babbler · 2018-09-26 · babbler journal of birdlife botswana number 60 issn 1012 - 2974 cover...

BABBLERJournal of BirdLife Botswana

Number 60

ISSN 1012 - 2974

Cover Design by: Impression House Printing by Impression House

January 2015


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The sincere thanks of all the members of BirdLife Botswana go to Remi and Wendy Borello who have once again generously supported the printing of this issue of the Babbler.

White-crowned LapwingPhoto: Lyn Francey

African Pygmy KingfisherPhoto: Lyn Francey

Acacia Pied BarbetPhoto: Ian White

Fawn-coloured LarkPhoto: Ian White

BIRDLIFE BOTSWANA

African Emerald Cuckoo Photo: Ian White

Partner designate of:

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NUMBER 60 JANUARY 2015

CONTENTS

J o u r n a l o f B i r d L i f e B o t s w a n a

Front Cover: African Cuckoo, Photographer: Ian White

Editorial 1

Articles

Records of Burnt-necked Eremomela Eremomela usticollis in Kgalagadi and Ghanzi Districts 2

Chris A. Brewster

Cut-throat Finches Amandina fasciata at Crocodile Pools, Notwane 3 Chris A. Brewster

Breeding of Southern Red-billed Hornbill Tockus rufirostris in late summer at Crocodile Pools, Notwane 5 Chris A. Brewster and Mike & Daphne Goldsworthy

A Visit to Lake Xau (Dow) between 19 and 21 August 2014 6Records sub-committee

Caspian Plovers Charadrius asiaticus in Botswana 9Stephanie J. Tyler

The Status of Caspian Plover in Zimbabwe 15David Ewbank

Sighting of a ringed White-bellied Sunbird 19Wendy D. Borello

Waterbirds in Botswana in dry season 2014 (July) 21Stephanie J. Tyler

Reports from the Records Subcommittee

Concentration of Bateleurs 25Yellow-bellied Greenbul in a Gaborone garden 25A summary of Category B records 27

Compiled by Chris Brewster and Stephanie Tyler

Interesting and Unusual Sightings 36 Compiled by Stephanie J. Tyler & Chris A. Brewster

Contributors of records 42Some breeding records in 2013/2014 43

Compiled by Stephanie J. Tyler & Chris A. Brewster Recent publications on birds, relevant to Botswana 47


January 2015 Babbler No. 60

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BirdLife Botswana Donors and Sponsors 2014- Listed Alphabetically(P5000 or more and significant in-kind support)African Bird Club, And Beyond, Bergstan Africa, BirdLife International, Remi and Wendy Borello, BotAsh (Pty) Ltd, Boteti Council’s Physical Planning Unit, Boteti District Administration, Boteti sub-Land Board, Botswana Tourism Organisation, Canon Botswana, Chobe Holdings (Chobe Game Lodge), Chobezi, CKGR Research, Debswana Diamond Co. (Jwaneng and Orapa, Letlhakane and Damtshaa Mines), Department of Environmental Affairs, Department of National Museums and Monuments, Department of Tourism, Department of Wildlife and National Parks, Desert and Delta Safaris, Drotsky’s Cabins, Embassy of the United States of America in Botswana, European Union, FedEx Express, Forest Conservation Botswana, Global Environment Facility, Global Environment Facility/Small Grant Programme (GEF/SGP), Hoisting Solutions who founded The Crane FundIsland Safaris, Japanese Embassy, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Kalahari Kavango Safari Co., Kalahari Tours, Kalahari Quilts, Magnum Freight (Pty) Ltd, Bob and Doreen McColaugh, Ngamiland Adventure Safaris, Okavango Wilderness Safaris, Planet Baobab, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Safari and Guide Services, Serendipity B & B, Stewart Scott International, Warwick Tarboton, Tuli Safari Lodge, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), World Conservation Union (IUCN), Ian White.


Babbler No. 60 January 2015

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March 2015 Babbler 60

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Editorial The continued mass poisoning of vultures in Botswana is so depressing and now with the drug dichlofenac being used in Europe too, it is hard to feel optimistic about the vultures’ future. In mid October Harold Hester mentioned to me that Dr Mark Bing had expressed his alarm at the reduction in numbers of vultures on the western side of the Delta. In his words, “The meat poaching in the delta, commercial buffalo and giraffe, is SO SEVERE, and the Habu, Etsa and Gumare area has nearly no vultures left. I have had two weeks darting there, with NO VULTURES coming to elephant carcasses from Nata on the Zimbabwe border as well as the western Delta. Some Vulture restaurants like Du Plessis in Lobatse have to keep moving the restaurant around as humans are stealing the meat; he needs money for a secure fenced area to be built.” Pete Hancock then told me of another 10 vultures including a Lappet-faced Vulture poisoned in the Chobe Enclave in early October. Amid all the depressing news for Botswana’s wildlife we must rejoice at the fact that the Okavango Delta was listed as the 1,000th World Heritage site, on 22 June 2014, following the recommendation of IUCN, UNESCO’s advisory body on nature. The IUCN Director General, Julia Marton-Lefèvre, commented that “The Okavango Delta has long been considered one of the biggest gaps on the World Heritage list and IUCN is proud to have been able to provide support to this nomination. “We congratulate Botswana’s authorities on their extraordinary commitment to make this historic listing a reality.” On a lighter note – it is not often that a new species is added to the southern African bird checklist so there was much excitement when a Red-necked Buzzard was identified in the Caprivi Strip in Namibia on 28 July 2014. Then a photograph of a Red-necked Buzzard was published taken by Peter McCalmont on 11 July 2014 – in Chobe National Park so it looked as though the first record went to Botswana. However, photographers dug out their old photos and other records of the buzzard materialised - in the KTP in June 2001, in Ngepi Camp in west Caprivi on 8 March 2009 and in the Mahango Game Reserve in Namibia on 11 August 2012. This species of buzzard is usually found in Angola so perhaps it is a regular visitor to the southern African region especially in the austral winter but had been over-looked as a phase of the very variable Steppe Buzzard. Stephanie Tyler (Editor)



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Babbler 60 March 2015


Records of Burnt-necked Eremomela Eremomela usticollis in Kgalagadi and Ghanzi Districts

Chris A. Brewster

On 21 and 22 May 2011, four or five Burnt-necked Eremomelas were seen by Chris Brewster at Kang Rest camp-site (in 2322D1), about 25 km north-west of Kang along the road to Ghanzi (Tyler & Brewster 2011). On 27 January 2013 Jeff Randell saw three Burnt-necked Eremomelas at the same location and subsequently he saw one there on 10 March 2014. These three records over a period of three years indicate that the species possibly occurs regularly there. The vegetation around Kang, including at Kang Rest camp-site, is typical of parts of the western Kalahari with scattered well-developed Acacia trees, typically Acacia erioloba and A. luederitzii, often referred to as Western Woodland. On 28 December 2011 two or three Burnt-necked Eremomelas were seen by Chris Brewster at Dqae Qare Game Farm (in 2121D2), east of Ghanzi and on 28 February 2012 Chris Woolcott recorded the species at Farm 150KN (in 2121D3), also near Ghanzi (Tyler & Brewster 2012). The vegetation at Dqae Qare is Acacia savanna. On 19 May 2014 Chris Brewster saw one Burnt-necked Eremomela to the north-east of Kgokge Pan, east of Ncaang (in 2321A3). The species was foraging in Acacia in association with a number of other species. The vegetation to the north-east of Kgokge Pan is scattered well-developed Acacia trees, referred to as Western Woodland. Burnt-necked Eremomela is a species that is primarily associated with Acacia woodland (Berruti 1997). It occurs in north, east and south-east of Botswana, being a sparse to locally common resident (Penry 1994). Penry states that it was also recorded once in the Nossob Valley and once at Khuis in the western Molopo Valley, but otherwise it was unrecorded in the Kgalagadi and Ghanzi Districts or elsewhere in the Kalahari. These records in the vicinity of Kang, Ghanzi and Ncaang are therefore notable, all being outside of the known range of the species. It is regarded as resident with no seasonal movements indicated (Berruti 1997). The existence of two earlier records in the Nossob and Molopo Valleys (Penry 1994) indicates that it might possibly have been previously overlooked in Kgalagadi and Ghanzi districts. Any further records from the Kgalagadi and Ghanzi districts or elsewhere in the Kalahari will be of interest.



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REFERENCES

BERRUTI, M. 1997. Burntnecked Eremomela in HARRISON, J.A., ALLAN, D.G., UNDERHILL, L.G., TREE, A.J., PARKER, V. & BROWN, C.A.. The Atlas of Southern African Birds, Vol 2 Passerines. BirdLife South Africa. Johannesburg. Page 274.

PENRY, H. 1994. Bird Atlas of Botswana. University of Natal Press. Pietermaritzburg.

TYLER, S.J. and BREWSTER, C.A. 2011. Interesting and Unusual Sightings. Babbler 56: 45 – 50.


Chris A. Brewster P.O. Box 26292 Gaborone

Cut-throat Finches Amandina fasciata at Crocodile Pools, Notwane

Chris A. Brewster

From 2005 to March 2013, over a period of nine years, regular observations were made at Crocodile Pools, south-east Botswana, to the south of Gaborone. During this period there was only one record of a single Cut-throat Finch Amandina fasciata, in January 2007 (Brewster 2014). On 1 April 2014 the calls of juvenile Cut-throat Finches were heard from an old nest of a Red-headed Weaver Anaplectes rubriceps hanging from the eaves of a house at Crocodile Pools. The calls of juvenile Cut-throat Finches, gradually becoming louder, were heard from this nest until 14 April 2014, when faint calls of juvenile Cut-throat Finches were heard from another old Red-headed Weaver nest hanging from the eaves of the same house. The calls from the first nest were heard until 19 April and from the second nest until 4 May. The young from both nests fledged successfully. Cut-throat Finch is an unobtrusive species and its presence was not noticed until young were heard from the Red-headed Weaver nest on 1 April. Egg-laying for the first nest was evidently in March and it is likely that the species arrived at Crocodile Pools in March 2014 but was not noticed. This record is only the second record of the species at Crocodile Pools over a period of nine years. The first two breeding records were followed by two more breeding records, in May 2014, when juveniles were again heard calling from the same two


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nests. These two nests were utilised, despite there being five other similar old Red-headed Weaver nests hanging from the eaves of the house. There was a fifth breeding record in July when on the 6th juveniles were heard from the old Red-headed Weaver nest that juveniles had first been heard calling from on 1 April. Cut-throated Finches remained in the vicinity until the time of writing, (November 2014) when unexpectedly there was a sixth breeding record. On 16 November 2014 juveniles were heard calling from an old Southern Masked Weaver Ploceus velatus nest; this date indicates that egg-laying probably occurred in October. By this time Red-headed Weavers were again using their nests fror breeding purposes so were no longer available for use for breeding by the Cut-throat Finches. Skinner (1995) includes 19 breeding records of Cut-throat Finches all from January to May, so this October breeding record lies outside of the expected breeding season for this species. Tyler and Borello (1998) consider Cut-throat Finch to be uncommon and of uncertain status in the Gaborone area. South-east Botswana is at the southern limit of its range in Botswana (Penry 1994). Its arrival at Crocodile Pools in 2014 after an absence of several years was notable. While rainfall at Crocodile Pools in the 2013-2014 summer (576 mm) was about average, from 1 March to 2 April, 236 mm of rain were recorded at Crocodile Pools. This prolonged period of wet weather was exceptional for late summer, when summer rains are generally declining. It seems likely that the rainfall in March and early April produced conditions, such as grass growth, favourable for Cut-throat Finches, causing the species to move into the area and breed.

REFERENCES

BREWSTER, C.A. 2014. Avifauna of mixed woodland at Crocodile Pools,

south-east Botswana. Babbler 59: 19 – 33. PENRY, H. 1994. Bird Atlas of Botswana. University of Natal Press.

Pietermaritzburg. SKINNER, N. 1995. The breeding seasons of birds in Botswana 1: non-

passerine families. Babbler 29-30: 9 – 23. TYLER, S.J. & BORELLO, W.D. 1998. Birds in the Gaborone area and

where to watch them. Botswana Bird Club. Gaborone.


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Breeding of Southern Red-billed Hornbill Tockus rufirostris in late summer at Crocodile Pools, Notwane

Chris A. Brewster and Mike & Daphne Goldsworthy

Red-billed Hornbill Tockus rufirostris is a fairly common breeding resident at Crocodile Pools, south-east Botswana, south of Gaborone. It occurs naturally there in mixed woodland but it also forages around habitation. It is known to breed annually at two sites, though breeding presumably takes place at other sites in the area too. Egg-laying at these two sites is generally in early summer, typically in November and December. In a review of the breeding seasons of birds in Botswana, Skinner (1996) includes 12 breeding records of Southern Red-billed Hornbill; these breeding records are all from October to February. At one of the two regular breeding sites, where a man-made nest-box has been regularly utilised, and where breeding had occurred successfully earlier in the 2013 – 2014 summer, breeding occurred for a second time in late summer 2014. An adult was seen to go into the nest-box on 5 April; young were later heard calling from the nest-box and knocking was heard from inside the box at the end of May, though it was not known if the young fledged successfully. At the second regular breeding site, a nest-box was also used in late summer 2014, though this nest-box had been successfully used for breeding by a pair of Grey Hornbill Tockus nasutus earlier in the summer. At this second site, young were heard calling from the nest-box on 5 May. It was not possible to check the nest-box subsequently but by 25 May, the nest-box had been vacated; again. it was not known if the young fledged successfully. It is possible that at both sites these two breeding attempts were unsuccessful. It appears likely that for both of these late summer breeding attempts, egg-laying took place in early April. It also appears likely that at both sites, double brooding occurred in the 2013 – 2014 summer. In this summer, rainfall, at 576 mm, was about average for the area. However, from 1 March to 2 April 2014, there was a period of prolonged wet weather at Crocodile Pools and 236 mm of rainfall were recorded during this period. These two late summer breeding attempts of Southern Red-billed Hornbills were presumably induced by this prolonged period of wet weather. Mike Goldsworthy commented that during the last eight years the Red-billed Hornbills bred twice in one other summer.

REFERENCE SKINNER, N. 1996. The breeding seasons of birds in Botswana 11: non-

passerine families (sandgrouse to woodpeckers). Babbler 31: 6 – 16. Chris A Brewster, P O Box 26292, Gaborone; Daphne & Mike M. Goldsworthy, Private Bag BR 335, Gaborone


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nests. These two nests were utilised, despite there being five other similar old Red-headed Weaver nests hanging from the eaves of the house. There was a fifth breeding record in July when on the 6th juveniles were heard from the old Red-headed Weaver nest that juveniles had first been heard calling from on 1 April. Cut-throated Finches remained in the vicinity until the time of writing, (November 2014) when unexpectedly there was a sixth breeding record. On 16 November 2014 juveniles were heard calling from an old Southern Masked Weaver Ploceus velatus nest; this date indicates that egg-laying probably occurred in October. By this time Red-headed Weavers were again using their nests fror breeding purposes so were no longer available for use for breeding by the Cut-throat Finches. Skinner (1995) includes 19 breeding records of Cut-throat Finches all from January to May, so this October breeding record lies outside of the expected breeding season for this species. Tyler and Borello (1998) consider Cut-throat Finch to be uncommon and of uncertain status in the Gaborone area. South-east Botswana is at the southern limit of its range in Botswana (Penry 1994). Its arrival at Crocodile Pools in 2014 after an absence of several years was notable. While rainfall at Crocodile Pools in the 2013-2014 summer (576 mm) was about average, from 1 March to 2 April, 236 mm of rain were recorded at Crocodile Pools. This prolonged period of wet weather was exceptional for late summer, when summer rains are generally declining. It seems likely that the rainfall in March and early April produced conditions, such as grass growth, favourable for Cut-throat Finches, causing the species to move into the area and breed.

REFERENCES

BREWSTER, C.A. 2014. Avifauna of mixed woodland at Crocodile Pools,

south-east Botswana. Babbler 59: 19 – 33. PENRY, H. 1994. Bird Atlas of Botswana. University of Natal Press.

Pietermaritzburg. SKINNER, N. 1995. The breeding seasons of birds in Botswana 1: non-

passerine families. Babbler 29-30: 9 – 23. TYLER, S.J. & BORELLO, W.D. 1998. Birds in the Gaborone area and

where to watch them. Botswana Bird Club. Gaborone.


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A Visit to Lake Xau (Dow) between 19 and 21 August 2014

Chris A. Brewster

The water at Lake Xau was a bit lower than last year but water was flowing steadily into it so levels were rising. There were extensive areas of open water along the northern side. From the inlet to mid-way to Kedia it was easy to observe birds as the grass was short, due to large numbers of cattle, but towards Kedia, water extended from the reedbeds into long grass which made observations just too difficult. From the western end along the northern shore it was much easier until reedbeds at the eastern end were reached. I arrived in the afternoon of 19th August and left at midday on 21st August. Table 1. Counts of waterbirds at Lake Xau in August 2014. These figures represent only a partial count as neither the reedbeds nor half of the southern shore could be counted.

