8
CAPE BIR D CLUB NEWS SHEET Editort M rs M. K. Rowan . , August, 1952. Tierbos, Hout BaY•: · On Thursday 31 Jul ·y the Cape Times r ep ort ed a prosecution under th e nelr' W ild Lif e Protection Aot. For those of you who did not notice this nfR.ls item, it sta.tedt " Fo r shooting an African coQ_t o. t Lakeside on July 14, Go rdon Kolver , 42, European, of Moin Rondt Retreat, was fined £50 (or three in th e en berg Nagistrate' s Court yesterday$ Kol ver said he in- shooting finches, but saw th e coot and succumbed to tempttltion, riot it was protected"• It seans r egrettabl e that , in the Cape division, "finch es" (presumably all buntings and seed- eaters) along with starlings I!lousebir ds and Cape Sparrows, should enjoy no protection. They o.re r el ativ ely little birds in · our area, and they surely merit mo re discriminating tr eatmen t. There is also the point, of cours e, th at not oony of the men and boys who toke guns out after birds can distinguish between a finch and a weuver, for ins• t unoe. At Lolceside, a "spo rtsman" m ight be just as li kely · l;o shoot any one of half-a.-dozen protected species, as to bring down a"finch e" . Although the l!r.v never accepts a plea. of ignorance, the fac t that it was made in thi s instance suggests th at here is wo rk for the Gape Bi rd Club, its fellow-branches and th e parent society. Can we do mo re to publici ze th e fact th at birds are proteoted1 Aft er all , our prime obj ec·t is to see the · dwindling avife.una. of our oountty pres erv ed . We would surely prefer to try · to forestall wan ton shooting al togeth er, rath er tho.n to purr1 o. culprit after .th e .birds have been destroyed . In t he Co.pe division ·(;h ore is no "open season'',. and no birds mo.y be shot, except those listed o.bover and those classed as "vermin"" It is sad to note th at several of our in:!r c asing1y rar e eagles ere "vermin" in terms of the act, Apparently thei r involuo.ble .. : services in th e wnr against harmful rod ents count for liitle set against th S: fo.ct tho.t some spe cie s take an . occo.siono.l l OJilb or ki d, NOTES AND RECORDS: · In a fine crop of not es o.nd news this month , there wer e f nrthar details concerning th e distribution of the Nomo.g u o. Dov.sl, suppliod by Ur J(} Feel y. He writes th at during Jo.nuo.ry 1949 he SrJJl "fo.ir numbers!' on t ho ::?l o.ts beyond Swo.rtklip. I n one volley he estimated th at th er e were us many o. s fifty indi- viduals. This species occurs o.lso at Alld erman 1 s Farm 7 o.nd li r Fee ly ho.s seen it at De Hoop Vlei , neo.r B redasdorp • •

h~-mless ins• is€¦ · It seans r egrettable that, in the Cape division, "finches" (presumably all buntings and seed-eaters) along with starlings I!lousebir ds and Cape Sparrows,

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Page 1: h~-mless ins• is€¦ · It seans r egrettable that, in the Cape division, "finches" (presumably all buntings and seed-eaters) along with starlings I!lousebir ds and Cape Sparrows,

No. ·:· s.~

CAPE BIR D CLUB

NEWS SHEET

Editort Mrs M. K. Rowan •

. ,

August, 1952.

Tierbos, Hout BaY•:

· On Thursday 31 Jul·y the Cape Times r eport ed a prosecution under th e nelr' Wild Life Protection Aot. For those of you who did not notice this nfR.ls item, it sta.tedt "For shooting an African coQ_t o.t Lakeside on July 14, Gordon Kolver , 42, European, of Moin Rondt Retreat, was fined £50 (or three mo~ths) in the ~fuiz en berg Nagistrate' s Court yesterday$ Kol ver said he in­t·ende~ shooting finches, but saw the coot and succumbed to tempttltion, riot k~owing it was protected"•

It seans r egrettabl e that , in the Cape division, "finches" (presumably all buntings and seed- eaters) along with starlings I!lousebir ds and Cape Sparrows, should enjoy no protection. They o.re r el atively h~-mless little birds in· our area, and they surely merit more discriminating treatment. There is also the point, of course, that not oony of the men and boys who toke guns out after birds can distinguish between a finch and a weuver, for ins• t unoe. At Lolceside, a "sportsman" might be just as likely ·l;o shoot any one of half-a.-dozen protected species, as to bring down a"finche"

