July 2015 No 45 KZN BIRDS Newsletter of the KZN Branches of BirdLife South Africa KZN BIRDS No 45 KZN BIRDS No 45 EDITORIAL CONTENTS CHAIR’S CHIRPS Sugar farms, who recently also found Knob-billed Ducks there. Rob and THIS issue of the newsletter sadly feature a 3 Chair’s Chirps S a k a m u z i r e p o r t e d M a n g r o v e number of dead birds. Some fatalities were 3 BirdLife Zululand Kingfishers at Mtunzini where they are the result of the force of nature, some were 5 BirdLife Midlands regularly seen. Early birding seems to accidental by colliding with powerlines or an 5 BirdLife Sisonke IT IS still very dry here in our part of the produce the best result for this species aircraft, while others were wanton 6 BirdLife Port Natal world. Water levels are at their lowest for with Dunn's Pool being a particular hot destruction through poisoning. Alarm bells many years. In a way it makes it easier to spot. Sakamuzi reported other good are ringing about the future of vultures in 9 Conservation and Projects 9 Beijing Swift migration spot the waders, but when a dam dries birds in the area as well. Southern Africa. The endemic Cape Vulture up completely, it is not a pleasant sight. Mangrove Kingfishers were also seen species especially appears to continue its 12 In search of Blue Swallows 13 SAFRING statistics for KZN Richard has been finding good in Richards Bay at the sand banks. slide towards extinction. The Vulture Study species as usual and in the Lake African Stonechats, Dark-capped Group of the Endangered Wildlife Trust 13 Call to review ringing standards 15 New challenge for bird listers Hlabane area he recently recorded Yellow Warblers, Fiscal Flycatchers and which is contained within the EWT’s Birds of Saddle-billed Storks, African Black Cape Canaries were also recorded. Prey Working Group, deserve full support 15 Bird Notes and observations Duck, as well as a first for the area, a Most of our summer birds have gone for their efforts to conserve and stabilise the 15 Second chance for giant petrels Bearded Scrub-Robin. Richard has but recently Alison saw two Red- population. 17 Eagle struck by airliner been birding this area for many years so breasted Swallows over the fresh water On the plus side there is good news about 18 Powerlines killing Cape Vultures this was an excellent bird to find. dam where she works. the rescue and release of two giant petrels 21 Magnificent vultures in action Lake Mzingazi and Thulashilaleka At home in Empangeni our efforts in and finding more sites where Blue Swallows 22 Storm wreaks havoc in KZN Pan are also producing wonderful bird planting wild dagga are producing are breeding. And it is encouraging to find dividends. By the end of May the plants 23 Bird Trips sightings. The water levels here too are mentors fostering an interest in birding are flowering and are visited daily by 23 Bisley Valley NR delights very low. I was fortunate enough to find amongst young people. This bodes well for an African Rail. It was the first sighting of A m e t h y s t a n d S c a r l e t - c h e s t e d 25 Youngsters learn about birding the future of ornithology. the species in the area in 10 years. I Sunbirds. New in town are numbers of Crystelle Wilson 27 Honorary Recorder’s Report immediately alerted our local network Wattled Starlings. They are usually seen and a number of birders saw it, many for in outlying areas, but now they are 33 Club Activities the first time. There was actually a pair of visiting gardens and the town itself. 39 BLSA Flock 2016 and 2017 them. We are blessed in Empangeni to see The value of modern technology is many raptors: African Fish Eagles, certainly helping communication among Palm-nut Vultures, Black Sparrowhawk birders. Our Facebook group is now well and African Goshawk. Spotted Eagle- over 1200 members and still growing. It Owls are regulars in a friend's garden “Where did he learn to do that?” is sad however that only a small where they hatched a pair of owlets this percentage of them benefit from season. I watched a pair of Palm-nut KZN BIRDS attending the monthly meetings and Vultures interacting with an African Fish KZN Birds is the newsletter of BirdLife Port Natal, BirdLife KZN Midlands, BirdLife Zululand, BirdLife Sisonke and outings. Eagle. The aerial display was quite 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 We thank Alan who recently created a exciting, until they all eventually went not necessarily those of the editor, the aforementioned clubs or BirdLife SA. All national rarities are subject to Whats App group by which news of new their own way. 