Southbroom African Crowned Eagle chick ringed 1st December 2013

Text & photos by Andy Ruffle (unless otherwise credited)

This morning’s visit to watch a juvenile African Crowned Eagle being ringed, by Shane McPherson, was certainly one of those once in a lifetime experiences.

Shane McPherson

  Shane, an MSc student from UKZN’s School of Life Sciences in Pietermaritzburg, is undertaking research to determine why Crowned Eagles appear to be doing so well in the urban open spaces around Durban.  His research project is titled, the ‘Breeding Ecology of Peri-urban Crowned Eagles (Stephanoaetus coronatus) in KwaZulu-Natal.’

  Eileen Brannigan, Doug Butcher, Janet Dalton, Margaret Jones, Andrew Pickles, Andy Ruffle, Jacques Sellschop and Irma Smook, met up with Shane and his three assistants at 0700. He gave us a 'brief' on his project, with some eye opening information about the breeding habits of this sometimes misunderstood bird.

  It is often perceived that these eagles prey on small domestics pets, but Shane's research, so far, actually disproves this belief. Although a cat has been observed being brought to a nest, the percentage is extremely low. Dassies are the predominant food source.

Shane gives us some insight into his research

  Shane and his team then set about the gruelling task of retrieving the chick from the nest, located some 30m or more up in a gum tree.

''high climb to retrieval''

Fishing for eagles

  

  Firstly, a weighted line was cast over a high branch, using a fishing rod (photo above left). The climbing rope was then attached to the end of the fishing line and hoisted up and over the branch. Once the line was safely secured, Shane 'kitted up' and commenced his ascent to the nest.

'Kitted up' and ready to go

Up, up and away

  On reaching the nest, Shane carefully maneuvered to retrieve the chick and placed it in a bag to be lowered down to the team waiting below.

Shane retrieves the chick

and lowers it in a bag

  With our chick safely on the ground, the important data collection and ringing process began.

Tomas takes the chick to the work station

The chick is prepped for the data collection

Not very attractive, but the hood keeps the chick calm

Shane fits the metal ring on the left leg

  Shane quickly identified the chick as a female, from the size of her feet. 

  

  A metal numbered ring was placed on the left leg, followed by a yellow plastic numbered ring on the right leg. The plastic ring has the number T1, which Shane says indicates Trogons 1.

  

  Beak, head, tail and wing measurements were then taken.

  

  A small sample of blood was drawn for analysis.

  

  Finally she was weighed, coming in at 3.115kg.

  After a short spell to allow her to stretch her wings, she was promptly returned to the nest.

A yellow plastic ring T1 for Trogons 1 for the right leg

Shane takes beak measurements

Measuring the head

The tail feathers only develop properly once the bird can fly

Beautiful under wing pattern

Small blood sample being drawn

Weighing the chick (priceless/kg)

The lucky onlookers enthralled throughout the process

'Trogons 1' takes the opportunity to spread her wings

   

  'Trogons 1' is estimated to be about 75 days old, which means she will probably leave the nest in another 30 days or so. Please be on the lookout for her with her trendy yellow bracelet. If you do see her, we ask that you note the day, time and precise location if possible. You can either contact Andy (andy_ruffle@yahoo.co.uk) or Shane (shane.mcpherson@gmail.com).

If you are able to take a photo, even better.
Shane is also interested in any other nests in our area, so please do let us know.

We can't thank Shane enough for the work he is doing and giving us the opportunity to experience such a magnificent bird at close range.

To learn more about Shane's project click here.

Call to report sightings of Swift Terns with rings

This message from the University of Cape Town.

We are a team from the University of Cape Town studying the southern African population of Swift Terns. During April 2013, we ringed 500 chicks on Robben Island with inscribed color-rings and metal rings in order to better understand their dispersal and changes in population numbers. With your help, we will be able to estimate survival, dispersal and movement patterns in this species. Any reports of color-ringed Swift Terns (dead or alive) are crucial to this program and to the conservation of seabirds. If you are willing to help, please reply or report any ringed bird to our team at: swift.terns@ gmail.com
 

Southern Ground-Hornbill sightings

One of five Southern Ground Hornbills foraging on
the burnt verge of the N2 near Ingeli Forest Lodge
(Photo Doug Butcher)

Please report any Southern Ground-Hornbill sightings either through the SABAP2 Project or directly with the Mabula Ground-Hornbill Project.

To learn more about the excellent work being carried out by the Mabula Ground-Hornbill Project click here.

Call for birders to look out for Cape Vultures with tags

The Cape Vulture (Gyps coprotheres) is the only colonial South African vulture species nesting on cliffs [1,2]. Its range is restricted to southern Africa, with breeding occuring in Botswana and South Africa. Breeding was recently reported to have ceased in Namibia [3]. The formerly widespread population of about 440 breeding colonies in the early 1900s declined to about 167 breeding colonies at the end of the 20^th century [4]. The species is listed as vulnerable due to ongoing population declines, whereby poisoning, power-line collision, hunting for the local muthi market and declining food resources are the main threats to its existence. Nowadays, an estimated number of 3,400 breeding pairs exist in southern Africa [1,5]. A number of 18 core colonies in southern Africa hold about 80% of the world's Cape Vulture population [6]. 