. Although the l!r.v never accepts a plea. of ignorance, the fact that it was made in this instance suggests that here is work for the Gape Bird Club, its fellow-branches and the parent society. Can we do mor e to publiciz e the fact that birds are proteoted1 After all , our prime obj ec·t is to see the · dwindling avife.una. of our oountty preserved. We would surely prefer to try· to forestall wanton shooting altogeth er, rath er tho.n to purr1 s~ o. culprit after .the .birds have been destroyed. In t he Co.pe division ·(;hore is no "open season'',. and no birds mo.y be shot, except those listed o.bover and those classed as "vermin"" It is sad to note that several of our in:!rcasing1y rare eagles ere "vermin" in terms of the act, Apparently their involuo.ble .. : services in the wnr against harmful rodents count for liitle whe~ set against thS: fo.ct tho.t some species take an. occo.siono.l l OJilb or ki d,

NOTES AND RECORDS: ·'·

In a fine crop of not es o.nd news this month , there wer e f nrthar detail s concerning the distribution of the Nomo.gu o. Dov.sl, suppliod by Ur J(} Feely. He writes that during Jo.nuo.ry 1949 he SrJJl "fo.ir numbers!' on t h o ::?lo.ts beyond Swo.rtklip. I n one volley he estimated that th er e were us many o.s fifty indi­viduals. This species occurs o.lso at Allderman1 s Farm7 o.nd lir Feely ho.s seen it at De Hoop Vlei , neo.r Bredasdorp •

• • • • • • • •

Page 2: h~-mless ins• is€¦ · It seans r egrettable that, in the Cape division, "finches" (presumably all buntings and seed-eaters) along with starlings I!lousebir ds and Cape Sparrows,

•• • •••••

Another dove in the nEW1s is the Red- eyed Dove, which w·Js soan and heard· by Dr. Wint erbottoc on 29 June in the trees beside the str eom be-t\. een tiain Roa.d'and ·railway l i ne at Rondebosch. This bird was rocordod l~st s~er a.t Tokoi-;· and Hout Ba.y ( N~vs Sh eet 3 p. 3) and a.t Pa.nrl, whoro it wao found · . •· nesting (NewJs Sheet 4, p. 2). About 20 years ago the Red-eyod Dove was oore or less unknown vrest of &vellendom, but, in coi:lr.lon with sove:r~ 0ther species

17 it a,ppeors to have extended its rtlllge westv1nrd and southwnrcl, and right into the Beninsula. It is interesting to note tha.t ~.:essrs. lfo.ci.eod end llurra.y (Ostrich 23:16) first r ecorded it n.t Sonerset Vlest in 1937, v.rhil o a. first record for Hout Bay (from a non-cember) is dated 1950o Further r ecords are necessary to trace tne spread of' this species 1 and its present distribution and abundance in our area_. I suspect that this bird is sometimes confused with its close relative, the Cape Turtle Dove because thoy nre ,-i.milar in appearance, although the Red-eyed is sligh:hy larger, pinko:- a.bout the ohesth tUld shows no f'l~ah of white in the fully-spread tO:.l., Perha,ps the most disti _ctive thing about it is its coll, which Dr Gill renders "coo-.9.22, · cukook-cukook "• ..... , ..

Dr Winterbottom has also contributed a. note o.bout the G-roa.ter Honeyguide. To the .list of host species, appouring 'in News Sheet 7 should be added the South African Hoo..£2_e. This wa.s reported some time ago in the Ostrich, a.nd Dr Winterbottom ha.s himself caught a Greater Honeyguide "in the act" in Northern Rhodesia.. He Wrltesa "I found the nest - in a. hole in tno ground -walked t:Jllo.y, sr:tN tho Honeyguide fly to the nest, r eturned a.·t once, flushed

Page 3: h~-mless ins• is€¦ · It seans r egrettable that, in the Cape division, "finches" (presumably all buntings and seed-eaters) along with starlings I!lousebir ds and Cape Sparrows,

2

the birci~ cr..d t'c~ tld iti hn.d ~ready 1ciC.11, A rann.:ka.b}e exp~:..rlonce!