Species No. Species No. Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis

13 Cape Shoveler Anas smithii

22

African Darter * Anhinga rufa

105 Black Crake Amaurornis flavirostris

2

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea

30 Common Moorhen * Gallinula chloropus

14

Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala

1 Red-knobbed Coot * Fulica cristata

10

Purple Heron Ardea purpurea

1 African Jacana Actilophornis africana

38

Great Egret Egretta alba

2 Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola

200

Yellow-billed Egret Egretta intermedia

24 Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus

400

Little Egret Egretta garzetta

50 Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta

1

Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides

34 Blacksmith Lapwing Vanellus armatus

220

Cattle Egret Bulbulcus ibis

550 Three-banded Plover Charadrius tricollaris

2

White Stork Ciconia ciconia

1 Kittlitz’s Plover Charadrius pecuarius

30



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Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus

8 Caspian Plover Charadrius asiaticus

2

Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus

120 Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola

20

African Spoonbill Platalea alba

15 Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis

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Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus

98 Greenshank Tringa nebularia

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Lesser Flamingo Phoenicopterus minor

66 Little Stint Calidris minuta

40

Fulvous Duck Dendrocygna bicolor

90 Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea

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White-headed Duck Thalassornis leuconotus

32 Ruff Philomachus pugnax

150

Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus

120 White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus

20

Cape Teal Anas capensis

10 Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis

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Red-billed Teal Anas erythrorhyncha

1,100

Hottentot Teal Anas hottentota

150 Total 3,803 (43)

*African Darters had an active colony with many nests on trees far out in open water. A brood of Common Moorhens and of Red-knobbed Coot were also seen.

The only raptors that I noted were one Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus, a pair of Secretary-birds Sagittarius serpentarius and one White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus. African Pipits Anthus cinnamomeus, attracted to the water's edge, and Wattled Starlings Creatophoroa cinerea were abundant. I camped in a corner of the beautiful Xhorodhumo Pan on 19 and 20 August; the dawn chorus included Orange River Francolins Scleroptila levaillantoides and Clapper Larks Mirafra fasciolata, the latter giving great views on the ground. On 21 August after I left Lake Xau, I camped at the beautiful Guguaga Pan north of Orapa then crossed Ntwetwe Pan via Tchai Gate on 22nd and then passed Chapman's Baobab (where there was Grey Penduline-Tit Anthoscopus caroli at the edge of the species’ range), up the western side of the finger of Ntwetwe Pan to the main road and then to Nata. There was an active White-backed Vulture nest west of Zoroga. The only other raptors from Guguaga Pan to Nata were two Black-breasted Snake-Eagles Circaetus pectoralis, a Greater Kestrel Falco rupicoloides and a Pale Chanting


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Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus

8 Caspian Plover Charadrius asiaticus

2

Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus

120 Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola

20

African Spoonbill Platalea alba

15 Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis

1

Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus

98 Greenshank Tringa nebularia

5

Lesser Flamingo Phoenicopterus minor

66 Little Stint Calidris minuta

40

Fulvous Duck Dendrocygna bicolor

90 Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea

5

White-headed Duck Thalassornis leuconotus

32 Ruff Philomachus pugnax

150


120 White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus

20

Cape Teal Anas capensis

10 Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis

1

Red-billed Teal Anas erythrorhyncha

1,100

Hottentot Teal Anas hottentota

150 Total 3,803 (43)

*African Darters had an active colony with many nests on trees far out in open water. A brood of Common Moorhens and of Red-knobbed Coot were also seen.

The only raptors that I noted were one Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus, a pair of Secretary-birds Sagittarius serpentarius and one White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus. African Pipits Anthus cinnamomeus, attracted to the water's edge, and Wattled Starlings Creatophoroa cinerea were abundant. I camped in a corner of the beautiful Xhorodhumo Pan on 19 and 20 August; the dawn chorus included Orange River Francolins Scleroptila levaillantoides and Clapper Larks Mirafra fasciolata, the latter giving great views on the ground. On 21 August after I left Lake Xau, I camped at the beautiful Guguaga Pan north of Orapa then crossed Ntwetwe Pan via Tchai Gate on 22nd and then passed Chapman's Baobab (where there was Grey Penduline-Tit Anthoscopus caroli at the edge of the species’ range), up the western side of the finger of Ntwetwe Pan to the main road and then to Nata. There was an active White-backed Vulture nest west of Zoroga. The only other raptors from Guguaga Pan to Nata were two Black-breasted Snake-Eagles Circaetus pectoralis, a Greater Kestrel Falco rupicoloides and a Pale Chanting



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Goshawk Melierax canorus. Pink-billed Larks Spizocorys conirostris were common on the south side of Ntwetwe Pan. Chris A Brewster Editor: Harold Hester also briefly visited the lake on 22 September and noted seven Ostriches Struthio camelus, two African Marsh Harriers Circus ranivorus, two Water Thick-knee (Dikkops) Burhinus vermiculatus and numerous Namaqua Doves Oena capensis among other species. If any Birdlife Botswana member does visit the lake please note all birds seen.


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Caspian Plovers Charadrius asiaticus in Botswana

Stephanie J. Tyler Urban et al. (1986) gave two main ‘wintering’ (non-breeding) areas for this Palaearctic migrant plover which breeds in Central Asia, – these being the upland plains of south-west Kenya and northern Tanzania and the grasslands of Botswana and adjacent north and east Namibia and parts of South Africa, notably the Northern Cape. Botswana is clearly an important non-breeeding area for this species. Penry (1994) noted that Caspian Plovers occurred regularly on grasslands in northern Botswana, notably at Nxai Pan National Park (N.P.) and the fossil river valleys and pans in the northern Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) in the austral summer. This is still true today with the Makgadikadi Pans and the northern CKGR being favoured areas. Occasional birds are reported in the Okavango Delta and Chobe areas. However, the species does occur further south as in Kutse Game Reserve (Kutse G.R.) and occasionally in south-east Botswana (Tyler & Borello 1998) or even in the extreme southwest. Moreover, Caspian Plovers quite frequently appear at the edges of various wetlands (Tyler 2012). Herremans (1994) noted that of 17 arrival dates the earliest was 15 September with 75% between 20 September and 8 November (median 15 October) and of six departure dates the median was 26 February and the latest date14 April. Since then earlier arrival dates have included birds on the Dautsaa Flats on 7 Sept 2007 and at Lake Ngami on 17 August 2009. It seems that birds arriving in the early summer have passed down through Zambia (and also through Zimbabwe – see next paper) but on the return journey north they fly through Namibia and Angola (Tony Tree, cited in Penry 1982). Penry (1982) commented on seeing two plovers in full breeding dress near Takatokwane south of Kang on 16 January 1982. He noted that museum specimens of birds in breeding dress at Bulawayo included one from Murwamsu Pan on 19 February 1961 and another from Lake Xau on 20 January 1959. He also mentioned that Tony Tree had seen birds in Ngamiland almost in full breeding dress in December. Others have since been seen in breeding dress, as in Kutse G.R. on 25 January 1998. Below are the records of Caspian Plovers at various locations in Botswana largely taken from many issues of Babbler (Interesting and Unusual Sightings collated since 1996 by Tyler & Brewster) and from waterbird counts throughout Botswana (see Tyler 2001, 2012). In the Okavango Delta itself Caspian Plover is a sparse summer visitor but on dry floodplains to the west and around Lake Ngami it is quite common.


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Hottentot TealPhoto: Ian White



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Goshawk Melierax canorus. Pink-billed Larks Spizocorys conirostris were common on the south side of Ntwetwe Pan. Chris A Brewster Editor: Harold Hester also briefly visited the lake on 22 September and noted seven Ostriches Struthio camelus, two African Marsh Harriers Circus ranivorus, two Water Thick-knee (Dikkops) Burhinus vermiculatus and numerous Namaqua Doves Oena capensis among other species. If any Birdlife Botswana member does visit the lake please note all birds seen.


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In Moremi G.R. (1923A4/B1) three were seen between Third and Fourth Bridges at Magwexhlana Lediba on 14 January 2003 and one between North Gate and Dombo pools on 13 November 2003; one on the Boteti River near Chanoga on 8 January 2002 and another downriver on 14 January 2002; two by the Boteti River near Samedupi (2023B1) in early January 2003. At Lake Ngami (2022B3/B4/D): nine were at the newly filling end of the lake bed on 20 October 2000, nine on 15 September 2001 and 26 on 1 October 2001 (Brewster et al. 2002), small flocks totalling 100+ flew west in the late afternoon of 21 January 2003, 40 on 19 November 2004, and in December 2004 about 500 were on a muddy area around Lake Ngami with Black-winged Pratincoles (Brewster 2005); 60 on 12/13 December 2005, 40 on 19 November 2007, one on 17 August 2009. On the western side of the Delta, Brewster (1991) described it as a common summer visitor, mainly on dry open floodplains east of Gumare (between 18 ο 44’ and 20 ο S and 21 ο 30’ and 22 ο 30’ East), in loose flocks of ca 250 birds from September to February. Notable flocks included 1,000 at Xho (19 ο 20’S 22 ο 14’ E on the west side of the Thaoge Channel) with Ruff and Kittlitz’s Plovers on 10 November 1985 and 350 at Gwekatshumu (19 ο 23’S 22 ο 12’ E) on 16 January 1987. There were 100+ at Danoga (19

ο 31’S 22 ο 16’ E) on 20 September 1987 and 30 at Gwekatshumu on the latest date of 20 February 1988. Dautsa flats west of Sehitwa (1922A4): 20 in December 2004, two on 7 September 2007 (Tyler & Brewster 2007). Ngwaku (Mwaku) Pan (2022D2): 44 on 11 December 2001. Randall (2008) described it as an irregular summer visitor in the Chobe area. There were records in the eastern Caprivi (1725C) in the late 1970s (Koen 1988) and early 1988 by Branfield (1990) and in the western Caprivi in April 1990 (Brown 1990). Five were at Nochatsaa (Nogotsaa) in Chobe National Park (1824B4) on 17 September 1991 and there was a December 1992 record by De Villiers (1993) from Savute (1824C1) and of three at Harveys Pans (1824C1) in Savute in October 2011. South of Kasane near Pandamatenga (1825C2/D1) there were 40 in January 2012 on farmland. Makgadikgadi Pans Birds were reported by Ginn (1976) and several were seen in the pans – area unspecified – in June 1981.



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Lake Xau (2124B2): reported in January 1959 by Smithers (1960), then five in December 2011 and two in August 2014 (CAB). Rysana Pan (2125A1): 16 at the pan on 22 January 2001 (SJT) Mopipi Dam (2124B2): 44 on 30 Dec 2002 and ca. 1,500 on 12 December 2008 (Tyler & Brewster 2009). Mokubilo Pan (2126A): a December count of 50 (Stanyard 1978). Near Thabatshukudu Pan (2025D3): 40 on 2 January 2003 (Glover & Skinner 2005) Mea Pan (2126A2): three on 24 January 2001 (Tyler, 2012) Orapa (2125A4): one on 15 October 1991. Nata Delta (2026A3): recorded by Liversedge et al. (1979) and Mundy & Borello (1990); also one in January 2002. Nxai Pan (1924D4): ca 25 on 29 March 1992; large flocks in January 2001, 25 on 26 December 2002. CKGR Flocks of tens to hundreds were reported from Deception Valley and pans such as Khanke Pan in Kutse G.R. during the 1990s. In Deception Valley (2123B4/D2) flocks of birds are regular: ca. 50 on 26 December 1997 and 300 on 23 January 1998 (SJT), two in late August 2000, large flocks in January 2001, 13 between Deception Pan and Letiahau waterhole on 5 January 2003 and three in Deception Valley on 17 September 2014. There were ca 20 in Passarge Valley (2123A) on 28 November 1997 and on 17 December 2003 flocks of 53, 68 and 86 were between Passarge campsite and 20km towards Sunday Pan. Between Tau and Phukwi Pans (2123A4, 2123A2) 110 in a flock and 101 on 6 Jan 2003 (Glover & Skinner 2005); 15 in the Gwana area (2122C1) on 30 December 2009. Kutse Game Reserve (2324A4/B3): 15 at Molose waterhole in January 1996 and 11, four in breeding dress, at Mahurushele Pan on 25 January 1998 (Tyler, in Pausch 1998). To the south of Kutse one bird west of Kokong (2323C2) east of Tsetseng on 1 January 1982 and seen 25km south-east of Takatkwane (Takotshwane)(2324C4), south of Kang, on 16 January 1982. Eastern Botswana Brewster noted only five in the Sefhare area (2327B1), these being in November 1993 south-west of Sefhare and they were rare in the Bobirwa


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Lake Xau (2124B2): reported in January 1959 by Smithers (1960), then five in December 2011 and two in August 2014 (CAB). Rysana Pan (2125A1): 16 at the pan on 22 January 2001 (SJT) Mopipi Dam (2124B2): 44 on 30 Dec 2002 and ca. 1,500 on 12 December 2008 (Tyler & Brewster 2009). Mokubilo Pan (2126A): a December count of 50 (Stanyard 1978). Near Thabatshukudu Pan (2025D3): 40 on 2 January 2003 (Glover & Skinner 2005) Mea Pan (2126A2): three on 24 January 2001 (Tyler, 2012) Orapa (2125A4): one on 15 October 1991. Nata Delta (2026A3): recorded by Liversedge et al. (1979) and Mundy & Borello (1990); also one in January 2002. Nxai Pan (1924D4): ca 25 on 29 March 1992; large flocks in January 2001, 25 on 26 December 2002. CKGR Flocks of tens to hundreds were reported from Deception Valley and pans such as Khanke Pan in Kutse G.R. during the 1990s. In Deception Valley (2123B4/D2) flocks of birds are regular: ca. 50 on 26 December 1997 and 300 on 23 January 1998 (SJT), two in late August 2000, large flocks in January 2001, 13 between Deception Pan and Letiahau waterhole on 5 January 2003 and three in Deception Valley on 17 September 2014. There were ca 20 in Passarge Valley (2123A) on 28 November 1997 and on 17 December 2003 flocks of 53, 68 and 86 were between Passarge campsite and 20km towards Sunday Pan. Between Tau and Phukwi Pans (2123A4, 2123A2) 110 in a flock and 101 on 6 Jan 2003 (Glover & Skinner 2005); 15 in the Gwana area (2122C1) on 30 December 2009. Kutse Game Reserve (2324A4/B3): 15 at Molose waterhole in January 1996 and 11, four in breeding dress, at Mahurushele Pan on 25 January 1998 (Tyler, in Pausch 1998). To the south of Kutse one bird west of Kokong (2323C2) east of Tsetseng on 1 January 1982 and seen 25km south-east of Takatkwane (Takotshwane)(2324C4), south of Kang, on 16 January 1982. Eastern Botswana Brewster noted only five in the Sefhare area (2327B1), these being in November 1993 south-west of Sefhare and they were rare in the Bobirwa



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area of eastern Botswana, with small flocks on fallow land (Brewster 2004). Four were at Bobonong (2228A2) on 9 February 2001 and 20 at Semolale (2128C4) on 10 February 2001. South-east Botswana Barnes & Bushell (1989) gave records in the Gaborone area in January 1974, April 1985 and March 1986 but there were also three birds on 15 September 1981, increasing to five on 5 October 1981 at Ramatlabama (2525D1) (Wilson 1983). At Bokaa Dam (2425B4/2426A3): Present in 1992 and 1993; one on 14 November 2004, one in January 2005, four on 25 Sept 2005 and five on 21 Jan 2007 (Tyler & Brewster 2006, 2008, Tyler 2012). Mogobane Dam (2425D3): one or two in 1992 Phakalane S.P (2425D2): one in 1994 (Bishop & Tyler 1998). Sebele (2425D2): one in 1995 Southwest Botswana One was reported in the Nossob valley (2520B3) on the Botswana side of the valley on 17 September 2000 and 18 at Mabuasehube Pan (2422C3) on 8 November 2002. Discussion International Population Estimates for Caspian Plover range from 40,000 to 55,000 (Wetlands International 2014) with the 1% level put at 470 (0.5% =235). In Botswana Lake Ngami has certainly exceeded the 1% level as in 2004 (Hancock et al. 2005); so too has Mopipi Dam as in December 2008 (Brewster & Tyler 2009). Deception Valley in the CKGR and probably Nxai Pan N.P. hold more than the 0.5% level. Acknowledgements Thanks to all observers who have sent in records to the former Botswana Bird Club, now Birdlife Botswana, of the species in Botswana. Many records have been extracted from issues of Babbler in the ‘Interesting and Unusual Sightings section from 1980 to 2014.

REFERENCES BARNES, J. and BUSHELL, B. 1989. Birds of the Gaborone Area – a

checklist. Botswana Bird Club, Gaborone.