**UPDATED** Keep our beaches clean and save a life!

Lennart Eriksson has sent through this very disturbing photo of a Swift Tern which became entangled in fishing line on the beach. This is becoming an all too familiar sight as some irresponsible fishermen leave line laying around. So next time you're having a stroll along the beach, please take a carrier bag with you and let's clean up this mess and potentially save a bird's life.

Another problem arises when birds go for bait when fishermen are casting out. The bird gets hooked through the beak and many fishermen are not familiar with how to de-hook the bird. The following poster shows step-by-step how to safely handle a seabird and remove a hook from the beak.

You can download a poster sized version by clicking here.
Download a copy of an article published in the Fever newspaper by clicking here.

Red-headed Quelea- What to look for this winter

Red-headed Queleas were identified as being present on the South Coast by Stan Culley in 2006.Not previously recorded in this area and only present during winter, Stan was able to capture this series of photos showing the various phases of moult from non-breeding to breeding plumage.
Mike Fagan has already initiated a ringing project, so if you see these birds using your bird feeder please contact him on 039 681 3560. It will be interesting to discover where these birds spend the summer and if they return to the same location here in winter.

Black Stork possibly in trouble

In the account for the Black Stork in the Red Data Book from 2000, Keith Barnes wrote: "The Black Stork may suffer a decline in the near future and, owing to its small population, it requires monitoring." This range-change map shows that these were prophetic words. Keith considered that the breeding habitat, in mountainous regions was not threatened, but that the crunch was going to be food: fish, frogs, aquatic invertebrates. "Wetland conversion in the form of degradation of estuaries and highland marshes, the afforestation of catchments which reduces water inflow, and the damming of smaller rivers, such as in Lesotho and Mpumalanga, are causes of concern."

SABAP2 (2007–2011) probably represents the first monitoring of the Black Stork since SABAP1 (1987–1991), and the outcome is alarming. The species has not been recorded in SABAP2 in any of the quarter degree grid cells coloured RED in this map, and reporting rates have decreased in all the cells coloured ORANGE. ORANGE and RED are far and away the dominant colours on this map. There are large tracts of its former range where there have been remarkably few SABAP2 records, for example in the Overberg and Swartland areas of the Western Cape.

It is remarkable that a species as large and conspicuous as the Black Stork can quietly slip away unnoticed. This demonstrates once again the value of SABAP2, and the importance of making SABAP2 a continuous and ongoing broad brush monitoring project. We still need more birders to be involved! And resources to keep the project running into the long-term future.

Source: SABAP2/ADU

Red-capped Robin-chat hybrid

With a visit to Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve imminent and reports of hybrid Red-capped Robin-chats being ringed there, I thought it appropriate to post these photos of what we should be looking for.

Red-capped Robin-chat Cossypha natalensis and Chorister Robin-chat Cossypha dichroa are now known to hybridise where their breeding ranges overlap. These hybrids were previously thought to be a separate species and were described as Haagner's Robin-chat Cossypha haagneri.
Although superficially similar to the pure Red-capped Robin-chat the main distinguishing feature of the Crookes hybrid birds is the slaty grey cap. Normally the cap is reddy-brown (see here).

Red-capped Robin-chat x Chorister Robin-chat hybrid
Note the dark grey cap
(Photo Dr Craig Symes)

Red-capped Robin-chat x Chorister Robin-chat hybrid
Note the dark grey cap
(Photo Dr Craig Symes)



These hybrids are not necessarily restricted to Vernon Crookes, so please be on the lookout in your neighbourhood and if you see one please contact us.

Magpie (Pied) Mannikin research

Andy's garden, Sea Park January 2006
(Photo Andy Ruffle)

(Photo Andrew Pickles)

The Magpie (Pied) Mannkin Spermestes fringilloides, although not globally threatened, is listed as Near-threatened in South Africa*. It is found throughout sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia and south to Zimbabwe and Mozambique, with an isolated population focused around Anerley in Kwazulu-Natal*.
Very little is known about this species, especially our local population, with much of the 'current' information dating back to the eighties*.
In June 2002 local bird ringer Andrew Pickles started a ringing project in an effort to find out more about the movements and life expectancy of this intriguing little resident.
The ongoing project now has some 157 birds ringed, but without feedback, Andrew is struggling to accumulate data.
We therefore appeal to everyone who is fortunate enough to have the 'Magpies' visiting their bird feeders, to carefully scan for any ringed birds. If you do see a ringed bird, please note the combination of colours on each leg, date and location seen. An example of the ring layout can be seen in the photo below- 2 colour rings on the left leg; 1 metal ring and 1 colour ring on the right leg.
Andrew is also desperately looking for more locations to ring the birds, so if you can assist in any way, please let him know. The more data aquired, the more we will learn.
Andrew can be contacted via barbet@venturenet.co.za , or alternatively you can contact Andy Ruffle via andy_ruffle@yahoo.co.uk.

Ring example for Andrew's project
(Photo Andrew Pickles)

* reference Roberts VII