. Peter Pack, a keen photographer, is keen to lure this colorful parrot species back to the lodge property. Historically the Rosy-faced Lovebird occurred here but moved away due to unfavorable conditions. Now preparations of establishing a Lovebird-friendly environment are in progress to get them to choose this lodge as their home again. BirdsConTour supports these efforts and surely will keep readers updated about the progress achieved.

15.06.'13  Airport Jagd & Gästefarm  Bird & Birder Friendly Award  Described as hardworking and dedicated, Uwe and Janet Trümper from the Airport Jagd & Gästefarm are the proud recipients of the highest rated Bird & Birder Friendly Award, rated with three penguins, on the 15^th of June. Find out more about the projects on their land under www.birdscontour.blogspot.com, article 93.

15.06.’13  Farm Voigtland  Bird & Birder Friendly Award  Joining the ranks of bird conservation on the 15^th of June in a year of drought, food for wildlife is on the decrease but guests visiting Farm Voigtland are on the increase, the young and energetic couple Stephan and Gaby Voigts is recognized for their contribution to birdlife conservation with a two penguin rated Bird & Birder Friendly Award. More reading under www.birdscontour.blogspot.com, article 92.

15.06.'13  Erindi Private Game Reserve  Crimson-breasted Shrike (yellow morph) (1), Fork-tailed Drongo (1) Last seen late August and early September 2011, now again a very rare yellow breasted Crimson-breasted Shrike was spotted during a game drive by the guide and the passionate birder Andrew Steyn.

As not being enough excitement for one day, Andrew had the opportunity to observe and photograph a Fork-tailed Drongo Dicrurus adsimilis being busy slaughtering a Brubru Nilaus afer. Further information is available under www.birdscontour.blogspot.com.

16.06.'13  Kempinski Estates  Bird & Birder Friendly Award  The environment in which Heino Herrlich and Ute Schadt are living is of primary concern to them. This area is the Kempinski Estate south of Windhoek and as the Gillmann family they too believe that bird conservation management must be in place and is important for long-term sustainability of the surrounding environment. In their strive to support birds in the surrounding where their house and their presence has an impact on the environment, they invited BirdsConTour to arrange a bird friendly garden through erecting a Wild Bird Support Station.

17.06.'13  Ludwigsdorf, Windhoek  Bird & Birder Friendly Award  It was a highlight rewarding Luca Usieto and his family with a two penguin-rated bird & Birder Friendly Award for their efforts in supporting their garden birds in Ludwigsdorf, Windhoek, with a by BirdsConTour supplied Wild Bird Support Station. Although this is not unusual and almost routine work, this occasion was of a particular highlight in that Luca is only seven years young. This qualification handed to him on the 17^th of June catapulted Luca Usieto right onto the top of being Namibia’s youngest Bird & Birder Friendly Award recipient.

18.06.'13  Private School Elnatan  Bird & Birder Friendly Award  Together with the principal of the private school, Mr. Hugo Vermeulen, Louisa and Malcolm Campbell are responsible for many excited pupil at the Private School Elnatan by having had the idea of getting BirdsConTour to register the school as a bird and birder friendly establishment. Article 96 under www.birdscontour.blogspot.com offers more information.

18.06.'13  Lovedale Farm Holidays  Bird & Birder Friendly Award  Thoughtful projects led to three penguin-rated Bird & Birder Friendly Award for Louisa and Malcolm Campbell. These projects are described under article 95, www.birdscontour.blogspot.com

20.06.'13  Windhoek  Birds in Words booklet  The demand by many people to get information about BirdsConTour on paper presented BirdsConTour with a challenging and important opportunity.

BirdsConTour now has its own Birds in Words booklet to showcase the organizations work, highlight bird conservation aspects and raise awareness about birds and their habitats. A big THANK YOU goes to Mrs. Birgit Leicher for her effort to create this booklet.

22.06.'13  Sossusvlei  UNESCO Namib Sand Sea and “Water for Sossus Birds” BirdsConTour congratulates Namibia for the inscription of the Namib Sand Sea on the World Heritage List!

It is scary what devastating footprints guests cause with their visit to Sossusvlei. A research showed that every guest climbing the dune Dune 45, walking to the Death Vlei and back and/or walking in the surrounding of Sossusvlei unconsciously kills with his or her stay an average of ±50 small animals (ants, beetles etc.). With hundred guests per day this is a loss of ±5 000 potential food items of in this case birds. Given the fact that most birds living in this hot and dry part of the Namib Desert prey on small animals to replenish their body moisture as an alternative to water, these footprints left behind by the guests cause a big loss in possible moisture for the feathered animals. This results in a severe decrease of the natural bird population in this area.

To counteract this negative influence and to help the birds to replenish their body moisture, BirdsConTour together with Pack Safari and Chamäleon (German travel company) came up with a solution – the “Water for Sossus Birds” project. More info under www.birdscontour.blogspot.com, article 88.

22.06.'13  Delta Kindergarten  Bird food sponsored  With the focus on bird conservation and planting the seed of interest in birdlife with children, BirdsConTour together with the Delta Kindergarten established a Wild Bird Support Station some time ago on the grounds of this Kindergarten. BirdsConTour remains committed to being the pride supporter of this Delta Kindergarten station. As such bird conservation and tourism sponsored various bird food that was handed to the manager Mrs. Sabine Gerber.

Enjoy Birding, 

Stefan Rust

Please note: Most scientific information has been taken from Roberts Birds of Southern Africa, V11th edition!

(For further reading see www.birdscontour.blog.com)

(For more information contact Stefan Rust on +264 (0)81 129 8415 or birdscontour@iway.na)