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area of eastern Botswana, with small flocks on fallow land (Brewster 2004). Four were at Bobonong (2228A2) on 9 February 2001 and 20 at Semolale (2128C4) on 10 February 2001. South-east Botswana Barnes & Bushell (1989) gave records in the Gaborone area in January 1974, April 1985 and March 1986 but there were also three birds on 15 September 1981, increasing to five on 5 October 1981 at Ramatlabama (2525D1) (Wilson 1983). At Bokaa Dam (2425B4/2426A3): Present in 1992 and 1993; one on 14 November 2004, one in January 2005, four on 25 Sept 2005 and five on 21 Jan 2007 (Tyler & Brewster 2006, 2008, Tyler 2012). Mogobane Dam (2425D3): one or two in 1992 Phakalane S.P (2425D2): one in 1994 (Bishop & Tyler 1998). Sebele (2425D2): one in 1995 Southwest Botswana One was reported in the Nossob valley (2520B3) on the Botswana side of the valley on 17 September 2000 and 18 at Mabuasehube Pan (2422C3) on 8 November 2002. Discussion International Population Estimates for Caspian Plover range from 40,000 to 55,000 (Wetlands International 2014) with the 1% level put at 470 (0.5% =235). In Botswana Lake Ngami has certainly exceeded the 1% level as in 2004 (Hancock et al. 2005); so too has Mopipi Dam as in December 2008 (Brewster & Tyler 2009). Deception Valley in the CKGR and probably Nxai Pan N.P. hold more than the 0.5% level. Acknowledgements Thanks to all observers who have sent in records to the former Botswana Bird Club, now Birdlife Botswana, of the species in Botswana. Many records have been extracted from issues of Babbler in the ‘Interesting and Unusual Sightings section from 1980 to 2014.

REFERENCES BARNES, J. and BUSHELL, B. 1989. Birds of the Gaborone Area – a

checklist. Botswana Bird Club, Gaborone.


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BEESLEY, J.S.S. & IRVING, N.S. 1976. The status of the birds of Gaborone and its surroundings. Botswana Notes and Records 8: 231-261.

BRANFIELD, A. 1990. New bird records for the East Caprivi. Lanioturdus 25: 22-37.

BISHOP, D.R. & TYLER, S.J. 1998. The birds of Phakalane Sewage Lagoons near Gaborone. Babbler 34: 8-19.

BREWSTER, C. 1991. Birds of the Gumare area, northwest Botswana. Babbler 21 & 22: 12-61.

BREWSTER, C.A. 1996. Fluctuations in bird numbers on fallow land in the Sefhare area of eastern Botswana. Babbler 31: 17-21 .

BREWSTER, C.A. 2004. Birds of the Bobirwa area of eastern Botswana. Babbler 44: 3-43.

BREWSTER, C.A. 2005. A survey of birds at Lake Ngami 23-28 December 2004. Babbler 46: 25-31.

BREWSTER, C.A., HANCOCK, P., MULLER, M., REED, G., TYLER, S.J. & TYLER, L. 2002. Waterbirds at Lake Ngami, September 2001 to January 2002. Babbler 40: 37-40.

BROWN, C.J. 1990. Birds of the West Caprivi Strip. Lanioturdus 25: 22-37. DE VILLIERS, J. 1993. Christmas in Savute. Birding in Southern Africa

45(2): 50-52. GINN, P.J. 1976. Birds of the Makgadikgadi. A preliminary report. Wagtail

15: 21-96. GLOVER, J. & SKINNER, C. 2005. Transect counts in and around the

Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, in Nxai Pan National Park and in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Babbler 45: 37-40.

HANCOCK, P., OAKE, K., TYLER, S.J. & BREWSTER, C.A. 2005. Monitoring waterbirds at Lake Ngami – An Important Bird Area: June 2004 to January 2005. Report to Wetlands International and Wilderness Wildlife Trust.

HERREMANS, M., BREWSTER, C.A. & HERREMANS, D. 1992. Migrant phenology 1990-1992, Babbler 24: 37-46.

HERREMANS, M. 1994. Fifteen years of migrant phenology records in Botswana, A summary and prospects. Babbler 28: 47-68.

KOEN, J.H. 1988. Birds of the Eastern Caprivi. Southern birds 15: 1-73. KVIST, A. 1989. The birds of Serowe and its surroundings. Babbler 18; 5-

33. LIVERSEDGE, T.N., GREER, K.R & LETLHARE, B. 1989. Proposed Nata

Sanctuary. Unpublished report MUNDY & BORELLO 1990. Northeast section of Sowa Pan (Makgadikgadi

Pans). Bird survey in Winter 1990, with proposals for future monitoring. Botswana Bird Club Report No 1: 1-29.

PAUSCH, E. 1998. Birds of Kutse Game Reserve. Babbler 33: 5-16. PENRY, E.H. 1982. Caspian Plovers in breeding dress in Botswana.

Babbler 4: 23. PENRY, E. H. 1994. Bird Atlas of Botswana. University of Natal Press,

Pietermaritzburg Penry, E.H. 1994.Bird Atlas



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RANDALL, R. D. 2008. Northern Chobe National Park and Kasane/Kazungula (from Ngoma to Kazungula). Babbler 51:

TYLER, S.J. 2001. A Review of Waterbird Counts in Botswana. 1991 to 2000. Babbler Special Suppl. No. 1.


TYLER, S.J. & BORELLO, W.D. 1998. Birds of the Gaborone area and where to watch them. Botswana Bird Club, Gaborone.

TYLER, S.J. & BREWSTER, C.A. 2006. Interesting and Unusual Sightings. Babbler 47: 35-66.



URBAN, E.K., FRY, C.H. & KEITH, S. 1986. The Birds of Africa. Vol. 2. Academic Press, London.

WILSON, J.R. 1983. The avifauna of the Lobatse area, south-east Botswana. Botswana Notes and Records 15: 59-74 (this article was reprinted in 1984 in Babbler 8: 17-43).

White-backed Duck Photo: Ian White



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RANDALL, R. D. 2008. Northern Chobe National Park and Kasane/Kazungula (from Ngoma to Kazungula). Babbler 51:



TYLER, S.J. & BORELLO, W.D. 1998. Birds of the Gaborone area and where to watch them. Botswana Bird Club, Gaborone.




URBAN, E.K., FRY, C.H. & KEITH, S. 1986. The Birds of Africa. Vol. 2. Academic Press, London.

WILSON, J.R. 1983. The avifauna of the Lobatse area, south-east Botswana. Botswana Notes and Records 15: 59-74 (this article was reprinted in 1984 in Babbler 8: 17-43).


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The Status of Caspian Plover in Zimbabwe

David Ewbank

The Caspian Plover Charadrius asiaticus is an uncommon species in Zimbabwe usually seen on southward passage. This bird breeds in a narrow band between Volvograd and Xinjiang in desert and steppe. This bird passes over the Middle East on its way to eastern and southern Africa but only a few touch down on the Red Sea coast in spring (Delany et al. 2009). An attempt has been made to collect available records of Caspian Plover (published and unpublished) in Zimbabwe.

Table 1. Zimbabwe records of Caspian Plover Location Date No.

birds Comments Reference

Matopos Dec ? Stark & Sclater, 1906

Beatrice Dec 2 records Smithers et al. 1957

Cyrene ? 1 male On open mealie land (chestnut upper breast with distinct black band between this and white belly)

Smithers 1956

Kumalo airfield near Bulawayo

12 Dec 1953

It is not clear if Vernon (1967) saw any further birds.

L. S. Taylor, Broekhuysen 1955

Harare Summer Summer vagrant Brooke 1963 Hwange National Park

Nov 3 records Davison 1963

Kariba Valley July In lower valley Cooper 1972 Vorley Bay, Lake MacIlwaine

22 Aug-2 Sept 1973

Tree 1973, Tree 1974

Mandavu Dam, Hwange N.P.

7 Sept 1981

1 Tree in litt.

Tshabalala sanctuary, Bulawayo

10 Oct 1989

14 Tree 1990a

Fothergill Island, Lake Kariba

15 Oct 1989

8 Tree 1990a

Aisleby Jan 1990

11-31 On bare land; normally this plover is far west by January

Tree 1990b

Boulder Beacon Farm, Somabula

18 Sept 1991

1 Road casualty Tree 1992a


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David Ewbank







Smithers 1956


12 Dec 1953






22 Aug-2 Sept 1973



7 Sept 1981

1 Tree in litt.


10 Oct 1989

14 Tree 1990a


15 Oct 1989

8 Tree 1990a

Aisleby Jan 1990


Tree 1990b


18 Sept 1991



15


David Ewbank







Smithers 1956


12 Dec 1953






22 Aug-2 Sept 1973



7 Sept 1981

1 Tree in litt.


10 Oct 1989

14 Tree 1990a


15 Oct 1989

8 Tree 1990a

Aisleby Jan 1990


Tree 1990b


18 Sept 1991



15


David Ewbank







Smithers 1956


12 Dec 1953






22 Aug-2 Sept 1973



7 Sept 1981

1 Tree in litt.


10 Oct 1989

14 Tree 1990a


15 Oct 1989

8 Tree 1990a

Aisleby Jan 1990


Tree 1990b


18 Sept 1991



15


David Ewbank







Smithers 1956


12 Dec 1953






22 Aug-2 Sept 1973



7 Sept 1981

1 Tree in litt.


10 Oct 1989

14 Tree 1990a


15 Oct 1989

8 Tree 1990a

Aisleby Jan 1990


Tree 1990b


18 Sept 1991




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Location Date No. birds

Comments Reference

Aisleby 21 Aug 1992

1 First of the season Tree 1992b

Aisleby 15 Dec 1992

9 And a late bird on 5 Jan 1993

Tree 1993

south-west Lake Manyame

9 Oct 1993

8 Tree 1994a

Aisleby 15 Nov 1993

4 Tree 1994a

Aisleby 21 Dec 1993

5 Tree 1994b

Aisleby 30 Aug 1994

2 Tree1995a

Aisleby Oct 1994

?

Aisleby 1 Feb 1995

6 With two in full breeding dress and one in partial dress

Tree 1995b

Nyororo Farm, Chatsworth

Jan 2000

9 Dodman and Diagana 2003

Aisleby 29 Oct 2000

5 Babbler 41

Aisleby 17 June 2001

1 H. Erwee

A total of 27 records were found. Between 1900 and 1980 there were just 12 records, suggesting that it was very rare in Zimbabwe. However, as Aisleby became more suitable, there have been more records since then with 10 of the 13 available post 1980 records being from Aisleby. The June record from Aisleby is the first record of over-summering in southern Africa (Hockey et al. 2005). Most birds are on passage to Botswana and Namibia with two records of moulting into breeding plumage with one dated to February. Table 2. Number of records per month Month No. records Month No. Records January 3 July 1 February 1 August 3 March 0 September 3 April 0 October 5


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May 0 November 2 June 1 December 6 Acknowledgements Thanks to Julia Dupree, Ian Riddell and Tony Tree for information and assistance.

REFERENCES

BROEKHYSEN, G.R. 1955. Occurrence and movements of migratory

species in Rhodesia and Southern Africa during the period 1950-1953(Part 1). Ostrich 26(2): 99-114.

BROOKE, R.K. 1963. Birds around Salisbury: then and now. South Afr. Avif. Ser 9: 1-67.

COOPER, J. 1972. A checklist of birds of the Zambezi Valley from Kariba to Zumbo. South Afr. Avi. Ser No 85.

DAVISON, E. 1963. Checklist of the birds of Wankie National Park. South Afr. Avi. Ser No 13: 1-50.

DELANEY, S., DODMAN, T., STROUD, D. & SCOTT D. 2009. An atlas of wader populations in Africa and western Eurasia. Wageningen: Wetlands International. 524pp

DODMAN,T. & DIAGANA, C.H. 2003. African Waterbird counts. Wetlands International Global Series 16.

HOCKEY, P.A.R., DEAN, W.R.J. & RYAN, P. 2005. Roberts Birds of Southern Africa. Cape Town: John Voelcker Book Fund.

PRIEST, C.D. 1944. The birds of Southern Rhodesia Volume 2. Edinburgh: William Clowes.

SMITHERS, R.H.N. 1956. Some interesting Rhodesian and Bechuanaland records III. Ostrich 26(1): 14-17

SMITHERS, R.H.N., IRWIN, M.P.S. & PATERSON, M.L. 1957 A Check List of the Birds of Southern Rhodesia with Data on Ecology and Breeding. Salisbury: Rhodesian Ornithological Society.

STARK, M.B. & SCLATER, W.L. 1906. The birds of South Africa. R.H.Porter: London.

TREE, A.J. 1973. Birds on Lake MacIlwaine. Honeyguide 76: 32-35. TREE, A.J. 1974. Waders in the Salisbury area. Honeyguide 80: 13-27. TREE, A.J. 1990a. Recent Reports. Honeyguide 36(1): 44-50. TREE, A.J. 1990b. Recent Reports. Honeyguide 36(2): 95-100. TREE, A.J. 1992a. Recent Reports. Honeyguide 38(1): 34-41. TREE, A.J. 1992b. Recent Reports. Honeyguide 38(4): 199-204. TREE, A.J. 1993. Recent Reports. Honeyguide 39(3): 152-164. TREE, A.J. 1994a. Recent Reports. Honeyguide 40(2): 35-46. TREE, A.J. 1994b. Recent Reports. Honeyguide 40(3): 152-2164. TREE, A.J. 1995a. Recent Reports. Honeyguide 41(1): 30-40. TREE, A.J. 1995b. Recent Reports. Honeyguide 41(3): 178-189.



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Location Date No. birds

Comments Reference

Aisleby 21 Aug 1992

1 First of the season Tree 1992b

Aisleby 15 Dec 1992

9 And a late bird on 5 Jan 1993

Tree 1993

south-west Lake Manyame

9 Oct 1993

8 Tree 1994a

Aisleby 15 Nov 1993

4 Tree 1994a

Aisleby 21 Dec 1993

5 Tree 1994b

Aisleby 30 Aug 1994

2 Tree1995a

Aisleby Oct 1994

?

Aisleby 1 Feb 1995

6 With two in full breeding dress and one in partial dress

Tree 1995b

Nyororo Farm, Chatsworth

Jan 2000

9 Dodman and Diagana 2003

Aisleby 29 Oct 2000

5 Babbler 41

Aisleby 17 June 2001

1 H. Erwee

A total of 27 records were found. Between 1900 and 1980 there were just 12 records, suggesting that it was very rare in Zimbabwe. However, as Aisleby became more suitable, there have been more records since then with 10 of the 13 available post 1980 records being from Aisleby. The June record from Aisleby is the first record of over-summering in southern Africa (Hockey et al. 2005). Most birds are on passage to Botswana and Namibia with two records of moulting into breeding plumage with one dated to February. Table 2. Number of records per month Month No. records Month No. Records January 3 July 1 February 1 August 3 March 0 September 3 April 0 October 5


17

May 0 November 2 June 1 December 6 Acknowledgements Thanks to Julia Dupree, Ian Riddell and Tony Tree for information and assistance.

REFERENCES

BROEKHYSEN, G.R. 1955. Occurrence and movements of migratory

species in Rhodesia and Southern Africa during the period 1950-1953(Part 1). Ostrich 26(2): 99-114.

BROOKE, R.K. 1963. Birds around Salisbury: then and now. South Afr. Avif. Ser 9: 1-67.

COOPER, J. 1972. A checklist of birds of the Zambezi Valley from Kariba to Zumbo. South Afr. Avi. Ser No 85.

DAVISON, E. 1963. Checklist of the birds of Wankie National Park. South Afr. Avi. Ser No 13: 1-50.

DELANEY, S., DODMAN, T., STROUD, D. & SCOTT D. 2009. An atlas of wader populations in Africa and western Eurasia. Wageningen: Wetlands International. 524pp

DODMAN,T. & DIAGANA, C.H. 2003. African Waterbird counts. Wetlands International Global Series 16.

HOCKEY, P.A.R., DEAN, W.R.J. & RYAN, P. 2005. Roberts Birds of Southern Africa. Cape Town: John Voelcker Book Fund.

PRIEST, C.D. 1944. The birds of Southern Rhodesia Volume 2. Edinburgh: William Clowes.

SMITHERS, R.H.N. 1956. Some interesting Rhodesian and Bechuanaland records III. Ostrich 26(1): 14-17

SMITHERS, R.H.N., IRWIN, M.P.S. & PATERSON, M.L. 1957 A Check List of the Birds of Southern Rhodesia with Data on Ecology and Breeding. Salisbury: Rhodesian Ornithological Society.

STARK, M.B. & SCLATER, W.L. 1906. The birds of South Africa. R.H.Porter: London.

TREE, A.J. 1973. Birds on Lake MacIlwaine. Honeyguide 76: 32-35. TREE, A.J. 1974. Waders in the Salisbury area. Honeyguide 80: 13-27. TREE, A.J. 1990a. Recent Reports. Honeyguide 36(1): 44-50. TREE, A.J. 1990b. Recent Reports. Honeyguide 36(2): 95-100. TREE, A.J. 1992a. Recent Reports. Honeyguide 38(1): 34-41. TREE, A.J. 1992b. Recent Reports. Honeyguide 38(4): 199-204. TREE, A.J. 1993. Recent Reports. Honeyguide 39(3): 152-164. TREE, A.J. 1994a. Recent Reports. Honeyguide 40(2): 35-46. TREE, A.J. 1994b. Recent Reports. Honeyguide 40(3): 152-2164. TREE, A.J. 1995a. Recent Reports. Honeyguide 41(1): 30-40. TREE, A.J. 1995b. Recent Reports. Honeyguide 41(3): 178-189.



