PO BOX 2113 CLAREINCH 7740 Website : www.capebirdclub.org.za TEL: 021 559 0726 E-mail : [email protected] THE CAPE BIRD CLUB IS THE WESTERN CAPE BRANCH OF BIRDLIFE SOUTH AFRICA Members requiring information should NOTICE TO note the following telephone numbers : CONTRIBUTORS Hon. President Peter Steyn 021 674 3332 Promerops, the magazine of the Cape Bird Club, is published four times a COMMITTEE MEMBERS: year. It is meant to be by all the Chairman Vernon Head 076 569 1389 members, for all the members. So it Vice-Chairman, Club is YOUR magazine to use. Many Meetings Heather Howell 021 788 1574 members submitted interesting items 021 686 8437 Treasurer Julian Hare for this issue ofPromerops and the Deputy Treasurer Mary Debrick 021 531 4783 editors convey their sincere thanks to Hon. Secretary Helen Fenwick 082 705 1536 all concerned. Conservation Dave Whitelaw 021 671 3714 Fundraising, Functions Anne Gray 021 713 1231 Contributions are invited from Courses Priscilla Beeton 021 789 0382 members in English or Afrikaans on Outings Mike Saunders 082 882 8688 birdwatching, bird sightings, bird E-newsletter Mervyn Wetmore 021 788 1259 observations, news, views, projects, International trips Johan Schlebusch 021 685 7418 etc., particularly in the southwestern Cape. The abbreviations to use are: OTHER OFFICE BEARERS: Information Sylvia Ledgard 021 559 0726 Roberts’ Birds of Southern Africa (2005) -Roberts’7 Membership Secretary Joan Ackroyd 021 530 4435 Promerops Otto Schmidt 021 674 2381 Atlas of the Birds of the Promerops, CBC smalls Jo Hobbs 021 981 1275 Southwestern Cape (Hockey et al. Camps Charles Saunders 082 578 5236 1989) - SW Cape Bird Atlas. Scientific, Rarities Callan Cohen 083 256 0491 English names should be those used in SABAP coordinator Peter Nupen 083 407 4362 Roberts’ 7, Afrikaans names as in CBC webmaster Gavin Lawson 021 705 5224 Roberts’ 6. Receipt of contributions Book sales Gavin & Anne Greig 021 794 7791 will generally not be acknowledged Slide library John Fincham 021 919 4069 and they may or may not be used at the CBC Shop Des & Mary Frylinck 021 761 7244 sole discretion of the editors. Promerops contributions may be sent by e-mail to EDITING & PRODUCTION : [email protected] or [email protected] Otto Schmidtl Jo Hobbs or fax to (021) 981-1275 or by post to PO Box 8, Brackenfell, 7561 Deadline forMarch issue - 15 January 2014 FRONT COVER: During our recent wet winter, Greater Flamingos became a regular sight at many temporary wetlands in the greater Cape Townarea. Photo: Otto Schmidt December 2013 2 PROMEROPS 296 he conservation focus in this issue is on the Philippi Horticultural Area (PHA) and Dave TWhitelaw has written an insightful article on the many problems such as crime, illegal dumping, water pollution and others which are affecting this important vegetable- producing area near the False Bay coast-line. Birders have of course become familiar with a part of the PHA now commonly referred to as the Philippi Wetlands. To assist the local farmers' groups in their efforts at preserving and conserving what remains as both industrial and other developments erode it ever further, the Conservation Committee in conjunction E with the ADU has started monthly waterbird counts during the winter season when flooded farmlands make the “wetlands” a birding paradise. Regional rarities regularly make their D appearance here, and the most recent is an African Jacana which has attracted a number of birders - see Margaret Maciver's photograph on page 11. On the day of the October club outing, a howling I south-easter kept the jacana out of sight, but we did see the first returning Whiskered Terns, an erratic breeder in the Western Cape. With luck the high water levels following the wet winter will T provide the right conditions for this attractive bird to breed here this season. O Many of you will have enjoyed the annual Save our Seabirds Festival in early October. Entertaining lectures and a display of the best images entered in the photographic competition at a R great venue - the Whale Well at the Iziko Museum - made this year's event a most successful one. The photographic competition is attracting top international entries, and it is heartening that the I three winners this year all hailed from Cape Town. As 2013 draws rapidly to a close, and the familiar south-easter replaces our winter rains, many A of you may be heading north to the summer rainfall birding areas. By the time this magazine reaches you, a group of club members will be returning from their Ghanaian birding adventure, no doubt L with many stories to tell. Please keep us in mind with regard to your birding experiences, be it locally or farther afield. And, wherever you happen to be over this year's Festive Season, your editors wish you a VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS, and a HAPPY NEW YEAR. Otto Schmidt CAPE BIRD CLUB AGM JAN HOFMEYR Jan Hofmeyr, former club chairman, Honorary Life Member and stalwart of the THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE club, passed away after a long battle with CAPE BIRD CLUB will take place at 20h00 cancer on 23 October. Our thoughts are on THURSDAY 6 MARCH 2014 at the with his family at this sad time. A full tribute Nassau Centre, Groote Schuur High will be published in our next issue. School, Palmyra Road, Newlands. Please note that this date has been brought forward by one week to avoid clashing with IN THIS ISSUE BirdLife SA's “Flock in the 'Berg” the Club news ........................................... 