The Cape Bird Club

Western Cape Birding Forum

Now represents 17 clubs with more than 2,000 members in the Western Cape.

Minutes at Durbanville Nature Reserve, Durbanville on Saturday, 01 October 2011.

Vernon Head -  Chaired the Meeting.
Sylvia Ledgard - Minutes.

Present
Cape Bird Club: Vernon Head, Sylvia Ledgard, Anne Gray, Dave Whitelaw, Shaun Overmeyer.
Somerset West Bird Club: John Carter, Brian Dennis, Rene Lind.
Tygerberg Bird Club: Gerald Wingate, Brian Vanderwalt, Helene Thompson.
West Coast Bird Club: Keith Harrison.
BirdLife Overberg: Anton Odendal
BLSA: Christina Moseley (Seabird Division)
SABAP2: Peter Nupen.

Also attending
Marilyn Lilley (“Treasure the Karoo” Action Group), Dr Tony Williams.

Apologies
Barbara Palmer, Lee Burman, Royd Frith, Jo Hobbs, Otto Schmidt, Ross Wanless, Yvonne Weiss.

Welcome

Vernon welcomed all.

1. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING (18/6/2011): Agreed.

2. FRACKING IN THE KAROO (A presentation by Marian Lilley of “Treasure the Karoo” Action Group).
Several oil and gas companies, including among others Royal Dutch Shell, Canadian Falcon Oil & Gas and South African registered Bundu Oil & Gas, have applied for exploration licences to mine natural methane gas trapped in underground shale formations in the Karoo. The process, known as fracking, would involve drilling multiple wells and setting off underground explosions to fracture the underlying shale. Billions of litres of water mixed with sand and toxic chemicals would be pumped in under high pressure to release the gas. Currently applications in hand cover more than 200,000 square kilometres of ecologically fragile, water-scarce Karoo. Shell has applied for 90,000 square kilometres. This would result ultimately in thousands of gas-rigs pumping toxic water, which it is believed would poison underground aquifers and boreholes and leave a legacy of devastating, long-term environmental damage. The operation would involve large numbers of contractors and sub-contractors, tens of thousands of truck loads of water and sand, and a road network and infrastructure to support the whole.

Noted:

  • Exploration licences have also been applied for mining in the Drakensberg and potentially in the Overberg.

  • The Government has placed a moratorium on licences but it is believed that this applies only to future applications and not to those currently in hand.

  • A multi-disciplinary task team has been appointed to investigate fracking in South Africa and make final recommendations to the Minister. The findings of the task team have to date not been made public. (Note: The National Planning Commission’s National Development Plan, released on 11 Nov 2011, gives a qualified nod to hydraulic fracking in South Africa and specifically in the Karoo which is said to have the 5th largest shale gas reserves in the world. The resource it is stated could supply more than half of South Africa’s electricity needs at current consumption levels.)

Concerns:

  • The environmental impacts of fracking are not known. The results of a four-year scientific study in the USA will come out only in 2014.

  • There are no regulations governing the practice in South Africa.

  • The Government has a poor record of oversight and monitoring.

  • There is much speculation regarding the extent of shale gas reserves in the Karoo. Reserves in the USA and elsewhere are proving to have been vastly over-estimated. The bottom line is that exploration for shale gas in South Africa should be put on hold until the environmental impacts can be resolved. BLSA and other NGOs are opposed to fracking in the Karoo and have registered as IAP’s.

3. SEABIRD DIVISION UPDATE (Christina Moseley)
Tshikana Rasehlami and Barry Rose have joined the Seabird Division Trawl Fishery: In 2004, some 18,000 seabirds were being caught annually on trawl cables during fishing operations. With the support of the fishing industry, mitigation measures have been put in place to reduce the bycatch. Among these is the tori line, a bird scaring device designed to deter birds from approaching the trawl cables.
Since introducing the tori line, albatross bycatch mortality has dropped by more than 80%. Action taken by the industry has reduced the mortality rate of smaller seabirds which escalated as a result of albatrosses’ feeding further back. Safety concerns relating to line entanglement with trawl cables are being addressed and grease on the cables is under analysis to overcome the problem of birds’ getting stuck. A further innovation under experiment is the Rory line, booms with streamers which are attached to the vessel as a further deterrent.
The discarding of fish heads, guts, etc when the nets are being set remains a problem. PN noted that the Australian trawl industry does not permit fish by-products to be pumped out into the sea. In South Africa, the vessels do not have the space or facilities to handle the waste on board. 
Longline Fishery: Tshikana is working with the longliners in Richards Bay. Use of the safe-lead is not affecting the target catch. Experiments continue with lead weights.
A vessel specific seabird bycatch cap in place is set at 25 birds/year. Foreign vessels: By law, all foreign vessels fishing in South African waters must have monitors on board. Bronwyn educates on board regarding permit conditions.
African Penguin: Investigations continue into the effectiveness of having fishing closures around penguin breeding colonies.
Tuna fishing industry: Ross is preparing for meetings with the Atlantic and Indian tuna commissions with a view to regulating the tuna industry. South Africa plans to lead on proposing improved seabird conservation measures at the Atlantic commission.
Marine IBA Project: Ross has initiated work on a Regional Marine IBA Programme in partnership with the BirdLife International Nairobi Office and the Nairobi Convention.
(KH): Cape Cormorants: Noted there appears to be a huge increase in numbers. No study is presently being done.