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VERNON, C.J. 1967. The Acacia savanna avifauna of Bulawayo. South Afr. Avi. Series 43: 1-45.

D.A.Ewbank. 14 Chapel St, Ely Britain CB6 1AE email:[email protected]


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Sighting of a ringed White-bellied Sunbird

Wendy D. Borello

In September 2014 I saw a White-bellied Sunbird Cinnyris talatala male in the garden for several days; it had on its left leg a metal ring but no colour ring on the right leg. I did not think I would ever get an opportunity to read its ring number as a metal only right leg female Marico Sunbird that I saw some time ago could never be identified. However, surprise, surprise – I eventually got close enough to take a series of photos (telescope pointless as the bird was all over the show) and I am confident that it is L28232, ringed on 21 August 2009 by Stephanie Tyler. I have extracted and cropped a couple of photos showing the ring number. The last resighting of L28232, identified by his dark blue colour ring, was 12 February 2011 and the most recent sighting of a male metal left, no colour ring right was on 17 November 2012, which was likely L28232 as the last resighting of male L28231 identified by his yellow ring on his right leg was on 15 November 2012. Editor: This means that over five years had elapsed between ringing and re-sighting of this sunbird, which for such a small active bird is quite a feat of survival. Small passerines however, tend to live longer in southern Africa than they do in Europe.

Caspian Plover Photo: Ian White



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VERNON, C.J. 1967. The Acacia savanna avifauna of Bulawayo. South Afr. Avi. Series 43: 1-45.

D.A.Ewbank. 14 Chapel St, Ely Britain CB6 1AE email:[email protected]


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Sighting of a ringed White-bellied Sunbird

Wendy D. Borello

In September 2014 I saw a White-bellied Sunbird Cinnyris talatala male in the garden for several days; it had on its left leg a metal ring but no colour ring on the right leg. I did not think I would ever get an opportunity to read its ring number as a metal only right leg female Marico Sunbird that I saw some time ago could never be identified. However, surprise, surprise – I eventually got close enough to take a series of photos (telescope pointless as the bird was all over the show) and I am confident that it is L28232, ringed on 21 August 2009 by Stephanie Tyler. I have extracted and cropped a couple of photos showing the ring number. The last resighting of L28232, identified by his dark blue colour ring, was 12 February 2011 and the most recent sighting of a male metal left, no colour ring right was on 17 November 2012, which was likely L28232 as the last resighting of male L28231 identified by his yellow ring on his right leg was on 15 November 2012. Editor: This means that over five years had elapsed between ringing and re-sighting of this sunbird, which for such a small active bird is quite a feat of survival. Small passerines however, tend to live longer in southern Africa than they do in Europe.

White-Bellied Sunbird Male P1080847 -23-Photo: Wendy Borello



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White-Bellied Sunbird Male P1080894 ends 32Photo: Wendy Borello

White-Bellied Sunbird Male P1080853 ends 232Photo: Wendy Borello



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Waterbird counts in Botswana in dry season 2014 (July)

Stephanie J Tyler A few counts were made at the start of August and in one case in June, but all others in mid July. South-east Botswana The usual dams and sewage ponds were covered with the exception of four previously covered important sites - Phakalane and Tsholofelo Sewage Ponds (S.P.) and also Gaborone and Gamoleele Dams. No count was received either for Nnywane Dam whilst Kgoro Pan was dry in late July. Bokaa Dam as in previous counts had the highest number of waterbirds followed by Tswaiing Pans, Lobatse S.P., Thagale Dam, Mahalapye S.P. and Ramotswa S.P. In all 6,403 birds were counted of 46 species (excluding coucals, kingfishers and wagtails).There were no great surprises but 53 Maccoa Duck Oxyura maccoa at Mahalapye Sewage Ponds and 20 Great Crested Grebes Podiceps cristatus at Bokaa Dam were of note. Mahalapye S.P. appears to be the most important site in Botswana for Maccoa Ducks but it would be useful to have data from other eastern sites such as Palapye S.P. At Bokaa Dam too were 12 White-backed Duck Thalassornis leuconotus and 10 Fulvous Duck Dendrocygna bicolor among the 1,480 White-faced Ducks D. viduata. Ramotswa S.P. turned up 18 South African Shelduck Tadorna cana whilst Jwaneng Sewage Ponds had 8 South African Shelduck and 3 Maccoa Duck and Moshupa Dam 12 Maccoas. Overall the ten most numerous species were White-faced Duck (1,487), Red-billed Teal Anas erythrorhyncha (776), Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis (665), Southern Pochard Netta erythrophthalma (417), Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristata (413), Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegptiacus (270), Cape Teal Anas capensis (229) and Blacksmith Lapwing Vanellus armatus (166), White-breasted Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo (1620) and Cape Shoveler Anas smithii (144). Makgadikgadi Pans Both Nata Sanctuary and Lake Xau (Dow) were counted in August and because of high water levels much of the delta area at Nata was inaccessible and again access difficulties meant that waterbirds along part of the southern shore of Lake Xau and in the reedbeds were not counted. However, both wetlands provided important counts. Of note at Nata were 200 White Pelicans Pelecanus onocrotalus, 500 Lesser Flamingos Phoenicopterus minor and 110 Greater Flamingos P. roseata, eight Chestnut-banded Plovers Charadrius pallidus and a Caspian Tern Sterna caspia. At Lake Xau 105 African Darters Anhinga rufa, 550 Cattle Egrets


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Bubulcus ibis, a White Stork Ciconia ciconia, 120 Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus, 1,100 Red-billed Teal, 200 Collared Pratincoles Glareola pratincola and 400 Black-winged Stilts Himantopus himantopus provided much of interest. Mea Pan, once a regular site for Wattled Cranes Grus carunculatus, was dry when visited. Table 1. Counts in Botswana in July 2014 (Total number of waterbirds counted with number of species in parentheses) Northern Botswana 13,804 (61) South-east Botswana 6,403 (46) Kasane Rapids 103 (9) Bathoen Dam 54 (7) Kasane Seep 182 (19) Bokaa Dam 2,373 (28) Chobe River 12,182 (51) Gamoleele Dam No count Chobe N.P. pans (12) 59 (7) Jwaneng S.P. 186 (11) Savute marsh/channel 562 (35) Lobatse S.P. 571 (21) Linyanti within national park

81 (16) Kgoro Pan Dry

Chobe near Lake Liambezi

576 (33) Mahalapye S.P. 533 (22)

Okavango Delta Mogobane Dam 317 (21) Jao & Kwetsani Flats 184 (25) Moshupa Dam 158 (14) Makgadikgadi Pans 5,260 (51) Ngotwane Dam 238 (21) Lake Xau (partial count)

3,802 (42) Ramotswa S.P. 490 (17)

Nata Sanctuary (partial count)

1,458 (37) Thagale Dam 567 (16)

Mea Pan Dry Tswaiing Pans 597 (18) Northern Botswana North-east Botswana was well covered with counts within Chobe National Park at pans, along the Chobe and Linyanti Rivers and also outside the park along the Chobe between Katchikau and Kavimba and in Kasane at the Seep and the Rapids. With over 13,000 waterbirds in this section of Botswana, the Chobe River and other areas in the Chobe National Park and adjacent wetlands are clearly of great importance. The Chobe River between the old park entrance at Kasane and Ngoma were covered by six teams and a grand total of over 12,000 waterbirds were noted. This included 79 White Pelicans, 89 Grey Herons Ardea cinerea, one Slaty Egret Egretta vinaceigula, over 6,000 White-faced Ducks, 1,490 Red-billed Teal, 743 Comb Ducks, almost 300 African



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Openbills, 574 Glossy Ibis, 10 African Skimmers Rynchops flavirostris, 300 Collared Pratincoles, 45 Grey-headed Gulls Larus cirrocephalus, an Osprey Pandion haliaetus, 24 African Fish Eagles Haliaeetus vocifer and seven African Marsh Harriers Circus ranivorus. For the first time in the Chobe waterbird counts, White-backed Ducks were reported by one observer in the section nearest Kasane. Twelve pan complexes visited in Chobe National Park were all virtually dry so very few birds were observed on these other than Blacksmith Lapwings (47) with an odd Hamerkop Scopus umbretta, African Spoonbill Platalea alba, Black-winged Stilt and Kittlitz’s Plover Charadrius pecuarius, three Red-billed Teal and five Crowned Lapwings Vanellus coronatus. Water was flowing into Savute Channel and Marsh, the latter being about 50% full. A range of species was seen with 19 African Fish Eagles counted as well as three African Marsh Harriers, 14 Saddle-billed Storks Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis, 24 Long-toed Lapwings Vanellus crassirostris and five Greater Painted-Snipe Rostratula benghalensis. Kasane Seep was visited twice in mid July – on 11 and 13 July. Slightly more birds (182 v. 156) and more species (19 v. 13) were seen on the second visit. This site is good for Marabou Storks Leptoptilos crumeniferus (92 and 102 on the two visits), White-crowned Lapwing Vanellus albiceps (six and eight), Water Thick-knees Burhinus vermiculatus (12) and a diversity of other species. On the first visit there were three Grey Crowned Cranes Balearica regulorum; these were subsequently seen on Sedudu Island in the Chobe River. Kasane Rapids has a large heronry and here 60 Yellow-billed Storks Mycteria ibis were seen as well as 27 African Spoonbills and six species of herons. Sadly few observers now count in the Okavango Delta where there was much activity in the late 1990s and 2000s. The Jao & Kwetsani Flats are however, still covered and Slaty Egrets Egretta vinaceigula (8) are a regular species there. Kingfishers and wagtails are not included in the above tables but it is worth reporting that 126 Pied Kingfishers Ceryle rudis were reported in north-east Botswana as well as three Giant Megaceryle maximus, two Half-collared Alcedo semitorquata and six Malachite Kingfishers A. cristata. Some 71 of the Pied Kingfishers were along the Chobe River. Five African Pied Wagtails Motacilla aguimp were also seen in this area of Botswana. In south-east Botswana rather few kingfishers were seen in the winter counts but 53 Cape Wagtails M. capensis and four African Pied Wagtails were observed.



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Acknowledgements

I am grateful to all of the following observers: Chris Brewster (many sites in SE Botswana, Nata Sanctuary and Lake Xau), Mike and Daphne Goldsworthy and Harold Hester (many sites in SE Botswana), Linda and Patrick Taylor, Eugenie and Mark Skelton, Jan and Sandy Kelly, Geraldine and Harold Hester (Ngotwane Dam), Peter D’Arcy (Mahalapye S.P.), Martin Kays and Antony Mulligan (Jao & Kwetsani Flats), Gavin and Marjorie Blair (Chobe National Park pans, Linyanti River, Chobe River near Lake Liambezi), Phil Zappala and Lyn Francey (Kasane Seep and Rapids) and a team of people who covered the Chobe River (Phil Zappala and Mark Vandewalle et al.).

African Sacred IbisPhoto: Lyn Francey



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Reports from the Records Committee

Concentration of Bateleurs

On 2 August 2014 Gavin and Marjorie Blair saw 33 Bateleurs Terathopius ecaudatus together in Savute with 17 White-backed Vultures Gyps africanus and 1 White-headed Vulture Aegypius occipitalis. Gavin says that in all the years he has been in Savute it is not that uncommon for a week or so during the year to have large concentrations of Bateleurs. On the visit in question Gavin and Marjorie saw well over 50 Bateleurs in total in the area (they did not record every last one as did not want to risk recording the same ones more than once), but the 33 were all together in one sighting.

Yellow-bellied Greenbul in a Gaborone garden

On 29 May 2014 Spencer Watt-Pringle saw and photographed a Yellow-bellied Greenbul Chlorocichla flaviventris in a Gaborone garden. This bird appeared to be well out of range. In Botswana it occurs in riverine woodland along the Shashe, Tati, Motloutse and Limpopo Rivers in the east and in riparian woodland in the Okavango, Linyanti and Chobe River systems (Penry 1994). One seen at Modumela Lodge north of Tsessebe (Tshesebe) in 2027D1 by Mike & Daphne Goldsworthy (see Babbler 44) on 26 and 27July 2004 was however, unusually in drier terrain among tree-covered rocks. Tyler & Borello (1998) gave no records for the Gaborone area although subsequently Buchan et al. (2000) saw several in a wooded rocky gorge near Bathoen Dam, Kanye in June 1999, about 200 km south of its known range. Trevor Hardaker reported in the southern African Rare Bird News Reports another Yellow-bellied Greenbul at Madikwe Game Reserve on 24 July 2014 and described the sighting as the westernmost record of the species in South Africa. Penry (1994) noted that seasonal movements do occur so possibly this bird happened to come further south than normal, although Oatley (1997) regarded the species as sedentary, Chris Brewster noted that the nearest it occurs regularly is along the Limpopo at Parr's Halt, though it may extend up the Limpopo as far south as Buffel's Drift. He said “This record, I believe, is likely to be of a vagrant bird though it could just possibly occur along the lower Ngotwane River above Buffel's Drift”. Terrestrial Bulbul Phyllastrephus terrestris which occupies similar habitat to Yellow-bellied Greenbuls was recorded near Oliphants Drift, nearly 100km south of its known range in February 1997 (Tyler & Lewis 1997).


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REFERENCES

BUCHAN, T., HESTER, A.W. & TYLER, S.J. 2000. Yellow-bellied Bulbuls

Chlorocichla flaviventris near Kanye – an extension of range. Babbler 26: 11.

OATLEY, T. 1997. Yellow-bellied Bulbuls Chlorocichla flaviventris. In: Atlas of southern African birds. Volume 2, Passerines. Harrison, J.A., Allan, D.G, Underhill, L.G., Herremans, M., Tree, A.J., Parker, V. & Brown, C.J. (eds). Pp 146-147. BirdLife South Africa, Johannesburg.

PENRY, H. 1994. Bird Atlas of Botswana. University of Natal Press, Pietermaritzburg.

TYLER, S.J. & BORELLO, W.D. 1998. Birds in the Gaborone area and where to watch them. Botswana Bird Club. Gaborone.

TYLER, S.J. & LEWIS, J.M.S. 1997.Terrestrial Bulbuls on the Limpopo at Oliphants Drift. Babbler 32: 36.

BateleurPhoto: Lyn Francey



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Summary of Category B Records

Compiled by Chris A. Brewster & Stephanie J. Tyler

Records are for the period January 2014 to November 2014 although a few earlier records for 2012 and 2013 are provided. Other records will be extracted from the Common Bird Monitoring forms for the next issue of Babbler. Maccoa Duck Oxyura maccoa Four males and eight females were seen at Mahalapye S.P. on 2 Feb and a large count of 28 males and 25 females there on 22 July (PD’A) – this is more than 0.5% of the southern African population.Two were at Bokaa Dam on 22 July (CAB), 12 at Moshupa Dam and three at Jwaneng S.P. on 6 Aug (MGG, DG, HH). White-backed Duck Thassalornis leuconotus Twelve were seen at Bokaa Dam on 22 July (CAB) and six there on 7 Sept (MGG & DG). Fulvous Duck Dendrocygna bicolor There were 10 at Bokaa Dam on 22 July among a record number of White-faced Duck D. viduata – 1,480 (CAB). Ten were still present on 7 Sept with far fewer (250) White-faced Duck (MGG & DG). Southern Ground-Hornbill Bucorvus leadbeateri Two were in the Chobe floodplain at S17° 55.667 E024° 43.679 on 18 Aug (GB, MB). African Pygmy-Kingfisher Ispidina picta One was at Mashatu Game Reserve on 15 Dec 2013 (DM). Grey-headed Kingfisher Halcyon leucocephala One was along Khwai River (in 1923B2) on 3 Feb 2013, one adult at Savute on 6 Feb 2013 (JR), and one at Kwa-Tuli Game Reserve (2228B3) on 15 Feb 2013 (DHan). In south-east Botswana, one was at Mogonye on 16 Nov 2013 (CAB). One was along Limpopo River in 2229A1 on 20 Dec 2013 (DM) and one at Bushman Painting Hill, Savute on 22 Nov 2013 and 2 Feb 2014. Five were counted on 28 Jan on the Jao & Kwetsani Flats (MK). Singles were at Kazangula on 22 Feb (PZ), in Chobe Forest Reserve (1824A4) and in Lesoma Valley on 1 April (MB, GB) and a pair at Shakawe on 1 Nov (AV). Denham’s (Stanley’s) Bustard Neotis denhami One was at Pandamatenga Farm 50 on 9 Feb (DH) and another single was seen on the Chobe floodplain opposite Savanna Lodge on 13 Feb (LF).


