BIRDSCONTOUR REPORT (09.06.'13 – 23.06.’13)
Text from Stefan Rust
2013
(In terms of the Geneva Convention the copyright of these
texts belong to Stefan Rust)
Dear birding friends,
as birdwatching is a relatively new and one of the fastest
growing and a most popular pursuit, it attracts people of all ages around the
world. There can hardly be a better place than southern Africa (Namibia,
Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland, Lesotho, South Africa) to nurture an
interest in birds as it supports almost 1000 bird species, which is about 10
per cent of the world's entire bird. Taking birding to new heights,
Hobby-Ornithologist Stefan Rust together with BirdsConTour represents some of
the ontour bird sightings and several other interesting birding aspects to
showcase the fun of birding, promote citizen science, highlight conservation,
indicate where to view what birds and raise awareness of southern Africa's
(sometimes international) birds and their habitats.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS WORK GETS DISTRIBUTED INTERNATIONALLY
Have a quick look if you, your site or neighborhood is
included in this scientific informational work (alphabetically arranged):
Airport Jagd & Gästefarm (Uwe & Janet Trümper)
Birds in Words booklet (Birgit Leicher)
Campbell Malcolm & Louisa (Lovedale Farm Holidays)
Chamäleon Reisen
Delta Kindergarten (Sabine Gerber)
Elnatan Private School
Erindi Private Game Reserve
Gamkarab Farm
Gerber Sabine
Gillmann Martin & Regine (Kempinski Estates)
Gillmann Regine (John Meinert Printers)
Hähner Wilfried (Hitradio Namibia)
Helmeringhausen
Herrlich Heino
Hitradio Namibia (Wilfried Hähner)
John Meinert Printers (Regine Gillmann)
Kempinski Estates (Gillmann Martin & Regine / Heino
Herrlich & Ute Schadt)
Leicher Birgit (Birds in Words booklet)
Lovedale Farm Holidays (Malcolm & Louisa Campbell)
Namib Sand Sea Unesco Natural World Heritage Site)
Onjala Lodge
Pack Peter (Pack Safari)
Pack Safari (Peter Pack)
Schadt Ute
Smith Jana-Marie (Travel News Namibia)
Stampriet
Steyn Andrew
Sossusvlei
Sperrgebiet NP.
Travel News Namibia (Jana-Mari Smith)
Trümper Uwe & Janet (Airport Jagd & Gästefarm)
UNESCO
Usieto Luca & family
Vermeulen Hugo (Private School Elnatan)
Voigtland Farm (Stephan & Gaby Voigts)
Voigts Stephan & Gaby (Farm Voigtland)
Dall Charles & Yvette (Farm Gamkarab)
BirdsConTour Report (Namibia) Personal Highlights:
“BIRDS IN WORDS” BOOKLET
INTERVIEW WITH HITRADIO NAMIBIA
NEW LOGO
WATER FOR SOSSUS BIRDS - PROJECT
Distance traveled: 2 385 km
09.06.'13 Kempinski Estates Gabar
Goshawk (1) The Wild Bird Support Station
with its bird-friendly water tables on Gillmann’s property suits this bird of
prey well because it bathes regularly.
12.06.'13 Otjiwarongo Tawny Eagle (4) Being a multi-talented forager, predator,
pirate and scavenger, he is often observed alongside roads scavenging at
roadkills, making him vulnerable of becoming a roadkill himself.
12.06.'13 Farm Gamkarab Bird &
Birder Friendly Award As truly Namibian
farmers with a passion for their beautiful farm and its nature, Charles and
Yvette Dall registered with their camping facility and farm as a two
penguin-rated bird and birder friendly establishment to enhance sustainability
and to preserve their birdlife for themselves and for their guests to enjoy.
12.06.'13 Gillmann Regine, John Meinert Printing
New BirdsConTour logo Regine
Gillmann designed and printed the new BirdsConTour logo at John Meinert
Printing. Respond from clients and readers gave fantastic feedback, such as
from Elke Hoeltzcke being a graphic designer in Germany: “Du hast ein sehr
schönes, modernes neues Logo, wer hat dich so gut beraten?” (You have a very
beautiful, modern new logo, who consulted you that well?) Thank you to Regine
Gillmann from John Meinert Printing!
14.06.'13 Hitradio Namibia Interview Wilfried Hähner from Hitradio Namibia interviewed Stefan Rust from
BirdsConTour about the project “Water for Sossus Birds”. This project is
managed under the “Travel gives Wings” division and it supports the Sossusvlei
birds that are influenced by the ever-increasing numbers of visitors to this
sensitive and arid attraction.
14. – 15.06.'13 Onjala Lodge Preparations
for a Rosy-faced Lovebird-friendly environment The co-owner of Onjala
lodge, Mr. Peter Pack, a keen photographer, is keen to lure this colorful
parrot species back to the lodge property. Historically the Rosy-faced Lovebird
occurred here but moved away due to unfavorable conditions. Now preparations of
establishing a Lovebird-friendly environment are in progress to get them to
choose this lodge as their home again. BirdsConTour supports these efforts and
surely will keep readers updated about the progress achieved.
