TZ Bird Atlas BLOG

New viper snake species found in Tanzania!

2012-01-11T15:25:00.004+01:00

The newly discovered snake, named Matilda's horned viper, has been described in the journal Zootaxa.
The exact location of the new species is being kept a secret, because it could be of interest to the illegal pet trade.
Campaign group the Wildlife Conservation Society said the snake's habitat, estimated at only a several square km, is already severely degraded from logging and charcoal manufacture.
See the whole story at BBC

Birding in Tanzania?

2012-01-07T14:36:00.004+01:00

Bring with you a checklist containing 1105 species found in this magnificent birding location!
You find it here as PDF

Roughwing, Kilimanjaro South Photo: Stein Ø. Nilsen

Levant Sparrowhawk - observed in Ngorongoro,Tanzania

2012-01-03T23:21:00.000+01:00

The 22nd November 2011 me and my family was heading for Ndutu lodge via the Ngorongoro crater. Due to heavy rain the days before the road conditions were so and so, and we were quite alone in the crater. Doing our way over the bottom of the crater we stopped for a lone elephant bull, and there to the left of us we observed a slimlooking young hawk perched in a thorn bush. 6-7 quick photos and the bird was gone, no views of the front and just knowing this was something we never saw before.

On our return to Northern Norway a quick look at the photos I was still uncertain of the ID and sent 2 photos to Ron Eggert tanzaniabirds.com and he sent it further to africanraptors and Rob Davies.
They concluded this is a fine young Levant Sparrowhawk A. brevipes. Thanks to Ron and Rob for the help with checking this out!

Checking Britton 1980 I soon found out this is a mega finding for Tanzania, 1-one historic record in W Tanzania only, and only four for Kenya! Only a handful records for Tanzania the last years (one Jan 2010, Neil and Liz Baker) and East-Africa makes this a very nice bird to see.
Observers: Stein Ø. Nilsen, Tone Malm and Stine Malm Nilsen
See all the photos at tromsofoto.net
Copyright: Stein Ø. Nilsen 2011

Great news for TZ Wildlife!

2012-01-02T09:50:00.003+01:00

Natural Resources and Tourism minister Ezekiel Maige (September 2011)

The government has banned the capture, importation and exportation of wild animals with effect from this month, specifying that the order does not cover insects.

A December 9, 2011 Government Notice, copies of which were distributed to the media yesterday by the Natural Resources and Tourism ministry, requires all licensed traders whose permits were still valid by August 18 this year to make sure that they exported their animals within three months from the date of the notice.

A press statement issued by the ministry in Dar es Salaam yesterday said the move is in partial implementation of The Wildlife Conservation (Capture of Animals) (Prohibition) Order, 2011.

It however said Tanzanians remain at liberty to use wild animals and related products for non-business activities including research in the national interest.

According to the statement, the timeframe provided to businesspersons to sell wildlife animals they legally own was in accordance with the Wild animals Capture Regulations of 2010 as published in issue No. 244 (July 2, 2010) of the Government Gazette.

It said sections 12 (4) and (5) of the regulations state that all captured animals ought to be sold within a period not exceeding 90 days since their capture.

Meanwhile, the ministry said it is still investigating the circumstances of late last year’s illegal shipping of 116 wild animals to foreign countries.

The saga over the scandal, which revolves around the controversial transportation of four giraffes and 16 wild birds worth some 170.57m/- aboard a Qatari military plane, unfolded on November 24 last year.

The government subsequently suspended Wildlife Division Director Obeid Mbangwa to pave the way for investigations into the scandal.

Natural Resources and Tourism minister Ezekiel Maige was later quoted as telling the National Assembly that two other senior officials in the division were sent on paid leave pending investigations into their alleged involvement in the scam.

He said the ministry intervened after failing to get satisfactory explanation on the manner in which the shady shipment of the wild animals was handled.

Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda later told the National Assembly that the government had slapped a ban on the export of live wild animals.

He said that was meant to allow the government time to devise new procedures and conditions governing export trade in live animals export trade, including a thorough review of the relevant fees.

The PM explained the move was necessary because it was apparent that dishonest animal dealers were routinely short-changing the government and ending up with windfall profits.

He said the government would also draw up a list of wild animals which could be exported.

The clandestine export of live wild animals was the subject of heated debate as Members of Parliament deliberated on the 2011/2012 Budget estimates of the Natural Resources and Tourism ministry, with the parliamentary Lands, Natural Resources and Environment committee saying the government was shielding those behind the illegal business.

Grey-breasted Spurfowl is endemic to Tanzania, maybe it now is safe for beeing traded?
Photo: Stein Ø. Nilsen

Madagascar Bee-eaters Usambara Foothills 2 Dec 2011

2011-12-27T12:00:00.001+01:00

These 3 Mad. Bees were captured feeding actively near a riverbed in the Usambara foothills

Booted Eagle Usambara Foothills 2 Dec 2011

2011-12-27T11:56:00.000+01:00

This Booted Eagle (Dvergørn) Light phase was observed near Mombo viewpoint.

Swifts from Usambara foothills 2. Dec 2011

2011-12-27T11:50:00.001+01:00

These 3 series of swift photos from the foothills below Mambo viewpoint were taken early in the morning with Canon 7D and 300/2.8L IS. Please comment on photos!

Swift 2

Swift3

Rare TZ species -5 individuals or less

2011-11-10T23:54:00.001+01:00

This shows rare species in Tanzania with 5 or less observations. If YOU have seen one of them please tell us when and where!

Britton no		species
6	1	Jouanin's Petrel
15	1	Brown Booby
16	1	Red-footed Booby
273	1	Long-toed Stint
302	1	Long-tailed Skua
308	1	Slender-billed Gull
319	1	Black Tern
421	1	Sokoke Scops Owl
428	1	Long-tailed Nightjar
511	1	White-thighed Hornbill
711	1	Joyful Greenbul
923	1	White-browed Crombec
9001	1	Shy Albatross
9005	1	Black-naped Tern
9082	1	Black-collared Eremomela
9086	1	Masked Shrike
9087	1	Rubeho Sunbird
9090	1	Black-bellied Storm Petrel
9092	1	Wedge-tailed Shearwater
9096	1	Wilson's Storm Petrel
9097	1	Great Skua
9098	1	Cape Gull
37	2	Western Reef Heron
74	2	Tufted Duck
141	2	Swallow-tailed Kite
192	2	Black-rumped Button Quail
209	2	Striped Flufftail
212	2	Long-toed Flufftail
251	2	Black-headed Plover
269	2	Red Knot
303	2	Arctic Skua
842	2	Papyrus Yellow Warbler
877	2	Yellow-vented Eremomela
1063	2	Chestnut-winged Starling
1093	2	Orange-tufted Sunbird
1247	2	White-breasted Negrofinch
1252	2	Red-fronted Ant-pecker
9002	2	Giant Petrel
9071	2	Cape Shoveler
9094	2	Malagasy Heron
108	3	Eurasian Sparrowhawk
157	3	Barbary Falcon
266	3	Jack Snipe
304	3	Pomarine Skua
440	3	Standard-winged Nightjar
446	3	Forbes-Watson's Swift
533	3	Grey-throated Barbet
676	3	Mountain Illadopsis
684	3	Brown Babbler
926	3	Sooty Flycatcher
959	3	Yellow-bellied Wattle-eye
1234	3	Black-rumped Waxbill
9020	3	Angola Lark
9023	3	Jackson's Pipit
9043	3	Southern Black Tit
73	4	Northern Pochard
103	4	Levant Sparrowhawk
191	4	Quail Plover
638	4	Mascarene Martin
956	4	Shrike Flycatcher
1097	4	Blue-throated Brown Sunbird
1174	4	Black-billed Weaver
9013	4	European Scops Owl
9083	4	Rubeho Akalat

No soda ash mining at Lake Natron without addressing environmental concerns, affirms Tanzania’s Director of Environment

2011-10-12T11:48:00.000+02:00

From BIRDLIFE
In an emphatic declaration of Tanzania’s keen interest to ensure that development takes environmental issues into consideration, the Vice President’s Office has affirmed that it will not compromise its position on environmentally damaging projects.

Tanzania’s Director of Environment in the Vice President’s Office, Dr Julius Ningu, toldThe Guardian on Sunday and the Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC) in an interview that “the government position for this particular site [Lake Natron] is to maintain [the] ecological system so that flamingos continue to breed … When we talk of sustainable use of natural resources, we mean for the benefit of current and future generations, now extraction of soda ash for sure can’t be beneficial to the future generations.” See full story at http://www.ippmedia.com/frontend/index.php?l=34206

75% of the world Lesser Flamingo's breed at Lake Natron
Photo:Stein Nilsen, Tromsofoto.net

“This is very good news and in my opinion, Dr. Julius Ningu has stated the government position that no approval will be given for the mining of soda ash until the issues raised in the review of the first EIA are counteracted.” says Mr Lota Melamari, avid campaigner for the conservation on Lake Natron and former Chief Executive of the Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania (WCST, BirdLife in Tanzania) while commenting on the article. “This has shifted the burden of clarification to NDC who must prove beyond reasonable doubt that any planned exploration of Lake Natron’s soda ash will not impact the breeding of Lesser Flamingo”.

BirdLife welcomes the progressive views expressed recently by the Government of Tanzania in the management of natural resources, both in safeguarding the world-famous Serengeti National Park, and now the Lake Natron Ramsar site.
In 2006, the Tanzanian Government and the Indian company Tata Chemicals put forward proposals to build a large-scale industrial plant, supported by an extensive road and rail infrastructure, to extract soda ash from Lake Natron’s water. Following a global campaign orchestrated by the Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania (WCST, BirdLife in Tanzania), Tata withdrew from the project in 2008. But the National Development Corporation (NDC), a government agency, is leading a renewed push to reinstate the project.

CDM Carbon Sink Tree Plantations - A case study in Tanzania

2011-10-10T11:28:00.000+02:00

final Timberwatch Tanzania CDM Tree Plantation report is now available!In December 2009, Timberwatch released a preliminary report titled: Potential Impacts of Tree Plantation Projects under the CDM - An African Case Study. After visits to the site of the proposed Idete CDM tree plantation project in southern Tanzania in 2010, and gathering additional information, the findings have been documented in this comprehensive 90-page report with numerous photographs. CDM Carbon Sink Tree Plantations - A case study in Tanzania - Overview: This new report provides greater insights into the motives and activities of the Norwegian owned company Green Resources Ltd (GRL), in the Mufindi district of Iringa province in southern Tanzania.It tackles questions concerning the sustainability and economic viability of alien invasive tree plantations, as carbon emission offset projects under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol (KP).The report describes a proposed, though already partially planted, CDM tree plantation project at Idete, from which GRL hopes to earn Certified Emission Reductions (CERs). The company hoped to sell the carbon credits from establishing alien pine and eucalyptus plantations in biodiverse grasslands described by GRL as ‘degraded’, to the government of Norway. To earn CERs under the CDM, it should be shown that the project would not have been financially viable without income from the sale of CDM carbon credits. This report challenges assumptions used to justify claims that the project will be a net carbon sink over its lifetime, showing that the opposite is more likely to be the case. There are contradictions in the role of the government of Norway, as a major oil producer and exporter through Statoil, contributing substantially to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, while financing an environmentally destructive plantation sink project. It has entered into an agreement with GRL to purchase 400 000 carbon credits, subject to the Idete plantations receiving CDM temporary CERs. On the other hand, Norwegian public funds have also been invested in Green Resources Ltd. Norway wishes to occupy high moral ground and therefore seeks to align itself with progressive policies in social, environmental, human rights and other development issues. In view of the need to address climate change, Norway has committed itself to mitigation projects around the world, seeking to buy more than 6 000 000 carbon credits. The GRL plantations therefore represent an important political investment for the Norwegian government. Timberwatch has studied the social, cultural, political and economic impacts of industrial tree plantations in South Africa and Swaziland, and has concluded that monoculture tree plantations are non-sustainable from many points of view, even with market-based conservation measures such as Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification in place. This research showed major problems with land being alienated from displaced local communities, poor working conditions, the destruction of biodiversity resources upon which communities depend, reduced water availability, and many other direct and indirect effects that impact negatively on local livelihoods.