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Kori Bustard Ardeotis kori One to four were seen daily at Kwa-Tuli Game Reserve (2228B3) from March to Nov 2013 (DHan), two south-west of Gweta near Jack’s Camp on on 27 Feb (OB), five at Khankhe Pan, Khutse on 15 May (CAB) and six in Khutse G.R. on 29 June (MGG & DG). Along the Chobe River one was seen on 24 July and a single there on 16 Aug at S17° 50.725 E025° 03.221, two on 18 Aug at S17° 55.493 E025° 01.173 and another two at S17° 55.318 & E024° 55.934 and two near S17° 50.740 E025° 03.228 (PZ, GB, MB). One was at Xhorodumo Pan and one at Nata Sanctuary on 23 Aug (CAB) and five were noted in Khama Rhino Sanctuary on 15 Sep (HH). Two flew over Tlokweng – Modipane road on 25 June (JD); there have been very few records in the Gaborone area in recent years so this record is notable. There were 20 in Deception Valley on 20 Sept and 19 at Name Pan in the Zutswa area of the western Kalahari on 30 Sept (HH, MGG, DG). Grey Crowned Crane Balearica regulorum Reported from Mashatu Game Reserve on 23 Oct 2013 (per TH). Three were at Kasane Seep on 11 July and three birds, presumably the same ones, were seen regularly on Sedudu Island from July to September (PZ). Wattled Crane Grus carunculatus Eight were noted on the Jao & Kwetsani Flats on 28 Jan (MK); one south-west of Gweta, near Jack’s Camp on 28 Feb (OB), eight in Nata Sanctuary on 2 March and three on 30 March (DH). African Finfoot Podica senegalensis One was seen at Kwa-Tuli Game Reserve on 1 May 2013 and one at Chobe Safari Lodge, Kasane on 17 May 2013 (DHan). Allen’s Gallinule Porphyrio alleni One was seen along Khwai River (in 1923B2) on 3 Feb 2013 (JR). In 2014 one was along Thamalakane River at Maun on 13 March (JR) and an adult at Matlapaneng Bridge, Maun on 26 May (LC). African Crake Crecopsis egregia Two were seen along Khwai River on 3 Feb 2013 (JR), one along the Savute to Linyanti road (1823B4) on 4 Feb 2014 (MB, GB) and one, newly arrived, at Matlapaneng, Maun on 4 Nov (BR).



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Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni Ca.700 at Savute Marsh on 23 Nov 2013 and ca.3000 at Kavimba on 24 Nov 2013 (MB, GB). Ca.15 at Maun S.P. on 13 March (JR). Chestnut-banded Plover Charadrius pallidus Eight were seen in Nata Sanctuary on 23 Aug (CAB). White-fronted Plover Charadrius marginatus Two at Maun Sewage Ponds on 13 March (JR) and three at Mashatu Game Reserve on 14 April (JRaw). White-crowned Lapwing Vanellus albiceps One to four daily along Limpopo River at Kwa-Tuli Game Reserve throughout 2013 (DHan). Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres One was at Thune Dam (2228B1) on 4 Nov 2013 (DHan). In 2014 one was photographed at Lake Ngami on 25 Oct (KO, MO) and another on ‘skimmer island’ in the Chobe River near Kasane on 17 Nov (LF). Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus One was seen on the Boro River near the buffalo fence on 25 Oct (PH, KO, MM), three at Kasane sewage ponds on 4 Nov (EM) and one at Limpopo Lipadi Game Reserve in the Tuli Block on 20 Nov (per TH). Sanderling Calidris alba Two were seen in Gaborone on 24 Oct (per TH), one on the Nhabe River in late Oct (CM) and one on a sandbank with African Skimmers in the Chobe River within the park on 5 Nov (EM). Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa One was seen and photographed on 16 March by the Chobe River in Chobe N.P. at the start of the Watercart Loop (LF). On 30 May a group of eight were seen at Nata Sanctuary (per TH). Two were at Nata Sanctuary on 23 Aug (CAB).

Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus One was reported from Lake Ngami on 25 Oct (KO, MO).

African Skimmer Rynchops flavirostris Six were at Maun Sewage Ponds on 13 March (JR). Ten were seen on 26 July on the Chobe River upstream from the old park entrance (PZ et al.) and on 19 Aug there were 11 on the Chobe River near S17° 50.182 E025° 05.985 (GB, MB). Two were seen on the Chobe River at Mowana Lodge, Kasane on 10 Oct (PZ) and eight at Maun on 23 Nov (Ewan Masson).



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Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus An immature was seen and photographed at Shakawe on 2 Nov (EM, AV). Caspian Tern Sterna caspia Two were at Harvey’s Pan, Savute on 23 Nov 3013 (MB, GB) and one at Nata Sanctuary on 23 Aug (CAB). Osprey Pandion haliaetus In 2013 two were at Thune Dam (2228B1) on 25 Oct and one there on 4 Nov (DHan). One was on the Chobe R. near Ihaha on 26 July 2014 (PZ). Eurasian Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus One was at Kwa-Tuli Game Reserve on 12 April 2013 (DHan); one at Maun on 24 March to 9 April 2014 and one at Kasane on 7 Dec (per TH). Hooded Vulture Necrosyrtes monachus Two were at Savute on 6 Feb 2013 (JR). A bird fitted with a transmitter in the Okavango Delta was seen at Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe some 300km away (Raptors Botswana). Two were at First Bridge, Moremi G.R. on 29 June (AF), two at Kasane Seep on 13 July and three along the Chobe River on 26 July (PZ). One at Third Bridge, Moremi Game Reserve on 5 August had been tagged at Santawani on 15 March (GMC).One was seen on 3 Aug in the Linyanti at S18° 17.163 & E023° 55.198; along the Chobe River two on 16 Aug at S17° 50.565 E025° 04.822, one on 17 Aug at S17° 50.257 E025° 00.124, four on the same date at S17° 49.947 & E025° 06.809 and one on 18 Aug near S17° 50.740 E025° 03.228 (GB, MB). Two were at a Buffalo carcass at Kasane Seep in late Oct with ca 80 White-backed Vultures (HH et al.). White-headed Vulture Aegypius occipitalis In 2013 there were two at Savute on 6 Feb 2013 (JR) and a male at Elephant Sands Lodge, north of Nata (in 1926C1) on 24 Aug 2013 (SO). 2014 two at Motailane Pan, Khutse G.R. on 14 May (CAB), three at First Bridge, Moremi G.R. on 29 June (AF), one on 2 Aug in Savute with 33 Bateleurs and 17 White-backed Vultures in three dead trees and flying west of S18° 39.716 E024° 06.715 and two on 18 Aug with a Lappet-faced Vulture by the Chobe R. nr S17° 50.740 E025° 03.228 (GB, MB).



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Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotos In 2013 two adults were at Harvey’s Pan, Savute on 7 Feb (JR), one at Makoro, south of Palapye on 1 Sept (CAB) and one adult at Mashatu Game Reserve on 15 Dec (DM). 2014 records included four south-west of Gweta, near Jack’s Camp on 25 Feb (OB), one at Pandamatenga Farm 50 on 23 Feb (DH), five at Motailane Pan, Khutse G.R. on 14 May, two near Salajwe on 16 May and an immature at Hunhukwe Pan on 19 May (CAB). One was at Maun with ca. 50+ White-backed Vultures on 20 July (MSp). Two were on the Chobe floodplain on 26 July (PZ). Singles were in Savute on 2 Aug and on 18 Aug on the Chobe River at S17° 50.583 E025° 03.976 with 66 White-backed and 15 Hooded Vultures on 18 Aug, at S17° 52.975 E024° 46.664 and near S17° 50.740 E025° 03.228 (GB, MB). There were three at Nata Sanctuary on 23 Aug (CAB). Bateleur Terathopius ecaudatus

No. Seen

Date Place Comments Observer

1 27 Nov 2013

Along Trans Kalahari Highway near Takatshwaane

Adult NT

1 1 Feb Seba (1922B3) Nic Proust 1 7 Feb Ntshe River, near

Francistown Pako

Koboto 1 12 Feb Santawani Nic Proust 2 17 Feb Mombo Nic Proust 3 21 Feb Chobe N.P. HH, IW 2 26 Feb Tsodilo Hills Keemekae

Kelebetse 2 27 Feb Seronga Mofoto

Teko 1 28 Feb Pandamatenga Farm 50 DH 2 16 Mar Kasane Airport Ian Nuttall-

Smith 1 15

May Khankhe Pan, Khutse Immature CAB

1 18 May

North of Kang in 2322A4 Adult male CAB

1 18 May

Mosieding Pan (2321B2)

Adult male CAB

1 19 May

Masetleng Pan Immature CAB

3 20 May

Potswane Pan (2320D2 2 adult males and one adult female

CAB


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No. Seen


1 27 Nov 2013


Adult NT


Francistown Pako




Smith 1 15


1 18 May


1 18 May


Adult male CAB

1 19 May


3 20 May


CAB


31


No. Seen


1 27 Nov 2013


Adult NT


Francistown Pako




Smith 1 15


1 18 May


1 18 May


Adult male CAB

1 19 May


3 20 May


CAB



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No. Seen


1 22 May

Lokolane (2322A1) CAB

3 29 Jun Khutse G.R. MGG, DG 5 26 July Chobe floodplain between Kasane

and Ihaha PZ et al.

33 2 Aug Savute just to the west of S18° 39.716 E024° 06.715

With 17 White-backed and a White-headed Vulture on three dead trees and flying around

GB, MB

1 2 Aug Savute area in pentad 1835 2400

GB, MB

1 17 Aug Chobe River at S17° 50.416 E025° 01.173

Immature GB, MB

1 18 Aug Chobe River at S17° 55.026 & E024° 44.038

GB, MB


GB, MB

2 15 Sep Khama Rhino Sanct. HH 2 17 Sep Deception Valley HH 2 20 Sep Kumaga HH 1 27 Sep Kalahari Rest MGG, DG 3 28 Sep Masetleng Pan MGG, DG 3 30 Sep Name Pan MGG, DG African Marsh-harrier Circus ranivorus One was on the Jao & Kwetsani Flats on 28 Feb (MK). Seven were counted between Kasane and Ngoma on 26 July (PZ et al.). In early August three were seen at Savute Marsh, two at Lake Liambezi between Katchikau and Kavimba and two on the Linyanti within Chobe N.P. (GB, MB). Two were at Lake Xau on 22 Sep (HH).One was seen on the Chobe River from Mowana Lodge, Kasane on 10 Oct (PZ). Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus One adult male was at Savute on 6 Feb 2013 (JR) and a male on the Chobe floodplain in early Dec 2014 (JW).



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Lizard Buzzard Kampifalco monogrammicus One at Chobe Forest Reserve, near Ghoha Gate, 19 Nov 2013 and one along Ngoma – Kasane road (1725D4) on 12 Oct 2014 (MB, GB). Black Sparrowhawk Accipter melanoleucus Pair at spring near Lekgolobotlo on 5 July (CAB) Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina One juvenile at Savute on 6 Feb 2013 (JR). One, Kwa-Tuli Game Reserve (2228B4) on 26 Feb (Dr. Helena Fitchat). Ayres’s Hawk Eagle Hieraaetus ayresii One was noted along the Chobe River on 17 Aug at S17° 49.784 E025° 07.793 (GB, MB) and two were seen on 17 Oct at Orapa Golf Course (AO). Martial Eagle Polemaetus bellicosus One adult was at Savute on 21 Nov 2013 (MB, GB). One was at the BDF camp at Pandamatenga on 1 Feb 2014 (DH) and one in Chobe N.P. on 21 Feb (HH); two at Mahotshwane on 16 Feb (2424A3) (DL); one south-west of Gweta, near Jack’s Camp on 25 Feb (OB); one in Khutse G.R. on 29 June (MGG & DG); two singles between Ngoma and Kasane on 26 July (PZ et al.); an adult and immature at Nata Sanctuary on 23 Aug (CAB) and an adult on Sua Pan on 30 Nov (MS). Long-crested Eagle Lophaetus occipitalis One at Xigera in October 2014 (OP). Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni One male was seen at Kachikau on 18 Nov 2013 (MB, GB) and an adult male along Limpopo River in 2229A1 on 20 Dec 2013 (DM). Amur Falcon Falco amurensis Six at Crocodile Pools, Notwane on 28 Dec 2013 (CAB). A single was seen in Chobe N.P. on 21 Feb (HH). Slaty Egret Egretta vinaceigula Eight were counted on the Jao Flats on 9 July (MK, AM), one along the Chobe River on 26 July (PZ et al.) and three near Ivory Camp in the Okavango Delta in late Oct (VWF). Black Heron Egretta ardesiaca One was at Thune Dam (2228B1) on 4 Nov 2013 (DHan). White-backed Night-Heron Gorsachius leuconotus One along Limpopo River at Kwa-Tuli G.R. in Nov 2012 and Mar 2013 (DHan, AW). Singles at Shakawe, 30 Aug 2013 (SO) and 1 Nov 2014 (AV).



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Lesser Flamingo Phoenicopterus minor In 2013 there were 41 at Mogobane on 15 Sept and ca.40 at Ramotswa S.P. on 10 Nov (CAB). In 2014 80 were at Nata Sanctuary on 30 March (DH) with 250 Greater Flamingos P. ruber. On 23 Aug there were 500 at Nata Sanctuary and 110 Greater Flamingos and on 19-21 Aug there were 66 Lesser and 98 Greater at Lake Xau (CAB). Black Stork Ciconia nigra One was at Mashatu Game Reserve on 14 April (JRaw). Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia microscelis (formerly episcopus) 12 were at Harvey’s Pan, Savute on 23 Nov 3013 (MB, GB). Eight were seen in Chobe N.P. on 21 Feb (HH, IW). Saddle-billed Stork Ephippiorhunchus senegalensis One was along Limpopo River in 2229A1 on 20 Dec 2013 (DM). Two at the BDF camp at Pandamatenga on 3 March (DH); one at Mashatu Game Reserve on 14 April (JRaw) and 14 at Savute Marsh on 1 Aug (GB, MB). Bokmakerie Telophorus zeylonus Pair north of Nossob Valley along track to Kaa (at S24.45.01 E20.10.40) on 2 Sept (MM). Brown-throated Martin Riparia paludicola Six at Two Rivers, Nossob Valley,, on 25 Feb (JM), four at Leporung Dam, Molopo River on 27 July and one at Bokaa Dam on 7 Sept (CAB). Pearl-breasted Swallow Hirundo dimidiate Two at Leporung Dam, Molopo River on 27 July (CAB). South African Cliff-Swallow Hirundo spilodera Two at Leporung Dam, Molopo River on 27 July (CAB). Fairy Flycatcher Stenostira scita Singles were seen at Mosopha on 5 Aug 2023 (BLB) and near Otse on 3 May (MBing). Olive-tree Warbler Hippolais olivetorum One was along Limpopo River in 2229A1 on 20 Dec 2013 (DM). Three were seen west of Bokaa Dam on 2 Feb 2014 (BLB) and one at Sita Pan and two near Tswaiing Pans on 9 Feb (CAB).



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Garden Warbler Sylvia borin One at Audi Camp, Maun on 11 March (JR). Dusky Sunbird Cinnyris fuscus One male 6 km north of Two Rivers on 25 Feb (JM). Village Weaver Ploceus cucullatus Adult male at Grand Palm Hotel, Gaborone on 3 Nov 2013 (BLB). Orange-breasted Waxbill Sporaeginthus subflavus Several at Mogobane Dam on 5 Oct (BLB). Long-billed Pipit Anthis similis One at Manyana on 1 July and a resident pair at Lokgokgotho Hills on 5 July (CAB). Bushveld Pipit Anthus caffer About five at Lokgokgotho Hills on 5 July (CAB). Streaky-headed Seed-eater Crithagra gularis Several at Manyana on 6 Oct 2013 and one there on 1 July 2014 (BLB). Compiled by Chris A. Brewster & Stephanie J. Tyler

Abdim’s StorkPhoto: Ian White



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Interesting and Unusual Sightings

Compiled by Stephanie J. Tyler and Chris A. Brewster

This section does not cover rarities but rather interesting observations of more common birds. It might report on a species seen out of its usual range or on notably large numbers of a species. Observations on breeding or feeding behaviour are also welcomed. Records are mainly from January to October 2014. South African Shelduck Tadorna cana There were 18 at Ramotswa S.P. on 1 July, two at Lobatse S.P. on 20 July, four at Leporung Dam on 27 July (CAB) and eight at Jwaneng S.P., one at Mogobane Dam and four at Moshupa Dam on 6 Aug and a single at Mogobane Dam again on 5 Oct (HH, MGG, DG). Giant Kingfisher Megaceryle maxima The only records were of singles at Kasane Seep on 13 July, on the Chobe River between Ihaha and Ngoma on 26 July (PZ et al.), at Savute marsh on 1 Aug and at Darnaway Farm on the Limpopo (2327C1) on 13/14 Sept (PZ, GB & MB, IW). Two were on the Chobe River at Kasane on 10 Oct (PZ). Woodland Kingfisher Halcyon senegalensis Reported in a Maun garden from mid Oct (CHR) and first back in another Maun garden was 6 Nov (SDC, VWF). Great Spotted Cuckoo Clamator glandarius Two were seen and heard in a Notwane garden south of Gaborone on 10 Nov (GH, HH) and one was photographed by the Limpopo two days previously (IW). White-fronted Bee-eater Merops bulockoides Two flew overhead at Crocodile Pools, Notwane on 11 April (CAB). Red-chested Cuckoo Cuculus solitaries One heard calling at Shakawe on 1 Nov (AV).

