Kzn Birds 50
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March 2017 KZN BIRDS No 50 Newsletter of KZN bird clubs which are affiliated to BirdLife South Africa KZN BIRDS No 50 KZN BIRDS No 50 EDITORIAL CONTENTS CHAIR’S CHIRPS t h o s e s t a y i n g o v e r a t W e s s a congregated in Steve and Roy's cottage NEARLY 60 years since she taught Roy 3 Chair’s Chirps and discussed everything and anything Cowgill at school in Grade 3, a friend of 3 BirdLife Port Natal whilst sharing supper and a chat. His mine still remembers him as “a little boy 7 BirdLife KZN Midlands knowledge was phenomenal, so a walk always bubbling with enthusiasm”. It is 8 BirdLife Trogons with him in Howick or doing a CWAC something he had never outgrown, 11 BirdLife Zululand count was always such a pleasure. which was clear from all the tributes paid Mindful of you the sodden earth in spring, Thanks to all those members who made to him by speaker after speaker at his 13 Tribute And all the flowers that in the springtime grow, his memorial on Sunday 22 January at memorial service in January. 13 Roy Cowgill: A life lived to the fullest And dusty roads, and thistles, and the slow Stainbank NR a day that he would have Amongst his many achievements as a Rising of the round moon, all throats that sing enjoyed to the full. teacher and in the birding world, Roy 17 Conservation and Projects The summer through, and each departing wing, Roy will be missed by many people, was instrumental in setting up the 17 More than 700 new bird species And all the nests that the bared branches show, and in many different ways, but here I KwaZulu-Natal Bird Forum which is held 19 Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver in KZN And all winds that in any weather blow, want to take the opportunity to write that twice a year in Howick. This provides a And all the storms that the four seasons bring. his influence and his commitment to the platform for various conservation groups 21 Bird Notes and Observations You go no more on your exultant feet club saw it through many difficult days working in the province to share 21 Use of bill detectors to find prey Up paths that only mist and morning knew, and times. His expertise and advice information, reporting on successes or 22 YBK repeats piracy feeding behaviour Or watch the wind, or listen to the beat were given without expectation of flagging areas of concern. 24 The glue that holds it together Of a bird's wings too high in air to view,-- reward. From a wider perspective, BLSA The concept of having a bird forum But you were something more has lost one of its most important has since been introduced by BirdLife 25 SABAP2 update than young and sweet stalwarts, and many birders around the South Africa in other regions in the 25 Appeal to turn it GREEN in 17TEEN And fair,--and the long year remembers you. country mourn his passing. country. - Edna St Vincent Millay Outings Bird clubs in KZN are determined to 27 Bird outing continue with these highly informative 27 BLPN outing to Eston ponds REST in peace Roy Cowgill, our Elena Russell's Saturday outings gatherings, with the first one of the year President and a good friend to many. have become the stuff of legend – scheduled to take place on 4 March. This 28 Honorary Recorder’s Report The club's condolences go out to Steve Alverstone on 1 October was no will be a fitting legacy of Roy’s passion Davis, his partner in so much, but exception – cold and damp conditions and enthusiasm for conservation. 33 Club Activities particularly for BELOW: A large number of people attended Roy Cowgill’s their combined Crystelle Wilson 33 BirdLife Port Natal memorial service at the Stainbank Nature Reserve on 22 36 BirdLife KwaZulu-Natal Midlands support for BLPN January. One of the speakers was David Allan, Curator of 38 BirdLife Trogons – quiz evenings, Birds at the Durban Natural Science Museum w o r k s h o p s , Crystelle Wilson presentations and KZN BIRDS support for other KZN Birds is the newsletter of BirdLife Port Natal, BirdLife KZN Midlands, BirdLife Zululand, BirdLife Sisonke and BirdLife Trogons, all branches of Birdlife South Africa, and is published three times a year. Any member of the public, members. I shall whether members of a branch or not, are invited to submit articles for publication. Views expressed in KZN Birds are m i s s h i m not necessarily those of the editor, the aforementioned clubs or BirdLife SA. All national rarities are subject to t r e m e n d o u s l y, acceptance by the