4. EVENTS.
(1) Save our Seabirds Festival 2011 (10 - 16 Oct. 2011 (Vernon Head) This is the third year of running the festival in Cape Town and it is set to become a model for like events elsewhere, viz. a proposed Flufftail Festival in Johannesburg. We are almost at a level where we can consider selling the event to a corporate and will look at going to BOE /Nedbank next year with this in mind. Partners in this year’s festival are V&A Waterfront, Iziko South African Museum, the City of Cape Town and the Dept. of Environmental Affairs. The objective is to create awareness of the threats that seabirds face and raise funds for seabird conservation. The event will be widely advertised in newspapers from next week. Stunning coverage has been prepared by Graham Warsop and the Jupiter Drawing Room Utopia. The “Oceans of Life” photographic competition has attracted thousands of entries and is now regarded as the leading seabird photographic exhibition in the world. The finalists’ images will be on display at the Iziko Museum. Leading speakers in the field of seabird and marine conservation, John Croxall of BirdLife International, Phil Hockey and Mark Anderson, have been engaged to present evening lectures. The South African band Freshlyground will deliver an open air performance at V&A Waterfront in support of SOS week. WWF’s South African Sustainable Seafood Initiative (SASSI) will hold promotions at Waterfront restaurants.
“Save the Albatross” Gala Dinner: The World Sports Group will host a gala dinner in December during the Cape Town leg of the Volvo Around the World Yacht Race for the purpose of raising funds for Albatross Conservation.
Congratulations: AO registered a vote of thanks and congratulations to Vernon and the SOS team for the comprehensive planning, preparation and launch of SOS 2011.

(2) Cape Outdoor Expo (Gerald Wingate)
The initial idea and proposal for Bird Clubs associated with WCBF to participate in the forthcoming 2011 Expo expanded considerably after meeting with the Expo MD Shirley Shearer. It was agreed that participation be delayed until next year as timelines were short and the Expo dates (14-16 October) coincided with the SOS Festival. The idea of involvement would be to promote all aspects of birds and birding - bird clubs, equipment, clothing, tourism, etc. - with the objective of attracting new members into the clubs. The question is, is this for us, do we go ahead?
(VH): The national BirdLife strategy is to develop big events, e.g. SOS Festival, Flufftail Festival, annual Owl Awards, AGM Flock Gathering, Bird Fairs. The thinking is that the Outdoor Expo could be developed/rebranded as a Bird Fair/Expo with bird clubs and NGOs housed in a giant central marquee and related outdoor industries, travel and tourism on the outside. The aim would be to create a singular thrust, message and brand. Cape Outdoor Expo is willing to sell the event to us if we can find a corporate to take it on. SASOL sponsors the Johannesburg Bird Fair and may be willing to come in on this one. Shirley Shearer would manage the event on our behalf.
Comments:
(BVdW): Have we got the people? Can we handle this? (VH): We would start small. Shirley would run the event professionally for us. Once up and running, we would hand over to a corporate.
(AO): A lot of hands can help. We can amalgamate all current local events.
(BVdW): We will need a Functions Forum to develop the concept.
(GW): We must avoid thinking too big. The concept must be geared to getting the average person in who wants to bird but does not necessarily want to get involved with conservation, i.e. firstly, birdwatching for fun as a hobby; secondly, conservation and the environment.
(GW): The Expo is a great idea and should be supported. It will provide an opportunity to reach a new level of people who are not currently members of BLSA or Clubs.
(SO): BLSA events as a whole come across as highbrow. We need another level - talking to people on the street. (VH): BLSA’s strategy is to talk to the whole of South Africa about the environment through birds. The formula is to have different layers or tiers within an event. There is a highbrow level - we need funds from corporates. A second level is to take the event or programme into schools and homes, e.g. SOS, National Bird Week, Bird of the Year, Birding Big Day (new Garden Bird category).
(DW): Taking up Shaun’s point, we should look for outlets other than the Waterfront, i.e. take SOS to Mitchells Plain/Khayelitsha. (SO): We need to step out of the envelope and spread awareness by going into other precincts.
Action: DW and SO will develop practical proposals.