eooC'o••~

t"fhile propc.-:-~ r.g this :~ew3 Sheet, .r huve r opEJa.tedl:· pn.used to look out of 0¥ stn.-:!' '.7~.ndow. c,'ld '.1c:t.c:1 a. poi~ of' rn~nificen"t Bla<:~ .iY."r::-euux' s) Eagles c!.rclir.g 3'oovo ·cne bq.., E-.ren a.t so::1e d~stc;1ce 11hO"Wli..:.. .-u '"'1 11 o:il=tna ba.ckis p:oi!'"..:y via::.·Dlo (-tL.-~l.Ob;. binocnlars) c.s -tney tilt o.r.J soc_r,in the powerful edtiies c..'ld X.r G~;rr~ats crer!:ted by a. ~or•;hnwo::rt galeo ~ost r ender s will rer-a."..l ·(;hnt ivn of ;,hes3 birJs7 :':.ocked in .cornba.t,. were fished out of -the sen .c.t liout Bo.y nec.:rly t'.7o years ogvo Since r:JY reiur-n frcm Tristan, I hc.ve of-= ... er. o'vservd c.n c.,pparerrt::.s c:1ted pair i:::: this neig.'-lbourhood. Where is their eyrie~ I wonder?

c c-• o t: eo <S

In Nev:s ~~oct 7 I ··rro't·O t :n.J ... the Little EgrE-t o.ppeo.rs to be the only one oi' our ez:- c-'; ~ 'l.~~ h el.O•'.J w:: i..;h f?~dJ in "'9C. ' ".'"tC';" 11 o This ~·as 0. rcajor blunder, l:t~tJ ho,p!Jity. h e.:::· r..:t . ·;:) ~·.:m ~~lo--re:' to p .lSS U"lCCl"(oo-..od~ Readers• contri btr.;.::ors .:1h~. ··.'!-!~t ·a.t ~. enst thr-ee othE..r spedeEJ s'-la.l e ·Dl}.i s habit , though p::-o ::>o.uly \iO o. leJce:;."' e;,c.en!.o '

Prof'o-:; scr v:a1J-:c>r v::c:!:~ "3 -'._;) ::;o.v i:!l:J:i; on sevt::rc].. OCl c.s~ orw he ho.s seen a 11Blt!C; He:-cr: '' ,(pre "'ur..,"' :7 t'HJ :;q:.:::~,~e).e- 11 c;·· ':.r~r HEI. ,·m) i'e c..!ir.g "in quiet sea. pcolr. i;.1 f:-o;, ~; ci: Ot<'" cc.-ct. ". ~0 o.:t C..I:!'Nl<:>C PJ.·.ro.: .. 10:: onl.~· comes to the sho:e a."' lO"·, rp;:i":(; ·H,.J o ··•!. ~m ~i: • .:o !.s :"tr:o v~· no 'Nh~;!" .; · · · . . .

r::- L~v c::~ :.ct~<:::-· o ~o:·da -:.hr.::: c. T.i::~:e_.i:£J:.">'~ is frtx]uo;::tJ.y sco~ f eeding a.t lo•.·, w~tc.r c;:!C:;..-;:-r;: :h& :'Qc l' -:; :.t Ct J :.:tea ( D:::.leb:·aok) ~ \'lLi.'( e ct "'ii tsands both t:'!e l.i-:: .L ~ c E.::;rei. o.::C. "t:. e G-'"'G< Heron cm:::a ~o ro.:~ ~c::lG o.t :.o;; tido. At Ln.r:geb"'nt! 1. <) hn:. ..::b::"(":u;-::! L.;_!: ... le !!:::;;•.-.-:3 :'oed.:.ng ~":!'l cwt.:.:.'Jo.:-.:{:7 exposed by ihe rcr: odi:.~< .. .:<.: "' . ur. ' r_.., c:1~e : -:!~c:-d"d 'l 2_:.,il!.:~-": e.:.-a:!· lt9•'o.::l · c·n the rockso ::: Li\"r.'l·::;~.dge . .:v!!'t:.:"!~c :::: · S.:;:J. '.'lr..._',e-::? -::f ~OU!'S"~ :: ·;:;1 • .. t !,l.(\::; lngoons_, and t h esa ".!lv 0.:1 n !':a•re ·~ "'l.o:.~· qu~·t 'J. o: h ::""QY~~, Li·~tl e c..;1cl . Y~3·~ n ·. - Ci~2. ed Egrets,. 'i:'he L.:Tt :'..c Eg1·"''t;; ·• !. U. .• -'':..:"'"' B~··! f :n flc'}k~ c~ ::I .:_:;• !~ b1rds. Which ··h S" ;, . .. o..,·• n ~" " 1 ~ • .••. 1.-.., r~--']"~"' ,.., · . . "· - · j.,.,.. ._ · -~· i "' 0. "' ~ •\ ... ,_ v - .-•• Cv 1.. l,,-, ~·-· · • ' - ~ J.l':- S C~03., t. c.'l",. .~ CO•.u.uS On of fl uppir.g :'ish, ::.:,!'.:. c';.t.-"'ti,...?,~ ·£:o;::.'J!r.~, .t'la:r:."~i:-•g ~..,..r.-:.:;;~ -r~ 1 ·~+ dc:'tly spear the mulle~··.., · ·