The industrial tree plantation model is designed to support corporate financial accumulation through so-called ‘economy of scale’ but it ignores their negative effects especially heavy water use and biodiversity loss. Large-scale tree plantations often cause the economic and social marginalisation of local communities. In this instance, the governments of Norway (via GRL) and Tanzania do not appear to have ensured meaningful decision-making for the affected communities. Despite institutional mechanisms being intended to facilitate participation, in reality they serve little purpose other than to green wash. Full and free prior informed consent (FPIC) principles do not appear to have been followed. Good intentions in project founding and establishment documents are not implemented on the ground. This does not necessarily worry the governments and the companies involved as it also means greater profits. It is clear that the government of Tanzania lacks capacity to protect affected communities from abuse and marginalisation during the course of the project. It seems that the government of Tanzania could have agreed to this type of project in the hope of receiving foreign investment in the short term, whilst ignoring long term social and environmental issues. Another concern is that equitable distribution of income from foreign investment projects is not a strong point of developing country governments. Very rarely do taxes and deductible benefits accruing from a project sanctioned and coordinated at the national level get back to the local communities affected by the activity. This is true of many African countries besides Tanzania and strengthens the case for community self-determination and management of community-business relations. Where this is not possible, mechanisms could be put in place to ensure that a substantial percentage of the income from a project is invested at the local level. There is a fundamental problem in developing countries such as Tanzania in that opportunities for resource exploitation in combination with large tracts of relatively cheap land are being grabbed by Northern corporations and their local agents. Such ‘investments’ bring a host of new problems, including contagious diseases, especially those transmitted via sexual activity. HIV-Aids is increasing, reaching deeper into previously un-afflicted communities. This trend disadvantages affected communities, and results in the destruction, degradation or pollution of the natural landscape, while impacting negatively on biodiversity, local culture and water resources, and serves to perpetuate poverty at a national scale. The report confirms propositions based on similar experiences included in the preliminary report. We hope that existing and would be CDM carbon sink tree and agrofuel plantation projects around the world will in future carry out more inclusive, thorough and wide ranging advance studies to establish the benefits or otherwise of such projects in each local setting. Request a print or DVD copy from plantnet@iafrica.com Media enquiries to: timberwatch@iafrica.com or blessingjk@gmail.com Acknowledgements: This project was made possible through support from the Siemenpuu Foundation in Finland. Envirocare in Dar es Salaam took part in and helped arrange workshops and field trips during our visits to Tanzania. Our sincere thanks go to community members and leaders, NGO representatives, managers and workers at Green Resources Ltd, and government officials who shared their views and experiences with us. About our websitewww.timberwatch.org has been established to provide access to a wide range of information on topics linked to the industrial production of tree plantation-based industrial raw materials. We aim to create much needed public awareness of the wide-ranging negative social and ecological impacts caused by industrial tree plantations, so that communities in southern Africa and elsewhere will be better equipped to protect themselves from environmental deterioration and the social disruption that accompanies the large-scale establishment of tree plantations.Information will be uploaded in phases, with the initial emphasis being on more controversial topics related to large-scale monoculture tree plantations. While we are building our pages and uploading reports and other resources, you are urged to visit the following NGO websites:REDD Monitor

Bird funding opportunities in Africa

2011-09-30T22:38:00.004+02:00

Sound Approach Bird FundOffers funding up to £10,000 to bird conservation projects around the world. We're looking for projects that will have a significant conservation benefit, making a real impact on the survival of threatened species, for example:· Research projects that aim to identify threats to bird populations;· Projects which aim to eradicate or minimize identified threats;· Projects to protect and assist endangered birds, e.g. safeguarding sites, habitat restoration;· Surveys and other work to assess the status of threatened species and identify new species;· Campaigns and outreach work to address the impact of human activity on birds, particularly relating to habitat destruction from industrial developments and hunting;· Projects which raise awareness of bird conservation issues, e.g. through community work, schools, local decision-making or land-management organizations etc.Deadline: no deadline, decisions within about 2 months of application.Website: http://www.soundapproach.co.uk/funding.php

African Bird ClubMakes Conservation Awards and Expedition Awards for conservation projects in Africa. Grants can be used for survey and research of African birds, educational projects, training courses, informational guides, and other ideas. Individuals and organizations can apply for grants of up to £2 thousand. Applicants must be normally resident in Africa, and satisfy other criteria.Deadline: Applications are due at the end of October, February and June.Website: http://www.africanbirdclub.org/club/ConsFund.htmlBritish Ornithologists' Union - Small Research Grants and Career Development SupportInvites amateurs and professionals to apply for its Small Ornithological Research Grants. Most research grants are £1,000 (exceptionally up to £2,000) per project to support small projects outright, or to partly fund medium-sized programs. Grants are on any aspect of ornithological research in the UK and worldwide.Deadline: November 30Website: http://birdgrants.blogspot.com/2009/02/bou1_12.htmlClub 300 Foundation for Bird ProtectionThe Foundation, based in Sweden, makes grants of up to US$5 thousand for bird protection on a worldwide basis. Eligibility is open to everyone.Deadline: January 1 and July 1Website: http://www.club300.se/Birdprot/Birdprotection.aspx

September Gaps - Tanzania Bird Atlas

2011-08-25T17:49:00.000+02:00

Hi everyone,

It's a while since we sent you one of these gap maps.

Still a surprising number of Sept gaps for Yellow-vented Bulbul. Such gaps are indicative of poor coverage for that square for September.

Something here for everyone so print this for your wall and plan a birding safari with friends to fill a few of these important gaps.

Neil

Neil and Liz Baker, Tanzania Bird Atlas, P.O. Box 1605, Iringa, Tanzania.
Mobiles: +255 776-360876 and +255 776-360864.
http://tanzaniabirdatlas.com
Subscribe to: tanzaniabirds-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Selous - Africa’s Largest Hunting Reserve in Danger

2011-08-24T10:13:00.000+02:00

The World Heritage Committee (UNESCO) has warned Tanzania not to start
uranium mining and to continue with plans to build a large dam in the Selous Game Reserve, before it has provided hard data on the ecological consequences.
Otherwise the Reserve will be declared a “World Heritage Site in Danger”. The 50,000 km2 reserve is the home of continentally important populations of elephants, lions, leopards, buffaloes, antelopes and wild dogs and has anoutstanding universal biodiversity value.

The CIC said that the Selous as Africa’s largest hunting reserve holds a great
economic potential for the country and for the rural poor living near
the protected
area. Th is potential should not be put at risk through environmentally questionable
and risky investments. The CIC also encouraged the Government to combat
poaching more energetically by providing more of the revenues from
hunting to the reserve and by involving the local people into wildlife management in accordance
with the Tanzanian Wildlife Policy.

==================
La plus importante réserve de chasse africaine en danger

Le Comité du patrimoine mondial (UNESCO) a mis en garde la Tanzanie
contre la mise en exploitation de mines d’uranium dans la Réserve de
gibier de Selous et contre le projet d’y édifi er un important
barrage; ce, préalablement à la publication par ledit Comité de
données concrètes quant aux conséquences écologiques. A défaut, la
Réserve sera inscrite sur la „Liste du patrimoine mondial en péril”.
La réserve, d’une superfi cie de 50 000 km2, abrite des populations
d’éléphants, de lions, de léopards, de buffles, d’antilopes et de
chiens sauvages qui sont importantes à l’échelle du continent
africain. Cette réserve a une valeur exceptionnelle en termes de
biodiversité universelle.
Le CIC (ou : Lors d’un bref séjour en Tanzanie, le Président Bernard
Lozé) a affi rmé que Selous, en sa qualité de réserve de chasse la
plus importante d’Afrique, offre un potentiel économique important
pour le pays et pour les communautés rurales pauvres qui vivent près
de cette zone protégée. Il ne faudrait
pas que des investissement tant risqués, que discutables d’un point de
vue écologique mettent en danger ce potentiel. Le CIC (ou : Il) a
également encouragé le Gouvernement à combattre le braconnage de
manière plus vigoureuse en distribuant davantage de revenus de la
chasse à la réserve et en associant
les populations locales à la gestion de la faune sauvage conformément
à la Politique tanzanienne de la faune sauvage [Tanzanian Wildlife Policy].

===============
Afrikas größtes Jagdreservat in Gefahr

Das Welterbekomitee der UNESCO warnte Tansania davor, mit einer
Urangewinnung zu beginnen und mit den Plänen eines großen Dammbaues im
Selous Wildtierreservat fortzufahren, um schwerwiegende ökologische
Konsequenzen zu verhindern. Bei Nichtbeachtung dieser Warnung wird das
Reservat als „Welterbestätte in Gefahr“ deklariert.
Das 50.000 km2 große Reservat ist das zu Hause von zahlreichen
kontinental bedeutsamen Tierpopulationen von Elefanten, Löwen,
Leoparden, Büffeln, Antilopen
und Wildhunden und hat einen herausragenden universalen Biodiversitätswert.
Der CIC weist darauf hin, dass der Selous als Afrikas größtes
Jagdreservat ein bedeutendes wirtschaftliches Potenzial für das Land
und die ländliche Bevölkerung, die in ärmlichen Verhältnissen nahe dem
geschützten Gebiet lebt, darstellt. Dieses Potential sollte nicht
durch fragliche und bedenkliche Investitionen in Bezug auf die Umwelt
riskiert werden. Der CIC ermutigte die Regierung auch zum intensiveren
Kampf gegen Wilderei indem mehr Einnahmen aus der Jagd an das Reservat
selbst abgegeben werden und die Einwohner gemäß der tansanischen
Wildtierpolitik in das Wildtiermanagement einbezogen werden

Furadan poisoning kills tens of thousands of wetland birds including migratory species in Bunyala Kenya

2011-07-14T10:05:00.000+02:00

Dear all,

WildlifeDirect is stepping up a campaign to have carbofuran, the active ingredient in the deadly pesticide product Furadan, banned in Kenya and East Africa.

Martin Odino who is scientist and an author of the WildlifeDirect blog, Stop Wildlife Poisoning, has reported that despite FMC claims that Furadan is no longer in Kenya, it actually continues to be used to poison tens of thousands of wetland birds in Bunyala rice irrigation scheme in Kenya. The product is coming in from Uganda.

He has documented in photographs and film how the birds are killed by lacing a meal of rice with the poison and laying out in the rice paddies. Ducks and other waders eat it and die shortly thereafter. Insects, reptiles and fish in the water are all killed. Predatory birds pick up the carcases and so the pesticide is affecting a whole chain of species. Open billed storks are killed by lacing snails and using decoys to attract overflying flocks. He claims that up to 50% of each flock that lands in these fields die, and this amounts to some 6,000 bird deaths each month in Bunyala rice irrigation scheme alone. We suspect even higher mortalities in Mwea and Ahero irrigation schemes.

The consequence of poisoning to raptors and migratory birds could be catastrophic.

But its not just birds. The human cost is enormous, the people handling the deadly toxic chemical do so with bare hands. The product is put into the water which is consumed by the community, and the ducks, storks, doves, sandpipes and other speccies that are killed, are sold in local markets as human food.

The evidence is shocking and we will be releasing a short documentary on the same shortly. For latest updates check out http://stopwildlifepoisoning.wildlifedirect.org/

Although FMC claims that Furadan is not available in Kenya, it is permitted for use in the production of flowers in Kenya. Our largest flower farms are by Lake Naivasha, a Ramsar site and an extremely important bird area.

We have submitted reports, attended meetings with the pest control products board and government officials and we are part of the government task force on the impacts of pesticiedes on the environment. That Task force which is under the Ministry of Agriculture and is chaired by the CEO of the PCPB, has not met since September 2010, and few of the actions agreed on have been implemented. We believe that the PCPB is not in a position to attend to the problem due to resource constraints and conflict of interest.

We would like you to share this through your networks, put it on your websites, blogs, facebook and email it to everyone.

Our campaign has two targets.

1. The immediately and total ban on use of carbofuran and other carbamate pesticides in any pesticide control product.
2. We are demanding that the government to move the Pesticide Control Products Board out of the ministry of Agriculture where the organization faces a conflict of interest, and into the Ministry of Environment where it can effectively achieve it's mission "To provide professional, efficient and effective regulatory service for manufacture, trade, safe use and disposal of pest control products while ensuring safety to humans, animals and the environment"

We ask that you support our initiative by circulating information,advise us on funding opportunities to continue the research, monitoring, reporting and education, as well as the advocacy to change the Kenyan laws.

