The Cape Bird Club

Memories of Rudolf Schmidt  by Peter Steyn

photograph by Otto Schmidt

Rudolf Schmidt in his familiar black beret.

Rudolf Schmidt died on 17 November 2006 at a venerable age of ninety four. He was one of the last of the early members to join the Cape Bird Club, having joined in 1952 after finding the first Blacksmith Plover nest on the Cape Peninsula at Philippi. He contacted Gerry Broekhuysen who photographed the nest encouraged him to become a member and they became firm friends.

At the time he joined I was a junior member and I recall our evening meetings at UCT in the old Zoology lecture theatre which he attended  regularly. It was not long before he became an active and pivotal member of the CBC, serving on the committee before becoming assistant editor of the Newsletter in 1954 and full editor 1958 - 1976. He also served on the committee as Vice Chairman for a period.

Rudolf Schmidt's contribution as editor for 18 years in those days cannot be underestimated and it was a task that required single minded dedication. Not only did he type the text onto a stencil himself , but he also ran off cyclostyled copies before posting them to members. Those early pages were filled with interesting observations which were stimulated by his enthusiasm.

Rudolf was a sociable and well liked club member alawys friendly, courteous and helpful and he was an enthusiastic supporter of the Bottelary camps at langebaan. Less well known to most members were his important studies of breeding biology, mostly at Philippi. His publications include papers on the Pearlbreasted Swallow 1959, Greater Strped swallow 1962, Lesser Doubled collared Sunbird 1964, White rumped Swift 1965, and after moving from Plumstead to Tamboers Kloof the Cape Siskin 1982 on Lions Head. His last major contribution was a summary of 25 years of ringing White rumped Swifts published in Safring News in 1986.The swifts were the most noteable research, resulting from the fact that they usurped most of his Greater Striped Swallow nests. His swift paper was published in German in the Journal fur Ornithologie and it is unfortunate that this model study was not referred to in Roberts 7.

When I emigrated to Rhodesia at the end of 1961, I asked Rudolf to keep an eye on the Black Eagle nest at Westlake  which I had studied since 1954. For seventeen years until my return to Cape Town he kept me informed of breeding activity.

The Cape Bird Club has always remained viable through the dedication of a handful of members prepared to shoulder the work load and Rudolf Schmidt was always ready to play his part. He has left us a legacy in his son Otto who has followed in his footsteps, not least as editor of Promerops for forty issues in co-operation with Jo Hobbs. It is to be hoped that together they will eventually pass Rudolf's eighteen year record.

Rudolf Schimdt had been unable to attend meetings for many yeaars, but those who remember him will do so with fond memories of this gentle and humble man.