Wednesday, 31 July 2013

116 | BIRDS AND BIRDERS PARADISE, NATA LODGE

116


BIRDS AND BIRDERS PARADISE

Nata Lodge

Photos and text by Stefan Rust
2013

(In terms of the Geneva Convention the copyright of these texts belong to Stefan Rust)



Nata Lodge in Botswana is ideally placed to offer tired travelers a break halfway between Chobe and Francistown.

                       
Gobe the manager receives the award       Lefedile is responsible for maintaining the Wild Bird Feeding Area

Here guests find themselves in a bird paradise. Nata Lodge supports birdlife with a wild bird support station in the garden and offers bird watching trips into the Nata Bird Sanctuary.
For these efforts in bird conservation and tourism, the Nata Lodge is rewarded with a two penguin-rated Bird & Birder Friendly Award.

Gobe explains the bird friendly practices done by Nata Lodge

115 | VICTORIA FALLS SAFARI LODGE MAINTAINS A VULTURE RESTAURANT

115


VICTORIA FALLS SAFARI LODGE HELPS GIVING FEATHERED SCAVENGERS WINGS

by maintaining a vulture restaurant

Photos and text by Stefan Rust
2013

(In terms of the Geneva Convention the copyright of these texts belong to Stefan Rust)


Victoria Falls Safari Lodge

Victoria Falls Safari Lodge in Zimbabwe feeds vultures and Marabou Storks on a daily basis with offal meat, exactly at one o’clock, thereby contributing to the conservation of Zimbabwe’s feathered scavengers.

Highly specialized animals as vultures are the ones always at risk when people interfere with nature, and the vultures’ availability of food – the carcasses – is largely decreased in southern Africa as almost allover the world.

One of the biggest challenges facing the conservation of vulture species is the need to supply sufficient and empoisoned food for them, a task made difficult by intensive farming practices.

     
Zulu puts out pieces of meet and bones every day at precisely one o'clock 

The role of vulture restaurants in vulture conservation is receiving considerable attention from conservationists because most vulture species are endangered. But the lodge guests also pay attention. While enjoying lunch on the lodges’ deck, they can observe the feeding spectacle at the vulture restaurant below the deck. It is estimated that about 150 Hooded Vultures visit this vulture restaurant every day. An open space on the ground close to the lodge restaurant and with a vulture friendly waterhole nearby, for them to take a drink and a bath after the feeding frenzy, is provided for the endangered vultures.

   
The feeding spectacle lures many guests

BirdsConTour encourages and supports this vulture restaurant project by rewarding the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, situated about 4 km away from the marvelous Victoria Falls, on the 16th of July with a two penguin-rated Bird & Birder Friendly Award.

Tuesday, 30 July 2013

114 | DESERT BIRDING AT THE NAMIB DESERT LODGE

114


NAMIB DESERT BIRDING

at the NAMIB DESERT LODGE

Photos and text by Stefan Rust
2013

(In terms of the Geneva Convention the copyright of these texts belong to Stefan Rust)


Discover the only real endemic bird species Namibia has to offer in the private nature reserve of the Namib Desert Lodge.

  

The Namib Desert Lodge in the Namib Sand Sea, recently registered as an UNESCO Nature World Heritage Site, is a popular Bird & Birder Friendly Establishment.
BirdsConTour aims to promote the enjoyment, conservation, study and understanding of wild birds and their habitats. One way to achieve this is by offering Bird & Birder Friendly Awards.
Recently the Gondwana Collection Namib Desert Lodge was identified. Namib Desert Lodge meets certain benchmarks, such as a bird and birder friendly garden, bird friendly waterholes and bird friendly practices in their private nature reserve surrounding the lodge establishment.

   
Jörg and Anja, the managers of the Bird & Birder Friendly Namib Desert Lodge, together with Manfred Goldbeck receive the Bird & Birder Friendly Award from Stefan Rust, representative of BirdsConTour. 

Therefore the Namib Desert Lodge was rewarded with a three penguin-rated Bird & Birder Friendly Award.

Mr. Manfred Goldbeck, the founder of the Gondwana Collection, explains the private Gondwana Parks.

Thursday, 25 July 2013

113 | BIRDSCONTOUR REPORT (06.07.'13 - 25.07.'13)


113

BIRDSCONTOUR REPORT (06.07.'13 – 25.07.’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):

Antl Norbert
Brüning Stefanie & Heinrich
Camp Olifant, Krüger NP. (South Africa)
Camp Shingwedzi, Krüger NP. (South Africa)
Chobe Marina Lodge (Botswana)
Chobe NP. (Botswana)
Chobe Safari Lodge (Botswana)
Davis Marc
Dumela Lodge (Botswana)
Etosha Safari Camp (Gondwana Collection)
God’s Window (South Africa)
Gondwana Collection (Etosha Safari Camp)
Gumlich Sigurd
Hannah Game Lodge (South Africa)
Johannesburg (South Africa)
Kang (Botswana)
Krüger NP. (South Africa)
Lianshulu Lodge (Namibia)
MacMac Falls (South Africa)
Mapesu Nature Reserve (South Africa)
Mapungubwe NP. (South Africa)
Mopane Bush Lodge (South Africa)
Morgenstern Werner
Mudume NP. (Namibia)
Nata Lodge (Botswana)
Nunda River Lodge (Namibia)
Ohange Lodge (Namibia)
Onjala Lodge (Namibia)
Rückleben Sybille & Uwe (Sonnleiten Farm Residence)
Rust Ute (Sonnleiten Farm Residence)
Sonnleiten Farm Residence (Namibia)
Victoria Falls NP. (Zimbabwe)
Victoria Falls Safari Lodge (Zimbabwe)
Walgering Peter