(3) BLSA “Spring Alive” and “Bird of the Year” (4 Sept-20 Nov).
Bird of the Year, the Barn Swallow starts arriving in South Africa from September. This year’s “Spring Alive “campaign has been generously sponsored by ACSA. Funds provided enabled BLSA to develop educational material and posters for National Bird Week and funds are available to clubs for their schools’ programmes. With funding from ACSA and the support of Continental Outdoor Media, billboards featuring the Barn Swallow and the theme “Welcome Summer Migrants” have been produced and erected at several South African airports. BLSA hopes to involve ACSA and SAA in making this a recurring theme every summer.
(GW): Friends of Tygerberg Hills put articles on their website every month and will be featuring the Bird of the Year.
Bird of the Year 2012 is the African Fish Eagle.
(4) Birding Big Day (26 Nov) BBD has become stale in its present format and is no longer working. A new direction is needed. The intention is to create a low carbon footprint event from next year, promoting birding at home in your garden and linking in the garden industry. The categories this year are: Garden Bird, SABAP2 and Traditional.
(SO): Website based World BBD in the USA attracts the twitching community. There may be an opportunity to exploit the twitcher concept here, if used properly.
(JC): A Christmas Bird Count is done in the UK.
(5) Flock 2012 (16-18 March): Flock is the annual gathering of BLSA and also it’s AGM. BirdLife Eastern Cape will host next year’s event in Port Elizabeth. An Ornithological Conference will be attached to Flock every second year. In 2012, the Fitz Institute will fund and organise a 2-day conference, which will take place before Flock on 15/16 March. Clubs are encouraged to get cars together and bring club members to the event. It is a great opportunity to socialise with members from other clubs across the country.

5. OVERBERG UPDATE (Anton Odendal)
 Birding Routes

  • The Cape Winelands bird checklist and birding brochure are being prepared for release to tourism offices and birding destinations.

  • Webpages have started for the Winelands and Eden (Garden Route) birding routes and proposals are being developed for the Great Karoo.

  • Flamingo Birding Route (Cape West Coast) brochure and checklist are being reprinted.

Educational Brochures
Educational “Bird of the Year” brochures are being produced for the Western Cape. Tru-Cape want 8,000 for their farm schools. Orders have also been received from Environmental Education centres in the Overberg. Total print run 13,000. These will be ready for the “Spring Alive”/“Bird of the Year” event.
Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing
We are working with Tru-Cape with regard to getting branding on fruit and will have Cape Rockjumper stickers on apples within the next two years. The CSIR imposes strict criteria that must be complied with. Tru-Cape and BLO have combined to present public talks.
BLO Golf Day 2012
Following the successful staging of the 2010 and 2011 events, BLO Golf Day 2012 will take place at the Hermanus Golf Club on 23 February. The concept has reached a level where, within the next year or two, it could be sold to a corporate. The 2012 theme will be “Giving Cape Rockjumpers Wings” and funds raised will be for the development of educational packages about birds and the environment in the Greater Hermanus area. It is the intention to invite celebrity golfers next year. The format is there and can be used elsewhere to raise funds. 20-30 Golf club members signed up to BLO.
(VH): Something similar could be done to raise funds for WCBF. Vernon will talk to Simon Fogarty who has connections with the Royal Cape Golf Club.
Action: Vernon.
(AO): Golf courses want to create a cleaner image.
(BVdW): There is potential for Birds and Golfing in the tourism industry.
(JC: Birding on Wine Farms: Wine Farms want bird counts done on their farms. This provides opportunities for club outings).