Please circulate this information widely

Kind Regards

Paula Kahumbu
Winner of the National Geographic/Buffet Award for conservation leadership in Africa 2011
Executive Director WildlifeDirect
P.O. Box 24467 - 00502
Kenya

cel + 254 722 685 106

Raise money for wildlifedirect
just by searching the Internet with http://www.goodsearch.com

FURADAN is history! Good news for our birds!!

2011-06-06T09:32:00.000+02:00

Don’t know if you all saw this but FMC just lost the court case/appeal to sell Furadan...detail below. It is an important move. Many of us have been working on this for some years and its been a back and forth battle but with at least the tunnel if not the light at the end, in sight.

For any doubters, and for clarity, the Petition that Defenders filed recently gave voice and substance to this matter and it was the primary reason for its design and submission.

Subject: Supreme Court rejects pesticide case

Supreme Court rejects pesticide case
Decision stands to prohibit use of carbofuran in domestic food production

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 31, 2011) - The U.S. Supreme Court denied a petition today to reconsider the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ban on domestic food tolerances for carbofuran, a deadly pesticide used in food production. FMC Corporation, the leading manufacturer of carbofuran, and a group of powerful agribusiness lobbyists including the National Corn Growers Association, have repeatedly challenged a 2009 rule from the Environmental Protection Agency to revoke all food tolerances. EPA has shown that dietary exposure to carbofuran is unsafe for humans. In 2006, EPA announced that all uses of carbofuran should be cancelled because of occupational and ecological risks to humans and wildlife.

The following is a statement from Jason Rylander, senior attorney for Defenders of Wildlife:

"The Supreme Court's refusal to hear the case allows EPA's decision to stand. The EPA decision confirmed what we've been saying for years: carbofuran is a deadly poison that has absolutely no place in our food or the environment. The Court's action means that, in this case, the health and safety of the American people and our nation's wildlife have trumped the profits of powerful corporations.

"EPA made the right decision in 2009 to revoke all food tolerances for carbofuran and should take further action to cancel the use of carbofuran altogether. There is absolutely no reason to continue using this substance in the U.S. or anywhere else.

"Carbofuran has killed millions of birds and other wildlife in the U.S. alone for decades. Preventing its use domestically was a critical step, but our job is not finished. Foreign countries still use carbofuran on food imported in the U.S., and in places like Africa, it's even being used illegally to poison animals like African lions, which Defenders has petitioned the Secretary of the Interior to list as an endangered species. As long as this dangerous pesticide stays in circulation, people and wildlife around the world will remain at risk. We hope this decision influences other nations still using carbofuran to reconsider its use in their country. We are committed to assisting our international conservation partners in putting an end to the use of carbofuran and other dangerous pesticides."

Background:
In August 2006, EPA <http://www.defenders.org/newsroom/press_releases_folder/2006/08_03_2006_pesticide_ban_follows_millions_of_bird_deaths.php> published its Interim Re-registration Eligibility Decision and concluded that no uses of carbofuran were eligible for re-registration because of ecological and occupational risks. In response, some uses were voluntarily withdrawn. EPA plans to proceed with cancelling remaining uses through its cancellation process.

On May 15, 2009, EPA issued a final rule revoking all domestic and imported food tolerances for carbofuran, and that rule went into effect at the end of 2009 <http://www.defenders.org/newsroom/press_releases_folder/2009/12_15_2009_court_rules_against_fmc_corporation,_pesticide_users.php> . FMC Corporation, the leading manufacturer of carbofuran, along with powerful lobbying groups for the food industry challenged these decisions in federal court and were successful in getting a federal court to allow some imports containing carbofuran to continue entering the country. FMC then appealed to the Supreme Court to reinstate domestic food tolerances for carbofuran.

__._,_.___

NEW species for Tanzania - Nguru? Greenbul

2011-05-27T14:45:00.000+02:00

Diversification across an altitudinal gradient in the Tiny Greenbul (Phyllastrephus debilis) from the Eastern Arc Mountains of Africa.

John Fjeldsaa and his team have made it again, and found a new species for Tanzania!
Read the exciting story of the Tiny Greenbul and the new (My suggestion (Nguru Greenbul) still unnamed?) greenbul from Nguru Mts. and W. Usambara Mts. The blue spots on the map shows where the new sp. occurs. This gives TZ at least 1130 species!!

Stein
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/11/117

Distribution of Phyllastrephus debilis; dots represent our sampling localities (blue: albigula; green, rabai; red, debilis). The painting depicts the typical plumage of P. d. albigula and P. d. rabai/debilis, respectively.

Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbird

2011-05-08T21:06:00.000+02:00

fantastic image of an adult female from Tony Evans, note the lack of colour on the face and then check the fieldguides.......

Neil

Cropped - see original below.

Furadan

2011-04-07T23:04:00.000+02:00

So, yesterday I asked in a couple of places about Furadan. I was told that it is not on the market or available to buy but there is old stock around, I also found out that Oikos have a guy here at the moment working on chemical usage in farming and this is one of the chemicals that is under discussion. Let me get this right, it is now illegal to distribute and sell, but what about the old stock, does that have to be destroyed and how?? Does the distributing company have to, legally, recall stock?

Marc Baker
Director
Ecological Initiatives & Carbon Tanzania
+255 (0)784448761
Skype: babaniamh
www.ei-tz.com

Please help with this Kitulo Pipit!

2011-03-28T15:08:00.000+02:00

Please help with this Pipit!
And RN Lark attached as an example.

Paul Oliver
Box 425
Arusha
Tanzania
+255754510741
pauloliversafarisuk@hotmail.com
www.paul-oliver.com

Paul,

Why is this NOT a Grassland Pipit ? hind claw looks good (would prefer it to be longer though) and those pale, close to white, tips to the secondary (greater) wing coverts suggest a juv / immature bird. Bill looks OK. There is tremendous variation in this bird, even within local populations. The classic STANDARD Anthus cinnamomeus hardly exists and it's VERY difficult for field guides to even begin to depict the variations.

If it's at all possible pipits can be more dificult than cisticolas so anyones comments on this individual would be most welcome.

I find the Faansie Peacock (2006) Pipits of Southern Africa to be really useful.

and yes, this high altitude race of Rufous-naped Lark has very dark, almost black upperparts.

as ever, great pics.

Neil

Info for the book on carbofuran poisoning

2011-03-24T08:58:00.001+01:00

Hello,

I am several days away from completion/submission the book on carbofuran poisoning. I am going through the chapter on Kenya and trying to tidy up some loose ends. I have anecdotal evidence that Furadan is still accessible in Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda. I have a personal communication on this from Uganda, but not for Tanzania or Rwanda. Can you or any of your colleagues substantiate this for me (ie, serve as a personal communication)?

Best wishes,

Ngaio
Ngaio.Richards@anglia.ac.uk

Ngaio Richards, PhD
Department of Forensic Science
Anglia Ruskin University
East Road
Cambridge CB1 1PT

Cape Parrot publications

2011-03-04T08:50:00.000+01:00

a number of publications about the South African population are now on our web site

enjoy

Neil
Neil and Liz Baker

Subject: RE: African Parrot distributions.

http://tanzaniabirdatlas.com/maps/articles-pdf

ID help needed - please comment!

2011-02-04T15:04:00.000+01:00

G'day all

I photographed two birds today which I would like help with please. The location is Katoke about 40 km south of Bukoba. Habitat is grassy hillside with scattered shrubs (don't know the species I'm sorry).

The first I think is Singing Cisticola but I'm not happy with that conclusion - mostly because of the uniformly whitish underparts. The only call it gave was a harsh scolding possibly because we were too close to a nest or chicks. Trilling Cisticolas were calling nearby.

The second I initially called as a Plain-backed Pipit but - as normally happens - the more I look in the field guides the more confused I get with pipits. It seems quite grey on the head and back to me. It didn't seem to have much white in the tail when it flew.

I've also attached a picture of my first Weyns's Weaver from the same location today.

Hope you can help with my Cisticola and Pipit.

Cheers
Steve Clark
Bukoba

Oustalet's Sunbird in Sumbawanga

2011-01-13T10:34:00.000+01:00

Photo: Silas Olofson silasolofson@gmail.com

Always awesome to bird in Tanzania. Yesterday I saw an adult martial eagle just outside Sumbawanga... Now I need to find the spotted creeper, cape wagtails and the locust finch!

Today I was a mountain outside Sumbawanga and came across a small sunbird with white belly. According to Stephenson and Fenshawe the white-bellied 'variable sunbird' only lives in Kenya. 'White-bellied sunbird' should not be this far north - I cant find any maps of this species on the atlas-homepage, but I might be blind.

That leaves us with oustalet's sunbird... but that cant be... or?

Cheers,

Silas

Nice one Silas,

see Moyer, D.C. 1983. A record of the Angola White-bellied Sunbird Nectarinia oustaleti from Kasesya in southwestern Tanzania. Scopus 7: 52. for the 2nd record from Tanzania.

13 records in our database that will include these first two.

yep, Tanzania a magical place to bird, please stay a while longer !!

Neil

Neil and Liz Baker, Tanzania Bird Atlas, P.O. Box 1605, Iringa, Tanzania.
Mobiles: +255 776-360876 and +255 776-360864.
http://tanzaniabirdatlas.com

New maps published at Tanzaniabirdatlas.com

2010-12-21T12:59:00.002+01:00


509 Silvery Cheeked Hornbill aug 2010	File
144 Osprey	File
193 Buttonquail 20.09.10	File
235-White-fronted Sandplover 22.09.10	File
475-Woodland Kingfisher 12 months	File
478-Pygmy Kingfisher 25.09.10	File
481-Böhm's Bee-eater 25.09.10	File
482-White-fronted Bee-eater 26.09.10	File
500-Broad-billed Roller 18.09.10	File
500-Broad-billed Roller x 12_18.09.10	File
462-Narina Trogon 04.12.10

Exotics good for birds?

2010-12-06T14:55:00.000+01:00

Dear All,
Just to be an agent provocateur.... I am not convinced that Lantana
camara is all that bad, as compared to other exotics. Whilst it does
cover good swathes, it is providing a very secure breeding habitat for
a huge number of native birds, and migrants like it when passing
through. It may have been the saviour for our endemic Hinde's Babbler
which now has a very close association with it, having lost the native
habitat previously found in the area and this has allowed the bird to
hang on in extremely heavily gardened areas where it certainly would
have otherwise died out. At certain times of year the flowers attract
a very great assortment and huge numbers of butterflies, hawk-moths,
beetles and a host of other insects which precious few of the
indigines can compete with, the closest being the Vernonias.
Brown-backed Scrub-Robin is another bird that would have disappeared
from the degraded areas were it not for the cover of Lanana camara.
All Mexican Poppys and of course Eichhornia (Water Hyacinth) and the
likes... have to go.
best to all
Brian Finch

Mystery Bird Sound from Dar

2010-11-09T19:27:00.000+01:00

http://www.xeno-canto.org/africa/discussion.php?snd_nr=1203

Do you know what bird this is? Go to xeno-canto and listen!
Please comment!
Stein

This one are we waiting for!!

2010-10-30T14:27:00.001+02:00

NHBS.COM says due 2011 !!
This DVD-R features high quality MP3 recordings of more than 1350 species of birds in East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi). Both songs and calls are given where relevant, together with notes on the recordings and illustrations from the Helm Field Guide: Birds of East Africa.

Once the recordings have been loaded onto your PC or laptop, they can be downloaded onto an iPod or MP3 player for use in the field. The recordings are a companion to the field guide and can be used in conjunction with it.

Almost every species ever recorded in the region is featured in this extraordinary collection and it will be a magnificent resource for all birders and ornithologists visiting the region.

Yellow-legged Gull - New for Tanzania!

2010-10-05T23:16:00.000+02:00

Hi all,

I can't wait to show you my today's sighting! Photos here.
http://www.valeryschollaert.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1082&Itemid=387

Of course, any comment are welcome. First answers I got from european gull specialists confirm it is a Yellow-legged (red eye-ring, yellow legs, pale mantle, red of bill extending to upper mandible...).

I also hope Neil will confirm it is well the first in Tanzania (even East Africa?).

Cheers
Valéry

All

This is quite a wow and totally unexpected, it was not on my wish list of country additions. I got to know these birds quite well in Libya in the late 70s but for one to turn up in Tanzania, what to say. Pushes us ever closer to 1150 species.

Valery, please prepare a note for the EARC, all the usual information and your excellent photos.

Cheers and many congratulations. If you are revisting Lukuba in the next few months do look out for Slender-bills, only two previous records for TZ, the first was from Victoria. There is also a pending claim of a Pallas' (Greater Black-headed) but the image quality from a video clip was poor.