BirdsConTour Report (Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe & South Africa) Personal Highlights:

BLACK HERON
BROWN-HEADED PARROT
COLLARED PALM- THRUSH
COMMON MYNA
CRESTED GUINEAFOWL
DRAKENSBERG PRINIA
MOPANE BUSH LODGE BIRD & BIRDER FRIENDLY AWARD
NATA LODGE BIRD & BIRDER FRIENDLY AWARD
NUNDA RIVER LODGE BIRD & BIRDER FRIENDLY AWARD
SONNLEITEN FARM RESIDENCE BIRD & BIRDER FRIENDLY AWARD
SOUTHERN GROUND-HORNBILL
VICTORIA FALLS SAFARI LODGE BIRD & BIRDER FRIENDLY AWARD

Distance traveled: 6 320 km

06.07.'13  Sonnleiten Farm Residence  Bird & Birder friendly Award  For their efforts in taking the wild birds into consideration in the large garden of the Sonnleiten farm Residence, Sybille & Uwe Rückleben, the owners, got rewarded with a two penguin-rated Bird & Birder Friendly Award. This establishment integrated part of the natural trees and bushes in the garden and thereby the wild birds are attracted to this area. Also feeding of birds takes place to give back to nature, in this case to the birds, for the space that was used for erecting infrastructure. Congratulation to Sybille & Uwe Rückleben!

07.07.'13  Onjala Lodge  Mountain Wheatear (1) As a species the Mountain Wheatear is classified as a near-endemic to southern Africa and the subspecies Oenanthe monticola atmorii is a near-endemic to Namibia. This grey morph represents 46% of the species population whereas the black morph (O. m. monticola) represents 54%.

08.07.'13  Etosha Safari Camp  Golden-tailed Woodpecker (1) To avoid that the fine dust, created while chiseling the wood with their strong bill, does not enter their lungs when breathing, nature equipped them with a mouth and nose protection in form of fine feathers growing over their nose holes.

09.07.'13  Etosha NP., Gemsbokvlakte  Grey-headed Gull (1) It is an unusual sight to see a gull in such a dry area, as is the Gemsbokvlakte waterhole in the Etosha NP. But arriving there with a group of guests we found a single Grey-headed Gull flying over the waterhole, later landing on the parking area to rest. But it is not unusual to find this gull species at inland waters, nonetheless it is seldom recorded at the Gemsbokvlakte waterhole.

10.07.'13  Etosha NP., Rietfontein Waterhole  African Fish-Eagle (1) Possibly a sign of our severe drought. Not only was another Grey-headed Gull observed at this waterhole, but also a African Fish-Eagle. Unfortunately it was too far away to having been able to identify what it was feeding on as it was sitting on a dead tree lying on the ground at the edge of the water. It seemed like a waterfowl but not sure. Usually this eagle feeds on fish. Mr. Marc Davis saw this bird a few days before as well.

10.07.'13  Ohange Lodge  Common Ostrich (3) How many of the southern African ostriches are pure wild animals is uncertain because of the translocation of the domesticated Oudtshoorn ostriches.

11.07.'13  Nunda River Lodge  Bird & Birder Friendly Award  For their efforts in bird conservation by maintaining a bird friendly garden and being part of the Kavango Open Africa Route project that strives to protect the endangered African Skimmer and the Grey-headed Parrot, the Nunda River Lodge was rewarded with a three penguin-rated Bird & Birder Friendly Award.

12.07.'13  Kwando River, Kongola  Saddle-billed Stork (1) Of this uncommon species there are estimated 150 breeding pairs in southern Africa and is only in South Africa classified as endangered.

12.07.'13  Lianshulu Lodge  Gabar Goshawk (1) Out of the entire southern African population 7-25% are dark morph birds. The one seen here is part of the 10% dark colored Gabar Goshawks in Namibia.

13.07.'13  Lianshulu Lodge  African Green-Pigeon (5) It is said that this species does not drink but feeds on a variety of juicy fruits and occasionally on pieces of flesh, dried blood and wet and dry mud and soil. Only in southern Africa alone one finds seven subspecies, in this region it is the Treron calva damarensis.

13.07.'13  Mudume NP.  Meyers’ Parrot (4) Being the only bird that is able to break open the pods and seeds of leguminous trees in miombo woodland, it has abundant food with little competition.

14.07.'13  Chobe NP., Botswana  Wahlberg’s Eagle (1) One pale morph in the Chobe NP. It is recorded that some birds, possibly juveniles, remain south of the Equator during our winter and a few as far south as Zimbabwe. This sighting shows that they also occur in northern Botswana during winter.

