A special meeting was held at the University of Cape Town (UCT) Middle Campus to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Cape Bird Club.
Over 200 members attended. Drinks were served after we all signed in. Mel Tripp welcomed all in the atrium to explain the order of events for the evening. He introducing and welcomed invited guests, members, friends and the press. We then were directed to the lecture theatre. Here he introduced Vernon Head who welcomed Peter Steyn (President of the CBC) to recall parts of his 60 years of birding.
He certainly can inspire any potential or longtime “bird watcher” with his often pioneering exploits in many parts of southern Africa and elsewhere in the world. He recalled many names of friends with whom he had shared countless hours of bird watching, observing and photographing. Few people are prepared to spend and invest the same energy and time these days, doing what he has achieved with his love of birds.
Peter showed selected photos from his first, as a boy, (Coot nest with eggs) to recent ones of mostly land based birds. The quality of all were exceptional. The quality of the film slides (Kodachrome) has endured even through to the digitised copies for this presentation.
Peters enthusiasm is still very infectious after all these years of being ‘The Birdman’.
This presentation was followed by snacks, a prize giving and and further announcements of the annual celebration calendar back in the atrium.
Gavin Lawson.
photographs by Priscilla Beeton and Gavin Lawson.