The Ugandans and Kenyans now need to be aware of Yellow-legs to add this bird to their country lists.

Neil

Neil and Liz Baker, Tanzania Bird Atlas, P.O. Box 1605, Iringa, Tanzania.
Mobiles: +255 776-360876 and +255 776-360864.

Save the Serengeti

2010-09-28T08:55:00.000+02:00

Please sign the petition not to build a highway through Serengeti!
See more at:

Save the Serengeti
http://www.savetheserengeti.org/issues/stop-the-serengeti-highway/#axzz10nwret70

Blue Swallow report

2010-09-24T09:00:00.001+02:00

Downloand the report from Tanzaniabirdatlas.com

Latest knowledge on Blue Swallows in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania
Download the report H ERE

Publish Post

2 day trip to Isunkaviola

2010-08-24T13:57:00.000+02:00

We just got back from a short 2 day trip to Isunkaviola, 20th-22nd Aug we were at our Top Forest camp. (S07 75335 E034 71730) alt 1812 m. We had a fab time and good birding. our birding highlights for the past few days are as follows;The evening before we left our Magangwe camp we saw this Senegal Plover in a burned area very close to camp.

On the drive up there (which is roughly 50km from us along a small track
through miombo and mbugas). we saw quite a few Racket tailed rollers. On the
top forest area our highlight was seeing about 5 Hill Babblers (nominate race),
there was a Rhus, bush with loads of berries on it that Whytes Barbets,
Black-backed Barbets, Yellow rumped tinkerbirds , Black headed orioles, YVB and
Yellow belllied green bulls were really gorging on. Rob managed to get some
pics of the Babbler, they are not great but they are a record. We saw the
'different' miombo grey tit that has a thin grey strip down its face not the
white blobby marking, and is much blacker than the 'normal' miombo tit. There
were loads of Miombo bearded scrub robins too,

Another highlight was in the evening we witnessed about 60 crowned hornbills
flying over the valley from one section of forest to roost in our section of
forest. They must have bee feeding over there, It was an amazing stream of
hornbills . The morning we left we had two pairs of Grey whistling hornbills fly
over camp, with one of the pair carrying sticks. So I guess they were off to
breed somewhere up there. Maybe thats part of their movements that we witnessed
from Jongomero. We have the Grey hornbills with us at Magangwe now so maybe
they come up to the miombo areas to breed. The Olive pigeons were also
displaying to each other. The thick billed Cuckoo was here again, and on the way
up in a rocky area we saw the Pearl breasted swallows as well as a Miombo Rock
thrush. The African Broadbills were there as usual plus Peters twinspots, Lead
coloured flycatcher and loads and loads of Dusky flycatchers. etc. In total we
saw 87 species in about 11 hours of birding. Later on in the year is clocks up
to over 100 species in the same area.

When we came up here in early (10th- 14th) August 2 years ago we saw lots of
Cabanis and Golden breasted buntings displaying to each other, now there were
non so we suspect they may have been on eggs.

What we did not see which is interesting, was no sunbirds, only one Collared
sunbird and one scarlet chested. Later on in the year we can see 10 different
sunbird species in the same area. So the Copper sunbirds do not come up here
when they leave us at Magangwe in June, (they return to us in November). We
also did not see any raptors, just a Bateleur, a Lizard buzzard, and an African
Goshawk. Also, slightly later on from mid September we have seen endless
African golden Orioles but on this trip we only had a fleeting glimpse of one on
our way back in the lower miombo area.

The area had not been burned which was good, the miombo was just beginning to
change, with a couple of species throwing out new leaf and some flowers (B.
floribunda, B taxifolia,) and some flowering trees too (Dalbergia Nitidula,
Craibia ) , and plenty of trees in fruit ( Croton, Garcinia etc). But our
observations over the years tend to show that from mid September onwards they
variety of species increases dramatically not only due to migrants but due to
bird breeding up there. This co-incides with when the Miombo is in full change
with new leaves and flowers, All species seem to enjoy the dudus around the new
leaf buds and flowers on the miombo.

Finally, on the way home, when we were just turing into our drive to camp we
saw an Ayres Hawk Eagle which was flying by the car being chased by Dongos we
stopped as it perched not too far away I got pics of it but it was into the
light so they are not so good but you can see what it is.

The photos below are a few samples of the trip.

Sue and Rob

View from our Top Forest camp

Senegal Plover

Hill Babbler isunkaviola - nominate race

Hill Babbler (nominate)

The valley the Crowned Hornbill flew over

Ayres Hawk eagle Magangwe August 2010 - 7

Ayres Hawk eagle Magangwe August 2010 - 9

Sue@ruaha.com
www.suestolberger.com
www.robertglen.com

Ruaha National Park
Po Box 369,
IRINGA
Tanzania

Trumpeter Hornbill Map

2010-08-23T14:38:00.000+02:00

This map to be read alongside that for the highland forest Silvery-cheeked.

still zillions of gaps out there for you all to help with.

Neil

Here's the Nov 2010 gaps

2010-08-23T14:31:00.001+02:00

For those of you birding in Tanzania in November, have a look at these gaps to the maps!
Send your triplists and GPS-locations!

Western Banded Snake Eagle and Bronze-winged (Violet-tipped) Courser pics.

2010-08-18T10:27:00.000+02:00

From: Fred Hodgson

Good Morning Mr Baker,

These pictures may be of interest to you.
Some of the clearest I have seen of Violet-tipped Coursers.

The Snake Eagle bothers me. Banded yes. But the bandwidth seems neither one or the other.
Location apart, I would appreciate your views on this. It was in TZ.

Rubondo was great. What was the "Rufous winged " bird we were meant to look out for? Apalis?

Regards

Fred

Cheers Fred, much appreciated. Banded most definately, what books are you using ?

rufous winged bird is a batis, potential spp nov.

Neil

Neil and Liz Baker, Tanzania Bird Atlas, P.O. Box 1605, Iringa, Tanzania.
Mobiles: +255 776-360876 and +255 776-360864.
http://tanzaniabirdatlas.com
Subscribe to: tanzaniabirds-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

NEW Birdspecies for Tanzania!

2010-08-18T10:18:00.000+02:00

Ruaha Chat "Myrmecocichla collaris" Artist: Sue Stolberger

Ruaha Chat is the proposal for the new name of this species

Thanks (again, she also found the Ruaha Hornbill) to the artists eye of Sue Stolberger we now officially have yet another addition to the birds of Tanzania

and

thanks to all of you who contributed the atlas records that greatly enhance this map.

IT'S WORTH THE EFFORT. NDIYO ?

and I still think this should be called Stolberger's Chat !!
Find the article as pdf HERE!
Neil

4th Sept. International Vulture Awareness Day 2010

2010-08-12T09:17:00.001+02:00

White-headed Vulture, Serengeti
Photo: Stein Ø. Nilsen

Please consider participating in this year’s International Vulture Awareness Day
(IVAD), which is on September 4th.

There is not a set programme of events on the day – IVAD works by everyone doing
their own activities to increase general awareness of vulture conservation,
wherever they are.

Some people give talks, others jump out of planes, some run around dressed up as
a vulture! Whatever gets people’s attention about vultures.

You can register at www.vultureday.org and also see what other
people/organisations are doing.

Thanks for your support and interest.

Kind regards,

Campbell Murn
(Hawk Conservancy Trust)

Yellow-bellied Greenbul ID

2010-08-10T10:47:00.000+02:00

From: "Mark Johnson"

>> Hi Neil,
>> Please could you give us a hand identifying this bird?
>> Cheers,
>> Mark

Hi Mark
>
> Looks like a young to me. That split eye ring might be diagnostic.
pale gape and pale iris also suggest a young bird, can't see the tips of the
tail but this is surely a juvenile rather than an immature. Lack of colour
(yellow) on underparts also suggests a very young bird.

Are adults quite common with you ? in the coastal lowlands this bird is
characteristic of forest and thicket, "up country" it occurs in quite dry
bush (prefers the thicker stuff) and further west in riverine thicket in the Miombo belt.
> See map.
> Neil

August safari notes

2010-08-10T09:36:00.000+02:00

Hi…
some safari bird notes:
Aug 3-9: 2 game drives in Manyara, then to Serengeti Serena and all around Seronera for 2 days, then 2 crater tours, yielded:
2 Secretary birds (1 was 16km S of Seronera, 1 on nest at SNP/NCA border x main road)
Many Kori bustard in Crater (guess at least 50) and on plains
Many Crowned cranes in Crater (guess > 200). Lots of pairs accompanied by grown chicks. Am going back next week and will try & count better.
Ostriches mating in Crater.

David Bygott

Would be good to count those Crowned Cranes, numbers for both adults and young please.

Does anyone have any ideas where these 100 or so pairs of Grey Crowned Cranes are breeding ? we have VERY few records of pairs with chicks.

Neil

Hunter's Cisticola

2010-08-09T10:50:00.000+02:00

the latest map for this species.

lots of basic questions here, amazing what we don't know and has no one been up Lolkisale since 1981 !!!

why not ??

cheers

Neil

Iringa Barn Swallow in Ukraine

2010-08-09T09:17:00.000+02:00

at long last we have a control of one of our Iringa Barn Swallows.

ringed by us on 1st April 2007 at 7.73299 South / 35.71691 East

5,984 straight line km and a heading of 175 degrees, dam near due south.

this adds to our controls in Iringa of birds ringed in Poland, Bulgaria & Kazakhstan.

Neil

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

RING NUMBER K42168

FINDING DATE 25.07.2010

PROVINCE Ukraine, Mikolayiv O.
FINDING PLACE Kinburn, Pokrovka
FINDING COORD. 46.26 N 31.41 E (Google earth put this in the Black Sea !)

FINDING DETAILS Hirundo rustica, female
controlled

Identification of Tanzanian starling required

2010-08-03T23:53:00.000+02:00

We have 3 different reference books here but cannot be sure of the exact ID of some birds.
Location: we are presently living in Tanzania, photos taken along the Katuma river – either at the river or on the Katisunga plains. The National Park is called KATAVI NATIONAL PARK and is slightly South West of Tanzania.
I have blown up the photos – so could be out of focus and tried to enhance to get the colours to stand out.
First is a Starling….. First book (Birds of Africa – Ian Sinclair and Peter Ryan) says MIOMBA BLUE EARED – as it has a distinct magenta breast – but the other books BIRDS OF EAST AFRICA (Terry Stevenson & John Fanshaw) does not have a Miombo but does have a SOUTHERN BLUE-EARED which is restricted to Miombo woodland, but under GREATER BLUE-EARED has that bird with Magenta breast and flank.
Geoff and Colleen Mullen
See PHOTO

PHOtos of Weaver Nests

2010-07-30T10:16:00.000+02:00

something here for most of u..go get Tz on this particular map, although most of you will have to wait until the next rains.
Neil

From: Dieter Oschadleus
PHOWN (PHOtos of Weaver Nests; rhymes with "own") is a new ADU Virtual
Museum project, where weaver nests or colonies may be photographed and
submitted. To take part in this project, you need to register as a
virtual museum participant. Then find weaver nests and take photos and
count the nests. It is currently the top item of Latest News on several
ADU websites (eg http://www.adu.org.za).

You can view submissions already made (without being registered) at
http://vmus.adu.org.za
and clicking on "Photos of Weaver Nests" --- There are different search
possibilities - explore these yourself! There are already 23 records of
a variety of southern African weavers in PHOWN.

To take part and submit your own photos, you need to register. Read more
details here: http://weavers.adu.org.za/phown.php.

Any weaver species (Ploceidae family) may be photographed.

To register, go to http://vmus.adu.org.za , click on "Registration" down
the left hand side menu, and fill in your contact details (if you have
an ADU number, use this and your email to obtain your password). Your
password is emailed to you. You use your email address and password to
"LOGIN" (the bottom item on the same left hand side menu). Once you have
done the LOGIN, the left hand side menu gets longer, and you can do
"Data upload".

PHOWN (PHotos Of Weaver Nests) is a monitoring project aimed at
determining the distribution of colonies or nests of all weaver species
globally. Counting weaver nests and taking photos allows tracking of
changes in weaver breeding effort. Many weavers are common and this
project provides an easy way of monitoring them, while some weaver
species are threatened and this project would help their conservation.
The software for the ADU Virtual Museum projects were written by Rene
Navarro and the current software allows users to submit photos directly
to the web, rather than emailing photos as was the case with the first
project (SARCA, Southern African Reptile Conservation Assessment). PHOWN
is the fourth Virtual Museum project and is being launched in time for
the 2010 breeding season. In the Western Cape Southern Masked and Cape
Weavers have started to build nests.

