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Honorary Rangers

Glendower Soutpansberg Birds and Forest Festival

Event Report - 4 to 6 November 2005

On the weekend of the 4th to the 6th of November, a very special event took place in the Soutpansberg – sponsored by Glendower Whisky and supported by Birdlife South Africa, the Soutpansberg/Limpopo Bird Route hosted and Bird and Forest Festival. For those of you not familiar with where the Soutpansberg is, it is South Africa’s northern-most mountain range, stretching from its foothills in northern Kruger through to west of Makhado (Louis Trichardt) on towards the Blouberg.

The Southern slopes of the range are home to several forest patches of varying forest type, from evergreen high altitude Afrotemperate mist-belt forest to semi-deciduous scrub and mixed forest on the lower slopes. Forest is South Africa’s most endangered vegetation biome, because of its patchy distribution

Some may be asking themselves what has this event got to do with SANParks?

If you browse the birding or Honorary Rangers pages of this site you will have seen it advertised.

Firstly the organisation and running of the event was supported by the Marakele Honorary Rangers. Then, although there is no National Park in the immediate vicinity, the Soutpansberg route is the conduit route one would take between Northern Kruger and Mapungubwe National Parks. Along with Marakele they are all important role players in the Greater Limpopo Birding Initiative where the aim is to encourage avitourists (people who travel with the intention of seeing birds) to move between such areas to boost the tourism economy of Limpopo, one of South Africa’s poorest provinces.

Lastly, although there is no National Park in the Soutpansberg, the patches of forest are of critical national importance to South Africa’s biodiversity and SANParks as a major player in the country’s conservation effort needs to lend support to efforts to create public awareness of conservation, particularly in marginalized habitats such as Afrotemperate Mist-belt forest.

The weekend involved a collection of fascinating guest speakers and forest guides who had a vast and varied knowledge base including butterflies, dragon and damselflies, spiders, mammals, forest ecology, biospheres and of course birds. The guest speakers and guides included Dr Coert Gendenhuys, Dr Warwick Tarboton, Craig Symes, Pierre Le Roux, Dr Jan Crafford, Dr Ian Gaigher, Stephan Schoeman, Isac Van der Merwe, Stephan Voort and Sarah Venter

Those who were there for the birding had a right old time. Although forest is arguably the toughest habitat to spot birds in, because of dense vegetation and the skulking, elusive and sometimes ventriloquial (ability to throw voice) habits of forest birds, with patience and effort the following species were seen or heard by some of the participants:

  • Crowned Eagle (on nest)
  • Forest Buzzard
  • Buff-spotted Flufftail
  • African Olive Pigeon
  • Lemon and Tambourine Dove
  • Knysna Turaco
  • Wood Owl
  • Narina Trogon
  • Olive Woodpecker
  • African Broadbill
  • Grey Cuckooshrike
  • Terrestrial Brownbul
  • Yellow-bellied, Yellow-streaked and Sombre Greenbul
  • Eastern Nicator
  • Orange Ground-Thrush
  • Chorister Robin-chat
  • Barratt’s Warbler
  • Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler
  • Bar-throated Apalis
  • Grey-backed Camaroptera
  • Cape Batis
  • Mountain Wagtail
  • Olive, Orange-breasted and Gorgeous Bushshrike
  • Lesser Double-collared Sunbird
  • Green Twinspot
  • African Firefinch

For those interested in mammals, bushbuck, blue and red duiker, bushpig, samango monkey, chacma baboon, thick-tailed bushbaby and water mongoose were spotted.

Some participants staying at Shilhuvari Lodge on the shores of Albasini Dam (were the talks and the communal meals were held) were treated to sights of Osprey on the Dam.

4 - 6 November 2005

Join us in celebrating the rich biodiversity of Southern Africa's Forests.

This activity driven event will focus on forest birds, mammals and trees within different forest types. Over the course of the event there will be guided walks into different forest types and lectures by experts on various aspects of forest biodiversity and forest bird watching. Guest Lecturers include Dr Warrick Talboton, Dr Coert Geldenhuys, Dr Jan Crafford and Mr. Pierre le Roux. The festival will be opened by the Chairperson of Birdlife South Africa, Mr Jan Fourie.

Itinerary:

Friday - 4 November 2005

Evening lecture and dinner.

Saturday - 5 November 2005

Morning and Evening Guided Walks and Lunch-time lectures.

Sunday - 6 November 2005

Morning Guided Walk and Brunch.

The Soutpansberg has been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) due to the presence of forest restricted birds. Forests are vulnerable to threats from poor management, slash & burn agriculture and commercial farming operations. For this reason the Soutpansberg-Limpopo Birding Route and the SANParks Honorary Rangers (Marakele) have organized this event, which aims to highlight the uniqueness of forests in Southern Africa.

Venue: Soutpansberg Mountains, Makhado (Louis Trichardt), 4 - 6 November 2005

Cost: Participation fee is R500.00 per person which includes 2 meals, guided walks and specialist lectures. Participation fee excludes accommodation - on booking request a list of local accommodation and rates.

For further information and booking, contact:
Sarah Venter on 082 374 9534 or
E-mail her on contactus@limpopobirding.com

Or download a booking form from www.limpopbirding.com

Booking is essential.