' . : .... · ~: Fo:l:r. o c 0.1 S l' "' ::~ t .~h . d :, -l_-:;1 .; E~re'L a \~·::di ,...g 1 t - cH -:.1 ....nd says

that thl.3 c •. g,.'t. J.~ :-;~·!: :l lJ..JOn·~··•• '•:·~::-, r~t -r.!:e o•,:;}, G 1. -~l-. £ ':"Li..O !U\·cr and at the ~:n:: r: u ., He hn.::; pr-;s:- :---; -)!'1 .:bl: tv :::'3o ·-.·a..;,. ·thRJ' · '(..,.. J v!ltir~1 but noticed i.na.t t l-.e:r \'uj o~c. :~::.r:~r f f~. ::--t t-~c- ~tP!": . •·

It ~- ' L··trr.,rri ;.. •' ...,·- ~-- ·., .. "~·r .,...~",..,~.~ ... d J,..,,...t.{Il~" of' "r.~ F is ,.,.,.~herons ..... ~ ... -- • . t - ,t ~ . l.c. -·· \' \.: .&. J ,. _ ., - ,_....., ....... ) • ..... c .• o .:,. .. ., 'l-+ .. u

feed~ng on short,<3 ';Xr'Q~~d ':t; .; \: £, ~ 01 :; ~~- ..._, .he 'tirlc h'1S -l'f, t. ll 1'"'( 1 • ~:l.i weather condl.tions cnJ-::1 n,."lQ ~n·t:. :::lrrced'l . . . .

0 (,.; .._, .... . ... . V:'r..;lo C"l l·he s.t'l.:>j r c·;; .._:. 1_::_Q J..':' -< ~: du <:> ( eg.r n: s o.,r.d h o: c -:s) ij.: ':lQ,V be ,

Worth ""e"'·J· -n · ,..r :.'- ··· · 1'' 1""- - o-~ "' '\,. .. ·',~---·e :rec€'"'+1·· :.:ear. rrbJ.i Sh"'d (Ibl.S ~ ,~,.., --.~~ .... t.) ... l ~. .. .. ~ ----- .... - ~ ~ ....... ~·-4.• ..... ..~ .... -

94, parts 2 a,'1d 3) c>;>r.c -~ ·-~12; :;c1 0t.r ~.. .. ... _-~A!" -:!l i..L9 'bi.U Q tl-:!4 ~ ugs :~uring the bree:1ing sea.so;n, A-; -~?.i: .; .;; t·..:::<;Nl~ .:.~_::;.i-'u:t' _J ·"'"i~tl br·~~.h-t .:-ed .o::- bright or nnge soft l ..;:--.;s &l'e Ov..- v.S:..'-.' !".t:;.l:· ·E-f'«::o ::[.:: nnyo-r> :::_!- t'h C v";''J e-tcr noticed this phenon~r.c"l?