14.07.'13  Chobe Marina Lodge, Botswana  African Skimmer (1) Here in the Chobe River, bare sandbars and islands are used for breeding and roosting. This breeding habit leads to this species probably being endangered in southern Africa. Disturbance through uncontrolled tourism, local people and habitat loss through mismanagement of breeding areas are cause for the rapid population decrease.

15.07.'13  Chobe Marina Lodge, Botswana  Pied Crow (2) In general, this species is closely associated with human settlements. They generally increase in numbers, probably because of the increase in numbers of roadkills and decrease of enemies. One pair attacked a flying African Fish-Eagle and mobbed it for about five minutes, repeatedly dive-bombing at it after having gained some height over the eagle.

15.07.'13  Chobe NP., Botswana  Southern Ground-Hornbill (3) Numbers are decreasing in southern Africa, especially in areas of high human population density and/or intensive farming. Here in the northeastern part of Botswana they are widespread but not common. Conservation efforts include hand-rearing of the second-hatched chicks (otherwise redundant), captive breeding and reintroduction. (2)

15.07.'13  Chobe Safari Lodge, Botswana  Collared Palm-Thrush (2) The garden of the Chobe Safari Lodge is a guaranteed place to see this bird. Kasane is the most western distribution area in southern Africa.

16.07.'13  Chobe Marina Lodge, Botswana  Black Heron (9) This bird is mostly known because of its behavior of forming an umbrella with its wings. Being in the water it forms an ‘umbrella’ by flicking the wings forward over its head for two to three seconds. The wing tips often touch the water. Often it swallows prey within the umbrella. Presumably it forms this umbrella to eliminate the reflection on the water and to lure fish to this false refuge.

16.07.'13  Victoria Falls NP., Zimbabwe  Trumpeter Hornbill (2) Today two of these birds have been observed in the tall trees in the Victoria Falls NP. Not often seen in rural areas but in this protected park they seem to be safe. Little is known about their breeding behavior. Not only are the Victoria Falls a UNESCO World Heritage Site but is the Victoria Falls NP. a Ramsar Site. The Ramsar Convention (The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl Habitat) is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands. It aims to stem progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future and it recognizes the significance of wetlands and their economic, cultural, scientific and recreational value. It is named after the city of Ramsar in Iran, where the Convention was signed in 1971.

16.07.'13  Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, Zimbabwe  Bird & Birder Friendly Award  The role of vulture restaurants in vulture conservation is receiving considerable attention from conservationists because most vulture species around the world are endangered. It is estimated that about 150 Hooded Vultures visit the vulture restaurant, managed on the lodge property by this vulture friendly lodge, daily. BirdsConTour encourages and supports this vulture restaurant project by rewarding the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge on the 16th of July with a two penguin-rated Bird & Birder Friendly Award.

17.07.'13  Nata Lodge, Botswana  Bird & Birder Friendly Award  The Nata Lodge in Botswana is ideally placed halfway between Chobe and Francistown to offer tired travelers a break. Nata Lodge supports birdlife with a wild bird support station in the garden and offers bird watching trips into the Nata Bird Sanctuary. For these efforts in bird conservation and tourism, the Nata Lodge is rewarded with a two penguin-rated Bird & Birder Friendly Award.

17.07.'13  Dumela Lodge, Botswana  White-bellied Sunbird (1) With the blackthorn acacia starting to flower on the property of the Dumela Lodge just outside Francistown, immediately triggers the male White-bellied Sunbird to advertise its territory by giving its canary-like warble to its best.

18.07.'13  Mopane Bush Lodge, South Africa  Bird & Birder Friendly Award Adjoining the new Mapungubwe National Park, South Africa’s northernmost National Park, Mopane Bush Lodge is situated on the 6 000 hectare Mapesu Nature Reserve. It is a working game farm, not only protecting mammals but also birds. The lodge and the nature reserve offers particularly rewarding birding and plans are on the table to incorporate this Mapesu Nature Reserve into the proposed Limpopo Shashe Transfrontier Park, incorporating the Northern Tuli Game Reserve in Botswana and adjacent areas of Zimbabwe, and the Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve in South Africa. For these efforts in bird conservation, Mopane Bush Lodge is rewarded with a two penguin-rated Bird & Birder Friendly Award.

19.07.’13 Mopane Bush Lodge, South Africa  Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver (1) Males built a nest by interlacing thorny twigs into a bulky mass containing ‘lodges’, each with 1-6 (sometimes up to 11) nest chambers. The more sticks a male adds to a nest, the more females he has got in his harem. Frequently the nests are built in trees or windmills adjacent to human habitation. Should people abandon the site, the birds vacate their nest. Probably this strategy minimizes predation by snakes and/or baboons.
Because of cloudy weather for a few days in a row, the males started constructing nests. This is unusual for this time of the year.

19.07.’13 Mapesu Nature Reserve neighborhood, South Africa  Collared Palm-Thrush (1) Except at Shingwedzi in Kruger NP., this sight is the only place in South Africa to see this bird. Mr. Andrew Rae, the MD from the Mopane Bush Lodge, will gladly assist in viewing this vagrant speciality.