So take your camera while birding!

Dieter
--
Dr H. Dieter Oschadleus
Dieter.Oschadleus@uct.ac.za (or doschadleus@gmail.com)

Bird-ringing Coordinator, SAFRING
Animal Demography Unit, Dept of Zoology tel: (021) 650-2421
University of Cape Town fax: (021) 650-3434
Rondebosch 7701 RSA After-hours: 083-285-6889
SAFRING: http://safring.adu.org.za
Weavers: http://weavers.adu.org.za

Palm-nut Vulture juvs in Dar

2010-07-29T10:58:00.000+02:00

25 July 2010 10:59
Yesterday at Jangwani Beach we watched two adults with two recently fledged
young interacting. The juvs were fully independent in terms of flight but
may well still have been attached to the parents for food / feeding
opportunities. We watched one adult make a somewhat half hearted attempt to
catch a crab. It would have made great video, a bright green crab running
with claws raised and this clown of a bird bouncing after it.

Inevitably the House Crows interfered and we were perhaps too close for the
palm-nut's liking.

Checking the data this is the first breeding season record for the Dar atlas
square yet surely these birds are breeding residents along this stretch of
coast.

As ever (for all raptors), pleeeeeze find time to watch any active nests for
evidence of breeding.

Neil

Wattled Crane Lukula

2010-07-29T10:52:00.001+02:00

"Photo:Mark Johnson"

Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 3:16 PM

Hi Neil,

Well I have some good news for you, on the 26/07 at 15:00 I managed to spot some of those wattled cranes from the camp on the other side of the river, so you will have to use the GPS co-ordinates for the camp,as we are not allowed to cross the river. Here is a photo, I had to crop it so the detail is not that great.
Cheers,
Mark

You are all aware that I often mention how little we know about our
birdlife.

this msg is clear testimony to that statement and it sadly reflects how
little our wildlife authorities know or care or take any interest in our
birdlife.

here is a population of one the rarest and most majestic birds on the
continent yet it has remained "unknown" to science and conservation despite

being seen by hundreds of game scouts and other Wildlife Division staff as

well as numerous professional hunters for rather many years.

that a population of this bird can remain hidden for so long is testimony to

how poor "birds" are taught in Tanzania at all levels.

there are quite a few Tanzanian "professionals" on this group but few bother

to participate.

Brent Leo-Smith is credited with finding these birds along the Luwegu River

in the SW of the Selous GR.

Nice pic Marc, do what you can to pima as many as possible as you work the

Luwegu Valley.

Neil

Scaly Chatterer

2010-07-23T12:28:00.001+02:00

Latest map for this neat species...georeferenced records would be very much appreciated, esp from border areas.

Neil

Neil and Liz Baker, Tanzania Bird Atlas, P.O. Box 1605, Iringa, Tanzania.
Mobiles: 0776-360876 and 0776-360864.
http://tanzaniabirdatlas.com

Blackcap

2010-07-22T11:06:00.000+02:00

the latest map for this species

Onesmo, as you can see from this map there are VERY few records away from wintering forest edge habitat.

More on this species after we look at the ringing records.

DAY dates important if we are to understand any potential changes in arrival and departure times.

Neil

White Storks in Serengeti

2010-07-22T11:01:00.000+02:00

Photo: Jo Anderson

How to find Usambara Eagle-Owl?

2010-07-22T10:54:00.000+02:00

Hi Tanzania birders,

Ara Monadjem, zoology lecturer, ornithologist and keen birder from
Swaziland, is teaching at the Tropical Biology Course in Amani at the
moment. Does anyone have any info for him on how to find Usambara
Eagle-Owl, or a guide there to contact, or perhaps even a call? He's
not on this list, but can be emailed on aramonadjem@gmail.com. If you
reply to the list, I can forward any info to him.

Thanks!

Callan

Northern Pied Babbler

2010-07-22T10:51:00.001+02:00

Hi all

There are indications that several species are "moving", expanding their ranges in response to "environmental" change. While this may well be related to underlying changes in the climate it may also be due to an opening up of habitat due to human encroachment, perhaps both factors influencing each other, the drier climate slowing down the natural recovery of the habitat.

Whatever the cause there is evidence that several dry country species are expanding their ranges westwards, both directly west and also both SW and NW.

This may well be one of them.

PLEASE take a note of this and day date and georeference all records that will add to our understanding of any range expansion.

thanks

Neil
Neil and Liz Baker, Tanzania Bird Atlas, P.O. Box 1605, Iringa, Tanzania.
Mobiles: 0776-360876 and 0776-360864.

Igombe dam, Tabora

2010-07-22T10:43:00.000+02:00


	One of my volunteers here at the reserve Charlie Lucas worked as an engineer in Tanganyika many many years ago. He was the engineer who built the Igombe Dam (the water supply for Tabora [where co-incidentally my own mother was born!]). The dam was opened in 1957. Charlie looked up Google maps the other day to see how the dam looked and was surprised to see that the whole area of water was bright green. Does anyone know why this is? Algal bloom? Nile cabbage? It would be nice for Charlie to get an update. Zul Zul Bhatia, Manager, Lochwinnoch RSPB Nature Reserve RSPB Scotland is part of the RSPB, the UK-wide charity working to secure a healthy environment for birds and wildlife, helping to create a better world for us all. For further information on membership, volunteering or events, please phone: 01505 842663 or email : zul.bhatia@rspb.org.uk websites: http://www.rspb.org.uk/scotland <http://www.rspb.org.uk/scotland> http://www.lochwinnoch.info/RSPB/ <http://www.lochwinnoch.info/RSPB/>

Where to stay in / near Lushoto ?

2010-07-22T10:39:00.002+02:00

what's the latest info for backpack birding in the Usambara mts.

where to stay in / near Lushoto ? daladalas to Magambo FR and even to Shagyo and Shume ??? what about Mazumbai, must still be good birding there.

then where to stay near Amani and how to get to the lowland forest in the Sigi-Segoma area such as Kambai.

any contacts at Muller's or another lodge that would appreciate Valery training their bird guide(s).

answers please from those of you that know.

Neil

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

End of August I'll be in the Usambaras for holidays with a friend coming for birding from Europe. Any place you can advise me where I can stay (low budget) and walk daily (we'll be there 10 days) to the forest is search for specials? All endemics (from Long-billed Tailorbirds to Usambara Eagle-Owl) and forest birds interest me, as I need most of them in photo (for the theoretical lessons of my training).
Valery.

Aliens are tough adversaries

2010-07-22T10:38:00.000+02:00

Please be warned: This is, without a shadow of doubt, what Tanzania will
face if the government does not act immediately against Parthenium and
chromoleana, both recently found in the country. We urgently need an early
detection rapid response initiative to prevent the disaster that is facing
Swaziland.

Regards
Sue

MBABANE, 8 June (IRIN) - The effects of Cyclone Demonia are still being
felt a quarter of a century after it ripped through landlocked
Swaziland. The once-in-a-generation storm system swept in from the
Indian Ocean and across neighbouring Mozambique, devastating
infrastructure and sowing death among the Swazis, but its lasting legacy
was the alien plant seeds that the winds carried.

Unnoticed at first, the demonia weed (Parthenium hysterophorus),
colloquially named for the cyclone, has decimated indigenous hunting
areas that people relied on for game, as well as the recently
established community nature reserves that hoped to use wildlife as a
tourism drawcard.

Demonia is native to Mexico, Central and South America; on the Indian
Ocean island of Reunion, where the Swazi seeds are thought to have come
from, demonia is known as camomille z'oiseaux.

It grows up to 1.5 metres tall and can create severe allergic
reactions among humans. "The Demonia weed releases an irritating
chemical that animals find repellent; wherever the weed has taken root,
game animals vacate," botanist Linda Dobson told IRIN.

The invasive plants are worsening food insecurity in a country where
about one-fifth of the roughly one million people depend on food aid.
"Areas which were pristine twenty years ago have been overrun by
invasives," Dobson said. This pushes up the costs of agriculture because
resources are diverted to keep clearing arable land.

"We have a huge alien invader problem here in Swaziland. They bring
with them an increased risk of catastrophic events, such as floods and
landslides; they are hindering farmers' ability to produce crops and
raise cattle," Dobson said.

The Natural History Society of Swaziland has noted invasive plant
species, such as the triffid weed - Chromolaena odorata, an invasive
species from Central America that spreads rapidly, smothering local
indigenous plants - has colonized the country's lowveld, leading to
regions becoming devoid of indigenous antelope.

The noxious triffid weed, known locally as sandanezwe, has been the
subject of government information campaigns. "The problem with
sandanezwe is that it is toxic to cattle, but it has taken over grazing
areas. With nothing to eat the cattle starve," Andrew Dlamini, a field
extension officer in charge of community education at the Ministry of
Agriculture, told IRIN.

In 2009 a programme was launched to eliminate sandanezwe from
government-owned farms, but it became mired in allegations of corruption
and was suspended in late 2009, but others have pointed to the
stubbornness of the triffid as the cause.

"It is not enough to cut it [the triffid weed] - it has to be dug out
and burned; otherwise, it is like a zombie that keeps coming back to
life again and again. Some people in government did not understand this,
and when the weed returned to crop-growing areas that had supposedly
been cleared of sandanezwe, they blamed it on incompetence or
corruption," an agriculture ministry researcher, who declined to be
named, told IRIN.

"Its seeds are viable for a half a century, and are brought to life by
fire - that is why the triffid weed has been so successful at taking
over the northern highveld, because those hills are burned by bush fires
twice a year."

Cultural historian Jabulani Ndwandwe commented: "Swazis ... were
unprepared when nature started behaving in ways no one understood, and
strange plants took over the grazing lands and waterways."

The water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), originally imported into
South Africa from South America to beautify artificial ponds, found its
way into the ecosystem and spread across the border into Swaziland.

"These 'water weeds' literally choke rivers by removing nutrients,
because as they spread out they block sunlight. Everything below them
dies. Their seeds are viable for up to 30 years, and can lie dormant.
You look at a lake covered by hyacinths and it appears as a green field;
the fish are gone, which further reduces Swazis' food supply, and the
water quality is affected," Dlamini said.

Zinde Mthimkhulu, Senior Water Engineer and Hydrologist at the
Ministry of Natural Resources, told IRIN that invasives like eucalyptus
trees, which can consume 1,000 litres of water each day, were a threat
to the water table. "The deep-rooted invasives pose a problem because
Swazis depend on boreholes during the dry months and the invasives
compete for aquifers."

Mthimkhulu said a national policy was needed to police invasive plants
in the water supply, but the necessary surveys and studies to inform any
such policy were lacking.

jh/go/he[ENDS]

© IRIN. All rights reserved. More humanitarian news and analysis:
http://www.irinnews.org

Coucals - do they meet?

2010-07-09T19:12:00.002+02:00

Bit of duplication here but what to do. Having looked at the two coucals and raised a few questions I thought I should look at them all and send them to our group in search of answers, there are, as ever, quite a few required.

So..here are the latest White-browed and Burchell's to begin with. Because burchelli was treated as a race in Britton (1980) we still have to move quite a few coastal records from superciliosus to this species.

Neil

The nightjars - measuering Primaries

2010-07-09T10:02:00.002+02:00

From the just sent paper please note the "easy" separation of the poliocephalus , ruwenzorii , guttifer by measureing the P's!!!

P10-P8 are all long in guttifer and the (P7 and) P6 are shorter.

P10 P9 P8 P7 P6

C. poliocephalus 143.6±4.5 (129-153) 60 152.3±4.1 (139-162) 57 152.3±4.3 (137-162) 59 145.6±4.7 (132-158) 60 124.5±4.1 (115-134) 60

C. r. ruwenzorii 145.3±4.8 (130-155) 40 154.5±4.9 (141-163) 40 154.8±4.7 (144-163) 40 147.3±4.9 (136-156) 40 126.8±5.0 (116-139) 39

C. r. guttifer 146.5±2.9 (141-150) 8 155.6±3.1 (151-162) 8 156.1±2.6 (151-161) 9 145.6±3.5 (139-151) 8 123.0±3.3 (116-127) 9

Louis

MORE FOR THE OLIVE/MOUNTAIN THRUSH COLLECTION.

