Ringing Botuin, 10-12 May 2025
A small BDI team had a weekend ringing trip to Botuin in Vanrhynsdorp. We ringed mostly at Botuin and once at a nearby farm below Gifberg. We caught 55 birds of...
Author: Dieter
Dieter is a qualified Bird Ringer and trainer, registered bird guide, and Weaver expert. Dieter is able to act as a bird guide for day trips in Cape Town, and is able to customise birds tours in South Africa and beyond.
Ringing at Nuwejaarsrivier, 6-11 Apr 2025
Three UK ringers, Les and I undertook 2 weeks of intense ringing, the first week being based at Botuin, and the second week at Nuwejaarsrivier (this blog, ebird...
Ringing at Botuin, 29 Mar – 4 Apr 2025
Three UK ringers, Les and I undertook 2 weeks of intense ringing, the first week being based at (this blog, ebird report), and the second week at Nuwejaarsrivie...
Karoo Lark, Vanrhynsdorp, 1/12/2023
The Karoo Lark is endemic to South Africa. It is one of the least ringed lark species in southern Africa, only 29 birds in 76 years. 3 birds were caught on 1 De...
Ringing trip to Nuwejaarsrivier, 20-25/03/2025
A long weekend in March provided an opportunity for a BDI ringing trip(with a few trainees) to the Nuwejaarsrivier wetland area again (our first visit here was...
African Rail, Nuwejaarsrivier, 22/03/2025
Spring traps are useful for catching small insectivorous birds, like Cape Robin-chats and Southern Fiscals. It was a very pleasant surprise to find an adult Afr...
Olive Thrush, Cape Town, 2025/03/16
Olive Thrush juveniles have spotted breasts and slight orangy edges to the wing coverts, in contrast to the plain breast and uniform dark upperparts of a...
Spike-heeled Lark, Vanrhynsdorp, 7/02/2023
Larks often live in open areas, meaning that mist nets are fairly visible and easily avoided. However, placing nets along fence lines may help increase...
Ringing trip to Nuwejaarsrivier, 23-26 Feb 2025
A short ringing trip to Haas Vlakte farm with only 3 people, still yielded a few interesting species, including a juvenile Southern Boubou. A Blacksmith Lapwi...
Pearl-breasted Swallow, Ouberg, 14-17 Feb 2025
The Pearl-breasted Swallow is one of the smallest swallows, and is rarely ringed. During a weekend of ringing at Ouberg farm, we were surprised to catch ...