19.07.’13 Mapungubwe NP., South Africa  Black Sparrowhawk (1) In this area this species is scarce. Historically they were distributed in the Karoo and in some northern Namibian places, like Otavi and Omaruru.

20.07.'13  Shingwedzi Camp, Krüger N.P., South Africa  Crested Guineafowl (1) Often this bird is overlooked, due to its secretive nature and because of dense vegetation it lives in. Uncertainty exists if the isolated Karkloof Forest population in KwaZulu-Natal is genetically distinct. If it is genetically distinct, it probably is threatened by local habitat destruction.

20.07.'13  Shingwedzi Camp, Krüger N.P., South Africa  Martial Eagle (1) An alarming drop of 60% in the population size occurred in the last few years. Of biggest concern are areas with a high density of powerlines, areas where temperatures increased, areas where prey abundance diminished and where small stock farming is practiced. Although protected areas are a stronghold, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and the Kruger National Park show a decline of 45%. What causes this is busy being studied and sightings of tagged birds should please be reported to MartialEagleSightings@gmail.com.

21.07.'13  Shingwedzi Camp, Krüger N.P., South Africa  Brown-headed Parrot (3) The fairly large population (± 2 500) in the protected area of the Kruger NP. saves this species from being classified as threatened in South Africa. The main causes for drastic decrease in its historical range are habitat loss (loss of large trees) and illegal trapping. Some several hundred wild chicks are harvested annually for cage bird industry, especially in Mozambique. The 1990 floods in southern Mozambique and the 2012 floods in the Limpopo region, South Africa, probably led to considerable mortality.

21.07.'13  Camp Letaba, Krüger N.P., South Africa  Southern Ground-Hornbill (5) In an attempt to conserve the endangered Southern Ground Hornbill in South Africa, a few projects are running. In the Krüger NP., some juvenile birds are ringed with color-rings to find out more about their movement, territory size, foraging range and habitat use. The public is asked to report sightings of ringed birds with the date and time, GPS coordinates if possible, details of location, number of birds, age and sex if possible and color-ring combination to andreb@ewt.org.za, scottr@ewt.org.za or to leighc@ewt.org.za.
Four adults have been seen at 13:45 foraging on the ground next to a herd of Impala together with a color-ringed juvenile. On its left leg it has a yellow ring at the bottom and above it a red ring, on the right leg a silver metal ring. This sighting was close to the Camp Letaba-Phalaborwa-Camp Olifants crossing.

21.07.'13  Olifants Camp, Krüger N.P., South Africa  Black Heron (8) A group of eight birds flew past at sunset towards their roosting site. This bird is mostly known because of its behavior of forming an umbrella with its wings. Being in the water it forms an ‘umbrella’ by flicking the wings forward over its head for two to three seconds. The wing tips often touch the water. Often it swallows prey within the umbrella. Presumably it forms this umbrella to eliminate the reflection on the water and to lure fish to this false refuge.

22.07.'13  Hannah Game Lodge, South Africa  Crimson-breasted Shrike (1) Hannah Game Lodge is probably the most eastern distribution area of this species in South Africa. To the Krüger NP it is a vagrant visitor.

23.07.'13  MacMac Falls, South Africa  Drakensberg Prinia (1) No published descriptions of its call exist on this endemic species. This individual bird draw attention by its call, like that of the Black-chested Prinia, a loud and repetitive chip-chip-chip, while sitting in a fynbos shrub. Little is known about its general habits.

23.07.'13  God’s Window, South Africa  Green-backed Camaroptera (4) Endemic to southern Africa, this species has the habit of being attracted by human movement, catching flushed invertebrate prey in the undergrowth.

23.07.'13  Hannah Game Lodge, South Africa  Common Fiscal (1) Interestingly this species is mostly absent from the Krüger NP., similar to the situation of the Crimson-breasted Shrike. This individual bird was observed carrying an about 10 cm long piece of cartilage leftover from a braai meat piece, recognizable on its shape and being spiced, to perch in its bill. Up in the acacia thorn tree the bird first tried to impale it on a thorn but the piece was very hard. So he held it in one foot and ate a bit of it but after a while succeeded in impaling it on another sharp thorn. After feeding but not finishing it, the bird flew off. Some time later the same bird arrived with a 3.5 cm long piece of bone, most probably a chicken bone (drumstick), also a leftover from a braai, and without trying to impale it on a thorn in the same tree, started feeding on dry meat on it by holding it in one foot, sometimes relieving the foot by taking the bone up with its bill, to then take it between branch and foot again to continue feeding on it. No record of feeding on braai leftovers by this species are published in the Roberts Birds of Southern Africa VIIth edition.
The purpose of impaling prey on sharp items such as thorns, barb on wire fence or similar, is to feed more conveniently on it, to mark its territory and/or to impress females during courtship.

