South African Birding: Events Diary - 26 February 2024
- Adam Cruickshank
- Feb 26, 2024
- 1 min read
We have scoured the web to find the best birding events around South Africa. The Events Diary is a free service for Bird Clubs and conservation organizations in South Africa. If you would like to ensure that your events are listed, please send the details to info@thebirdinglife.com. Please make sure to send the events for the week by the preceding Friday to ensure their inclusion.
Please note, we do our best to ensure that information provided is correct. However, we do encourage you to get in touch with the contact person for the event to ensure details are correct.
This events diary is and will always be free, but if you find value in the work we do, we ask you to make a R10 donation to BirdLife South Africa using the link below. We are not in any way affiliated with BirdLife South Africa; however, we believe in the important work they do and encourage you to support them.
EASTERN CAPE
BirdLife Border
Monthly Meeting (also AGM)
Tuesday, 5 March, 7:30pm
Venue: Nahoon Estuary Nature Reserve Enviro Centre
Birding trip to Pafuri, Kruger NP in Nov 2023 (Christiaan de Wet)
Info: Maurice Durrheim 083 650 9723
Saturday, 9 March, 6am
Birding Outing
Venue: Sutherland Seedlings, Sunrise-On-Sea
Info: Maurice Durrheim 083 650 9723
BirdLife Eastern Cape
Saturday, 2nd March - 8am
Bird Walk
Venue: Settlers Park.
Leader:
Meet: 8am at the How Avenue Car Park. Security is arranged. Public bird walk. Please invite non-birders to join us on the day.
Cost: R20 per person for security guard
Info: Bert Ophoff 079 704 8196
Thursday, 7th March - 6am
Bird Walk
Venue: Pabala Reserve
Meet: 6am Pick and Pay 4th Ave Newton Park
Cost: R80.00 per passenger to cover petrol costs
Info: Leslie Blandy 082 388 8877
FREE STATE
BirdLife Free State
Thursday, 7th March, 7pm
BirdLife Free State AGM
Venue: Free State Archives, 29 Badenhorst Street, Universitas, Bloemfontein.
The meeting will be followed by a talk by Dr Doug Harebottle of the Sol Plaatje University, Kimberley, on tracking of Lesser Flamingos. “I believe I can fly – What have we learned from tracking rescued Lesser Flamingos” Refreshments will be served afterwards. Visitors welcome.
Info: Louise Coetzee 082 382 1341
Saturday, 9th March
Day Outing
Day outing to a farm adjacent to Tierpoort Dam, about 25 km out of town. Many very interesting sightings have recently been recorded from this farm. Visitors welcome.
Info: Marelize Badenhorst 082 412 1211
GAUTENG
BirdLife Northern Gauteng
Saturday, 2nd March, 7am
Bird ringing at Moreleta Kloof Nature Reserve
Join the ringers for a morning of extreme close-up birding without binoculars. Bring your chair, hat, refreshments, and birding books along. Please book your place directly with the ringing leader before Friday 12:00 by WhatsApp, so that the leader can notify you if the outing needs to be cancelled. Ringing sessions could be cancelled due to a sudden change in weather like rain or strong wind.
Meet: To be confirmed at RSVP
Info Hein Bantjes 083 441 1532
Saturday, 9th March, 6:30am – 12:30pm
Birding at Roodekopjes Dam always seems to be excellent! The number of birds present often amazes me. We expect a good variety of birds on the day, ranging from water birds to waders to the bushveld species that we will encounter in the patches of mixed woodland and acacia. Some of the birds we will be hoping to see are: Black-crowned Night-heron, Goliath Heron, Black-winged Pratincole, Violet-eared Waxbill and Giant Kingfisher, and hopefully some of the trickier species such as Grey Tit-Flycatcher, African Crake, Great Reed-warbler and many other “thicket” Warblers!
Remember to bring: a camping chair, some lunch, drinks and snacks, and some friends who will enjoy the day birding with us. Remember that anyone is welcome.
Directions: From Pretoria travel north on the N4 highway towards Rustenburg. Shortly after the second tollgate, take the R511 (Brits/Sandton) off-ramp and turn right (north). Pass straight through Brits town (ignoring the first ‘Roodekopjes’ turnoff) until you cross a railway line. From the rail, measure 8.5km to ‘Kameeldrift’ turnoff to the left beside some big bluegum trees, which leads to Roodekopjes Hengeloord. We will be meeting at the Bridge crossing the Crocodile River (point 1 in Birding Gauteng, p 135) which is just off the R511, about 500m from the turn-off, on the road towards the entrance of the Reserve (Roodekopjes Hengeloord).
The bridge over the Crocodile River is an excellent place to scan from!
Travelling time from the inner city is approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes.
An entrance fee of R60 per person per day is payable.
Bookings via GOOGLE form
Info: burgersza@gmail.com
Northern Region Bird Club Forum Event
Birding Basic Course, Presented by Lance Robinson
Venue: Theory 13th April.2024. Time 08h30 for 09h00 to 13h00.
Fiddlewoods Restaurant & Conference Centre, Inside Ryan Nurseries.