National Rarities Committee. Submissions are used at the discretion of the editor and may be held back for future editions. Contributions can be sent to the Editor, Crystelle Wilson, at [email protected] or particularly his typed or neatly written and posted to Crystelle at Unit B18 Amber Lee, Private Bag X11, Howick 3290.. Good quality, e x p e r t i s e i n high resolution digital photographs are also welcome. Telephone: 033 239 0876 or 082 723 5158 Advertising in KZN Birds putting together Per issue the agenda for the The deadline for the next issue Front cover logo R1000 Saturday Forum, Back page colour R1500 is 1 June 2017 Full page inside b&w R 1000 his input for the Front cover: Sentinel Rock Thrush male Half page R 500 Sunday Forum, by Hugh Chittenden, Sani Top January 2017 Quarter page R 250 and the Saturday Smalls R2 per word Desktop Publishing: Crystelle Wilson evenings where March 2017 2 3 March 2017 KZN BIRDS No 50 KZN BIRDS No 50 EDITORIAL CONTENTS CHAIR’S CHIRPS t h o s e s t a y i n g o v e r a t W e s s a congregated in Steve and Roy's cottage NEARLY 60 years since she taught Roy 3 Chair’s Chirps and discussed everything and anything Cowgill at school in Grade 3, a friend of 3 BirdLife Port Natal whilst sharing supper and a chat. His mine still remembers him as “a little boy 7 BirdLife KZN Midlands knowledge was phenomenal, so a walk always bubbling with enthusiasm”. It is 8 BirdLife Trogons with him in Howick or doing a CWAC something he had never outgrown, 11 BirdLife Zululand count was always such a pleasure. which was clear from all the tributes paid Mindful of you the sodden earth in spring, Thanks to all those members who made to him by speaker after speaker at his 13 Tribute And all the flowers that in the springtime grow, his memorial on Sunday 22 January at memorial service in January. 13 Roy Cowgill: A life lived to the fullest And dusty roads, and thistles, and the slow Stainbank NR a day that he would have Amongst his many achievements as a Rising of the round moon, all throats that sing enjoyed to the full. teacher and in the birding world, Roy 17 Conservation and Projects The summer through, and each departing wing, Roy will be missed by many people, was instrumental in setting up the 17 More than 700 new bird species And all the nests that the bared branches show, and in many different ways, but here I KwaZulu-Natal Bird Forum which is held 19 Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver in KZN And all winds that in any weather blow, want to take the opportunity to write that twice a year in Howick. This provides a And all the storms that the four seasons bring. his influence and his commitment to the platform for various conservation groups 21 Bird Notes and Observations You go no more on your exultant feet club saw it through many difficult days working in the province to share 21 Use of bill detectors to find prey Up paths that only mist and morning knew, and times. His expertise and advice information, reporting on successes or 22 YBK repeats piracy feeding behaviour Or watch the wind, or listen to the beat were given without expectation of flagging areas of concern. 24 The glue that holds it together Of a bird's wings too high in air to view,-- reward. From a wider perspective, BLSA The concept of having a bird forum But you were something more has lost one of its most important has since been introduced by BirdLife 25 SABAP2 update than young and sweet stalwarts, and many birders around the South Africa in other regions in the 25 Appeal to turn it GREEN in 17TEEN And fair,--and the long year remembers you. country mourn his passing. country. - Edna St Vincent Millay Outings Bird clubs in KZN are determined to 27 Bird outing continue with these highly informative 27 BLPN outing to Eston ponds REST in peace Roy Cowgill, our Elena Russell's Saturday outings gatherings, with the first one of the year President and a good friend to many. have become the stuff of legend – scheduled to take place on 4 March. This 28 Honorary Recorder’s Report The club's condolences go out to Steve Alverstone on 1 October was no will be a fitting legacy of Roy’s passion Davis, his partner in so much, but exception – cold and damp conditions and enthusiasm for conservation. 33 Club Activities particularly for BELOW: A large number of people attended Roy Cowgill’s their combined Crystelle Wilson 33 BirdLife Port Natal memorial service at the Stainbank Nature Reserve on 22 36 BirdLife KwaZulu-Natal Midlands support for BLPN January.