23.07.'13  Hannah Game Lodge, South Africa  Bird & Birder Friendly Award  The BirdsConTour’s ‘Travel gives Wings’ division completed the Chamäleon Limpopo Tour under guidance of Mr. Stefan Rust. This division creates money through tourism, giving the guests the opportunity to be part of bird conservation. Through their participation, Mr. Rust gets paid for guiding the tour and he sets aside a certain amount of it for the multiple bird conservation projects arranged by his organization BirdsConTour. Today Rust awarded an one Penguin-rated Bird & Birder Friendly Award to each and every guest for participating on this Limpopo Tour:
Mr. Antl Norbert
Mrs. & Mr. Brüning Stefanie & Heinrich
Mr. Gumlich Sigurd
Mr. Morgenstern Werner
Mr. Walgering Petrus

24.07.'13  Johannesburg, South Africa  Common Myna (1) Being native to India, central and southern Asia, it was introduced to South Africa In Johannesburg the Common Myna was introduced at about 1938. Since then it spread northwards, even a record was reported from Nata, Botswana, in last year.

25.07.’13 Kang, Botswana  Common Myna (3) Almost 70 years after their introduction to Johannesburg in about 1938, the Common Myna population seems to explode. Last year BirdsConTour recorded this species in Nata, Botswana, and today in Kang, Botswana. Clearly visible a rapid northwards expansion takes place.

25.07.’13 Windhoek, Namibia  Rock Kestrel (2) Close observation proves how adaptable Rock Kestrel are to cities. More than two pairs of Kestrel were reported that have started breeding on buildings in Windhoek.


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)

Thursday, 11 July 2013

112 | NUNDA RIVER LODGE, THE BIRDING EXPERIENCE AT THE OKAVANGO RIVER

112


A BIRDING ENCOUNTER

Nunda River Lodge, the birding experience at the Okavango River

Photos and text by Stefan Rust
2013

(In terms of the Geneva Convention the copyright of these texts belong to Stefan Rust)


Nunda River Lodge at the Okavango River in the Caprivi Strip offers fantastic birding.


Over quite some time already, the lodge invests in the garden birds. To attract garden birds, the lodge transformed ist garden into a birdlife haven by offering water, food, shrubs and a dead tree.


Nunda River Lodge is also involved in the Kavango Open Africa Route, HELP SAVE and PROTECT project to save animals such as the endangered African Skimmer and Grey-headed Parrot.


For these reasons bird conservation and tourism (BirdsConTour) found it necessary to reward the Nunda River Lodge with a three penguin-rated Bird & Birder Friendly Award.

Tuesday, 9 July 2013

110 | SONNLEITEN FARM RESIDENCE FOR BIRDLIFE

110


TWO PENGUINS FOR SONNLEITEN FARM RESIDENCE

Sonnleiten Farm Residence for birdlife

Photos and text by Stefan Rust
2013

(In terms of the Geneva Convention the copyright of these texts belong to Stefan Rust)

 

Heading east out of Namibia’s capitol, Windhoek, the tarred road leads you after about 45 km to the Sonnleiten Farm Residence on your left side. This retirement residence offers big fun for people interested in birdlife. In the garden you can see exciting species such as the Rosy-faced Lovebird, Scarletchested Sunbird and the Grey Go-Away-Bird, the clown in the bird world.

To promote bird conservation, BirdsConTour offers people, organisations and establishments to become registered as Bird & Birder Friendly. After having visited Sonnleiten Farm Residence, it was clear that the establishment meets certain criteria (see article 67 under www.birdscontour.blogspot.com) which led to becoming rewarded with a two penguin-rated Bird & Birder Friendly Award. Native plants (trees) are incorporated into the garden and food as well as water is offered to wild birds, attracting them to the garden.
BirdsConTour would like to thank Sybille & Uwe Rückleben for their conservation efforts on their premises!

See article 71 under www.birdscontour.blogspot.com for registered Bird & Birder Friendly establishments, organisations and people.

Thursday, 4 July 2013

109 | EIN BEWEIS FÜR DIE UNVOLLKOMMENHEIT DER NATUR

109


EIN BEWEIS FÜR DIE UNVOLLKOMMENHEIT DER NATUR?

Gelbschnabeltoko

Fotos und Text von Stefan Rust
2013

(In terms of the Geneva Convention the copyright of these texts belong to Stefan Rust)

                                                               Tockus leucomelas


Steckbrief

Namen: Tockus leucomelas (Lateinisch) / Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill (Englisch) / Geelbekneushoringvoel (Afrikaans)

Familie: Nashornvögel

Verbreitung: Afrika südlich des Äquators

Lebensraum: Baumbestandene Savanne

Größe: 50-60 cm

Gefieder: Dieser mittelgroße Vogel mit langem gelbem Schnabel, langem Schwanz und breiten Flügeln hat ein schwarz, weiß, graues Gefieder, bei den Geschlechtern gleich.

Stimme: Rauhe, glucksende Rufe

Nest: Natürliche Baumhöhle.

Brutzeit: Januar - April

Nahrung: Insekten, kleine Tiere, Früchte und Saat.