Page 4: h~-mless ins• is€¦ · It seans r egrettable that, in the Cape division, "finches" (presumably all buntings and seed-eaters) along with starlings I!lousebir ds and Cape Sparrows,

! •. ,""\:·. :\ · .•

Miss ~liO},Ler C;C!(::.db'i.rUE>C: :., ~ '&~ite ' 'ab()at n'e5t 1.ng .Eokrlnkte~;ie~o: SJ1e ~v~Q.s ; shown .. a nest' wh::!.ch ~n:d huH\;. ·~n· ·~· G~}:ctm~ noct;,;:;s e.i Ve~lorr~ ;'<~;rhll e vi.s:i,t'ing 'there. in Mayo. 11I~ ··"7n.s ,~~qi.; o."1c} -~:lT~"'~:h< .... ~a~- ~,. ,i.he sl~nJ.e..::· · t.c:h.gs_ vio~e :~:ri:i,forn._ beo.ut1 fully ·l~D.C~G, ~Gogf?,.C'l:'"i tO-r:· .an"', .::::x~eq- ·\nt!1 ~;ns.s, .Lt -~'·Gfs tA :1c:::.cu1ne~ .. when I snw it bt;:t-~.:>y f'·d •~d t(~ld~r~ thi.t:f' ~t~r}1 8'i'.i!'l. the sunr:i'6:c 1 :~il.'i'en s.l-:lE? first found 1t,, ·i'::: <Ymi,.,.;nsa.'-l::wo t:~ i...~e . ~t~s, :f1Bcl<;od wi·i;h bJ:·own;~ ,.::.,:cir.S:rf'~Dl'l e :foun,d . . . . . . '. . ·, ,.,... . . . . ' " . . . ., .. \. . bo~h . eggs sr.::nsh <:d C' Y! · · t't, -~l )i!':u.nd ,'., l~: :rt i-j~his di. -:1. no-t (}<it~·~:-'·~ tl-i.,o l;:)~r::~s·, w~o soon l n'\d "-"0 ,.,,_.,...,_ ~-- c· };on+• ."-l'P d ~.,-,, .. '1.'~., '1-'c . • v"'-'l'~ •- "' "-'t""'~~ . ..,., ,.·~'1'-' t' • "'"'~"'/ nd

U""" ·~\J;I, . • ::..·.V- ~ <..;..L .... :J,_._v-... ;, .~. ~·-v·-'~·JPi':':d. 0 :-· ·"'-' ""' ,f~..,--- f;:.i;":) li..lv-.;:1~~~~-. u.,.; .. .'\•"t:..;. '? u~~~- 'I Jl ... · . . neither ·cl'1 3:f no:r· t.-;'1-t· _rorcm.r: ::.ccJ~~ .a;:>y ,m>ti~ . .-9:-cf. 'f'Jy. ' fr.;:;.:~Yl 'l .·~rhp: ~von:t: .ea3h · .day to in.vas·tt.gu."!:;n, n.:..-:.;: \',·~o· fovY~·::t grf;u'':; p~~:eo.'su:re ::..h W't..:t chi:ri,::~ ;t.l:.G . fl,ddglings ·g· row'' One wo~d· """"r. •• ·,-. c:+l1e"' t•f·' .• t""'1 ~ :,,.; ~, ·" -l d l w' ,. p~· ,;,,;. · , -~,d·

· • " '-"- • , .. , j J . w.-ss --"-··--l.v ... o .... r .... t:ln cc! '" an; ..... o , .. se I eco" s, because the :i.nct....~c.·"..) . ..;;-.,_ al'.d fledging p cr.i.cd.s. 9f thio blr-u. a.r.'G q:dte unknown. ... , .... ·, "

: . t., ..

Page 5: h~-mless ins• is€¦ · It seans r egrettable that, in the Cape division, "finches" (presumably all buntings and seed-eaters) along with starlings I!lousebir ds and Cape Sparrows,

3

· FUrther nesting notes from Miss Moller concern th~ Cape ~row~ "Near my home at Sea Point is a large evergreen tree, groWlrtg in a garden, with one branch which overhangs a l:us stop. Instead of choosing the branches

·· ehading the garden1 -~ pair of Mossies built t~eir home ~t the very edg~ of the branch above tne bus stop. In spite of no~sy · buses, and a constant stream of passengers, immediately below· them, the Mossies seem quite hap­py and comfortable • .Another pair went one better, and built their nest o.t the top of an electric pole near Ocean VifRI Drive, ignoring the shelter and privao.y they might have obtained amongst wayside bushes o.nd trees 11

•••••••• : · . ...

. on 10 July Mr Liversidge wrotea ·''Dr :Barnard once o.sked me where the Cl?.affinch goes in ~inter . I wonder whether niOOJbers no.ve o:ny of'f-seo.son records, for I notice tho.t these birds are, o~rtainl.y not in their usual

· breeding haunts · during the ·cold month·s''• · · · · ·

Ten do.ys later there co;:1e o. letter froi!l Miss E. M. Do.rling, who oleo had soi!lething to say about Cho.f'f'inches. During Dec€1llber 1950 she found two pairs in De Wa.al park, o.nd kept thEI!l under observation. · They rECoined u,n..