15.06.'13 Airport Jagd & Gästefarm Bird
& Birder Friendly Award Described as hardworking and dedicated,
Uwe and Janet Trümper from the Airport Jagd & Gästefarm are the proud
recipients of the highest rated Bird & Birder Friendly Award, rated with
three penguins, on the 15th of June. Find out more about the
projects on their land under www.birdscontour.blogspot.com,
article 93.
15.06.’13 Farm
Voigtland Bird & Birder
Friendly Award Joining the ranks of bird conservation on the 15th
of June in a year of drought, food for wildlife is on the decrease but guests
visiting Farm Voigtland are on the increase, the young and energetic couple
Stephan and Gaby Voigts is recognized for their contribution to birdlife
conservation with a two penguin rated Bird & Birder Friendly Award. More
reading under www.birdscontour.blogspot.com,
article 92.
15.06.'13 Erindi Private Game Reserve Crimson-breasted
Shrike (yellow morph) (1),
Fork-tailed Drongo (1) Last seen late
August and early September 2011, now again a very rare yellow breasted
Crimson-breasted Shrike was spotted during a game drive by the guide and the
passionate birder Andrew Steyn.
As not being enough excitement for one day, Andrew had the
opportunity to observe and photograph a Fork-tailed Drongo Dicrurus
adsimilis being busy slaughtering a Brubru Nilaus
afer. Further information is available
under www.birdscontour.blogspot.com.
16.06.'13 Kempinski Estates Bird
& Birder Friendly Award The environment in which Heino Herrlich
and Ute Schadt are living is of primary concern to them. This area is the
Kempinski Estate south of Windhoek and as the Gillmann family they too believe
that bird conservation management must be in place and is important for
long-term sustainability of the surrounding environment. In their strive to
support birds in the surrounding where their house and their presence has an
impact on the environment, they invited BirdsConTour to arrange a bird friendly
garden through erecting a Wild Bird Support Station.
17.06.'13 Ludwigsdorf, Windhoek Bird
& Birder Friendly Award It was a highlight rewarding Luca Usieto and his
family with a two penguin-rated bird & Birder Friendly Award for their
efforts in supporting their garden birds in Ludwigsdorf, Windhoek, with a by
BirdsConTour supplied Wild Bird Support Station. Although this is not unusual
and almost routine work, this occasion was of a particular highlight in that
Luca is only seven years young. This qualification handed to him on the 17th
of June catapulted Luca Usieto right onto the top of being Namibia’s youngest
Bird & Birder Friendly Award recipient.
18.06.'13 Private School Elnatan Bird
& Birder Friendly Award Together with the
principal of the private school, Mr. Hugo Vermeulen, Louisa and Malcolm
Campbell are responsible for many excited pupil at the Private School Elnatan
by having had the idea of getting BirdsConTour to register the school as a bird
and birder friendly establishment. Article 96 under www.birdscontour.blogspot.com
offers more information.
18.06.'13 Lovedale Farm Holidays Bird
& Birder Friendly Award Thoughtful projects led to three
penguin-rated Bird & Birder Friendly Award for Louisa and Malcolm Campbell.
These projects are described under article 95, www.birdscontour.blogspot.com
20.06.'13 Windhoek Birds in
Words booklet The demand by many
people to get information about BirdsConTour on paper presented BirdsConTour
with a challenging and important opportunity.
BirdsConTour now has its own Birds in Words booklet to
showcase the organizations work, highlight bird conservation aspects and raise
awareness about birds and their habitats. A big THANK YOU goes to Mrs.
Birgit Leicher for her effort to create this booklet.
22.06.'13 Sossusvlei UNESCO Namib
Sand Sea and “Water for Sossus Birds” BirdsConTour
congratulates Namibia for the inscription of the Namib Sand Sea on the World
Heritage List!
It is scary what devastating footprints guests cause with
their visit to Sossusvlei. A research showed that every guest climbing the dune
Dune 45, walking to the Death Vlei and back and/or walking in the surrounding
of Sossusvlei unconsciously kills with his or her stay an average of ±50 small
animals (ants, beetles etc.). With hundred guests per day this is a loss of ±5
000 potential food items of in this case birds. Given the fact that most birds
living in this hot and dry part of the Namib Desert prey on small animals to
replenish their body moisture as an alternative to water, these footprints left
behind by the guests cause a big loss in possible moisture for the feathered
animals. This results in a severe decrease of the natural bird population in
this area.
To counteract this negative influence and to help the
birds to replenish their body moisture, BirdsConTour together with Pack Safari
and Chamäleon (German travel company) came up with a solution – the “Water for
Sossus Birds” project. More info under www.birdscontour.blogspot.com,
article 88.
22.06.'13 Delta Kindergarten Bird
food sponsored With the focus on bird conservation and planting the seed of
interest in birdlife with children, BirdsConTour together with the Delta
Kindergarten established a Wild Bird Support Station some time ago on the
grounds of this Kindergarten. BirdsConTour remains committed to being the pride
supporter of this Delta Kindergarten station. As such bird conservation and
tourism sponsored various bird food that was handed to the manager Mrs. Sabine
Gerber.
Enjoy Birding,
Stefan Rust
Please note: Most scientific information has been taken
from Roberts Birds of Southern Africa, V11th edition!
(For further reading see www.birdscontour.blog.com)
(For more information contact Stefan Rust on +264
(0)81 129 8415 or birdscontour@iway.na)
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