White-browed Coucal Centropus superciliosus One was seen at Lake Xau on 19 Aug (CAB). Rosy-faced Lovebird Agapornis roseicolis Pair, looking for nest site, at Maun on 23 Nov (MM).



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Interesting and Unusual Sightings

Compiled by Stephanie J. Tyler and Chris A. Brewster

This section does not cover rarities but rather interesting observations of more common birds. It might report on a species seen out of its usual range or on notably large numbers of a species. Observations on breeding or feeding behaviour are also welcomed. Records are mainly from January to October 2014. South African Shelduck Tadorna cana There were 18 at Ramotswa S.P. on 1 July, two at Lobatse S.P. on 20 July, four at Leporung Dam on 27 July (CAB) and eight at Jwaneng S.P., one at Mogobane Dam and four at Moshupa Dam on 6 Aug and a single at Mogobane Dam again on 5 Oct (HH, MGG, DG). Giant Kingfisher Megaceryle maxima The only records were of singles at Kasane Seep on 13 July, on the Chobe River between Ihaha and Ngoma on 26 July (PZ et al.), at Savute marsh on 1 Aug and at Darnaway Farm on the Limpopo (2327C1) on 13/14 Sept (PZ, GB & MB, IW). Two were on the Chobe River at Kasane on 10 Oct (PZ). Woodland Kingfisher Halcyon senegalensis Reported in a Maun garden from mid Oct (CHR) and first back in another Maun garden was 6 Nov (SDC, VWF). Great Spotted Cuckoo Clamator glandarius Two were seen and heard in a Notwane garden south of Gaborone on 10 Nov (GH, HH) and one was photographed by the Limpopo two days previously (IW). White-fronted Bee-eater Merops bulockoides Two flew overhead at Crocodile Pools, Notwane on 11 April (CAB). Red-chested Cuckoo Cuculus solitaries One heard calling at Shakawe on 1 Nov (AV).

White-browed Coucal Centropus superciliosus One was seen at Lake Xau on 19 Aug (CAB). Rosy-faced Lovebird Agapornis roseicolis Pair, looking for nest site, at Maun on 23 Nov (MM).


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African Palm-Swift Cypsiurus parvus One at Thakadu Camp, Ghanzi on 31 Aug 2013 (SO) Grey Go-away Bird Corythaixoides concolor A few at Thakadu Camp, Ghanzi on 29 April 2013 (AJ). Water Thick-knee Burhinus vermiculatus One at Mogobane Dam on 5 Oct (BLB). Caspian Plover Charadrius asiaticus Two were seen near Lake Xau on 20 Aug and three in Deception Valley on 17 Sept (CAB, HH). Wattled Lapwing Vanellus senegalensis 12 at Lobatse S.P. on 19 Jan and eight there on 20 July (CAB). One was seen along the Chobe between Katchikau and Kavimba on 4 Aug and two on 26 July on the Chobe near Kasane (GB & MB, PZ et al.). Three-banded Courser Rhinoptilus cinctus Two were seen at Kasane Seep on 11 July and one or more birds were regular at the Seep in August and September (PZ). Collared (Red-winged) Pratincole Glareola glareola At Savute Marsh on 1 Aug 22 were noted (GB & MB). There were an estimated 200 birds at Lake Xau between 19 and 21 Aug (CAB) and 300 on the Chobe floodplain near Ihaha on 26 July (PZ). Greater Painted-snipe Rostratula benghalensis One was seen at Nata Sanctuary on 23 Aug (CAB) whilst further north five were at Savute Marsh on 1 Aug and one along the Chobe between Katchikau and Kavimba on 4 Aug (GB & MB). There were eight or nine at Kasane Sewage Ponds on 4 Nov (EM). White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus Because of the deaths due to poisoning all records of this vulture are welcomed. Thanks to Gavin & Marjorie Blair who have provided most of the records below. No. Date Location Comments Obs. 30 27 Nov

2013 Along Trans Kalahari Highway near Takatshwaane

At carcass NT

30 7 Feb Ntshe River, near Francistown

Pako Koboto

15 14 May Motailane Pan, Khutse G.R.

CAB

2 15 May Moreswe Pan, Khutse G.R. CAB 1 15 May Molose Pan, Khutse G.R. CAB



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No. Date Location Comments Obs. Circa 25

16 May Near Salajwe CAB

11 20 May Masetleng Pan CAB 2 29 June Khutse G.R. MGG, DG 8 5 July Between Otse and

Ramotswa CAB

1 22 July Bokaa Dam CAB 141 26 July Chobe floodplain Between Kasane

and Ngoma PZ et al.

17 2 Aug Savute west of S18°39.716 E024° 06.715

With 33 Bateleurs and a White-headed Vulture on dead trees and flying around

GB, MB

45 3 Aug Linyanti at S18° 18.859 E023° 53.171

GB, MB

2 16 Aug Chobe River in pentad 1745 2505

GB, MB


GB, MB


GB, MB


GB, MB


GB, MB


GB, MB


GB, MB


GB, MB


GB, MB

66 18 Aug Chobe River at

S17° 50.583 E025° 03.976 With 15 Hooded and a Lappet-faced Vulture

GB, MB

1 18 Aug Chobe River in pentad 1750 2450

GB, MB


GB, MB

9 18 Aug Chobe River at GB, MB



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No. Date Location Comments Obs. S17° 54.286 E024° 44.351


GB, MB

GB, MB 9 nests

19 Aug East side Sua Pan, most north of Mosu

9 active nests, mostly in Baobabs

CAB

1 21 Aug By Lake Xau CAB 1 nest

22 Aug West of Zoroga CAB

27 23 Aug Nata Sanctuary Roosting in tree CAB 1 24 Aug Near Serule CAB 6 15 Sep Khama Rhino Sanctuary HH 2 17 Sep Deception Valley HH 55 20 Sep Khumaga HH 18 30 Sep Name Pan, Zutswa area in 2421A MGG, DG Pair 13/14

Sept Darnaway Farm on Limpopo 2327C1

Nest IW

Ca 80

Late Oct Kasane seep On a Buffalo carcass

HH et al.

2 16 Nov Hilda Vale CAB Secretary Bird Sagittarius serpentarius One was at Kgoro Pan on 11 Nov 2013 (CAB). In 2014 two were at Oxford Farm, Molopo Ranches on 22 Feb (J Armstrong), one south-west of Gweta, near Jack’s Camp on 25 Feb (OB), two at Motailane Pan and one at Moreswe Pan, Khutse G.R.on 14 May and one at Maseleng Pan on 20 May (CAB). Two were seen in Khutse G.R. on 29 June (MGG & DG). A pair was near Lake Xau on 20 Aug (CAB); two in Deception Valley on 17 Sept, one at Masetleng Pan on 28 Sept, one at Name Pan, Zutswa area on 30 Sept (MGG, DG) and two by Sua Pan on 29 Nov (MS). Red-necked Falcon Falco chicquera A pair was seen and heard calling at Crocodile Pools, Notwane on 12 Oct (MGG, DG). Yellow-billed Kite Milvus migrans The first of the season in Gaborone was one on 26 Aug (HH). Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus 20 were at Bokaa Dam on 22 July (CAB) and three there on 7 Sept (MGG & DG). Two were at Mogobane Dam on 5 Oct (MGG, DG). White-breasted (Great) Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo A count of 82 at Leporung Dam on the Molopo River on 27 July was of note (CAB). One was on the Chobe River between Katchikau and Kavimba on 4 Aug (GB, MB), two at Kasane Seep on 11 July and four along the Chobe River between Kasane and Ngoma on 26 July (PZ).


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No. Date Location Comments Obs. S17° 54.286 E024° 44.351


GB, MB

GB, MB 9 nests

19 Aug East side Sua Pan, most north of Mosu

9 active nests, mostly in Baobabs

CAB

1 21 Aug By Lake Xau CAB 1 nest

22 Aug West of Zoroga CAB

27 23 Aug Nata Sanctuary Roosting in tree CAB 1 24 Aug Near Serule CAB 6 15 Sep Khama Rhino Sanctuary HH 2 17 Sep Deception Valley HH 55 20 Sep Khumaga HH 18 30 Sep Name Pan, Zutswa area in 2421A MGG, DG Pair 13/14

Sept Darnaway Farm on Limpopo 2327C1

Nest IW

Ca 80

Late Oct Kasane seep On a Buffalo carcass

HH et al.

2 16 Nov Hilda Vale CAB Secretary Bird Sagittarius serpentarius One was at Kgoro Pan on 11 Nov 2013 (CAB). In 2014 two were at Oxford Farm, Molopo Ranches on 22 Feb (J Armstrong), one south-west of Gweta, near Jack’s Camp on 25 Feb (OB), two at Motailane Pan and one at Moreswe Pan, Khutse G.R.on 14 May and one at Maseleng Pan on 20 May (CAB). Two were seen in Khutse G.R. on 29 June (MGG & DG). A pair was near Lake Xau on 20 Aug (CAB); two in Deception Valley on 17 Sept, one at Masetleng Pan on 28 Sept, one at Name Pan, Zutswa area on 30 Sept (MGG, DG) and two by Sua Pan on 29 Nov (MS). Red-necked Falcon Falco chicquera A pair was seen and heard calling at Crocodile Pools, Notwane on 12 Oct (MGG, DG). Yellow-billed Kite Milvus migrans The first of the season in Gaborone was one on 26 Aug (HH). Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus 20 were at Bokaa Dam on 22 July (CAB) and three there on 7 Sept (MGG & DG). Two were at Mogobane Dam on 5 Oct (MGG, DG). White-breasted (Great) Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo A count of 82 at Leporung Dam on the Molopo River on 27 July was of note (CAB). One was on the Chobe River between Katchikau and Kavimba on 4 Aug (GB, MB), two at Kasane Seep on 11 July and four along the Chobe River between Kasane and Ngoma on 26 July (PZ).



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Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides One was at Thakadu Camp, Ghanzi on 31 Aug 2013 (SO). Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus (ruber) There were 250 at Nata Sanctuary on 30 March (DH) and 110 there on 23 Aug (CAB). Hadeda Ibis Bostrychia hadedash Recorded north-west of Kang, at Kang Rest on 10 March (JR). Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus On 30 March 14 were seen at Nata Sanctuary (DH) and 200 there on 23 Aug (CAB). Elsewhere 79 were counted along the Chobe River between Kasane and Ngoma on 26 July (PZ et al.). White Stork Ciconia ciconia One was at Lake Xau on 20/21 Aug (CAB). Yellow-billed Stork Mycteria ibis Two were at Kasane Seep on 13 July (PZ) and 157 along the Chobe River between Kasane and Ngoma on 26 July (PZ et al.). There were 60 at a breeding colony at Kasane Rapids on 7 Aug with 12 seen on 10 Oct (LF, PZ). One was at Nata Sanctuary on 23 Aug (CAB). Marabou Leptoptilos crumeniferus There were 92 at Kasane Seep on 11 July and 102 on 13 July (PZ, LF). Freckled Nightjar Caprimulgus tristigma Heard calling at Matlapaneng, Maun in October (PH). Black Cuckoo-shrike Campephaga flava One male was seen in Letlakhane on 27 Oct (RvM). Dark-capped Bulbul Pycnonotus tricolor Recorded from Jwaneng Golf Club on 29 April 2013 (AJ). Common Mynah Acridotheres tristris Two at Kang on 27 Nov 2013 (NT). One at Nata on 2 Jan 2014 (Walter de Vos) and four near Mabutsane on 29 Oct (TT).


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Red-billed Oxpecker Buphagus erythrorhynchus Two on a donkey, just north of Kang on 27 Nov 2013 (NT). Unexpected in the Kalahari. White-bellied Sunbird Cinnyris talatala One, at edge of range, at Moreswe Pan, Khutse G.R on 15 May (CAB). Pin-tailed Whydah Vidua macroura One male a few kilometres north of Two Rivers on 25 Feb (JM). Yellow-throated Petronia Petronia superciliaris Circa 12 at Lokgokgotho Hills on 5 July (CAB). African Pied Wagtail Motacilla aguimp Three records came from SE Botswana – two at Ramotswa S.P.on 12 Jan and on 1 July and two at Lobatse S.P. on 20 July (CAB), then one at Bokaa Dam on 7 Sept (MGG) and a pair at Mogobane Dam on 5 Oct (BLB). In the north one was along the Chobe River near Ihaha on 26 July (PZ), four were along the Linyanti River in Chobe N.P. on 3 Aug (GB, MB) and one in Kasane at Mowana Lodge on 10 Oct (PZ). Western Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava Ten at Thune Dam (2228B1) on 22 Nov 2013 (DHan).

REFERENCES BARNES, J. & BUSHELL, B. 1989. Birds of the Gaborone area. A

Checklist. Botswna Bird Club, Gaborone. BEESLEY, J.S.S. & IRVING, N.S. 1976. The status of birds of Gaborone

and its surroundings. Botswana Notes and Records 8: 231-261. HOCKEY, P.A.R., DEAN, W.R.J. & RYAN, P.G. (eds). 2005. Roberts –

Birds of southern Africa. The Trustees of the John Voelcker Bird Book Fund, Cape Town.

TYLER, S.J. & BORELLO, W.D. 1998. Birds in the Gaborone area and where to watch them. Botswana Bird Club, Gaborone.

Stephanie J. Tyler & Chris A. Brewster, c/o BirdLife Botswana, P/Bag 003, Suite 348, Mogoditshane, Gaborone



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Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides One was at Thakadu Camp, Ghanzi on 31 Aug 2013 (SO). Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus (ruber) There were 250 at Nata Sanctuary on 30 March (DH) and 110 there on 23 Aug (CAB). Hadeda Ibis Bostrychia hadedash Recorded north-west of Kang, at Kang Rest on 10 March (JR). Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus On 30 March 14 were seen at Nata Sanctuary (DH) and 200 there on 23 Aug (CAB). Elsewhere 79 were counted along the Chobe River between Kasane and Ngoma on 26 July (PZ et al.). White Stork Ciconia ciconia One was at Lake Xau on 20/21 Aug (CAB). Yellow-billed Stork Mycteria ibis Two were at Kasane Seep on 13 July (PZ) and 157 along the Chobe River between Kasane and Ngoma on 26 July (PZ et al.). There were 60 at a breeding colony at Kasane Rapids on 7 Aug with 12 seen on 10 Oct (LF, PZ). One was at Nata Sanctuary on 23 Aug (CAB). Marabou Leptoptilos crumeniferus There were 92 at Kasane Seep on 11 July and 102 on 13 July (PZ, LF). Freckled Nightjar Caprimulgus tristigma Heard calling at Matlapaneng, Maun in October (PH). Black Cuckoo-shrike Campephaga flava One male was seen in Letlakhane on 27 Oct (RvM). Dark-capped Bulbul Pycnonotus tricolor Recorded from Jwaneng Golf Club on 29 April 2013 (AJ). Common Mynah Acridotheres tristris Two at Kang on 27 Nov 2013 (NT). One at Nata on 2 Jan 2014 (Walter de Vos) and four near Mabutsane on 29 Oct (TT).


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Red-billed Oxpecker Buphagus erythrorhynchus Two on a donkey, just north of Kang on 27 Nov 2013 (NT). Unexpected in the Kalahari. White-bellied Sunbird Cinnyris talatala One, at edge of range, at Moreswe Pan, Khutse G.R on 15 May (CAB). Pin-tailed Whydah Vidua macroura One male a few kilometres north of Two Rivers on 25 Feb (JM). Yellow-throated Petronia Petronia superciliaris Circa 12 at Lokgokgotho Hills on 5 July (CAB). African Pied Wagtail Motacilla aguimp Three records came from SE Botswana – two at Ramotswa S.P.on 12 Jan and on 1 July and two at Lobatse S.P. on 20 July (CAB), then one at Bokaa Dam on 7 Sept (MGG) and a pair at Mogobane Dam on 5 Oct (BLB). In the north one was along the Chobe River near Ihaha on 26 July (PZ), four were along the Linyanti River in Chobe N.P. on 3 Aug (GB, MB) and one in Kasane at Mowana Lodge on 10 Oct (PZ). Western Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava Ten at Thune Dam (2228B1) on 22 Nov 2013 (DHan).

REFERENCES BARNES, J. & BUSHELL, B. 1989. Birds of the Gaborone area. A

Checklist. Botswna Bird Club, Gaborone. BEESLEY, J.S.S. & IRVING, N.S. 1976. The status of birds of Gaborone

and its surroundings. Botswana Notes and Records 8: 231-261. HOCKEY, P.A.R., DEAN, W.R.J. & RYAN, P.G. (eds). 2005. Roberts –

Birds of southern Africa. The Trustees of the John Voelcker Bird Book Fund, Cape Town.

TYLER, S.J. & BORELLO, W.D. 1998. Birds in the Gaborone area and where to watch them. Botswana Bird Club, Gaborone.