· tll February or early March , 1951, and were not sean or heard ago.in until October. From then onwurds, both pairs remained in r esidence untj,l April of this year, when Hiss Do.rling "lost" her birds again. Howeverl she ho.s n single win"ter record, when one bird - n I!lole - wns seen OJ:l 10 July • .

.. . Finally, Mr Liversidge followed up his first not~ with the nGWs that

since 13 July "Chaffinches huve appeared again - in full song - both at Rondebosch and at Sea Point"• ~,_ · .. , . . . . . .

Can re~der~ throw nny light on this interestipg pr~blEI!l? The Choffineh ~f' course, is not an indigenous bird but was introduoed o.bou~ 1900, and, so

. ~ ~ar ns is know~ ho.s rootained confined t .o the Co,pe Peninsula. In _Ellrope the 'Qi-rds tend to :nook during winter, but ·sur.ely o. fiock of Cho.ftinehes in the amoll. dense~y I>OP~lnted o.ren. here involved could not ·esca.pe ·_riotice •••• ·

Another point ·whioh I!light be worthy of attention is the song of the Chaffinch in this ·alien envirorl!'!lent . It hns long b~en r-ecognized tha.t the song of this species (and of I!lfl.IlV o-thers) vo.ries geographically. Recently some serious studies of the exa.ot nature of this vo.rio.tion have been made. Renders who are interested are referred to papers by Mo.rler nnd Boa.tmon (Ibis 93a94) ond by Mo.rler (Ibis 94a458) •

••••••••

Dr Scott, Mrs Carlisle and Mr Liversidge enjoyed en experience unusual in the Cope on 25 July When they obtained nn excellent vi.ew of o.K_ink•bo.Gked Pelle~ at Riet Vlei. This species is much eor.n:J.oner further north, Oiit our tfoS't o. ndont bird i .e the White Pelican, tomerly Peleeonus r'O§eus, now known ns P. onocrota1ua. Mr Livers14ge describes the distinguishing field ~ara.e~ers of' the Pink-bo.clted Pelicon o.s f'oll·owss "Slightly 'smaller and Sh~rter in the legs than the White P.elioon, ·and the genernl. colour is grey tinged with yellow r ruther than the sandy pink of the other species. The ~pper b~ _is pinkish, ·the pouch yellow, ond not very bo.ggy"•·' . .

••••••••

Page 6: h~-mless ins• is€¦ · It seans r egrettable that, in the Cape division, "finches" (presumably all buntings and seed-eaters) along with starlings I!lousebir ds and Cape Sparrows,

•••••••• •

•••••••• Finolly, Mr Feely draws attention to th.e fact that breeding M:t·ivitiea

·tn· the form of oounship and nest-building ore beginning .in several ti>, E!~iea. He reports thnt p.t Somerset West Co.pe Weo.v!irs, Bokr.lg,kieries, Co.le· Ca,no.ries, ~rtle Doves, Crowned Plovers, C~e Lo~olows ore all showing s gns of o.Ctivity.. Now is the time for enhusio.s'Hc oernbers to keep a S;ha.rp look-out for building birds and their nests. It is curious how feN nests ore found each yee:r in relation to the va.st rDl!llbers of birds seen and recorded. There seems ~o be n speciol o.rt· in finding nest·s, and some peopl.e uchieve r.n~oh

:>!s~-111. However, I suspect that po.tienoe, o.nd sufficient sp·ore time in ·wpioh :t.D exeroiz e one's patience nre. the· moin~ req.uira!ients.. It would be interesting to have renders exchange notes on their ·nest:.firtdine tec~uesl ·

•••••••• ·., ·. :-. ~,. ... .