Besonderes

Die Eier werden in eine natürliche Baumhöhle gelegt, deren Eingang dann vom sich in der Höhle befindenden Weibchen mit vom Männchen Schnabelweise herangebrachten Lehm und Exkrementen bis auf einen schmalen senkrechten Schlitz verschlossen wird. Auf diese Weise gut geschützt vor Feinden wie Pavian und Schlange, bebrütet sie die Eier und wird vom Männchen mit durch den Schlitz gereichter Nahrung gefüttert. Sind die Küken halberwachsen, durchbricht das Weibchen die Lehmmauer und Männchen und Weibchen beliefern die Küken mit Baumaterial welche sich dann selbst zumauern mit dem für die Fütterung notwendigen Schlitz frei lassend. Erst wenn sie flügge sind brechen sie die Versiegelung wieder auf.


Da das Weibchen während der Brutzeit vollständig von ihrem Partner abhängig ist vergewissert sie sich vorerst der Treue und Vitalität ihres Partners indem sie das Männchen vor Eiablage und Mauser erst einem von ihr veranlassten Treuetest unterzieht. Wohl schon eingemauert prüft sie in den ersten etwa 5 Tagen ob ihr Partner sie auch tatsächlich mit Futter beliefert. Scheitert er bei dieser Prüfung, so hackt sich das Weibchen wieder frei und ist gerettet.
Ist das Weibchen mit den Prüfungsergebnissen zufrieden, schreitet sie, zugemauert wie in einem Verlies, zur Eiablage und die Brutzeit effektiv nutzend, beginnt bei ihr die Totalmauser. Soviel zum Multitasking Talent der Frauen, schon in der Tierwelt zu beobachten.
In Baumhöhlennestern birgt die Unhygiene einen hohen Kükenverlust. Aber auch hier hat der schlaue Vogel sich was einfallen lassen. Um die Hygiene im Nest zu gewährleisten, werden Tausendfüßler genutzt. Nicht nut werden Leibstücke von Tausendfüßlern in die Betonmischung eingearbeitet sondern das Männchen reicht dem Weibchen zu Beginn der Brutzeit einen Tausendfüßler durch den Schlitz. Das Weibchen zerquetscht ihn und verteilt das Sekret säuberlich auf dem Nestboden. Diese Flüssigkeit hat eine Desinfektionswirkung.
Das Multitasking des Weibchens, sich während der Brutzeit gleichzeitig einer Vollmauser zu unterziehen, führt zu einer bei den Vögeln etwas seltener vorkommenden und somit auch seltener bekannten Art der Mauser. Hierbei mausern sich die beiden Geschlechter einer Art zu unterschiedlichen Zeiten. Denn würde sich das Männchen gleichzeitig wie das Weibchen mausern, könnte der Partner seine Partnerin nicht verpflegen. Also mausert sich das Männchen erst später.

Der Schnabel des Gelbschnabeltoko ist wie bei allen Nashornvögeln und Tukanen groß und unglaublich leicht. Auch sind diese überdimensional groß wirkenden Schnäbel bei der Essensbeschaffung eine große Hilfe, so standen Forscher lange Zeit vor einem Rätsel. Alleinig für die Essensbeschaffung ist ein Schnabel in diesem Format nicht nötig. Und weil man keinen ausschlaggebenden Grund für solch überdimensionalen Schnäbel fand, standen diese Vögel als Exemplar für die Unvollkommenheit der Natur dar. Nicht wenige Forscher bezeichneten die Natur anhand der “unnötig” großen Schnäbel dieser Vögel als verschwenderisch, sie gehe verschwenderisch mit Materialien um. Selbst namhafte Naturforscher wie Georges Louis Marie Leclerc, Comte de Buffon, Mitte des 18. Jahrhunderts, meinte die unnützen Schnäbel stünden exemplarisch für die zahlreichen Fehler der Natur. Bei den Tukanen vermutete beispielsweise Alexander von Humboldt mit den Schnäbeln ein Gerät zum Fischfang.
Die ausschlaggebende Funktion dieser Sandwich-Schnäbel brachte vor wenigen Jahren der kanadische Physiologe Glenen Tattersall ans Licht. Die monströsen Schnäbel, reich mit Blutgefässen ausgestattet, dienen dank ihrer großen Oberfläche als genau regulierbares Organ zur Kontrolle der Körpertemperatur.

Die Natur ist also doch vollkommen und sind es nicht eher die Menschen die wir begriffsstutzig oder unverständlich für die Vollkommenheit der Natur sind?
Vielleicht dient das Markenzeichen des Gelbschnabeltoko, der hübsche gelbe Schnabel, diesem interessanten Tier auch als Thermometer.

108 | BIRDLIFE WINS AS GUESTS TEAM UP

108


ELEVEN GUESTS RECEIVED BIRD & BIRDER FRIENDLY AWARDS

Birdlife wins as guests team up

Photos and text by Stefan Rust
2013

(In terms of the Geneva Convention the copyright of these texts belong to Stefan Rust)


To sustain bird conservation with the best possible standards, BirdsConTour thinks outside the box and engages with the private and public sectors to a greater degree than ever before. This has given rise to a number of innovative projects under the „Travel gives Wings“ division, which have the simultaneous benefits of offering financial and moral support to birdlife conservation.