Stephanie J. Tyler & Chris A. Brewster, c/o BirdLife Botswana, P/Bag 003, Suite 348, Mogoditshane, Gaborone



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Contributors of records AF Ali Flatt AJ A Joubert AM Antony Mulligan AO Alistair Orford AV Anneke Vincent AW Alistair Wilmott BR Brent Reed CAB Chris Brewster CC Callan Cohen CHR Cecilia Rautenbach CM Chris Mcintyre DB Doline Bridges DH Dean & Ellen Hatty DHan David Hancock DL David Lees DM Duncan Mackenzie EE Eddy Everaerdt EM Etienne Marais GB Gavin Blair GMC Grant Murray Craig GR Grant Reed IC Ian Clark IW Ian White JB Joyce Bestelink JD John Dalziel JM John Magner

JR John Randell JRaw James Rawden JW James Wilson LC Lyn Cassidy LO Lee Ouzman MB Marjorie Blair MBing Mark Bing MK Martin Kays MM Mark Muller MSp Marianne Spey MS Mike Sorocynski NT Neil Thompson OB Osiah Boitshwarelo OP Ollie Porote PD’A Peter D’Arcy PZ Phil Zappala RB Rob Bowie RvM Reske van Maarsveen SB Steve Boyes SDC Stephanie Drew Cantle SO Sue Oertli TH Trevor Hardaker TT T Trakabane VWF Vincent W Flory WS Walter Smith

Sand MartinPhoto: Lyn Francey



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Some Breeding Records in 2013/2014

Compiled by Stephanie J. Tyler & Chris A. Brewster

Species Date Location Nest site; nest contents

Obs.

White-faced Duck Dendrocygna viduata

26 Jan Crocodile Pools, Notwane

Nest with 10 eggs, far from water

CAB

Spur-winged Goose Plectropterus gambensis

1 July Ramotswa Sewage Ponds

Adults with two ca. 4 week old young

CAB


6 Aug Moshupa Dam Adult with six small goslings

MGG, DG, HH

Egyptian Goose 2 Feb Mahalapye Sewage Ponds

Ca 12 goslings with adults

PD’A

Egyptian Goose 22 July Mahalapye Sewage Ponds

Pair with seven goslings

PD’A

Red-billed Teal Anas erythrorhycha

2 Feb Mahalapye Sewage Ponds

Adults with seven ducklings

PD’A

Cape Shoveler Anas smithii

6 Aug Jwaneng Sewage Ponds

Several adults and 15 well grown ducklings

MGG, DG, HH

Cape Shoveler

7 Sept Bokaa Dam Adult with 7 tiny ca. one week old ducklings

CAB

Black Cuckoo Cuculus calamosus

4 Dec 2013

Crocodile Pools, Notwane

One immature in nest of Crimson-breasted Shrike Laniarius atrococcineus

CAB

White-breasted Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo

13 July Thagale Dam Three nests with eight chicks

CAB

African Darter Anhinga rufa

20-21 Aug

Lake Xau Many active nests in trees far out in the lake

CAB

Mixed large ‘heronry’ with White-breasted Cormorants, Yellow-billed Storks Mycteria ibis, African Spoonbills Platalea alba etc.

Aug to Oct

Kasane Rapids In trees in Rapids area

LF PZ


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Obs.




CAB




CAB



MGG, DG, HH



PD’A



PD’A




PD’A




MGG, DG, HH

Cape Shoveler


CAB


4 Dec 2013



CAB



CAB


20-21 Aug


CAB


Aug to Oct


LF PZ


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Obs.




CAB




CAB



MGG, DG, HH



PD’A



PD’A




PD’A




MGG, DG, HH

Cape Shoveler


CAB


4 Dec 2013



CAB



CAB


20-21 Aug


CAB


Aug to Oct


LF PZ



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Obs.

Mixed large ‘heronry’ with African Darters, African Spoonbills Platalea alba, egrets and cormorants

23 Aug Nata Delta ‘Heronry’ inaccessible due to high water so count not possible

CAB


23 Oct Maun Lodge, Maun

Ca 10 pairs nesting in Typha; large chicks in nests and fledged chicks

PH

Natal Spurfowl Pternistis natalensis

24 Aug Crocodile Pools, Notwane

Female with 5 chicks 10-14 days old

DG, MGG

Natal Spurfowl 24 Aug Crocodile Pools, Notwane

Female with 8 older chicks, gone down to 7 by 24 Aug

CAB DG, MGG


Pair with four well grown juveniles

DG, MGG

Crested Francolin Dendroperdix sephaena


Pair with four juveniles

DG, MGG

Pearl-spotted Owlet Glaucidium perlatum

26 Oct Khama Rhino Sanctuary

Hole in tree; adult with brood patch suggesting she was incubating eggs

KO, MO

Red-billed Hornbill Tockus erythrorhynchus

March April


In two plots; this late breeding is of note.

CAB, MGG, DG

African Grey Hornbill Tockus nasutus


Adult feeding fully grown young in nest box

CAB

Green Wood-Hoopoe Phoeniculus purpureus

7 Nov Moeding College, Otse

Six adults feeding loudly calling young in nest in tree hole

CAB

Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus

19 Aug Lake Xau Pair with 4 tiny young

CAB

Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristatus

20 Aug Lake Xau Pair with 4 young ca. 5 days old

CAB

Red-knobbed Coot

5 Oct Mogobane Dam Adult with one young, ca.20 days old

CAB



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Obs.

Mixed large ‘heronry’ with African Darters, African Spoonbills Platalea alba, egrets and cormorants

23 Aug Nata Delta ‘Heronry’ inaccessible due to high water so count not possible

CAB


23 Oct Maun Lodge, Maun

Ca 10 pairs nesting in Typha; large chicks in nests and fledged chicks

PH

Natal Spurfowl Pternistis natalensis


Female with 5 chicks 10-14 days old

DG, MGG


Female with 8 older chicks, gone down to 7 by 24 Aug

CAB DG, MGG


Pair with four well grown juveniles

DG, MGG

Crested Francolin Dendroperdix sephaena


Pair with four juveniles

DG, MGG

Pearl-spotted Owlet Glaucidium perlatum

26 Oct Khama Rhino Sanctuary

Hole in tree; adult with brood patch suggesting she was incubating eggs

KO, MO

Red-billed Hornbill Tockus erythrorhynchus

March April


In two plots; this late breeding is of note.

CAB, MGG, DG

African Grey Hornbill Tockus nasutus


Adult feeding fully grown young in nest box

CAB

Green Wood-Hoopoe Phoeniculus purpureus

7 Nov Moeding College, Otse

Six adults feeding loudly calling young in nest in tree hole

CAB

Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus

19 Aug Lake Xau Pair with 4 tiny young

CAB

Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristatus

20 Aug Lake Xau Pair with 4 young ca. 5 days old

CAB

Red-knobbed Coot

5 Oct Mogobane Dam Adult with one young, ca.20 days old

CAB


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Obs.

Three-banded Plover Charadrius tricollaris

3 Nov 2013

Grand Palm Hotel, Gaborone

Scrape on a bare rock with two eggs

CAB

Three-banded Plover

14 Sept Limpopo at Darnaway Farm 2327C1

Adult and small chick

IW

Kittlitz’s Plover Charadrius pecuarius

23 Aug Nata Sanctuary Adult with tiny chick CAB

Blacksmith Lapwing Vanellus armatus

7 Sept Bokaa Dam Scrape with 3 eggs; adult incubating

BLB

Blacksmith Lapwing

5 Oct Mogobane Dam Adult with 4 young, circa 10 days old

BLB

Crowned Lapwing Vanellus coronatus

8 Sept 2013

Near Gaborone Technical College

2 tiny chicks (< 5 days old) with pair adults on verge of busy main road

CAB

Double-banded Courser Rhinoptilus africanus

14 Nov Kua Pan, Thankane (2424C3)

Pair adults with one young

IW

Hartlaub’s Babbler Turdoides hartlaubi

25 Oct Maun garden Nest with two chicks ca. 7 days old

MSp

White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus

21 May Along Ghanzi / Kgalagadi District boundary (2321A4)

Active nest CAB

White-backed Vulture

7 June North-east of Selokolela 2425C3)

Active nest CAB


27 July Between Makgomane and Metlojane

Eight active nests CAB


27 July Kgoro Pan One active nest CAB


19 Aug E side of Sua Pan, Kwadiba Gate to Mosu

9 active nests CAB


23 Aug Near Zoroga One active nest CAB

Ashy Flycatcher Muscicapa caerulescens

24 Oct Boro River area Juvenile with adult GM

Chat Flycatcher Bradornis infuscatus

17 Nov Diphuduhudu (2325C2)

Nest with two eggs, c 50 cm above ground

IW

Capped Wheatear Oeananthe pileata

20 Sept Khama Rhino Sanctuary

One young fed by adult beside nest

IW



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Obs.

White-browed Robin-chat Cossypha heuglini

Oct Maun garden Nest on Cycad leaf; 2 chicks ca 7 days old on 24 Oct; these fledged on 31 Oct

AF, MM

Crimson-breasted Shrike Laniarius atrococcineus

1-10 Nov

Notwane garden Nest with eggs 2m high in fork of Combretum apiculatum tree by main trunk

HH, GH

Red-headed Weaver Anaplectes melanops

31 Oct Maun garden Adult feeding recently fledged juvenile

AF, MM

Cut-throat Finch Amandina fasciata

Ngotwane In Red-headed Weaver nests hanging from roof of house; 64 successful nests (see page 3)

CAB

Observers: AF Ali Flatt; CAB Chris Brewster; DG Daphne Goldsworthy; GM Gert Meyburgh, HH Harold Hester; KO Ken Oake & Mel Oake; LF Lyn Francey; MMG Mike Goldsworthy; MM Mark Muller; MS Marianne Spray; PH Pete Hancock; PZ Phil Zappala; IW Ian White’ VWF Vincent W Flury

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Obs.

White-browed Robin-chat Cossypha heuglini

Oct Maun garden Nest on Cycad leaf; 2 chicks ca 7 days old on 24 Oct; these fledged on 31 Oct

AF, MM

Crimson-breasted Shrike Laniarius atrococcineus

1-10 Nov

Notwane garden Nest with eggs 2m high in fork of Combretum apiculatum tree by main trunk

HH, GH

Red-headed Weaver Anaplectes melanops

31 Oct Maun garden Adult feeding recently fledged juvenile

AF, MM

Cut-throat Finch Amandina fasciata

Ngotwane In Red-headed Weaver nests hanging from roof of house; 64 successful nests (see page 3)

CAB

Observers: AF Ali Flatt; CAB Chris Brewster; DG Daphne Goldsworthy; GM Gert Meyburgh, HH Harold Hester; KO Ken Oake & Mel Oake; LF Lyn Francey; MMG Mike Goldsworthy; MM Mark Muller; MS Marianne Spray; PH Pete Hancock; PZ Phil Zappala; IW Ian White’ VWF Vincent W Flury

African JacanaPhoto: Ian White



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Recent Publications of interest Spottiswoode, C.N. 2013. A brood parasite selects for its own egg traits. Biology Letters Vol. 9 no. 5. Many brood parasitic birds lay eggs that mimic their hosts' eggs in appearance. This typically arises from selection from discriminating hosts that reject eggs which differ from their own. However, selection on parasitic eggs may also arise from parasites themselves, because it should pay a laying parasitic female to detect and destroy another parasitic egg previously laid in the same host nest by a different female. In this study, I experimentally test the source of selection on greater honeyguide (Indicator indicator) egg size and shape, which is correlated with that of its several host species, all of which breed in dark holes. Its commonest host species did not discriminate against experimental eggs that differed from their own in size and shape, but laying female honeyguides preferentially punctured experimental eggs more than host or control eggs. This should improve offspring survival given that multiple parasitism by this species is common, and that honeyguide chicks kill all other nest occupants. Hence, selection on egg size in greater honeyguides parasitizing bee-eaters appears to be imposed not by host defences but by interference competition among parasites themselves.

Stevens, M. Troscianko, J. & Spottiswoode, C.N. 2013. Repeated targeting of the same hosts by a brood parasite compromises host egg rejection. Nature Communications 4: 2475 Cuckoo eggs famously mimic those of their foster parents to evade rejection from discriminating hosts. Here we test whether parasites benefit by repeatedly parasitizing the same host nest. This should make accurate rejection decisions harder, regardless of the mechanism that hosts use to identify foreign eggs. Here we find strong support for this prediction in the African tawny-flanked prinia (Prinia subflava), the most common host of the cuckoo finch (Anomalospiza imberbis). We show experimentally that hosts reject eggs that differ from an internal template, but crucially, as the proportion of foreign eggs increases, hosts are less likely to reject them and require greater differences in appearance to do so. Repeated parasitism by the same cuckoo finch female is common in host nests and likely to be an adaptation to increase the probability of host acceptance. Thus, repeated parasitism interacts with egg mimicry to exploit cognitive and sensory limitations in host defences.



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The on-line journal Ornithological Observations continues to provide notes of interest. Volumes 4 and 5 had a range of such notes. See http://oo.adu.org.za/content.php?vol=4 Power, R.J. 2013. Grey Herons Ardea cinerea “spear-fishing” swifts. Orn. Obs. 4:4-5. This is an account of Grey Herons standing on a bridge and catching in flight Little Swifts Apus affinis that were nesting under the bridge. Grey Herons usually catch small fish and amphibians unlike Black-headed Herons which are known to take a diversity of bird prey both in form and size from mousebirds to moorhens. Humphreys, G. & Saffarele, L. 2013. Evidence of Yellow-billed Kite Milvus aegyptiacus fishing during the barbel run in the Okavango Panhandle, Botswana. Orn. Obs. 4: 27-30 There is an annual event that occurs in the northern Panhandle during a brief period when the floodwaters recede from the floodplains. Then schools of juvenile fish shelter under Papyrus and Reeds by the bank of the river. Barbel, Bream (Tilapia) and Tigerfish flush out the sheltrering fish and so expose smaller fish to the open water surface. Many piscivorous birds seize the opportunity to catch fish and so too do Yellow-billed Kites; the authors observed these adaptable species swooping down to pick up fish near the surface, so making the kite a fishing raptor. Engelbrecht, D. 2013.Cannibalism in the Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill Tockus leucomelas. Orn. Obs.4: 104-106. In a nest study the author noted that there was often an unexplained loss of usually (but not always) young or weak hornbill nestlings. A video camera on a nest where there were three chicks, one of them a weak one, showed that the weak nestling disappeared – it was not in the nest nor on the ground nearby. The conclusion was that the adult female had either eaten the weak nestling or possibly fed it to her stronger chicks (infanticide-cannibalism) or had eaten the chick after it had died or fed it to her other chicks (cannibalism).


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Branfield, A. 2013. Variations on the calls of the Pel’s Fishing Owl Scotopelia peli. Orn. Obs. 4: 123-126 The author describes known calls of this fishing owl and briefly describes two new vocalizations – a grunting call prior to the bird reaching its fishing perch and wailing calls given by adults. Cooper, M & Jordan, L. 2013. Random time-activity budgets in captive Southern Ground Hornbills Bucorvus leadbeateri (Vigors 1825). Orn. Obs. 4:154-157. A study looking at time-activity budgets for 12 behaviour types (from walking, flying, perching to preening and displaying) indicated random behaviour (no different from that expected by chance) except for vocalizations which were more frequent than expected; the females were more vocal than males. Preening, foraging and sitting were less frequent in captive birds than observed in wild birds. Witteveen, M., Parry, E., Norris-Rogers, M. & Brown, M. 2013. Breeding Density of the Southern Ground Hornbill, Bucorvus leadbeateri, in the Communal Areas Surrounding the Matobo National Park, Zimbabwe. African Zoology 48(2): 274-278. The Southern Ground Hornbill Bucorvus leadbeateri is on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as a ‘Vulnerable’ species with a decreasing population. Despite a myriad of threats, including loss of nesting sites, accidental poisoning and persecution, there has been no detailed study of the southern ground hornbill in Zimbabwe. The authors collected data on nest sites and usage for 42 nests over three breeding seasons in the communal areas surrounding the Matobo National Park. For the active nests in the breeding seasons of 2008/9 and 2009/10 the mean nearest neighbour distances were 4.41 km and 3.53 km, respectively. Most nests were found in granite crevices (67%) while others were found in five different tree species. Most nests (90%) were in areas of subsistence crop farming, the remainder (10%) found in forests and open savannas. The high breeding density of the Southern Ground Hornbill in the communal areas surrounding the Matobo National Park in Zimbabwe could be attributed in part to traditional Ndebele culture which, for the most part, protects this species. Food also appears to be relatively abundant under communal farming conditions.