2010-07-06T11:44:00.001+02:00

Dear Neil and Liz,

Here are some more thrushes for the fast growing collection.

Listen to the sounds from Uluguru, by Brian Finch

1. ROEHLI from the Magamba Sawmill Road, West Usambaras.

2. Now this bird is an OLDEANI from Sopa Lodge, Ngorongoro. If you
read the description of Oldeani from the Handbook, you will find that
it has little in common with this bird. Either Oldeani is a suspect
race, or birds on the Crater Rim are not oldeani.

3. This is a nominate from 10,000 feet on Mt Kenya in the bamboo zone.
Not a great difference between this and the bird from the Crater Rim.

4. This is the form around Nairobi, it is richer than the Mt Kenya
birds though they are the same race.

5. These are three different calls from the bird on the Ulugurus,
treated in the Handbook as Nyikae. The bird was almost black head to
chest, hardly any relief on the throat. Dark below but somewhat
browner. In flight the rusty flanks were very conspicuous on the
almost uniformly dark bird. I can find no illustrations or images of
nyikae. Whilst roehli is dark, “nyikae” on Uluguru appears as black as
helleri from Taita Hills. I hope that someone can find a use for this.
As you can hear it is very strong and melodic.

Best for now

Brian

African Bare-Eyed Thrush in Ruaha

2010-07-02T12:27:00.001+02:00

From: David Erickson

Hello,

I was doing fieldwork for my masters in and around Ruaha.

Part of the project I was working on involved camera traps (Targeting Mammals). I am currently sorting through all the photos. I came across a picture of a Turdus Thrush, and from the book I have it looks like an African Bare-Eyed Thrush. The "Birds of East Africa" book I have does not show this species in the Ruaha area so I thought I'd pass it along to the TZ bird atlas for a look (Two pics are attached to this email). Hopefully it's useful.

Cheers,

Dave Erickson
tks David

as you can see from this latest map there have been records from the Ruaha ecosystem but not many so yours are most welcome.

this bird is moving, expanding its range westwards. climate change...who knows !!!!

Neil

Eastern Bearded Scrub Robin - New map

2010-06-25T09:49:00.000+02:00

it's been a while since I handled these birds in coastal forest and the 3 I
saw recently in the Ruaha Gorge (not the park) were, as usual, in dark shade
/ undergrowth so I cannot comment on any subtle plumage characters.

the ref for the Mbarangandu specimen in Sclater (1930) gives Grote, Orn.
Monatsb. xxix, p. 109, 1921. Tanganyika Territory south to Inhambane,
Mocambique.

the usual distribution / ecological barrier along our coast is the Rufiji
River with different races to the north and south and it's even a species
barrier, Livingstone's and Little Yellow flycatchers come to mind. It's also
the northern breeding limits for the African Pitta and there are mammal
splits.

with Eastern Bearded Scrub Robin the picture is further complicated by
MOVEMENTS. It's quite possible that many of our coastal birds north of the
Rufiji are sedentary residents but that "some" populations to the south of
the river MOVE. It could well be these birds that have been seen around
Dodoma (3 observers inc John Beesley and Dave Richards) and that odd record
further west (again John Beesley) and even those we saw recently are from
populations that move.

the population at the base of the Manyara Rift is almost certainly resident
and sedentary.

Neil

Kilombero Trip May 2010

2010-05-11T09:20:00.000+02:00

Long time! I’m back at SUA and still receive the interesting e-mails from your internet-group. You never replied to me last year if you got my bird list from 2008-09 or not (not the most impressive list; I believe I bagged some 360 species, or thereabouts…)

Anyway, I just came back from a short trip to Kilombero (see attached list and skimmer-pic’s; nests of Kilombero weaver in the background on pic. 1303), and will probably go back for a longer stay soon. Do you have a fairly complete species list for the area, particularly the Kilombero river, that you could e-mail me? Other valuable information about the area is warmly welcomed.

Thanks!

Ole Tobias

SUA, Morogoro

Amur Falcon Migration

2010-05-04T16:05:00.000+02:00

Hi Bernd,

I sent this out in January when I first heard of your sat tag programme. This from what we know from observations in Tanzania. 216 records on our database. Coastal rains were later than usual this year, our heaviest rains this past week when the Amurs will have normally already passed though, main movement in late March rather than April. Look forward to seeing your route maps.

No resident observers in SE Tanzania.

These birds migrate too high for ground based observers, only coming down to feed prior to roost or in heavy rain storms. One recent "spring" record of a flock passing through the Iringa Highlands, observed from a high point not normally visited and not included on this map.

ABC members will have to check our web site for this map.

cheers

Neil

CRAIG T. SYMES and STEPHAN WOODBORNE (2010) Migratory connectivity and conservation of the Amur Falcon Falco amurensis: a stable isotope perspective. Bird Conservation International (online early)

Abstract
Stable isotopes (δD, δ13C, δ15N) were measured in adult and juvenile Amur FalconFalco amurensis feathers to understand the migratory connectivity of this species. Using the OIPC (Online Isotopes in Precipitation Calculator) and a calibration curve for American Kestrels Falco sparverius we predicted the breeding range of South African Amur Falcons in the Palaearctic. δD values for juvenile feathers (mean ± SE = -58.1 ± 2.5‰, range -83.9 to -25.7‰) and predicted Palaearctic annual precipitation values indicated that juvenile Amur Falcons in South Africa originated from across their entire Palaearctic range. This rejects the leapfrog migration hypothesis and suggests the widespread movement of birds south, with a funnelling effect into the subregion where they become concentrated over a narrower distribution range. Adult δDf values were more depleted (-37.4 ± 1.8‰, range = -71.3 to -9.3‰) than predicted annual precipitation values for sites where feathers moulted in South Africa (-20.2 ± 0.9‰) but there was no correlation between δDp and δDf. This, together with significant variation of δ13C among sites and annual fluctuations in roost sizes, suggests that roost site fidelity is low in the overwintering range. Populations not confined to breeding sites in South Africa are able to move widely across the subregion, feeding on a broad range of arthropods that become seasonally abundant during the austral summer. Total population estimates for South Africa are significantly lower than global estimates so a significant proportion of the population may not overwinter in South Africa or global populations are significantly lower than estimated. In South Africa, roosts that number hundreds to thousands of individuals are often in large exotic trees, e.g. Eucalyptus sp. They are often tolerant of disturbance at roosts which may be of little concern for their conservation. Habitat changes in the overwintering range in South Africa though, particularly due to agriculture, afforestation and strip mining, may affect global population numbers. There is also concern over the persecution of birds along their migratory route.

----- Original Message -----
From: Mindy Rosenzweig
To: AfricanBirding@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, May 02, 2010 12:08 PM
Subject: Re: [AfricanBirding] Amur Falcon migration

Bernd,

Greetings from Egypt! This species has never been recorded in Egypt to our knowledge, but presumed to occur given our reports of this species from the WP. If any of our tracked birds, are heading toward Egypt or are recorded here...please let us know.

Thanks!

Mindy Baha El Din

--- On Sun, 2/5/10, WWGBP@aol.com wrote:

From: WWGBP@aol.com
Subject: [AfricanBirding] Amur Falcon migration
To: AfricanBirding@yahoogroups.com
Date: Sunday, 2 May, 2010, 11:31 AM

Dear All,

We are satellite tracking a number of Amur Falcons at the moment which I fitted with transmitters in January in South Africa. Most of them are in Somalia right now and have come through Tanzania.

We would be interested in any published and unpublished records on Amur Falcon migration.

Some of our publications using satellite telemetry are available as PDF files at www.raptor-research .de.

With kind regards,

Bernd Meyburg

BUMeyburg@aol. com
www.raptor-research .de

More Furadan Killings reported - Birds and Crocs!

2010-05-02T09:03:00.000+02:00

Furadan is easily found in any shop in dar, for a very small amount, 6,000
tsh a Kg. I don't know about Mbeya, but in Selous hundreds of crocodiles
have been poached in the past years with it.
Sad to hear it is used also in Mbeya
Ciao
Malcolm

At 07:40 AM 4/17/2010, nsajigwa kyonjola wrote:
>
>
>Dear all,
>I received a call on 15th April 2010 from one WCST member in Mbarali
>District in Mbeya Region who was visiting one area 40 km from Ubaruku.He
>had information about bird poisoning in that area and at that time he
>counted eight ( 8) Grey Crowned Cranes and four African White-backed
>Vultures all dead of poisonous chemicals.He says poisons like
>Thiodan,Furadan are widely in use.Is there anybody with more information
>from that area?
>
>Kindest Regards,
>
>Nsajigwa A.G,Kyonjola
>
>Bird Conservation Officer,
>Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania,
>Garden Avenue, Plot 39;
>P. O. Box 70919,
>DAR ES SALAAM.

Brown-hooded Kingfisher in Dar es Salaam

2010-04-28T12:51:00.001+02:00


	An adult calling yesterday and this morning in Oysterbay. no records from Dar in 2009, only 3 in 2008 and only 1 in 2007 (all from a visitor from upcountry). none in 2006, 6 in 2005 from Jangwani Beach but none from "the city". is this a bird that's gone from the city or just not recorded by resident birders. Neil

Which cordon is this?

2010-04-19T09:53:00.001+02:00

Neil, which cordon is this? Looks a bit like blue capped male, but guess it is red cheeked female, in our garden.

Jan

Jan van den Hombergh

Country Director
PharmAccess Foundation Tanzania

Tel. Office: +255 222 124888
Fax: +255 222 124889

Mobile: +255 753 714572
E-mail: j.vandenhombergh@pharmaccess.or.tz

PO BOX 635 Dar es Salaam
Skyway Building 3rd floor
Corner Ohiostreet/Sokoine Drive

Yet another example of an established feral population of a dry country species in Dar es Salaam as a result of the bird trade.

Great photos Jan and yes, a male Blue-capped. map to follow.

Neil

2 Honeyguide maps NEW

2010-04-18T10:08:00.000+02:00

African Penduline Tit map

2010-04-18T10:05:00.000+02:00


	the latest map for this species, an improvement on that in Birds of Africa but still some serious questions regarding sub species range limits. neat birds, always well worth watching a nest to see if it's active or not but almost impossible to search for eggs without damaging the nest which of course must be avoided. I'll have to scan and send the data from BoA on separating these races in the field, it's often difficult but knowing the range limits helps. Neil Neil and Liz Baker, Tanzania Bird Atlas, P.O. Box 1605, Iringa, Tanzania. Mobiles: 0776-360876 and 0776-360864. http://tanzaniabirdatlas.com Subscribe to: tanzaniabirds-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Pearl-spotted Owlet

2010-04-18T10:03:00.000+02:00

the latest map for this species to go with that excellent photograph from Lara last week.

if there is only one bird call you can ever play to a speaker trough your MP3 player choose this one. Perfect for bringing bush birds into view and even better if u have a plastic owl to display as well.

Neil

Neil and Liz Baker, Tanzania Bird Atlas, P.O. Box 1605, Iringa, Tanzania.
Mobiles: 0776-360876 and 0776-360864.
http://tanzaniabirdatlas.com

2010-04-06T15:23:00.000+02:00

You can now buy your birdbooks and safari gadgets and items from Amazon via tzbirdatlas!
Adm.

Lesser Seedcraker

2010-04-06T14:58:00.002+02:00

some birds are just always good to find and to see well and this is one of them, always a treat.

Throughout the life of the Atlas no one has actually lived in the preferred habitat for this species. It's never a garden bird or a regular safari tick. Brother Arthur came closest in Peramiho.

I'm hoping that the safari guides in this new camp in the southern Selous will tell us much about the sedentary nature of this beast, it's far too small for any hunters or WD field staff to have taken any interest in it. Brent, you need to print this map and keep it handy as a reminder.

Always well worth stopping on any blocked drainage line in the eastern Miombo and searching the long rank grasses at the edge of the dambo for this and Lavender (now Grey !!) Waxbill.

Not many of you have seen and reported this bird in the last 30 years.

Neil
Neil and Liz Baker, Tanzania Bird Atlas, P.O. Box 1605, Iringa, Tanzania.
Mobiles: 0776-360876 and 0776-360864.

Purple Grenadier

2010-04-06T10:49:00.002+02:00

Hi all

this latest map prompted by Martin Perks never having seen one in Dar yet it features in the Dar guide.

clearly this population in Dar is due to releases (traders just release birds rather than continue to feed them when there are no customers) and escapees from the bird trade.

with only 4 or 5 potential ID errors beyond the edge of the range this map shows well the distribution of this species.

as we approach the 1 million record many of the month gaps shown here within the core range do not really cause us any concerns.

