Last night, Wednesday the 13th of January 2010, was our AGM. A new committee has been elected and we will be meeting shortly to arrange the pecking order. A very interesting talk was given by Anthony van Zyl on Kestrels, that he clearly has a huge passion for. He has also invited us to come along to the International Kestrel Counting Day on the 23rd of January in Wellington. Evidently there is a huge kestrel roost there which he monitors on a regular basis.
The activities for the club for the next 3 months are as follows:
JANUARY:
Sunday 17th Jan - We will be joining the Cape Bird Club in their outing to the Paarl Bird Sanctuary. Meet at FTL at 08h00.
Saturday 23rd Jan - A full day of birding with an early morning start to do a bird list at Lyndoch Eco-Village followed by a visit to Spiers Eagle Encounters programme (cost R50.00).
That afternoon we will be making our way to Wellington to assist Anthony van Zyl in his kestrel count at the roost as the birds come in at sundown.
You are welcome to do all or only a part of the days activities so please join us.
Saturday 30th Jan - The annual summer CAR (Co-ordinated Avifaunal Roadcount) count is held country wide on this day. Specific routes are laid out for volunteers to travel and count big birds on farms and open land. All data is submitted to the ADU for analysis and year on year, it has been a great success. This is not an official club activity but you are welcome to join in.
FEBRUARY:
Saturday 6th Feb - The annual summer CWAC count takes place at Botrivier & Kleinmond Estuary and at many other wetlands country wide. We will be joining other groups at this count and will be leaving Franschhoek at 05h00. Any early-birds who would like to join us, please let me know asap.
Wednesday 10th Feb - Monthly meeting at FTL at 7.00pm. Guest speaker will be Mike Graham who will give us a presentation on his birding trips to Namibia, the Kalahari and Botswana. Remember to bring along your Franschhoek bird list for January.
Saturday 20th Feb - Overnight camp at Verlorenvlei. The club has been wanting to visit this fantastic birding area for a while. We need to book accommodation so please book asap. There are tent sites as well as chalet/bungalows. More info on request.
MARCH:
Wednesday 10th Mar - Monthly meeting at FTL at 7.00pm. Guest speaker will be Peter Nuppen from SAFRing who will give us all the details on bird ringing. Promises to be a great night followed by-
Thursday 11th Mar - Peter Nuppen will be doing a bird ringing demonstration in the grounds of FTL from 5.00am till 9.00am. He will have his nets up and show us how he catches the birds, holds them and collects data and then rings them. Please come along and see how this is done and get the chance to hold a real live bird in your hands for close observation. It is truely amazing and thoroughly enjoyable. See you there!
Friday 19th - Mon 22nd Mar - Our mother organisation, BirdLife SA, is holding their annual AGM at Wakkerstroom in Mpumalanga. It is a long weekend and a long trip up but promises to be very well worth attending. Wakkerstroom is a special project of BirdLife SA's and is under threat from mining. It is an excellent birding location and is a Ramsar site. Birds you will never see here are in abundance and many activities are being planned for the weekend. If anyone would like to join me on the trip to Wakkers (as it is affectionately known), please let me know asap as accommodation has to be booked.
Sat or Sun 27/28 Mar - We will be visiting Paarl Rock Botanical Garden this weekend and Meidad from BirdLife SA's Cape Town office will be joining us (if his schedule allows). More info closer to the time.
For more information, please email franschhoekbirdclub@gmail.com
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