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 and special sightings of birds can reach The local waste and sewerage works typed or neatly written and posted to Crystelle at 2 Lanville, 149 North Ridge Road, Durban 4001. Good quality, high members quickly. We encourage consistently produce good birds, resolution digital photographs are also welcome. members to share information. There is including about 120 Sacred Ibis, many Telephone: 031 2080577 or 082 7235158 Advertising in KZN Birds Per issue no point in seeing a special bird or any Hamerkop and Woolly-necked Storks. The deadline for the next issue Front cover logo R1000 bird for that matter and not reporting it. What was strange to note, however, was Back page colour R1500 that for a period of four months between is 1 October 2015 Full Page inside b&w R 1000 Speaking of reporting species, it was Front cover: Immature White-backed Vulture Half Page R 500 good to get notice of the arrival of the December and March 2015 there were by Hugh Chittenden Quarter Page R 250 Mangrove Kingfishers. The first record no Cattle Egrets at all at these sites. Smalls R2 per word Desktop Publishing: Crystelle Wilson came from Bruce of Umhlatuze Valley Suddenly they reappeared in April in July 2015 2 3 July 2015 KZN BIRDS No 45 KZN BIRDS No 45 EDITORIAL CONTENTS CHAIR’S CHIRPS Sugar farms, who recently also found Knob-billed Ducks there. Rob and THIS issue of the newsletter sadly feature a 3 Chair’s Chirps S a k a m u z i r e p o r t e d M a n g r o v e number of dead birds. Some fatalities were 3 BirdLife Zululand Kingfishers at Mtunzini where they are the result of the force of nature, some were 5 BirdLife Midlands regularly seen. Early birding seems to accidental by colliding with powerlines or an 5 BirdLife Sisonke IT IS still very dry here in our part of the produce the best result for this species aircraft, while others were wanton 6 BirdLife Port Natal world. Water levels are at their lowest for with Dunn's Pool being a particular hot destruction through poisoning. Alarm bells many years. In a way it makes it easier to spot. Sakamuzi reported other good are ringing about the future of vultures in 9 Conservation and Projects 9 Beijing Swift migration spot the waders, but when a dam dries birds in the area as well. Southern Africa. The endemic Cape Vulture up completely, it is not a pleasant sight. Mangrove Kingfishers were also seen species especially appears to continue its 12 In search of Blue Swallows 13 SAFRING statistics for KZN Richard has been finding good in Richards Bay at the sand banks. slide towards extinction. The Vulture Study species as usual and in the Lake African Stonechats, Dark-capped Group of the Endangered Wildlife Trust 13 Call to review ringing standards 15 New challenge for bird listers Hlabane area he recently recorded Yellow Warblers, Fiscal Flycatchers and which is contained within the EWT’s Birds of Saddle-billed Storks, African Black Cape Canaries were also recorded. Prey Working Group, deserve full support 15 Bird Notes and observations Duck, as well as a first for the area, a Most of our summer birds have gone for their efforts to conserve and stabilise the 15 Second chance for giant petrels Bearded Scrub-Robin. Richard has but recently Alison saw two Red- population. 17 Eagle struck by airliner been birding this area for many years so breasted Swallows over the fresh water On the plus side there is good news about 18 Powerlines killing Cape Vultures this was an excellent bird to find. dam where she works. the rescue and release of two giant petrels 21 Magnificent vultures in action Lake Mzingazi and Thulashilaleka At home in Empangeni our efforts in and finding more sites where Blue Swallows 22 Storm wreaks havoc in KZN Pan are also producing wonderful bird planting wild dagga are producing are breeding. And it is encouraging to find dividends. By the end of May the plants 23 Bird Trips sightings. The water levels here too are mentors fostering an interest in birding are flowering and are visited daily by 23 Bisley Valley NR delights very low.