6. IBA PROGRAMME (Shaun Overmeyer)
Regional IBA Conservation Committee-Western Cape
Following the 2-day workshop in April, a committee was formed to take the programme forward. Committee members appointed are: Shaun Overmeyer (Chairman), Mariana Delport (Secretary), Dr. Dave Whitelaw (Peninsula), Dr. Anton Odendal (Overberg), Keith Harrison (West Coast), Kevin Shaw (CapeNature), Eddie Cassani (SANParks Hon. Rangers-Agulhas), Dr. Anthony Williams (Ornithologist).
IBA Programme going forward
It is the intention to bring Ernst Retief to Cape Town for consultation and to reach consensus for the plan going forward. On the ground training is needed in the compilation of IBA Assessment Reports and in particular the interpretation of data. Rietvlei will be the prototype. The plan is dependent on the availability of funds for airfare, accommodation and transport.
(BD): To put costs into perspective, the workshop carried a budget of R6,000-R8,000. Clubs are putting in funds to cover this. WCBF does not have surplus funds.
(JL): Costs can be contained by monitoring the airlines to take advantage of budget fares, by booking well in advance and looking at accommodation options.
(VH): WCBF is supporting BLSA’s application for funding from the Table Mountain Fund (C.A.P.E. Landscape Initiative). We need to attract funds also from corporates and the Marketing Committee is developing a strategy to involve corporates in supporting their local IBAs. BVdW suggested that Chevron Oil Refinery could be approached to fund the Rietvlei proposal.
(DW): A strategy is needed to roll out the IBA programme in the Western Cape, i.e. analyse current data, re-assess, prioritise.

7. CONSERVATION
BLSA Appointment: Conservation Manager Western Cape, Vernon Head.
The Rupert family is giving money for 5 years to fund the employment of a Conservation Manager in the Western Cape (a Rupert Fellow of Conservation appointment). WCBF will have input on interviews. The appointee will be responsible to the BLSA National Conservation Manager and the CEO, but WCBF will give input on work to be done.

Environmental Threats
(1) Wind Farms
Lower Berg River Wetlands IBA SA104) (KH): The IDP Velddrif Wind Energy Facility is proposing to erect wind turbines on seven farms within the Berg River Municipal Area. This includes the farms Kruispad and Doornfontein. It should be noted that Kruispad is completely within the IBA, being west of the Grid Power Line. The layout would involve 26 turbines, some of which would be within 32 meters of the river drainage line. NEMA regulations do not permit this level of proximity and would not be given the go ahead by the Estuary Management Forum. Power lines to the Aurora sub-station would go over the Berg River.
Vredenburg (KH): A ring of 193 turbines is being planned around from Saldanha-Paternoster-St. Helena Bay-Saldahna. One site would be next to an establishment for people with special needs, another next to a facility for children with terminal conditions. Birds will be cut off from their feeding areas to roosting sites.

  • (TW): Some of the development companies are trying to get a consortium to put in radar around the area, which will provide a lot of information, especially at night. They have flown out experts from Vancouver to look at the sites and determine radar needs.

  • (JC): Two members of SWBC are being paid to monitor birds at potential sites. It is a requirement that they are paid.

  • (SO): We should be concerned not only about sensitive species when conducting wind monitoring exercises at specific sites (e.g. waders at Langebaan) but take other species into account where there are significant numbers on a site.

  • Overberg (AO): The BLO website carries appeals submitted by Norman Shearer against the environmental authorisation of wind farms at Swellendam and Klipheuwel/Dassieshoek and an announcement on an EIA process for a facility in the Walker Bay area.

Note:
Bird &Wind Energy Information Week (3-7 Oct.): There are approximately 70 - 80 wind energy projects currently under application in South Africa for environmental authorisation. This has exposed a serious shortage of capacity with respect to practicing bird specialists who are able to conduct adequate studies and monitoring at proposed sites. EWT is convening a workshop in Cape Town to equip specialists and volunteers from the birding community with more knowledge in order to raise the standard of monitoring and reporting.
In this connection, Savannah Environmental is looking to employ and send to the workshop an individual who would undertake avifaunal assessments for a variety of projects, as well as being involved with bird monitoring programmes for the wind energy sector. The organisation provides services ranging from pre-feasibility through to project execution phases and currently has several clients who intend developing wind energy facilities in South Africa.

  • (Robyn Kadis of Franschoek Bird Club was appointed to this position).

(2) Solar Farm Development - Vredenburg (KH): 
This is a massive development. It is being designed to generate 300MW of electricity and the solar panels will cover 500 hectares.