BUT WE WOULD STILL LIKE TO FILL THEM WITH POSITIVE DATA. !!

trust you all had a good break over Easter and had your bins and note books out.

Neil
Neil and Liz Baker, Tanzania Bird Atlas, P.O. Box 1605, Iringa, Tanzania.

Rise in poaching pushes CITES to vote 'no' to ivory sales

2010-03-23T09:40:00.000+01:00

Rad more about Ivory-trade HERE!

Rise in poaching pushes CITES to vote 'no' to ivory sales
Jeremy Hance
mongabay.com
March 22, 2010

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) has pleased conservationists with its decision to not allow the one-off sales of ivory from government stockpiles in Tanzania and Zambia given the recent rise in elephants poaching in Africa.

"It’s victory for conservationists world wide as CITES today voted no the proposal presented by Tanzania to weaken the 21-year ban on ivory sales. Many countries do not think that Tanzania can manage to sell ivory without it leading to a dramatic upsurge in elephant killings, after all, the country has been unable to control illicit trade in ivory and elephant poaching," Executive Director of WildlifeDirect Paula Kahumbu wrote in a blog on the decision.

While the ivory trade has been banned since 1989, two one-time sales have gone ahead in the past: 1999 and 2008. Many conservationists believe that these past sales led to increasing demand for ivory products—illegal or not—causing an uptick in poaching.

Last year, 25 tons of illegal ivory was confiscated from an estimated 2,500 elephants, according to TRAFFIC, a wildlife trade monitoring group. Tanzania had hoped to sell 80.5 tons of ivory and Zambia 21 tons.

The decision comes after a number of disappointments for conservationists at the CITES meeting, including striking down monitoring of the coral trade and a vote against a ban on the Critically Endangered Atlantic bluefin tuna. The latter decision caused marine biologist Jennifer Jacquet to describe it as "another failure to see fish as wildlife" in her blog Guilty Planet. She notes that less than 5 percent of the species protected by CITES are marine species.

Mystery Bat for Kenya

2010-03-23T09:31:00.004+01:00

Hi
anyone out there who can identify this creature from Northern Kenya, very long hairs from the back toes makes it a bit odd looking, please comment!

CITES- LAST CALL FOR ELEPHANTS

2010-03-11T10:29:00.000+01:00

CITES- LAST CALL FOR ELEPHANTS -

TANZANIA WANTS TO SELL IVORY

ATTA (African Travel and Tourism Association) released this message this week - please help by going online and signing the survey:

Tanzania said yesterday , March 6th, that it will press for permission to sell around 100 tonnes of elephant tusks to reduce its huge stockpile and use the money to combat poaching.

"Our go-down in Dar es Salaam is full and we need to dispose of some of the tusks to create space for new stock," Natural Resources and Tourism Minister Shamsa Mwangunga.

"Proceeds from the proposed sale of 100 tonnes of elephant tusks will be used to buy equipment and finance anti-poaching operations," she said, adding that around 15 billion shillings (11 million dollars) could be raised.

The Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species (CITES) will hold its 15th session of the conference of parties on March 13-25 in Doha, where Tanzania and Zambia intend to apply for permits to sell ivory stockpiles.

But Tanzania's neighbour Kenya is opposed to allowing the sale of ivory arguing that it encourages poaching.

According to the Kenya Wildlife Service poaching for elephant and rhino tusks has been on the rise in Africa since the 2007 partial lifting of an international trade ban to allow a one-off sale to China and Japan by Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

WHERE DO YOU STAND IN THIS DEBATE?

PLEASE VOTE BY FOLLOWING THE LINK BELOW

THE CITES DEBATE There is no time to lose! The CITES meeting is next week (starts March 13th).

"This is really the last call for elephants in Africa," says Bourama Niagate, director of parks and natural reserves in Mali. "The devastating poaching of the 1980s first controlled through CITES is now so prevalent that the African elephant is all but extinct in some countries. This is because limited legal sales were allowed in the recent past providing the perfect cover for illegal trade in poached ivory.

"If we do not let elephant populations recover over the next 20 years by stopping the trade entirely, there will be no more African elephants outside a few zoological specimens in reserves in southern parts of Africa. Europe needs to do the right thing and back our stance now because it is nearly too late."

ATTA creates a forum for its members to debate issues.

The CITES debate is a highly emotive issue with two strong opposing factions. What do you our members feel about this?

To take the ATTA survey, follow this link:

http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB22AAFA36ZDC

We will publish the results next week

Forward email

This email was sent to jgpd@iafrica.com by info@adventurecampstz.com.

Mystery bird from Dar

2010-03-02T21:08:00.000+01:00

LISTEN

Any ideas??

Poaching is back in Selous

2010-02-27T10:33:00.000+01:00

Down in Tanzania's Selous game reserve an age-old scourge has returned to haunt Africa's biggest wildlife stronghold. Poaching is back, big time, with an average of 50 elephants being killed every month to fuel the ivory trade. Read the whole story HERE!

Crested guineafowl complex

2010-02-26T09:12:00.002+01:00

here u go.. a rather cluttered map as a pdf with the text from Britton (1980).

really important that you talk to any hunters you know and ask them to take digital images of any / all crested guineafowl heads when they are shooting for the pot.

more updates as they happen. it will be fun sorting this out.

need to prove black birds and red&blue birds breeding alongside / close to each other and without intergrades.

Neil

Crested Guineafowl Guttera edouardi
This and the next species are allopatric, forming a superspecies with G. plumifera. The races barbata and granti are locally common in dense thickets at low and medium elevations in E Tanzania, respectively to the south and west of G. pucherani, in the Mtwra and Lindi regions, and from Lake Eyasi and Ufiome Forest south to Ruaha NP. Typically, the race sethsmithi is a rather uncommon forest bird, though it also occurs in thickets and woodland. In Kenya it is widespread in the highlands west of the Rift at 1700-3000m, east to the Nguruman Hills, Eldama Ravine and Nakuru (in the Rift). In Uganda it is mainly a bird of larger tracts of forest in the south and west, north to Kabalega Falls NP and NE Teso. Specimens from Mahale Mt in W Tanzania have been assigned to sethsmithi but might belong in schoutedeni with which they should be compared.

Kenya Crested Guineafowl Guttera pucherani
Allopatric with G. edouardi, mainly in coastal forest but also in bushland and woodland thicket, from sea level to 1800m. It occurs from Soga to Witu, including Zanzibar and Tumbatu islands, inland to the Ulugurus, the East Usambaras, Mt Kilimanjaro and Lake Manyara in E Tanzania, and through the E plateau of Kenya to the eastern edge of the C highlands, from Ngong and Kikuyu to Meru and Mt Marsabit. In plateau country it is mainly localized in ground-water forests (e.g. Kitovu, Kibwezi, Lake Manyara) but also occurs in riverine thickets (e.g. Ngulia, Voi River).

Ant rises

2010-02-26T09:04:00.001+01:00

Dear Neil & Liz,

Saw a couple of good ant rises recently

Saturday 13th Feb 3pm between Kiso and Wombera around 120 birds mostly
european hobbies plus 5 Amur falcons + 2 Eleonoras.

Sunday 21st February

Grasslands Road smaller swamp 6. 45 pm Well over 250 birds light bad so
difficult to identify the non Hobbies.

Regards Shanna

White stork movements

2010-02-26T09:01:00.002+01:00

sms just in from Rob and Sue in Ruaha.

>500 White Storks in a kettle above them and drifting north.

several reports of White Storks moving north in Kenya but still low numbers.

Paul etc... are there still large flocks in the Serengeti ecosystem ? still tens of thousands

anyone in the northern Rift these next few days / week or so should be aware of White and Abdim's stork movements.

DATE AND COUNT PLEEEEEEEEEEEZE.

I'll attach the 2006 map of sat tagged storks for those that did not save this.

Neil

Neil and Liz Baker, Tanzania Bird Atlas, P.O. Box 1605, Iringa, Tanzania.
Mobiles: 0776-360876 and 0776-360864.
http://tanzaniabirdatlas.com

Celebrating Lake Natron's Flamingos with action

2010-02-18T22:02:00.000+01:00

The 2010 World Wetlands Day celebrations in Tanzania focussed on a meeting to support the conservation of Lesser Flamingo Phoenicopterus minor (Near Threatened) through the completion of a National Single Species Action Plan.

"This is an important step in ensuring the protection of this important species not only for Tanzania but also for the world", said Lota Melamari - CEO of Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania (WCST, BirdLife Partner). "This action plan provides Tanzania with an opportunity to ensure that threats facing Lesser Flamingo are thoroughly addressed", he added.

Tanzania is home to the most important breeding site in the world for Lesser Flamingo – Lake Natron. Of the world's global population of Lesser Flamingo, 75% breed at Lake Natron. Read the whole story

BirdLife launches Africa Climate Exchange

2010-02-18T09:30:00.001+01:00

The BirdLife Africa Partnership has launched a new website about climate change and its impacts on biodiversity in Africa. Developed by the BirdLife Africa Partnership, the Africa Climate Exchange (ACE) uses birds and BirdLife's Important Bird Area (IBA) network to demonstrate how biodiversity in Africa will respond to Climate Change, and what can be done to mitigate its impacts.

"The Africa Climate Exchange is an extremely valuable resource for anybody who wants to know more about the impacts of climate change on birds and biodiversity", said Dr Hazell Shokellu Thompson - BirdLife’s Regional Director for Africa.

The Africa Climate Exchange links to various sources of information on climate change in Africa and other parts of the world. It includes a rapidly growing library, currently containing over 250 documents on a wide range of climate change topics, including national and community adaptation plans, mitigation, livelihoods and economies, conventions, financing, species and ecosystems, and modeling and monitoring.

ARUSHA NATIONAL PARKS

2010-02-18T09:22:00.000+01:00

Hi,
Saturday saw the following few birds:
*Yellow bishop in breeding coat at Ngongongare gate.
*3 flocks of Wattled starlings at Ngongongare gate.
*6 Southern porchad; 2 males and 4 females in the Big momella lake.
*150-200 Ruff, southern end of Small momella lake.
*200-300 Lesser Flamingos in the Small momella lake.
*2 adult Crowned cranes with 2 young at the small island in Big momella lake.
*20 Cape Teal at Small momella lake.
*Black smith plover.
*Tawny eagle at Tululusia water falls.
*Hadada ibis.
*Sacred ibis.
*Augur buzzard.
*Eurasian marsh harrier.
*1 male Common Indigobird ( Vidua chalybeata centralis) in Usa river.
*Fawn coloured lark at Momella main gate.

Sorry, I couldn't do much birding as it was kind like rush tour.
Who knows the overlapping area between Yellow crowned and Yellow bishops. I have seen the Yellow crowned bishop in Usa river, south from the Arusha-Moshi road, while the Yellow bishop is from Ngongongare gate to other parts of the park.

Thanks.
Kapanya.

Red-backed shrike returns

2010-02-18T09:18:00.000+01:00

a smart Red-backed Shrike in the garden this week... nothing unusual in that but this one was ringed by us on 17 March 2006.

always good to have them revisit.

Neil

Globally threatened birds in Tanzania

2010-02-04T14:58:00.006+01:00

Hi all

These maps, probably better than anything else, clearly demonstrate just how important Tanzania is for those birds designated globally threatened by IUCN / BirdLife (+ Beesley's Lark but minus our two new cisticolas and a few other new species waiting in the wings as it were)

The gaps are more likely our knowledge gaps rather than real ones. Just about the whole country qualifies !!

The GT champ squares list is quite interesting and suggests there are simply too many GT species !! we we have many more designated as Near Threatened how will we justify all this to Government ? how will we manage the next IBA book ? what will we have to leave out ?

and

we have never created any IBAs from such categories as biome-restricted.

this is how special Tanzania is.

Neil

New chameleon species discovered in Tanzania

2010-02-03T13:48:00.001+01:00

New chameleon species discovered in East Africa

Posted on 23 November 2009

A new species of chameleon has been discovered in Tanzania by a team of scientists.

The new species has been named Kinyongia magomberae (the Magombera chameleon)

Dr Andrew Marshall, from the Environment Department at the University of York, first spotted the animal while surveying monkeys in the Magombera Forest when he disturbed a twig snake eating one.

