Introduction
Some of you may have heard of the World Migratory Bird Day and for those that haven't, you can read more on it at www.worldmigratorybirdday.org. Migratory birds have come under the spotlight recently because of the spread of bird flu. The World Migratory Bird Day project was started to highlight the wonders of migratory birds and the difficult task they face on a yearly basis. They are also birds that have no political boundaries so can act as a catalyst to bringing people together from all over the world.
World Migratory Bird Day was organized over the weekend of 8 & 9 April. It was celebrated all over the world, including a number of countries in Africa, and in particular by Birdlife Kenya . Birdlife South Africa could unfortunately not participate so Zephne Bernitz came up with the idea that our Migratory Kestrel Project is an ideal project to be involved with such an event. Unfortunately, much of the migration was over for us and many people have already reported that all the birds have left their roosts. Nevertheless, several Migrating Kestrel Project participants and other birders around the country took up the challenge of looking for Lesser Kestrels, Amur Falcons or Redfooted Falcons over the weekend. Below is an account of what was seen by these people.
Celebration reports over the general period
From Anthony van Zyl in Cape Town, South Africa: The kestrel roosts have been empty since the middle of March 2006 in the Western Cape, but this didn't mean that we were going to give up on the celebrations. A trip was taken through the wheatlands north of Cape Town travelling a total of 300 kilometers looking for kestrels. While we didn't see any Lesser Kestrels, confirming that they have left the area, we did record one lonely Steppe Buzzard (Buteo buteo vulpinus) perched on a telephone pole. These raptors also migrate to the Russian Steppes like Lesser Kestrels.
The picture on the left shows Anthony van Zyl, Paul Coulthard, Nigel Basel and Ashley Vincent looking for kestrels in the farmlands east of Porterville. Despite not seeing any kestrels, it was a good opportunity to create awareness amongst birders of the challenges our migratory raptors face.
From J. Lourens in Reitz, South Africa: We have been keeping a close watch on the kestrels at the Reitz roost over the past few days.
Thursday April 6th - Approximately 60 roosting in the bluegum trees.
Saturday April 8th - Weather warm but cloudy, a cool strong easterly wind developed at sunset. About 60 kestrels battling the wind, circling high over the bluegum trees.
Sunday April 9th - Evening warm and windless. Two kestrels roosting at the crown of one bluegum. No sign of any other birds at 18:00 when it was almost dark.
On all three occasions it was impossible to differentiate the species.
From Trevor Oertel in Vrede, South Africa: At the roost on 06 April 2006 there were:
37 Lesser Kestrels - 8 male and 29 female/juveniles
5 Amur Falcons - 1 male and 4 female/juveniles
From Steven Piper in Himeville, South Africa: On Monday, 3rd April 2006 there were only TWO Amur Falcons at our roost here in Himeville and they should all be gone by this weekend, I should think.
From Ian Riddell in Harare, Zimbabwe: We went to the Tafara roost (at grid ref UR 093272, 1:50,000 map Harare 1731C3) on 8 March. Birds come in late, when the sun has set and into the dusk. Counting is tricky but by estimating passage of birds in hundred-lots as they came in we got to a rather amazing figure of around 25,000-30,000! Most came in from the west so they were well illuminated in the sunset, and the last streams from the north could only be seen with binos in the near-dark.
From Etienne Marais in Pretoria, South Africa:We had a fair number of Lessers moving north on 24 March, along the
Zaagkuildrift area. (2528AA). Amur falcons were also seen on the 25th - in quite small numbers - same
area.
I also saw several (about 5) Lesser Kestrels on 29 March in the
Vlaklaagte area north Bronhkhorstspruit. Degree reference: 2528DB These
birds were feeding and not moving in any specific direction.
From Uno Malherbe in Philipstown, South Africa: Uno reported 4 Lesser Kestrels on Friday the 7th but nothing at the roost the whole week-end. A hundred Lesser Kestrels were seen at the roost on the night of 12 April 2006.
From Herman van Dijk in Naboomspruit, South Africa: Nico Venter owner of the farm at Platdoorns 333KR reported that the Amur Falcons were still coming in in the first week of April but in rapidly diminishing numbers. The last ones were seen on Thursday 6 April but none since.
From Ronelle Visagie in Strydenburg, South Africa: Saw 20 LK's on the Hopetown gravelroad, near the farm Baartmanskoppie.
From David Allan in Durban, South Africa: I was up at Mkuzi Game Reserve this week and on 11 April (at 11h00) was quite surprised to see a Lesser Kestrel just west of the main entrance in farmland. It was flying along next to the road and then perched on a telephone pole where I was able to get the scope onto it. It was either a juvenile male or an adult female (it had a grey rump). Strange place and time (see the atlas maps and seasonality graphs) and I took special care to confirm it.
From Malcom Wilson along the Olifants and Eland Rivers, Mpumalanga, South Africa: On a raptor ringing trip on 9 April 2006. The first bird I encountered was a single female Amur Falcon on a wire, which showed little interest in the single mouse. Also, a single Lesser Kestrel was dropped for but showed no interest.