⛔ When the WhatsApp green tick changes to a red “no entry” sign the outing is full — please do NOT just arrive.

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🌿 BeKZN Birding Diary – May 2026

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🟢 Thursday 7 May – Stake-out: Durban Botanic Gardens
⏰ 07h30 | Easy terrain | 🔭 Hosted by Jenny Norman
Urban birding at its most rewarding. We will sit beside the lake and watch the activity unfold.
🎯 Regular highlights include Palmnut Vulture, breeding Black Sparrowhawk, Brown-backed Honeybird, Buff-spotted Flufftail and heron activity — with hopes for Black-crowned Night Heron.
A relaxed sit-and-watch outing ideal for beginners and photographers.

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🟢 Saturday 16 May – Walk: New Germany Nature Reserve
⏰ 07h30 | Easy–medium terrain | 🌿 Hosted by Cara Christianson
A compact but productive reserve combining grassland and forest habitats.
🎯 Possible species: Yellow-throated Longclaw, Rufous-naped Lark, Narina Trogon and occasionally Spotted Eagle-Owl.
Excellent variety and a very enjoyable winter morning walk.

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🔴 Sunday 31 May – Conservation: Van Riebeeck Park (Bluff)
⏰ 06h30 | Easy terrain | 🌱 Hosted by Steve Davis
Return to our ongoing wetland monitoring site. Members can see first-hand how habitat restoration benefits birds over time.
🦆 Expect waterbirds, weavers and seasonal visitors while supporting one of BirdLife eThekwini KZN’s most important hands-on conservation initiatives.

🌿 BeKZN Birding Diary – April 2026

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🟢 Sunday 12 April – Walk: Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve
⏰ 07h30 | Easy terrain | 🌳 Hosted by Rob McLennan-Smith
One of Durban’s most reliable and enjoyable birding venues, offering grassland, coastal forest and wetland habitat around the dam.
🎯 Regular specials include Narina Trogon, Green Twinspot, Grey Waxbill and occasionally Green Malkoha.
A relaxed walk with excellent variety and good chances for both beginners and experienced birders.

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🔵 Wednesday 15 April – Talk: Raptors – A Beginner’s Guide to “Large Brown Jobs”
⏰ 18h00 | Online (Zoom) | 🎤 Presented by John Kinghorn
Confused by that soaring raptor overhead? This practical introduction will help demystify raptor identification.
🦅 Learn key shapes, flight styles and behaviour cues to separate buzzards, eagles and hawks with confidence.

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🟢 Thursday 16 April – Stake-out: Crowned Eagle Estate
⏰ 07h30 | Easy terrain | 🔭 Hosted by Jenny Norman
A special visit to a private estate overlooking a river and waterfall.
🌿 Expect quality forest birding and a peaceful sit-and-watch session in beautiful surroundings.
Bring a chair and enjoy birds coming to you.

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🟡 Sunday 19 April – Atlas Outing (Pentad Atlassing)
⏰ 06h00 | Easy terrain | 🗺️ Hosted by Dave Rimmer
Take part in citizen science and help build South Africa’s bird distribution data.
📋 Explore lesser-birded areas and contribute to SABAP2 records.
🎯 Past atlasing trips have produced Orange-breasted Waxbill and a variety of raptors.

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🟠 Saturday 25 April – Walk: Giba Gorge Grasslands
⏰ 06h00 | Medium terrain | 🌾 Hosted by Adam Cruickshank
A chance to explore open grassland habitat — very different from forest birding.
👣 Expect early morning activity and good visibility for larks, pipits and other grassland specialists.

🔴 Sunday 1 March – Conservation: Van Riebeeck Park (Bluff)
⏰ 06h30 | Easy terrain | 🌱 Hosted by Steve Davis
Our regular wetland monitoring visit. This small Bluff reserve continues to improve through ongoing clean-ups and habitat care.
🦆 Expect waterbirds, weavers and seasonal visitors while learning how habitat restoration benefits birds.
💚 A simple but important way members directly contribute to conservation.

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📋 BeKZN AGM – Annual General Meeting
🗓️ Details circulated separately
The club’s main annual gathering — reports, plans, committee matters and the future direction of BirdLife eThekwini KZN.

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🟢 Saturday 14 March – Walk: Springside Nature Reserve (Hillcrest)
⏰ 07h30 | Easy terrain | 🌾 Hosted by Cara Christianson
Grassland and forest along a small river corridor.
🎯 Target species: Broad-tailed Grassbird, Holub’s Golden Weaver, Red-throated Wryneck.
A relaxed and reliable birding venue with good visibility and pleasant walking.

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🔵 Wednesday 18 March – Talk: “The Big Year of African Sounds”
⏰ 18h00 | Online (Zoom) | 🎤 Presented by Ian Davies with John Kinghorn
Cornell University and BirdLife South Africa are collecting recordings of African bird vocalisations — and birders can help!
🎧 Learn how sound recording contributes to research and conservation and how you can add a new skill to your birding toolkit.

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🟢 Thursday 19 March – Stake-out: Westville Scout Bowl
⏰ 07h30 | Easy terrain | 🔭 Hosted by Jenny Norman
A surprising urban oasis surrounded by suburbia.
We will sit beside a vegetated pond and watch what comes in.
🎯 Often productive for Pied Mannikin and other woodland and wetland birds.
🪑 Bring a chair — this is classic sit-and-watch birding!

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🔵 Wednesday 25 March – Talk: “Location, Location, Location – Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park”
⏰ 18h00 | 🎤 Presented by Nicky Forbes
Planning a trip to the Kgalagadi?
Learn the best camps, roads and viewing areas — where to stay, how to drive it, and how to maximise sightings in this iconic desert park.

