November 2017KZN BIRDS No 52 Newsletter of KZN bird clubs which are affiliated to BirdLife South Africa KZN BIRDS No 52 KZN BIRDS No 52 EDITORIAL CONTENTS CHAIR’S CHIRPS nesting in the cycad. The monkeys are always around. THE articles about the worldwide plight 3 Chair’s chirps September brings the rain and heavy of vultures featured in this newsletter 3 BirdLife Port Natal clouds which hang over the city. The provoke a mixture of despair and hope. 7 BirdLife KZN Midlands wind has been worse than I remember, BirdLife International is working with 8 BirdLife Trogons particularly on two occasions recently. other conservation organisations to help 10 BirdLife Zululand Birds are resilient – the next day, there restore the population of vultures in Asia The baby birds are hatching they are singing, feeding, gleaning, 10 Conservation and projects which crashed because of the use of and learning how to sing. breeding and surviving. 10 Ringing statistics for KZN veterinary medicines (p17). But this is Somehow the weather gives them clues 12 Cape Parrot census report OUTINGS happening at the same time that yet and tells them that it’s spring! 13 BLPN 2018 Calendar another medication has been shown to We have continued with our monthly 14 News from Oribi Vulture hide be toxic to vultures (p16). Then when they have their feathers outings and indoor meetings – stalwart 16 Veterinary painkiller toxic to vultures Locally, however, there is some good and learn to flap their wings, Elena Russell began in June with a news. The colony of Cape Vultures at 17 Rebuilding vulture population in Asia they jump into the bright, blue sky Saturday morning visit to the Palmiet Oribi on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast 20 Guardians of Africa’s largest lake and try the “flying thing!” NR. Last year's outing to Palmiet was appears to be thriving, with an increase 23 Bird notes and observations - Betty Francis cancelled due to heavy rain which made in the number of nests (p14). And it is 23 African Finfoot behaviour observed the river crossing impossible. Another heartening to read about the birds’ 24 Knysna Warbler sighting in Durban NOW that the rains have come, the year, another attempt. There was a good appreciation of their new bathing facility trees, bushes and other growing things turnout of mostly members and a couple which was recently constructed at the 24 Bird trips and outings are all in bud, so quickly. One day all was of visitors. We had two options: cross the viewing hide. When a vulture was injured 26 Pelagic trip off St Lucia dusty and dry, the next my dog refused river in search of the grasslands or take by powerlines in the area, Eskom’s 28 Migrants in Iceland pose questions to walk on the wet grass which is already the path alongside the river. Both prompt response in addressing the 29 Small brown and large rapacious birds grown to a mowable length. The most options were not without their hazards. noticeable birds have been the Black- Mike Roseblade took a group alongside problem was most laudable. 30 Honorary Recorder’s report These efforts to conserve vultures are headed Orioles, whose calls resound in the river and the other group crossed the very costly. Any contributions, whether 35 Club activities the valley above and below. They are river. financially or by giving your time as a 35 BirdLife Port Natal now joined by bulbuls, the white-Eyes The path up through the kloof is very volunteer, are sure to be welcomed by 36 BirdLife KZN Midlands and the sunbirds – the bulbuls are rugged, but we had some good birds. rehabilitation and conservation 37 BirdLife Trogons Purple-crested Turaco, Collared, organisations. BELOW: Female Black Cuckooshrike, Amethyst, Grey, Olive and White-bellied Howick, July 2017 Sunbirds, Cape Batis, Cape White-eye, Crystelle Wilson Crystelle Wilson Sombre and Yellow-bellied Greenbuls, Dark-capped Bulbul, Terrestrial KZN BIRDS Brownbul, Fork-tailed and Square-tailed KZN Birds is the newsletter of BirdLife Port Natal, BirdLife KZN Midlands, BirdLife Zululand, BirdLife Sisonke and Drongos. Eventually we reached a small BirdLife Trogons, all branches of Birdlife South Africa, and is published three times a year. Any member of the public, whether members of a branch or not, are invited to submit articles for publication. Views expressed in KZN Birds are patch of grassland. Here we picked up not necessarily those of the editor, the aforementioned clubs or BirdLife SA. All national rarities are subject to Bronze and Red-backed Mannikins, 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 Dusky Flycatcher, Crowned Hornbills, typed or neatly written and posted to Crystelle at 2 Lanville, 149 North Ridge Road, Durban 4001. Good quality, high