The countdown has begun.
Saturday November 26 is BirdLife South Africa’s annual Birding Big Day – the day when everyone from beginner birdwatchers to their serious counterparts take time out to download a bird checklist, head outdoors and tick off the number of bird species they see in a set period of time.
This year, a special call has gone out to gardeners to become “Citizen Scientists”, and contribute to the census by recording the birds seen and heard in their garden during the 24 hours between midnight and midnight, preferably next Saturday.
Avian scientists are endeavouring to capture a detailed picture of bird populations across the suburbs. And for this 2011 Bird Census, they need the help of local homeowners, gardeners and outdoor enthusiasts.
If next Saturday is a problem, you can take any 24-hour period between now and next Saturday. Count all the birds you see or hear in your garden, including those flying overhead. The only proviso is that you are asked to spend a minimum of one uninterrupted hour of observation in the garden during the 24-hour period.
Checklists of the bird species for your area can be downloaded from the MyBirdPatch project (www.mybirdpatch.adu.org.za). Also, register there as an observer, and after your 24-hour sighting is complete, submit your list online.
MyBirdPatch, a project of UCT’s Animal Demography Unit, in collaboration with BirdLife South Africa and the South African National Biodiversity Institute (Sanbi), is an initiative to capture bird lists from small, local patches to monitor bird population changes on a fine scale.
It is about birding in your own comfort zone: your garden, your neighbourhood, a local park or wetland, or at your golf course.
If you need help identifying the birds in your garden, there is lots of assistance. The fourth edition of Sasol Birds of Southern Africa was launched recently. The country’s top birders, including Ian Sinclair, Phil Hockey, Warwick Tarboton and Peter Ryan, as well as international award-winning bird illustrator Norman Arlott, were all in attendance for the launch.
This edition includes revised text, and more than 380 new improved illustrations and sonograms depicting the calls of some of the trickier-to-identify species.
Attracting birds:
Gardening and birding are both hugely popular hobbies. Link them by learning how to attract birds to your garden. Follow these tips:
* Plant climbers against the walls and fences, but on a trellis that offers a space between the wood and wall to allow birds like the wagtail and robins to find nesting platforms while hiding their homes with the leafy foliage.
* Plant indigenous plants to create a perimeter exclusion area for shy species of birds, and other wildlife will nest, rest, breed and feed. Plant the Cape honeysuckle (Tecomaria capensis), plumbago (Plumbago auriculata) or Natal plum (Carissa macrocarpa).
* Build up dead wood, rocks, stones, leaves and other compost as nature intended.
* Water is a great attraction. Shallow water is preferable, with an area for wading into the pond. Water under foliage will provide a secret source of liquid refreshment to the more elusive bird species. Logs and rocks in the water add to the biodiversity.
* Mulch is an important part of the exclusion area, and is essential for a healthy insect population. Mulch will conserve water and ensure a wealth of earthworms for robins and thrushes.
* Nectar-rich flowers are not only a major attraction for many bird species, such as sunbirds, but also for a host of other creatures such as bees and butterflies. For a continuous supply of nectar, plant agapanthus, aloes, red hairy heath (Erica cerinthoides), tree fuchsia (Halleria lucida), wild fuchsia (Halleria elliptica), Cape fuchsia (Phygelius capensis), red hot poker (Kniphofia x praecox), wild dagga (Leonotis leonurus), pincushions (Leucospermum spp.), beach salvia (Salvia africana-lutea) and Cape honeysuckle (Tecomaria capensis). - Weekend Argus
Attend the 2012 UCT Summer School programme Citizen Science: building an early warning system for biodiversity. January 23 to 27, 2012. Lectures include Citizen Science by Professor Les Underhill; Butterfly Atlas by Dr Silvia Mecenero; Bird Atlas by Doug Harebottle; Mammal Atlas by Dr Tali Hoffman; and Bird Ringing by Dr Dieter Oschadleus. www.ems.uct.ac.za
* For details call Nikki at 083 636 060, e-mail [email protected] or see www.birdlife.org.za