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The on-line journal Ornithological Observations continues to provide notes of interest. Volumes 4 and 5 had a range of such notes. See http://oo.adu.org.za/content.php?vol=4 Power, R.J. 2013. Grey Herons Ardea cinerea “spear-fishing” swifts. Orn. Obs. 4:4-5. This is an account of Grey Herons standing on a bridge and catching in flight Little Swifts Apus affinis that were nesting under the bridge. Grey Herons usually catch small fish and amphibians unlike Black-headed Herons which are known to take a diversity of bird prey both in form and size from mousebirds to moorhens. Humphreys, G. & Saffarele, L. 2013. Evidence of Yellow-billed Kite Milvus aegyptiacus fishing during the barbel run in the Okavango Panhandle, Botswana. Orn. Obs. 4: 27-30 There is an annual event that occurs in the northern Panhandle during a brief period when the floodwaters recede from the floodplains. Then schools of juvenile fish shelter under Papyrus and Reeds by the bank of the river. Barbel, Bream (Tilapia) and Tigerfish flush out the sheltrering fish and so expose smaller fish to the open water surface. Many piscivorous birds seize the opportunity to catch fish and so too do Yellow-billed Kites; the authors observed these adaptable species swooping down to pick up fish near the surface, so making the kite a fishing raptor. Engelbrecht, D. 2013.Cannibalism in the Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill Tockus leucomelas. Orn. Obs.4: 104-106. In a nest study the author noted that there was often an unexplained loss of usually (but not always) young or weak hornbill nestlings. A video camera on a nest where there were three chicks, one of them a weak one, showed that the weak nestling disappeared – it was not in the nest nor on the ground nearby. The conclusion was that the adult female had either eaten the weak nestling or possibly fed it to her stronger chicks (infanticide-cannibalism) or had eaten the chick after it had died or fed it to her other chicks (cannibalism).


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Branfield, A. 2013. Variations on the calls of the Pel’s Fishing Owl Scotopelia peli. Orn. Obs. 4: 123-126 The author describes known calls of this fishing owl and briefly describes two new vocalizations – a grunting call prior to the bird reaching its fishing perch and wailing calls given by adults. Cooper, M & Jordan, L. 2013. Random time-activity budgets in captive Southern Ground Hornbills Bucorvus leadbeateri (Vigors 1825). Orn. Obs. 4:154-157. A study looking at time-activity budgets for 12 behaviour types (from walking, flying, perching to preening and displaying) indicated random behaviour (no different from that expected by chance) except for vocalizations which were more frequent than expected; the females were more vocal than males. Preening, foraging and sitting were less frequent in captive birds than observed in wild birds. Witteveen, M., Parry, E., Norris-Rogers, M. & Brown, M. 2013. Breeding Density of the Southern Ground Hornbill, Bucorvus leadbeateri, in the Communal Areas Surrounding the Matobo National Park, Zimbabwe. African Zoology 48(2): 274-278. The Southern Ground Hornbill Bucorvus leadbeateri is on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as a ‘Vulnerable’ species with a decreasing population. Despite a myriad of threats, including loss of nesting sites, accidental poisoning and persecution, there has been no detailed study of the southern ground hornbill in Zimbabwe. The authors collected data on nest sites and usage for 42 nests over three breeding seasons in the communal areas surrounding the Matobo National Park. For the active nests in the breeding seasons of 2008/9 and 2009/10 the mean nearest neighbour distances were 4.41 km and 3.53 km, respectively. Most nests were found in granite crevices (67%) while others were found in five different tree species. Most nests (90%) were in areas of subsistence crop farming, the remainder (10%) found in forests and open savannas. The high breeding density of the Southern Ground Hornbill in the communal areas surrounding the Matobo National Park in Zimbabwe could be attributed in part to traditional Ndebele culture which, for the most part, protects this species. Food also appears to be relatively abundant under communal farming conditions.



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Davies, G.B.R. 2011. A disputed Botswana specimen of melodious lark Mirafra cheniana (Aves: Alaudidae) revisited. Annals of the Ditsong National Museum of Natural History 1:171-179. Melodious Larks are known in Botswana only from the Pitsane/Ramatlhabana area in the south-east from where there are five records. There is also a bird collected from the Patlana Flats 10km west of Lake Ngami in north-west Botswana which was believed to be a Melodious Lark. The specimen of this bird is in the Ditsong National Museum (formerly the Transvaal Museum) of Natural History in South Africa and for many years was accepted as a Melodious Lark. Then Kit Hustler looked at it again and rejected the identification; he believed it was a Monotonous Lark Mirafra passerina. The author re-assessed the specimen carefully comparing characteristics (such as bill and tarsus length, colour of under- and upper-wing coverts, tail length, length of primary feather 10 and belly colour) of both species and he concluded that the specimen was indeed that of a Melodious Lark, not a Monotonous Lark. Ndlovu, M., Cumming, G.S., Hockey, P.A.R., Nkosi, M.D. & Mutumi, G.L. 2013. A Study of Moult-Site Fidelity in Egyptian Geese, Alopochen aegyptiaca, in South Africa. African Zoology 48(2):240-249. Little is known about moult and moult-site fidelity of African waterfowl. Satellite telemetry and uniquely engraved colour-rings were used to study moult-site fidelity of Egyptian Geese marked at two sites in South Africa — Barberspan in the summer-rainfall region and Strandfontein in the winter-rainfall region. Twelve Egyptian geese were tagged with satellite GPS PTT transmitters while moulting at Barberspan and Strandfontein during 2008 and 2009, and a further 527 were colour-ringed between June 2007 and March 2009. Bi-monthly point counts of Egyptian Geese and scans for colour-ringed birds were made at each study site from July 2007 until June 2010, resulting in 139 individually colour-ringed geese being re-sighted during the study period. The authors explored Egyptian Geese dispersal distances away from the study sites and modelled moult-site fidelity from colour-ring return rates corrected for survivorship, sampling period efficiency and colour-ring detectability estimates. There were 12% and 29.7% colour-ring return rates for geese ringed at Barberspan and Strandfontein, respectively. Four of five moulting birds tagged at Barberspan with satellite transmitters returned to Barberspan to moult the



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Davies, G.B.R. 2011. A disputed Botswana specimen of melodious lark Mirafra cheniana (Aves: Alaudidae) revisited. Annals of the Ditsong National Museum of Natural History 1:171-179. Melodious Larks are known in Botswana only from the Pitsane/Ramatlhabana area in the south-east from where there are five records. There is also a bird collected from the Patlana Flats 10km west of Lake Ngami in north-west Botswana which was believed to be a Melodious Lark. The specimen of this bird is in the Ditsong National Museum (formerly the Transvaal Museum) of Natural History in South Africa and for many years was accepted as a Melodious Lark. Then Kit Hustler looked at it again and rejected the identification; he believed it was a Monotonous Lark Mirafra passerina. The author re-assessed the specimen carefully comparing characteristics (such as bill and tarsus length, colour of under- and upper-wing coverts, tail length, length of primary feather 10 and belly colour) of both species and he concluded that the specimen was indeed that of a Melodious Lark, not a Monotonous Lark. Ndlovu, M., Cumming, G.S., Hockey, P.A.R., Nkosi, M.D. & Mutumi, G.L. 2013. A Study of Moult-Site Fidelity in Egyptian Geese, Alopochen aegyptiaca, in South Africa. African Zoology 48(2):240-249. Little is known about moult and moult-site fidelity of African waterfowl. Satellite telemetry and uniquely engraved colour-rings were used to study moult-site fidelity of Egyptian Geese marked at two sites in South Africa — Barberspan in the summer-rainfall region and Strandfontein in the winter-rainfall region. Twelve Egyptian geese were tagged with satellite GPS PTT transmitters while moulting at Barberspan and Strandfontein during 2008 and 2009, and a further 527 were colour-ringed between June 2007 and March 2009. Bi-monthly point counts of Egyptian Geese and scans for colour-ringed birds were made at each study site from July 2007 until June 2010, resulting in 139 individually colour-ringed geese being re-sighted during the study period. The authors explored Egyptian Geese dispersal distances away from the study sites and modelled moult-site fidelity from colour-ring return rates corrected for survivorship, sampling period efficiency and colour-ring detectability estimates. There were 12% and 29.7% colour-ring return rates for geese ringed at Barberspan and Strandfontein, respectively. Four of five moulting birds tagged at Barberspan with satellite transmitters returned to Barberspan to moult the


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following year. Two of these same birds moulted at Barberspan in the third year while the other two moulted elsewhere. One out of seven Egyptian geese satellite-tagged at Strandfontein returned to the same site to moult the following year. One bird moulted at a nearby pan (5 km away), two moulted at estuaries less than 30 km from Strandfontein and one bird moulted at a farm dam 56 km away. Two birds satellite-tagged at Strandfontein did not moult the following year and returned to moult at Strandfontein in the third year. The moult-site fidelity model suggested that a minimum of 16% of Barberspan birds and 51% of Strandfontein birds returned to the same wetland to moult the following year. The apparent low moult-site fidelity at Barberspan suggested by colour-ring resightings may reflect the small number of birds colour-ringed at the site. Harebottle, D. & Vanderwall, B. 2014. Hybridisation between White-faced and Fulvous Ducks in the wild: further evidence from South Africa. Orn. Obs. 5: 17-21. The authors describe two recent reports of hybrids between White-faced Ducks Dendrocygna viduata and Fulvous Ducks D. bicolor – the first at Paarl Bird Sanctuary in May 2012 seen by Trevor Hardaker and the second at a farm dam north-west of Prince Albert Hamlet photographed by Wessel Uys. Engelbrecht, D. 2014. Notes on the nesting of the Kurrichane Buttonquail Turnix sylvaticus in the wild. Orn. Obs. 5: 25-29. Derek Engelbrecht describes the eggs in three nests that he found in Limpopo Province of South Africa. There are photographs of these nests with clutches of three eggs. Only the male incubated at each nest. Video footage at one nest showed some strange behaviour by the incubating bird such as ruffled feathers on the back and puffing up of feathers so it resembled a feathered ball. Lerm, R.E. 2014. The breeding ecology of Cape Glossy Starlings at a nest site in the Kalahari. Orn. Obs. 5: 37-40. At a nest of Cape Glossy Starlings Lamprotornis nitens in a Camelthorn tree Acacia erioloba Rion Lerm describes food items that he identified being brought to the chicks over more than four hours of observation. He identified 49 food items with grasshoppers and locust (Orthoptera) comprising almost 33% of iems. Beetles (Coleoptera) and ants (Hymenoptera) comprised 12% and 10% respectively with fruits 8%. Hemipteran bugs made up 4% of items and a single cockroach, earthworm, slug and a pupa were noted.


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following year. Two of these same birds moulted at Barberspan in the third year while the other two moulted elsewhere. One out of seven Egyptian geese satellite-tagged at Strandfontein returned to the same site to moult the following year. One bird moulted at a nearby pan (5 km away), two moulted at estuaries less than 30 km from Strandfontein and one bird moulted at a farm dam 56 km away. Two birds satellite-tagged at Strandfontein did not moult the following year and returned to moult at Strandfontein in the third year. The moult-site fidelity model suggested that a minimum of 16% of Barberspan birds and 51% of Strandfontein birds returned to the same wetland to moult the following year. The apparent low moult-site fidelity at Barberspan suggested by colour-ring resightings may reflect the small number of birds colour-ringed at the site. Harebottle, D. & Vanderwall, B. 2014. Hybridisation between White-faced and Fulvous Ducks in the wild: further evidence from South Africa. Orn. Obs. 5: 17-21. The authors describe two recent reports of hybrids between White-faced Ducks Dendrocygna viduata and Fulvous Ducks D. bicolor – the first at Paarl Bird Sanctuary in May 2012 seen by Trevor Hardaker and the second at a farm dam north-west of Prince Albert Hamlet photographed by Wessel Uys. Engelbrecht, D. 2014. Notes on the nesting of the Kurrichane Buttonquail Turnix sylvaticus in the wild. Orn. Obs. 5: 25-29. Derek Engelbrecht describes the eggs in three nests that he found in Limpopo Province of South Africa. There are photographs of these nests with clutches of three eggs. Only the male incubated at each nest. Video footage at one nest showed some strange behaviour by the incubating bird such as ruffled feathers on the back and puffing up of feathers so it resembled a feathered ball. Lerm, R.E. 2014. The breeding ecology of Cape Glossy Starlings at a nest site in the Kalahari. Orn. Obs. 5: 37-40. At a nest of Cape Glossy Starlings Lamprotornis nitens in a Camelthorn tree Acacia erioloba Rion Lerm describes food items that he identified being brought to the chicks over more than four hours of observation. He identified 49 food items with grasshoppers and locust (Orthoptera) comprising almost 33% of iems. Beetles (Coleoptera) and ants (Hymenoptera) comprised 12% and 10% respectively with fruits 8%. Hemipteran bugs made up 4% of items and a single cockroach, earthworm, slug and a pupa were noted.



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Engelbrecht, D., Grosel, J. & Engelbrecht, D. 2014. Nectar-feeding by southern African birds with special reference to the Mountain Aloe Aloe marlothii. Orn. Obs. 5: 49-74. This paper provides a review of southern African species which depend on nectar from plants – the obligate specialised nectarivores (sunbirds and sugarbirds) – and the opportunistic ones which take nectar as part of their diet or even as hornbills, eat nectar-rich flowers. The authors studied species visiting Mountain Aloe flowers over three years and they recorded 74 species, from 24 families, including 17 species that had not previously been recorded as feeding on nectar. This brings the number of southern African nectarivores to 157 species from 29 families. Nectar-feeding is widespread, geographically and across taxa. Fincham, J.E. & Lambrects, N. 2014. How many tortoises do a pair of Pied Crows Corvus alba need to kill to feed their chicks? Orn. Obs. 5: 135-138. The impact of Pied Crows on wildlife is discussed. A pair of Pied Crows that nested in the Ceres Karoo in 2012, rearing four young, killed at least 160 small tortoises. In 2013 the authors collected carapaces (tortoise shells) at the nest where another four young Pied Crows were reared and they found 315 carapaces. They question whether this level of predation is sustainable and whether Pied Crow numbers need to be controlled. Retief, E.F. 2014. Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill breeding in electricity pole. Orn. Obs. 5: 251. An observation of a nest of Yellow-billed Hornbill Tockus leucomelas in a hole in a wooden electricity pole. Hancock, P. 2014. As clear as mud – Dust-bathing in sandgrouse. African Birdlife Nov/Dec 2014: 14-15. Pete Hancock describes watching more than 100 Burchell’s Sandgrouse Pterocles burchelli flying down to a Kalahari pan in Botswana. There the sandgrouse males dust-bathed in a bare area, collecting mud onto their wet breast feathers so that it formed a muddy crust. Some also ingested soil particles or grit. Mark Muller’s photographs of these antics illustrate the article in which Pete speculates on whether the birds were taking grit back



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for the chicks, whether there were important minerals or trace elements in the muddy crust for the chicks to peck at or whether some other unknown reason is yet to be found?

Guareschi et al. 2015. Cross-taxon congruence in wetlands: Assessing the value of waterbirds as surrogates of macroinvertebrate biodiversity in Mediterranean Ramsar sites. Ecological Indicators 49:204-215.

Wetlands are among the most threatened habitats and the species they support among the most endangered taxa. Measuring and monitoring wetland biodiversity is vital for conservation, restoration and management, and often relies on the use of surrogate taxa. Waterbirds are commonly used as flagships of biodiversity and are the subject of major conservation initiatives, so it is important to assess the extent to which waterbirds indicate the general biodiversity of wetlands and serve as surrogates. We explore the relationships between community composition and species richness of waterbirds and aquatic macroinvertebrates in 36 Ramsar wetlands in southern Spain to assess if waterbirds are good surrogates for other taxonomic groups. Specifically, we aimed to (i) test the congruence of patterns of species composition and richness among waterbirds and aquatic macroinvertebrates; and (ii) investigate which environmental variables are associated with the biodiversity patterns of waterbirds and macroinvertebrates, with the purpose of identifying key factors explaining potential discordance in these patterns. We found a limited concordance between assemblage patterns of both taxonomic groups that may be related to their contrasting responses to environmental gradients. Assemblages of waterbirds appear to be more affected by climate variables and water surface area, whereas conductivity was the most important factor influencing macroinvertebrate communities. We also found a negligible or inverse relationship in their patterns of richness, with wetlands with higher waterbird species richness showing significantly lower richness of Hemiptera and macroinvertebrate families, and no significant relationship with Coleoptera. In addition, GLM models showed that, in general, different environmental variables are related with the richness patterns of the different taxonomic groups. Given the importance of the Ramsar convention for the conservation of an international network of wetlands, our findings underline the limited potential of waterbirds as aquatic biodiversity indicators in Mediterranean wetlands, and the need for caution when using waterbirds as flagships. An integrative analysis of different biological communities, using datasets from different taxonomic groups, is a necessary precursor for successful conservation policies and monitoring. Our results illustrate the need to create a diversified and complete network of protected sites able to conserve multiple components of wetland biodiversity.



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White-crowned LapwingPhoto: Lyn Francey

African Pygmy KingfisherPhoto: Lyn Francey

Acacia Pied BarbetPhoto: Ian White

Fawn-coloured LarkPhoto: Ian White

BIRDLIFE BOTSWANA

African Emerald Cuckoo Photo: Ian White

Partner designate of:


Number 60

ISSN 1012 - 2974

Cover Design by: Impression House Printing by Impression House

January 2015


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The sincere thanks of all the members of BirdLife Botswana go to Remi and Wendy Borello who have once again generously supported the printing of this issue of the Babbler.

babbler · 2018-09-26 · babbler journal of birdlife botswana number 60 issn 1012 - 2974 cover...

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