Trip to the Upper Karoo, 24 May-6 June 2014
2014-06-10 (525)
This trip was under-taken to survey Sociable Weaver nests in the Northern Cape and other species using their nests, by Barry and Sue Schultz and myself. At the same time Virtual Museum records were collected for all but two projects (Birds with Odd Plumages, and Atlas of African Echinoderma).
The planned survey area was farms and untarred roads in the area bounded by Williston, Carnarvon, and slightly north of Vanwyksvlei and Brandvlei. A punctured tire, however, meant a trip to Upington and resulted in continuing the survey in that area.
More news to follow when all the Sociable Weaver records have been uploaded!
Acknowledgements
Thanks to the great hospitality of the farmers who hosted us!
- JD & Nestie Smit, Saaipoort
- Christi & Caryl Mans, Jaskloof
- Charmaine Botha, Stuurmansfontein
- Donald and Kathleen Torr, Jagersberg
- Lefras and Charlene Moolman, Bril se Dam farm
- Heila, Oom Benna’s
- Kalahari Water
- Kalahari Monate Lodge at the Spitskop Nature Reserve
The University of Turku, Finland via Robert Thomson provided most of the funding for the project. Equipment was funded by a PERC Research Development Grant (Project for the Enhancement of Research Capacity, UCT).
Ringing totals
| Sp no | English | Saaipoort | Beesdam | Jaskloof | Jagersberg | Totals |
| 385 | Little Swift | 5 | 5 | |||
| 385 | Little Swift | 8 | 8 | |||
| 391 | White-backed Mousebird | 1 | 1 | |||
| 432 | Acacia Pied Barbet | 2 | 2 | |||
| 506 | Rock Martin | 1 | 1 | |||
| 564 | Mountain Chat | 2 | 2 | |||
| 570 | Familiar Chat | 1 | 1 | |||
| 674 | Pririt Batis | 1 | 1 | |||
| 678 | Fairy Flycatcher | 1 | 1 | |||
| 746 | Pied Starling | 1 | 1 | |||
| 764 | Dusky Sunbird | 3 | 3 | |||
| 783 | Sociable Weaver | 9 | 58 | 86 | 153 | |
| 784 | House Sparrow | 1 | 1 | |||
| 786 | Cape Sparrow | 8 | 7 | 15 | ||
| 803 | Southern Masked Weaver | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | |
| 837 | Red-billed Firefinch | 3 | 3 | |||
| 865 | White-throated Canary | 1 | 1 | |||
| 1171 | Orange River White-eye | 4 | 4 | |||
| 4139 | Karoo Prinia | 2 | 2 | |||
| Totals | 28 | 9 | 61 | 112 | 210 |
Plus 1 Southern Masked Weaver ringed at Stuurmansfontein.
Some photo records [links no longer valid]
phown 11322 Sociable Weaver nest on water tank
ReptileMAP-150980 gecko
OdonataMAP-10433 dragonfly
FrogMAP-2221 toad
SpiderMAP-1974 spider
ScorpionMAP-534 scorpion
LepiMAP-47954 butterfly
MammalMAP-10219 Bat-eared Fox
ViTH-3355 quiver tree
BirdPix-8267 Fairy Flycatcher