Corner Hawley & Kings Road, Bedfordview
Venue: Theory 13th April.2024. Time 08h30 for 09h00 to 13h00.
Fiddlewoods Restaurant & Conference Centre, Inside Ryan Nurseries.
Corner Hawley & Kings Road, Bedfordview
Venue: Practical 14th April, Time, and place to be confirmed
Cost per person: R600.00
Birding Basics Course: If you are keen on learning more about birds and the birding hobby and have always wanted to develop the correct habits of identifying a bird, or perhaps need a refresher, then this Birding Basics Course is just what you have been looking for. The Birding Basics Course will be held over two sessions (approx 90 minutes each) and a practical outing to develop your newly acquired skills will be arranged.
Course content includes: Reviewing the essential tools (binoculars, field guides, and how to navigate them); knowing the parts of a bird and an introduction to plumage patterns, bills/beaks, and the different avian foot structures.
The 7-habits methodology to develop in identifying birds and an overview of the key habitats where one can find different birds.
Bio: Lance Robinson is an enthusiastic observer of nature with a keen interest in birds, butterflies, and dragonflies. He is reading for a Masters in Science and currently works as an avifaunal field specialist and freelance bird guide. He's currently the Honorary President, a former chairman of the Witwatersrand Bird Club, and a past ExCo member of BirdLIfe South Africa. Lance is keen to share his birding passion with others and presents beginner’s bird courses and other birding-related presentations to bird clubs and at the annual BirdLife South Africa African Bird Fair. Lance is an active citizen scientist and an invited part-time lecturer for bird identification and bird ecology for Bushveld Experience Skills and Training (BEST).
Booking: Email: dennis.townsend4@gmail.com Please send proof of payment
Payment details: PLEASE USE FOLLOWING REFERENCE WHEN PAYING (NF Course & Surname)
BirdLife South Africa bank details:
Account Name: BirdLife South Africa
Bank: First National Bank, Randburg
Branch Code: 254005
Account Number: 6206 750 6281
KWAZULU NATAL
BirdLife Ethekwini KZN Events
Sunday, 3 March 6:30am
BeKZN Conservation - Bird Survey at Van Riebeck Wetland
Venue: Van Riebeck Park hosted by Steve Davis
A small wetland reserve on the Bluff which is being monitored by Steve. Join him to see the changes and improvements that come with time. Quite a bit of work has been done to tidy it up. This is an important conservation input that the club provides so please give it some support. Register for this activity by joining the specific WhatsApp group when it is created – it will have a green tick when open for booking.
Attendance at activities is FREE for paid up club members. Non-members R 50.00 p/p per outdoor activity / webinar. For information activities@bekzn.org
LIMPOPO
Download the BirdLife Polokwane Newsletter to find out more about their events https://www.birdlifepolokwane.co.za/index.php?action=Newsletters%20View&rid=120
MPUMALANGA
Wakkerstroom Bird Club
NORTH WEST
BirdLife Wesvaal Events
WESTERN CAPE
Cape Bird Club Events
Friday, 1 March, 8:30am-11:30am
Edith Stephens Nature Reserve Monthly Count
Venue: Edith Stephens Nature Reserve, Govan Mbeki Road, Philippi, Cape Town
Meet at 08h30 at the Reserve gates in Govan Mbeki Road.
Info: Gerhard Bothma 0743200813
Saturday, 2 March, 8am-11:30am
Outing – Rondevlei Nature Reserve
Rondevlei Nature Reserve, Perth Rd & Fishermens Walk, Zeekoei Vlei, Cape Town
These regular monthly outings are for all Rondevlei enthusiasts and beginners are especially welcome. Duration 2 1⁄2 hours, but you can stay as long as you like. Bring a warm anorak even if it is a hot day as it can get cold in the hides. Entrance is free. Entrance is free, but remember to bring your ID, driver’s licence, or passport in order to obtain an entry permit at the gate.
Info: Merle Chalton 079 343 1047
Sunday, 3 March, 8am-11am
Kirstenbosch BIRP Count
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Rhodes Drive, Newlands, Cape Town
Info: John Magner 0828813845
Tuesday, 2 March, 8:30am-11am
Outing – Intaka Island
Rondevlei Nature Reserve, Perth Rd & Fishermens Walk, Zeekoei Vlei, Cape Town
Meet at 08h30. We will meet near the ticket office. There is a small entry fee (and a discount for pensioners). We will spend time in the various hides and walk the winding paths to see the variety of bush birds and water birds. Optionally, depending on the weather and time, we may also include a trip on a canal boat. Bring along your tea and a snack.
Directions: From the N1 take Exit 10 onto Century City Drive which runs parallel with the N1. Follow the road, take the sharp left turn to the robot. At this robot turn right onto Century City Boulevard and stay in the left lane. Drive through 3 traffic circles. At the 4th traffic circle take the first exit left (signposted) and then the first left again into Park Lane. Park your vehicle on Locomotive Square. Collect a parking ticket from Intaka reception desk.
Info: Joel Radue / Zoë Lunau-Johns 0842164346
OTHER
