Junior Outing to Kirstenbosch.
18th September 2021.
An outing for junior members of the Cape Bird Club was held at Kirstenbosch on Saturday 18th September – the first for several years. It was attended by Zoe Lunau-Johns (14 years, in Grade 8) and three boys who have joined the club this year: Michael Whitelaw (Grade 7), Alexi Zannos (Grade 6) and Ethan Vleggaar (9 years in Grade 4). Ethan’s dad, Martin, joined us, as well as two members of the CBC, Priscilla Beeton and Linda Merrett.
The young birders were very keen and arrived with an array of checklists, apps and cameras. Two of the boys had only developed an interest in birds in the past year, during lockdown.
We had arranged to meet at 2p.m. because of sport commitments in the morning. We were lucky with the weather – too lucky, in a way, as it was very hot and the garden was more crowded than I have seen it in years. After we had arranged the date and venue, a caracal family was discovered in the garden. We set off immediately for the spot where I had seen them the day before, but were rather dismayed to find that the adjacent lawn area was being used by over twenty picnickers. The kittens were nowhere to be seen.
However, we were compensated by views of Swee Waxbills nearby, a lifer for some of the group, and a good view of a Cape Batis further on.
My carefully planned route and stops failed to deliver all four of the specific birds which I had hoped to show the young birders – including the Spotted Eagle-Owl, Olive Woodpecker and Lemon Dove.
At the pond, Martin saw a Jackal Buzzard overhead – in fact it turned out to be three buzzards. In the Enchanted Forest, sharp-eyed Zoe spotted an African Olive-Pigeon fly in, and settle right at the top of a tall tree.
We had our snacks on the circle of stumps, while compiling our bird list, and then continued to the Boomslang. A Sombre Greenbul perched obligingly, close to the handrail.
As we approached the Dell, Alexi spotted something which was new for him: “Aah, a pterodactyl!” Further on, Zoe said, “Wouldn’t it be funny if a bird sat on top of that dinosaur’s head?” and two minutes later, she exclaimed, “Malachite Sunbird!”
It settled exactly there, affording a good photo opportunity.
We stopped briefly in the Dell, where I gave some awards: a bird pin to Zoe for her good sightings and ID, and a bird pin and BirdLife SA Checklist to Ethan, as the newest junior member of the Cape Bird Club, turning ten the following week.
On our way back to Gate 1, we saw the Bronze Mannikins which had eluded us earlier and, interestingly, a Fork-tailed Drongo. The final tally was 25 species.
Thank you to our enthusiastic young birders, the parents who joined us or provided lifts and support, and to Priscilla Beeton and Linda Merrett for helping make the outing such an enjoyable event.
photographs by Penny Dichmont and Zoe Lunau-Johns.
report by Penny Dichmont.