5-7 following week. Secretarybird research ....................... 8 Conservation news and report on We do hope some new committee members the Philippi wetlands ...................... 9-11 will come on board in 2014. We are not looking Black Harriers, majestic for expert birders. All we need are enthusiastic and mysterious ............................... 12-13 people with new ideas and good organisational Members' observations ...................... 14-19 ability. If you would like to get more involved Sightings ............................................. 20 with the running of the club, please let us know. Contact numbers are all listed opposite. See Club activities, bird counts ................. 21-24 page 4 for Agenda and nomination form. Programme ........................................ 25-29 3 December 2013 PROMEROPS 296 CAPE BIRD CLUB AGM NOMINATION FORM I am a member of the Cape Bird Club and am prepared to stand for election to the AGM AGENDA Committee of the Club for the year 2013/14. 1. Apologies. NAME OF NOMINEE 2. Confirmation of the Minutes of the (Block letters) .................................................. previous AGM held in March 2013. (Signed) .......................................................... 3. Matters arising from the Minutes. NAME OF PROPOSER 4. Chairman's Report for the period March 2013 to February 2014. (Block letters) .................................................. 5. Financial Report for the year ended (Signed) .......................................................... 31 December 2013. NAME OF SECONDER 6. Election of Committee Members for 2014/2015. (Block letters) .................................................. 7. Appointment of Auditor. (Signed) .......................................................... 8. General/Any other business. COME JOIN US In terms of the CBC constitution, nominations for office bearers (Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Hon. Treasurer and Hon. Secretary) and six FOR A YEAR END Committee Members must reach the Hon. CELEBRATION Secretary not later than 28 February 2014. They EVENING must be signed by the Proposer and Seconder, and countersigned by the Nominee. Please utilise a copy of the form above to send in nominations. Date: Thursday 5 December 2013 Please note that, in order to shorten the Time: 18h30 for 19h00 meeting, an abridged version of the Chairman's Place: Nassau Centre, Report and Conservation Committee Report may Groote Schuur High School be read at the meeting. The report will, however, Palmyra Road, Newlands be printed in full in the June issue of Promerops Come and join us for a glass of sherry on arrival, and can also be read on our website followed by a show of members' slides and www.capebirdclub.org.za video clips and a quiz. After the activities, enjoy After the business of the meeting there will a glass of wine or fruit juice and pizzas. be a short presentation by Dave Whitelaw on Cost: R55 per person, payable at the door. “Twenty five years of conservation and what we RSVP: Joan Ackroyd at Tel/Fax 021 530 4435 have learnt”. This talk will highlight the highs and or [email protected] lows of the Cape Bird Club Conservation Committee's efforts over the 25 years that it has been in existence. This is an on-going endeavour PLEASE REMEMBER TO QUOTE YOUR to inform members of the “Watch-dog” aspects of MEMBERSHIP NUMBER WHEN PAYING our club as it seeks to preserve and protect the YOUR SUBSCRIPTION BY EFT OR DIRECT avifauna of the Western Cape. DEPOSIT December 2013 4 PROMEROPS 296 CLUB NEWS SUMMER CWAC AND CAR COUNTS This is a reminder that the summer CWAC counts take place from mid-January to mid-February NEW MEMBERS every year. For the information of our newer Please join us in welcoming the following new members, CWAC stands for Coordinated members to the Club: Waterbird Counts. These twice-yearly counts Willem Oosterbaan, Pinelands have been organised for more than 20 years and Hazel & Richard Carolin, Constantia are still on-going at the major wetlands throughout the country. The data collected is Alison & Miles Pietersen, TableView processed by the Animal Demography Unit at Tim & Mayilyn Noakes, Constantia UCT and is proving immensely valuable for Lou & Ronel Pistorius, Panorama research and conservation purposes. The dates Allison Ballard, Rondebosch and locations of the counts in our area are given in Tercia& Yan Bathfield our January and February Programme on pages Barbara Stephenson, Tokai 26/27. Please assist with these counts if you Lydia McIntosh, Pinelands possibly can.