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🟢 Saturday 28 March – Walk: Grass Roots (Cato Ridge)
⏰ 06h00 | Medium terrain | 🌾 Hosted by Adam Cruickshank
A working farm growing instant lawn with three large ponds and wide open views — easy walking and excellent birding.
🦆 Expect African Swamphen, African Black Duck, Black-winged Lapwing and Southern Bald Ibis.
🚗 Important: Please keep vehicles off the grass when parking.

⛔ When the WhatsApp green tick changes to a red “no entry” sign the outing is full — please do NOT just arrive.

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🌿 BeKZN Birding Diary – February 2026

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🟢 Sunday 8 February – Walk: Durban Botanic Gardens
⏰ 06h00 | Easy terrain | 🌴 Hosted by Elton Bartlett
Urban birding at its best! The gardens consistently produce exciting sightings.
🎯 Possible highlights: Palmnut Vulture, breeding Black Sparrowhawk, Brown-backed Honeybird, Buff-spotted Flufftailand recently breeding Black-crowned Night Heron.
A relaxed walk with excellent photographic opportunities.

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🟡 Sunday 15 February – Atlas Outing (Pentad Atlassing)
⏰ 06h00 | Easy terrain | 🗺️ Hosted by Dave Rimmer
Help collect real conservation data while discovering new birding areas.
📋 Contribute to SABAP2 by birding “off the beaten track”.
🎯 Previous outings have produced Orange-breasted Waxbill and various raptors.
A perfect way to turn birding into meaningful science.

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🔵 Wednesday 18 February – Talk: House Crow Eradication & Invasive Species Management
⏰ 18h00 | Online (Zoom) | 🎤 Presented by Bheka Nxele
How eThekwini Municipality is tackling invasive species and restoring ecosystems.
🪶 Case study: the House Crow eradication programme.
An important conservation topic showing how urban management directly protects indigenous birds.

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📚 Saturday 21 February – BeKZN Bird Learn Course: Bird Names, Species, Splits & Lumps
👩‍🏫 Presented by Ticky & Nicky Forbes
A deeper learning workshop on bird taxonomy and changing species lists.
Understand why names change, what “splits” and “lumps” mean, and how it affects your life list and field guides.

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🟢 Sunday 22 February – Walk: Palmiet Nature Reserve
⏰ 06h00 | Medium terrain | 🌳 Hosted by Rob McLennan-Smith
Riverine forest in Westville with excellent habitat diversity.
⭐ Recently added due to requests following sightings of Half-collared Kingfisher.
Quiet walking may also produce forest specials and kingfishers along the river.

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🟢 Thursday 26 February – Stake-out: Palmiet Nature Reserve (Pond Sit-and-Watch)
⏰ 07h30 | Easy terrain | 🔭 Hosted by Jenny Norman
Bring a chair and watch the pond and cliffs.
🎯 Possible birds: Half-collared Kingfisher, Mountain Wagtail, Giant Kingfisher — and whatever else flies in!

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🟠 Saturday 28 February – Day Trip: Darville Settling Ponds (Pietermaritzburg)
⏰ 06h00 | Medium terrain | 🚶 Hosted by Adam Cruickshank
A longer ±5 km walk — sometimes muddy — but worth it!
🦆 Target wetland specials: Greater Painted Snipe, African Snipe, African Rail, Baillon’s Crake.
👢 Gumboots recommended if wet.

Part of UKZN’s natural heritage, this small forest reserve offers surprising diversity in a compact space. 🎯 Possible species: Black-bellied Starling, Brimstone Canary, Square-tailed Drongo, Thick-billed Weaver, and Large Rock Martin. 🧭 Excellent for a relaxed morning of urban-adjacent birding.

🔴 BeKZN Talks!
 CWAC Counts & Citizen Science
Wednesday 21 January | 🎤 Presented by David Ehlers Smith (BirdLife South Africa)

⏰ 18h00 | Online (Zoom) |
💬 Learn why Common Waterbird Counts (CWAC) are vital, how data helps conservation, and how YOU can get involved.
📣 This talk aims to prep participants for our Saturday field count.
🧠 Bonus: tips on waterbird ID and counting techniques included as part of the talk

⏰ 24/1 | 09h00 | Easy terrain |
Join the BeKZN team for this national citizen science initiative.
🦆 Start at the Green Hub (uMngeni River mouth), then on to the Bayhead wetlands.
📋 Bring: binoculars, hat, water, snacks, clipboard (if you have one!)
🎯 All skill levels welcome — if you can count and spot a Grey Heron or Blacksmith Lapwing, you can contribute!

Part of UKZN’s natural heritage, this small forest reserve offers surprising diversity in a compact space. 🎯 Possible species: Black-bellied Starling, Brimstone Canary, Square-tailed Drongo, Thick-billed Weaver, and Large Rock Martin. 🧭 Excellent for a relaxed morning of urban-adjacent birding.

🔴 BeKZN Talks!
 CWAC Counts & Citizen Science
Wednesday 21 January | 🎤 Presented by David Ehlers Smith (BirdLife South Africa)

⏰ 18h00 | Online (Zoom) |
💬 Learn why Common Waterbird Counts (CWAC) are vital, how data helps conservation, and how YOU can get involved.
📣 This talk aims to prep participants for our Saturday field count.
🧠 Bonus: tips on waterbird ID and counting techniques included as part of the talk

⏰ 24/1 | 09h00 | Easy terrain |
Join the BeKZN team for this national citizen science initiative.
🦆 Start at the Green Hub (uMngeni River mouth), then on to the Bayhead wetlands.
📋 Bring: binoculars, hat, water, snacks, clipboard (if you have one!)
🎯 All skill levels welcome — if you can count and spot a Grey Heron or Blacksmith Lapwing, you can contribute!