(3) Tungsten Prospecting-Moutonshoek/Verlorenvlei IBA SA103 & Ramsar site):
Bongani Minerals (Australia) have been granted a prospecting licence to look for tungsten deposits in the Moutonshoek valley. It is claimed that this could be an important asset for South Africa as currently the only other major deposit is in China. The area supports farms producing table grapes for export and vegetables. The concern is that the operation will displace many families and workers and water pollution from the mine will affect the streams and underground water. The Verlorenvlei estuary is at risk as the bulk of its water comes from the Krom Antonies River, which is one of the rivers likely to be affected. Keith noted that strangely there is no reference anywhere that Bongani Minerals have any expertise in mining. The world price of tungsten has dropped and the mining prospects for Moutonshoek may ultimately not be viable. In the meantime, people’s lives are on hold and the prospecting operation in itself is likely to be hugely damaging.
Species Concerns:
(1) Cape Cormorants-Berg River (KH): Counts have been taken of 80,000 - 100,000 cormorants coming in to roost overnight along the Berg River. A lady living in Velddrif is complaining about the smell and wants the cormorants driven off. She has written to a number of departments. Cape Nature is taking the matter seriously.
(2) Guineafowl (DW): A report was received of Guineafowl being eradicated at the Helderberg Nature Reserve. It was stated that the City has a policy of systematically removing the species from CapeNature reserves. DW took up the matter with City officials who deny that the policy exists but say that culling is done in certain instances to control numbers. BVdW questioned this as he had found Guineafowl inside a cage at the Brackenfell reserve and was told by Cliff Dorse that the City’s policy is to eradicate Guineafowl in the reserves. DW will get a copy of the policy from Cliff.
Action: Dave Whitelaw.
(3) House Crows (DW): The strategy to eliminate the House Crow is governed by the breeding season. Last year, 4,000 birds were killed. The City has sufficient money to continue the process when flocking commences after the next breeding season.
SANCCOB (Jenny Lodge)
SANCCOB has a baby section - “Little Fluffballs”. For years, eggs have been going to one person, Cheryl Campbell, for hatching and hand-rearing the chicks. In November, SANCCOB will officially open its new Baby Unit and Jenny suggests that WCBF acknowledges Cheryl for the work she has done.
Agreed: (a) WCBF will send a letter of appreciation (SL);
(b) Cheryl will be nominated for an Owl Award (JL).
Action: SL & JL.

8. SABAP2 UPDATE (Peter Nupen)
Stats: A total of 12,108 Full Protocol Cards have been submitted to the SABAP2 database in the Western Cape. Of the 1,836 Pentads in the Western Cape, 1,347 have at least one Full Protocol Card, which equates to 73.4% coverage of the region. An additional 54 unatlased Pentads were completed during the period since June. Approximately 10 Pentads are being covered every day in the Western Cape.
Atlasing Remote Pentads: A team of 20 atlasers will embark on a camp to the northern regions of the Knersvlakte on 7 October to tackle unatlased pentads in the region. The goal is to cover some 50 new Pentads and extend the Western Cape coverage to over 75%.

  • PN thanked CBC and TBC for partial sponsorship of the exercise and CapeNature for allowing use of a house for accommodation.

3DDG Challenge: An initiative introduced by Garth Shaw from Paarl, known as the 3DDG Challenge (3 Diagonal Degrees going Green), is underway in the Western Cape. The goal by next year’s Summer equinox (23 Sept 2012) is to turn all the Pentads green that make up the six diagonal degree squares covering the Western Cape. Club chairpersons are asked to encourage their atlasers to participate in this initiative.
Thanks to Peter Nupen: GW thanked Peter for his commitment to SABAP2 and always leading from the front.
MyBirdPatch: (a spin-off from SABAP2) is a new project introduced by the ADU to monitor bird species and their populations on a finer scale. A document was sent out by Doug Harebottle to all birding groups throughout South Africa explaining the process. In effect, participants can select their own bird patch, no matter how small (e.g. a home garden) to monitor species and submit data. Protocols applicable to SABAP2 do not apply.

9.  WCBF FINANCES (Brian Dennis)
The cost of the IBA Workshop was R6,550 after receiving a private donation of R300. The Workshop was almost entirely funded by contributions from member clubs for 2010 and 2011. Donations for 2011 had been received from Hermanus, TBC and WCBC, while donations were in the pipeline from CBC and SWBC. Balance of funds on hand = R7,165.
(VH): In effect, WCBF needs an annual fundraising event to build up a reserve for projects that it wishes to undertake.

10. GENERAL
 WCBF Meetings: With the advent of a Conservation Manager in the Western Cape, Anton raised for consideration the question of re-visiting the format of WCBF meetings with a view to creating a separate forum to cover conservation and environmental issues.
WCBF MEETINGS CALENDAR 2012

  • February 4

  • June 9

  • October 6

  • (To be confirmed once BLSA Council dates are known)

NEXT MEETING: Saturday, 4 February 2012, at Helderberg Nature Reserve, Somerset West (SWBC hosting).

                                                                                                                                            

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