Stefan Rust from BirdsConTour led an incentive tour from Namibia through Botswana to Zimbabwe in collaboration with Intercontact and Markin’ Africa which was a big success.
All members are in the tourism industry and the aim of this tour was to give the agents a brief insight of what to expect from this tour.
One of the messages of this tour was that conservation of birdlife is not something that should be left to dedicated professionals who work in the field, but is down to each and every one of us. Southern Africa’s birdlife heritage does not belong to those who work in the industry but to every visitor to southern Africa.
To encourage this point of view, evry participant received an one penguin-rated Bird & Birder Friendly Award. With their participation and the funds wherefrom, BirdsConTour is capable of financing further bird conservation projects.

A big THANK YOU goes to:

Mr. Degener Paul Josef
Mrs. Grimm Brigitte
Mr. Grimm Reiner
Mr. Hahl Gerhard
Mr. Koch Jörg
Mr. Kuhn Joachim
Mrs. Schlimm Kirsten (Intercontact)
Mr. Schulte Josef
Mr. Sellin Dietrich
Mrs. Stehle Vera (Intercontact)
Mr. Tischler Peter

107 | BIRDSCONTOUR REPORT (25.06.'13 - 03.07.'13)

107


BIRDSCONTOUR REPORT (25.06.'13 – 03.07.’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):

Allgemeine Zeitung (Tourismus Namibia)
Bwabwata N.P.
Chobe NP.
Chobe Safari Lodge
Degener Paul Josef
Grimm Brigitte
Grimm Reiner
Hahl Gerhard
Hosea Kutako International Airport
Intercontact (Kirsten Schlimm & Vera Stehle)
Kazungula
Koch Jörg
Kuhn Joachim
Mahango Lodge
Mahangu N.P.
Markin’ Africa (Mark Wiechmann)
Mazambala Island Lodge
Okapuka Ranch
Rust Joachim & Caroline (Waterberg Wilderness Lodge)
Schlimm Kirsten
Schulte Josef
Sellin Dietrich
Stehle Vera
Tischler Peter
Tourismus Namibia (Allgemeine Zeitung)
Victoria Falls NP.
Victoria Falls Safari Lodge
Waterberg Wilderness Lodge (Joachim & Caroline Rust)
Wiechmann Mark

BirdsConTour Report (Namibia, Botswana & Zimbabwe) Personal Highlights:

HOODED VULTURE
SOUTHERN CARMINE BEE-EATER
SOUTHERN GROUND-HORNBILL
VULTURE RESTAURANT

Distance traveled: 3 806 km

25.06.'13  Hosea Kutako International Airport  Cape Crow (4) Ten percent of 159 researched nests in southern Africa were parasitized by the Great Spotted Cuckoo.

25.06.'13  Okapuka Ranch  Egyptian Goose (±500) The artificial water bodies with their open shorelines  on Okapuka Ranch serve as optimal wetland areas for this species. Early mornings and late afternoon hundreds of groups are flying in formation over the establishment following their typical daily cycle: in the early morning they leave the water bodies to foraging areas and return after about 90 minutes, preening, resting and sleeping until late afternoon. Then they embark to a second foraging trip, returning after about 30 minutes. Altogether they spend about 7% of daytime feeding.

26.06.'13  Waterberg Wilderness Lodge  Lesser Honeyguide (2) This brood parasitic Honeyguide species does not guide to honeybee nests but does as well feed on beeswax and is interestingly remarkably fond of dry honeycombs. From all six subspecies that do occur in Africa, one finds three of them in southern Africa. These two that were seen on the grounds of the lodge belong to the Indicator minor damarensis subspecies.

28.06.'13  Mahango Lodge  White-backed Night-Heron (1) This generally rare bird shows its greatest numbers in and along the Okavango River and –Delta. It is considered as vulnerable only in South Africa, threatened by habitat destruction and degradation.

28.06.'13  Mahango Lodge  White-browed Coucal (1) Only recently it gained specific status, previously it was considered as conspecific with the Burchell’s Coucal. They often forage close to flames, thus being attracted to fires. Because of this habit the intense burning in the Caprivi Strip might be of convenience to this species.

28.06.'13  Mahangu N.P.  White-headed Vulture (1) Today two of the only ± 1 000 pairs in southern Africa have been observed. Africa has about 7 000-12 500 birds of this uncommon species.

28.06.'13  Mazambala Island Lodge  Long-toed Lapwing (1) These long living birds, at least 17 years, are naturally rare in southern Africa because of its specialized habitat requirements. The spread of alien water weeds supports their population increase.

29.06.'13  Mazambala Island Lodge  African Pygmy Goose (2) Because of degradation and loss of limited habitat the Pygmy Goose is classified as near threatened in South Africa.

29.06.'13  Mazambala Island Lodge  Southern Carmine Bee-eater (1) They overwinter in Equatorial savannas of Angola, Zambia, Malawi, southern Democratic Republic of Congo and western Tanzania. Only a very few individuals overwinter in the absolute northern parts of southern Africa.

29.06.'13  Mazambala Island Lodge, Namibia  Brown-throated Martin (2) About 96% of all birds at Mazambala Island Lodge are the pale morph and 4% represent the brown morph of this species.