which flew over; Tawny-flanked Prinia, resolution digital photographs are also welcome. Black Flycatcher, Golden-tailed Telephone: 031 2080577 or 082 7235158 Advertising in KZN Birds Per issue Woodpecker, Black-backed Puffback The deadline for the next issue Front cover logo R1000 (trash bird of the day), African Firefinch, Back page colour R1500 Bar-throated Apalis, Southern Boubou, is 1 February 2018 Full page inside b&w R 1000 Front cover: Pel’s Fishing Owl photographed near Martin’s Half page R 500 Black Cuckooshrike, Red-capped Robin Drift, Limpopo, September 2017, by Hugh Chittenden Quarter page R 250 Chat, White-browed Scrub Robin, Desktop Publishing: Crystelle Wilson Smalls R2 per word Black-headed Oriole, Black-Collared November 2017 2 3 November 2017 KZN BIRDS No 52 KZN BIRDS No 52 EDITORIAL CONTENTS CHAIR’S CHIRPS nesting in the cycad. The monkeys are always around. THE articles about the worldwide plight 3 Chair’s chirps September brings the rain and heavy of vultures featured in this newsletter 3 BirdLife Port Natal clouds which hang over the city. The provoke a mixture of despair and hope. 7 BirdLife KZN Midlands wind has been worse than I remember, BirdLife International is working with 8 BirdLife Trogons particularly on two occasions recently. other conservation organisations to help 10 BirdLife Zululand Birds are resilient – the next day, there restore the population of vultures in Asia The baby birds are hatching they are singing, feeding, gleaning, 10 Conservation and projects which crashed because of the use of and learning how to sing. breeding and surviving. 10 Ringing statistics for KZN veterinary medicines (p17). But this is Somehow the weather gives them clues 12 Cape Parrot census report OUTINGS happening at the same time that yet and tells them that it’s spring! 13 BLPN 2018 Calendar another medication has been shown to We have continued with our monthly 14 News from Oribi Vulture hide be toxic to vultures (p16). Then when they have their feathers outings and indoor meetings – stalwart 16 Veterinary painkiller toxic to vultures Locally, however, there is some good and learn to flap their wings, Elena Russell began in June with a news. The colony of Cape Vultures at 17 Rebuilding vulture population in Asia they jump into the bright, blue sky Saturday morning visit to the Palmiet Oribi on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast 20 Guardians of Africa’s largest lake and try the “flying thing!” NR. Last year's outing to Palmiet was appears to be thriving, with an increase 23 Bird notes and observations - Betty Francis cancelled due to heavy rain which made in the number of nests (p14). And it is 23 African Finfoot behaviour observed the river crossing impossible. Another heartening to read about the birds’ 24 Knysna Warbler sighting in Durban NOW that the rains have come, the year, another attempt. There was a good appreciation of their new bathing facility trees, bushes and other growing things turnout of mostly members and a couple which was recently constructed at the 24 Bird trips and outings are all in bud, so quickly. One day all was of visitors. We had two options: cross the viewing hide. When a vulture was injured 26 Pelagic trip off St Lucia dusty and dry, the next my dog refused river in search of the grasslands or take by powerlines in the area, Eskom’s 28 Migrants in Iceland pose questions to walk on the wet grass which is already the path alongside the river. Both prompt response in addressing the 29 Small brown and large rapacious birds grown to a mowable length. The most options were not without their hazards. noticeable birds have been the Black- Mike Roseblade took a group alongside problem was most laudable. 30 Honorary Recorder’s report These efforts to conserve vultures are headed Orioles, whose calls resound in the river and the other group crossed the very costly. Any contributions, whether 35 Club activities the valley above and below. They are river. financially or by giving your time as a 35 BirdLife Port Natal now joined by bulbuls, the white-Eyes The path up through the kloof is very volunteer, are sure to be welcomed by 36 BirdLife KZN Midlands and the sunbirds – the bulbuls are rugged, but we had some good birds. rehabilitation and conservation 37 BirdLife Trogons Purple-crested Turaco, Collared, organisations. BELOW: Female Black Cuckooshrike, Amethyst, Grey, Olive and White-bellied Howick, July 2017 Sunbirds, Cape Batis, Cape White-eye, Crystelle Wilson Crystelle Wilson Sombre and Yellow-bellied Greenbuls, Dark-capped Bulbul, Terrestrial KZN BIRDS Brownbul, Fork-tailed and Square-tailed KZN Birds is the newsletter of BirdLife Port Natal, BirdLife KZN Midlands, BirdLife Zululand, BirdLife Sisonke and Drongos.