Sunday 30 March. SAPPI Bird Hide with Rex Aspeling. Please contact Rex to confirm. Email: rex.aspeling@gmail.com or call: 082 301 8177. We will spend time in the Hide and take a stroll around the dam as well. Afterwards tea /coffee in the picnic area. Remember to bring your ID and check in at the office on arrival where we will meet at 06h30. Good idea to take cushions as well as chairs, tea/coffee. Directions: Travel north 90 kms from the Umgeni road intersection of the N2. Turn off the N2 at the R74 off ramp to Stanger. Turn left onto the R74 to Stanger and travel 1 km to a dirt road on the left. Turn left and go 2.7 kms then bear left onto tar for 400 metres to the SAPPI Office. There is a picnic area which is separate to the bird hide which can accommodate about 12 people. There is also a walk next to the dam which we will do as well.
April 2014
Bird Ringing with Garth Aiston: Usually held early on a Sunday each month. Please call Garth for details if no notification is put out nearer to the time on the BLPN website and KZN Birds@yahoo. Cell:084 5491752.
Bird Ringing with Andrew Pickles. Usually the first or second Sunday of the month. Venue to be advised. Please contact Andrew for details. Cell 082 338 3302 or barbet@venturenet.co.za
Bird Ringing with James Rawdon. James visits many private estates on the North Coast. Contact James for details: 083 745 6007.
Saturday 05 April. Bluff at 07h00 with Elena Russell. Tel: 031 7052902 (after 6pm) or email elenarussell@telkomsa.net. The butterflies are also good in April at this venue. Directions: From the M4 take the Jacobs off-ramp. Travel east along Quality Street until the Tara Road intersection. The reserve is diagonally across the road to the left(off Tara Road). Meet in the car park. This reserve is managed by KZN Ezemvelo and levies an entrance fee.
Tuesday 8 April. Krantzkloof talk at 09h30. Luis Segura from Rockjumper has recently moved to S.A. from Argentina and is going to talk to us about Argentina, its birds and natural habitats. Directions: Up Fields Hill along M13, take Village Road turn-off (exit 23). Turn right over the bridge, then left at the traffic circle into Old Main Road. Continue through another traffic circle and then bear right around a further traffic circle, then sharp left over the railway bridge, then left again into Church Street. At the T-junction turn left into Abelia Road, then right into Kloof Falls Road (it is signposted from this point). At the next traffic circle, bear right and continue down this road for about 2km until you reach the picnic site on the right hand side. Meet at Bridle road (main) entrance.
Wednesday 09 April. 19h00 Indoor Meeting. Jeanne Tarrant on “Featherless friends: Using flagship frog species to protect crucial habitat” Westville Methodist Church, Jan Hofmeyr Road, Westville.
Saturday 12 April. BMCG Meeting at 13h30. Venue to be advised.
Wednesday 16 April Paradise Valley NR – 08.30 Lesley Frescura – 031 266 4150, 083 231 3408. Enjoy the different habitats as we walk along the river’s edge where there are good opportunities for both water and terrestrial birds. Directions: From the M13 westbound, take the Stapleton Road/New Germany turnoff. (Exit 16). Keep left into Eden Road. Follow Eden Road past the Blood Bank, and continue in what is now Oxford Road. The reserve is at the end of the road.
Sunday 20 April at 06:30 – Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve with Martin Taylor. Please contact Martin to confirm – email: martin.taylor@birdlife.org.za or call: Cell 0722777254. A favourite birding spot with a great mix of birds and the cisticolas will keep us busy with ID. The wild flowers are always a treat. Bring a picnic lunch and chairs. Directions: Travel south on N2 from Durban for 60 kms (past Scottburgh) take the R612 (Park Rynie/Umzinto) turnoff, turn right over freeway and travel 12 km (past Umzinto), turn right at the signpost for Vernon Crookes onto good gravel road travel for 6 km to the reserve. Meet at entrance (there is an entrance fee – take your Wild Card and Rhino Card).
Fr 25th -Mon 28th April (long weekend). Bushwillow Park. Karkloof with Mike Roseblade and Jane Morris. Please confirm all details with Mike or Jane. Mike – microse@mweb.co.za or Jane – janette@mweb.co.za, Tel: 031 2660487. An ideal camping and caravanning location right on the edge of the Karkloof. About 15 km from Howick. Close to crane sanctuary and mistbelt forest. Two bungalows also available. Book direct: 0333302680/0722376247 or email bushwillow@nitrosoft.co.za. For directions go to http://www.bushwillowcaravanpark.co.za/ and click on Contacts.