Page 7: h~-mless ins• is€¦ · It seans r egrettable that, in the Cape division, "finches" (presumably all buntings and seed-eaters) along with starlings I!lousebir ds and Cape Sparrows,

4

.A.cn'IOO RECORD-KEEPERa

For the next five or six months all Nest Record Cards and all r ing .. ·. ing records shoW.d be sent to

~r R. Liversidge, c/o Zoology Department , U.CoT.,

Rondebosoh -who is acting as Recorder during

Dr Br oekhuysen's absence overseas. It uppears that there has been a deart h of Mast Record Cards recently, which is hardly surprising in vie.7 of the season. However, it oannot be denied that the humber of nosts found - or reoo~ded- eo.ch year is surprisingly small. The efforts of tho CoPe Bird Club compare unfavourabl y with the r es·ul ts o.cieved by the small end scat­ter ed member ship of the Rhodesian Ornithological Society. Their latest Bul letin announces that thei!' members have sub:!litted 188 Nest Record Cards, 78 of which come fror:1 a single person, Mr KcW . G!'eenhow!

l.ir Liversidge wishes it stressed that ~! nest records are of value. · ·It does not m~:~.ttor whether the nest has been visited only two or thr ee tioos, or whether it has been obser7ed over a period of weeks. The Cloin thi ng is to collect as ouc~ datu froo us nany sources as possible, and r ecor ds concerning coomon species ·nre as useful as any others - often mor e so , in fact, because ~hey nre usuall;r oore n~erous.

The Club Committee is elso ca.lling for a bigger and bottor effort at ringing. For those filled •.rith the coopetitive urge, it night bo oentioned that oth_or branches o.re extonding their work r c.pidly, and we oro thr eaten-ed

.• with lotS"sing our place near tho top of the log:> Pr obc.bl y tho 11VFOrst thr eat" cones f.rom the Witwatersr'lT.d Bir d Club who hc.ve nbc.rly t;O r:u:cbers p'l,l""ti-cipnting in this ".7orko Ringing is abou-t the toughest and l east rewarding'· job- that bird enthusiasts c.tteopt1 and it is r mnrkable that so many ho.ve t he interest and otQJ:J.ina to stay the l ong hurd course~ However, t hes9 stol­worts do need c.ssistonce, even if it is only interoittent . If you nre a potentiol r ecruit , please get in touch with t:r Liversidge who will gladly supply further details of J~he se,rernl ways in which you mo.y help.

A REX<UEST FOR HELP 1

I aJil trying to make a special study of the papa Ro..E!_n , and this ~pe~ies , in cormnon with those mentioned by Mr Feely 1 is getting ready to breed. ;

· have been keeping records at Tokai and Hout Bay for the past 18 l!lonths, and Qlready have some interesting results, For instnnco, i t appears that t he size of the terri tory, which is ooirrtained and defended throughout the· year, may vary rather widely. This ";a.riation con - to a certain extent - be coro. related with the no.ture of the environment~ In cultiva.tod fum c.nd garden lond a pair oo.y be content with no oor e than 600 squnre yards , but in indigenous mountain bush they o_ppear to need ouch more. Up to one or two acres oey be defended. However, I hc.ve no notes on "Tattle thickets , ond the Co.pe Robi n QPpenrs t o be one of the f€1:1 species which ho.s adopted itsolf to existence coongst these alien plo.nts=

. Another interesting point is that, in one ca.so, a pair of Robins bullt a second ne~ r laid, o.nd reared a second brood, while thor \'lore still · :- ·

· tending, feecung and guarding the fully-fledged young of .hE. first brood.­~s this r egul ar , I wonder? These and mo.ny other questions n ood ong.ver s . ··

~ l.Jay I enlist your o.ssistonce? If there is any rnEr.tber w~o ha.s a pair, or pairs of Robins nesting or holding territories in their ne~ghbourhood , I woul d be l!!Ost grateful to know o.bbut it. In pnrticular, I v.ould like to know about territories and nests within relatively eo.sy reach of Hout Bo.y, which l mny investiga.te without fear of trespassing~ It so<Ds thc.t bi r1s oo.n be; and um.~ally ore, wretchedly uncoopero.tivo in this respect! .

Page 8: h~-mless ins• is€¦ · It seans r egrettable that, in the Cape division, "finches" (presumably all buntings and seed-eaters) along with starlings I!lousebir ds and Cape Sparrows,

·l . .~ .. -.

NJ INVITATION:

Plans are afoot to organize nnother ringing expedition to Malagas .. Island early in February~ It is hop ed thnt there will be sufficient volunteers to form two full working pcrtios, that is, about 10 peoplea Costs shoUld . not exoeed £2 a head, but living conditions ar e har·d., Interested r eaders should contact Mr Livereidge for further detailso

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