30.06.'13  Chobe Safari Lodge, Botswana  Orange-breasted Waxbill (3) These 9-10 cm small birds rarely build their own ball-shaped nests with a side entrance but usually, 80-90% of time, lines unused nests of Southern Red Bishops (70-80%). Sometimes they use nests of widowbirds, weavers, cisticolas or prinias.

01.07.'13  Chobe Safari Lodge, Botswana  Grey-headed Bush-Shrike (1) A very creative bird when it comes to feeding. It is known that it holds large prey with one foot or wedges it into a forked twig or crevice to tear it to pieces with its beak. And exactly this was observed today on the Chobe Safari Lodge premises. One bird flew with a cocoon onto a branch and tried to wedge it into a crevice with the aim to then tear it apart to extract the pupae. Unfortunately the cocoon dropped onto the path with pedestrians and it lost interest to pick it up again.

01.07.’13  Chobe Safari Lodge, Botswana  Collared Palm-Thrush (3) In the southern Africa region Kasane seems to be the most western distribution of this species. Here it lives in the garden of the Chobe Safari Lodge, three birds were counted.

01.07.'13  Chobe N.P., Botswana  Green-backed Heron (2) A flimsy platform of sticks, twigs and reeds is built on the horizontal branches of a dry shrub one meter above the water of the Okavango River. After the nesting adult had left, three pale greenish eggs were visible.

01.07.'13  Chobe N.P., Botswana  Southern Ground-Hornbill (6) Numbers are decreasing in southern Africa, especially in areas of high human population density and/or intensive farming. Here in the northeastern part of Botswana they are widespread but not common. Conservation efforts include hand-rearing of the second-hatched chicks (otherwise redundant), captive breeding and reintroduction.

02.07.'13  Victoria Falls N.P., Zimbabwe  Trumpeter Hornbill (8) Today eight of these birds have been observed in the tall trees in the Victoria Falls NP. Not often seen in rural areas but in this protected park they seem to be safe. Little is known about their breeding behavior. Not only are the Victoria Falls a UNESCO World Heritage Site but is the Victoria Falls NP. a Ramsar Site. The Ramsar Convention (The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl Habitat) is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands. It aims to stem progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future and it recognizes the significance of wetlands and their economic, cultural, scientific and recreational value. It is named after the city of Ramsar in Iran, where the Convention was signed in 1971.

02.07.'13  Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, Zimbabwe  Hooded Vulture (±125) This species often arrives first at a food source. It is observed to readily dart between the legs of hyenas to grab scraps and then flies away to eat it elsewhere. This behavior is easily observable at the vulture restaurant at the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge where these scavengers get fed every day at one o’clock. Regularly about 125 of these elsewhere uncommon vultures are easy to be seen here and about twice as much White-backed Vultures. If possible, visiting this lodge around vulture feeding time is a must.

02.07.'13  Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, Zimbabwe  Bird & Birder Friendly Award  After a successful incentive tour, led by Stefan Rust from BirdsConTour and organized by Intercontact and Markin’ Africa (Mark Wiechmann), having started in Windhoek Namibia and having ended in Victoria Falls Zimbabwe, every participant received a one penguin-rated Bird & Birder Friendly Award from BirdsConTour (bird conservation and tourism). The aim of the division “Travel gives Wings” from BirdsConTour is to encourage travel agents and guests to make use of traveling with BirdsConTour and thereby supporting bird conservation in those respective areas. A certain amount of the funds generated through tourism, BirdsConTour use for bird conservation. Meaning that everybody who makes use of the BirdsConTour services, supports bird conservation and therefore the following guests were rewarded with this award:
Mr. Degener Paul Josef
Mrs. Grimm Brigitte
Mr. Grimm Reiner
Mr. Hahl Gerhard
Mr. Koch Jörg
Mr. Kuhn Joachim
Mrs. Schlimm Kirsten
Mr. Schulte Josef
Mr. Sellin Dietrich
Mrs. Stehle Vera
Mr. Tischler Peter

Read more in article 109 under www.birdscontour.blogspot.com

02.07.'13  Tourismus Namibia  Publication  In the Tourismus Namibia, Namibia’s biggest tourism publication, the article about the Yellow-billed Hornbill was published in German language. Read more in the article 108 under www.birdscontour.blogspot.com.

03.07.'13  Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, Zimbabwe  Ovambo Sparrowhawk (1) Here in Zimbabwe one can find 2-8 pairs in 620 square kilometer at the Matopa Hills and about 7 pairs in 512 square kilometer along the Save River. This species is considered as the most falcon-like of the accipiters. The observed bird was perching while overlooking the waterhole most probably waiting for prey to fly in to drink.

03.07.'13  Zimbabwe (nearby Kazungula), Chobe NP.(Botswana), Bwabwata NP.(Namibia)  Ground Hornbill (Zimb.4, Zimb. 3, Chobe NP. 6, Bwabwata NP. 4) For the first time such positive high numbers were recorded by BirdsConTour on the way back to Windhoek. See more info about this interesting bird on the 1st of July.


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)