The specimen was collected, tested and compared to two others found by scientists in the same area and has now been named Kinyongia magomberae (the Magombera chameleon) in research published in the African Journal of Herpetology.

Dr Marshall is co-author of the study alongside researchers from the Museo Tridentino di Scienze Naturali, the South African National Biodiversity Institute, Anglia Ruskin University and the University of Stellenbosch.

Hopefully this discovery will support efforts to provide this area and others like it with greater protection

Dr Andrew Marshall

He said: “Discovering a new species is a rare event so to be involved in the identification and naming of this animal is very exciting.

“Chameleon species tend to be focused in small areas and, unfortunately, the habitat this one depends on, the Magombera Forest, is under threat. Hopefully this discovery will support efforts to provide this area and others like it with greater protection.”

Dr Marshall, who is also Director of Conservation Science at the Flamingo Land theme park and zoo, is leading a research project investigating changes in the Magombera Forest. The forest is an important resource for people in the area and home to wildlife, including endangered red colobus monkeys.

The project combines research into the biology of the forest with education for local people on how to manage it in a more sustainable way. The ultimate aim is to develop protected status for the forest and find alternative ways of meeting the needs of local communities.

ENDS

Mara - Red chested or a Black Cuckoo?

2010-02-03T13:18:00.004+01:00

One of or guys has recently photographed this cuckoo in the Mara.
My sense is that it is a near adult Red-chested (reason for lacking the
yellow in the bill/eye?). There is not much clarity on the gabonensis
race of Black Cuckoo ito what an intergrade might look like. I don't see
the rufous really covering the throat.

Do you know much about the gabonensis race?
Thanks
Alastair
***

Hello all,

Hope this mail finds you well.

I need some help in identifying the bird in the pictures attached. There
has been a bit of a debate as to whether it is a juv. Red chested Cuckoo
or a Black Cuckoo! There is however mention from Sinclair as to a sub
species of the Black Cuckoo in W Africa that looks similar and has been
recorded venturing into E Africa.

Any help will be much appreciated!

Thanks

Niall

Mystery bird

2010-02-02T13:42:00.002+01:00

Hi,

Here's a little bird I found behind Emayani Lodge (near Pangani) at night on 10 Jan 2010. It was asleep, alone, on a twig under a thicket canopy near a path, about head height. When it woke up I only got the one picture. I assumed it would be something common, but I can't find it in the book, and I didn't see anything like it in daylight. In the field the main thing that caught my eye was the intense whiteness of its throat and breast. It's about the size and shape of a camaroptera. Closest I can find is red-winged warbler, but it's all puffed out so we can't see wings. Any idea?

David

More Dickinsons from Mikumi NP

2010-01-27T13:33:00.005+01:00

Hi Raptorist, here a few less lucky shots of the same kestrel and its
surrounding. All pics taken in the same minute or so.

Jan van den Hombergh

Manyara Count 31 Jan.

2010-01-27T09:19:00.001+01:00

THIS COMING SUNDAY

Hi everyone

I'm hoping the "authorities" will count the western shoreline and that the Arusha birders will count the north and the eastern shore as far south as possible.

It's looking unlikely that we will join u so a few tips.

As long as you note the time and the GPS of each start point and agree these points with the other car it is possible to leap frog each other and produce an accurate shoreline count.

If there are 4 cars then create two teams, one to start at halfway and work southwards, if 6 cars, even better 3 teams.

Just how wet are the Oltukai flats ? is the eastern shoreline easily accessible ? can u cross the Makuyuni River close to the shore ? Access from the Kibo camp ?

I've no idea how high the water levels are or where the birds might be concentrated. We did a recce at Mtera but the heavy rains made this worthless and we just had to make the best of what we found on the day.

Ethan, do u have a team or two on this ?

Some phone numbers.

Emilian Kihwele who will organise the western shore count 0784-226622

Kapanya and Colin Beal who will organise the Arusha birders count of the eastern shore.

KK 0784-772688 and 0767-772688. Colin 0684-059123

GO FOR IT GUYS AND ENJOY.

TARGET BIRDS ARE GREATER FLAMINGO AND CHESTNUT-BANDED PLOVER BUT COUNT

EVERYTHING

Neil

Neil and Liz Baker, Tanzania Bird Atlas, P.O. Box 1605, Iringa, Tanzania.
Mobiles: 0776-360876 and 0776-360864.

IVORY ON SALE

2010-01-26T10:46:00.000+01:00

If you would like to join Africa Have Your Say to debate this topic LIVE on air on Tuesday 26 January at 1600 GMT, please include a telephone number. It will not be published. You can find us on Facebook at facebook.com/africahysor follow us on Twitter @bbcafricahys. You can also send an SMS text message to +44 77 86 20 20 08.

From: ethan kinsey
To: tanzaniabirdatlas Sent: Tuesday, January 26, 2010 9:15 AM

Hi Neil,

A lot of conservationists on the birdnet should be aware. There's a forum open on BBC: WORLD HAVE YOUR SAY?

What should Africa do with its ivory?
A Kenyan delegation is in Brussels to stop Zambia and Tanzania trying to sell nearly 120 tonnes of ivory.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) will debate the two proposals in March. If allowed, the sale will be the third "one-off" auction of ivory since the world ban, 20 years ago last week.

Tanzania and Zambia intend to spend the money from the auctions on conservation measures. But wildlife organisations are concerned that the levels of poaching will rise unless there is a blanket ban on the sale of ivory worldwide.

Should countries be allowed to sell Ivory they already possess? How should African countries deal with stockpiles of Ivory? Should the ban on Ivory be lifted? Who should benefit from the sale of ivory? Send us your views.

NEIL B:
this will interest many of you esp if you are not already aware of what's happening.

as Karl Lymo wrote in the Citizen last week there are concerns that the money raised will not be spent on elephant conservation. there are concerns about recent high levels of poaching as if the bad guys have anticipated the ban being lifted. there are concerns that the Chinese & Japanese buyers (of course) have already paid for this ivory.

the perfect answer would be for western donors (it is their taxpayers who are the most concerned about this, not the 800m Africans) to buy this ivory and to establish an ivory museum in Dar. This would be an instant tourism success and MANY Tanzanians would appreciate being told the FULL story. If handled correctly the whole history of ivory and the slave trade could be illustrated for all to see.

this would instantly take the pressure of our elephants. at least for now (2.6% human population growth is bad news). there will always be elephant deaths, from problem animal control, from natural mortality and from professional hunting but an ivory ban is the only method we have from keeping these deaths within the bounds of "normality".

what sort of msg will this sale send out to western tourists (and taxpayers) who, after all, provide the many $$ to keep Tanzania afloat.

Neil

THE ESTRILDA CHARMOSYNA CONUNDRUM

2010-01-26T10:34:00.001+01:00

From: Brian Finch
THE ESTRILDA CHARMOSYNA CONUNDRUM ALONG THE SOUTH-EASTERN BORDER AREAS
WITH TANZANIA.

Dear All,

In Kenya, we are familiar with Black-faced Waxbill Estrilda
erythronotus, whereas for most of us we see Black-cheeked Waxbill
Estrilda charmosyna much less frequently, however this is the
widespread species, and it is erythronotus that has a restricted range
in this country. It is common around Nairobi all down to the Tanzanian
border (?), and likewise the distribution extends over the southern
border into the Maasai Mara and Tsavo (?).
Originally the two birds were treated as races of the same species,
although they were separated a long time ago now, but is it possible
that the complex includes a third species!?

I have attached photographs of charmosyna from Kongelai in NW Kenya,
Haberswein in NE Kenya, and Samburu in E Kenya. The most marked thing
about these birds when encountered is that they are so pale by
comparison with erythronotus, and lack red on belly and flanks,
although there is a pink tinge. So that when the birds are illustrated
from south of the equator towards the Tanzanian border areas of Tsavo
and Magadi Road, they are illustrated with the same dark plumage as
erythronotus. It is this that had led me (up to now) to think that
these records of charmosyna in southern Kenya have been mis-identified
or seen badly. As the colouration of the eastern/northern charmosyna
is so very different.

Having just visited Tsavo this past weekend, we located some waxbills
at Sagala Lodge and took photographs of the birds that were inhabiting
the Commiphora/Delonix/Acacia woodland. We were struggling to see a
black throat, on what looked superficially like erythronotus, and try
as we might, whilst the birds had a thin black line across the throat
at the base of the bill, the throat was pale. The birds were fairly
common (especially at owl-mobs), and once captivated by the presence
of an owlet remained confined to a small area and were easier to
study. As far as I know charmosyna is not recorded for Tanzania, but
this form must be found in the contiguous habitat that crosses the
border. (?)

I have attached an image of the typical erythronotus from Nairobi. The
black throat is very extensive and obvious, this is bordered by a
narrow whitish band that borders the lower part of the face patch and
continues across the throat. Overall the bird is dark toned, the
underparts reddish tinged grey across the belly and upper chest, a
deeper red band across the lower breast, striking red flanks, and
blackish lower belly to crissum.
A comparison of the photograph charmosyna (?) attached, that comes
from Sagala Lodge last Saturday, leads to many differences. The face
is black, but the throat is greyish, the birds share the white border
to the black face but this is restricted to the lower edge of the
face, but is absent on the black edge that borders the throat. The
underparts lack red, mainly buffy-grey on the upper chest, shading to
warm buff on the belly becoming paler towards the crissum. There are
no striking red-flanks. Above the two birds are very similar.

Checking the illustrations in Stevenson and Fanshawe, it became very
evident, that the erythronotus painting is incredibly awful, and not
looking anything like a Kenyan member of the species. The extent of
the black on the throat is virtually identical here in erythronotus
and charmosyna, and this poor representation will only lead to
confusion for anyone attempting to identify the species. The only
difference shown is dark as opposed to pale lower belly to undertail
coverts, and a subtle difference in flank colouration. I then examined
Zimmermann and Turner, where the differences were much better
illustrated, having used a bird resembling northern pale charmosyna,
although again the erythronotus isn’t very impressive as regards to
accuracy in colour it does at least show the extent of the black
throat.

Comparing my photographs of typical northern and eastern charmosyna
with these southern birds, many features are shared, absence of red on
chest and flanks, both with paler underparts than erythronotus, and
paler lower belly to undertail coverts, but the northern and eastern
birds show a very contrasting white throat and white forehead, as
opposed to greyish. They do not show any black line across the throat
at the base of the bill unlike the noticeable narrow black line of
southern charmosyna (?). Their lower belly/undertail coverts region is
much whiter, and overall the ground colouration is much paler.
Southern birds are robust and dark-hued, not as dark as erythronotus,
but nothing as pale as northern and eastern charmosyna, which also
appear smaller, and much slighter and delicate in the field. The
general appearance of southern charmosyna (?) is almost as robust as
erythronotus.

There is obviously a lot to learn about these three forms in Kenya,
the southern form of charmosyna (?) having never been described. With
the claim that dark charmosyna have occurred sympatrically with
erythronotus on the Magadi road, such studies can start on our
doorstep!
This is only a preliminary “wake-up” to make birders aware of the
interesting situation, wherever there is a “?” it means that now we
need confirmation of the record.
I have attached a selection of photographs of charmosyna from various
locations, I apologise for the standard, but they all tell the story.
It would be of interest if everyone could dig out their erythronotus
and charmosyna photographs and see what they have.
Please look carefully at all of the Black-faced/cheeked Waxbills met
with in this country, and in border areas with Tanzania, and report on
what form is where, and especially if there is any area of sympatry.

Best to all
Brian

Dickinson's Kestrel

2010-01-26T10:29:00.004+01:00

This excellent flight shot of a juvenile (Beautiful clean fresh plumage with clear pale trailing edge to flight feathers.And russet feather edging to contour feathers on back. They also seem to have creamier coloured heads) by Jan van den Hombergh prompted this map. Print it and compare it with that of Grey Kestrel.

Any records of both species from the same locality (more or less) on the same day would be much appreciated.

Nice one Jan.

Neil
Neil and Liz Baker, Tanzania Bird Atlas, P.O. Box 1605, Iringa, Tanzania.
Mobiles: 0776-360876 and 0776-360864.
http://tanzaniabirdatlas.com

2010-01-18T13:39:00.003+01:00

Hi all

Several recent records from Iringa sq, more or less the southern limits for this bird.

Did we have more this season due to the drought in Kenya ? will they have returned following these good rains ?

As anyone seen NUMBERS ?

Neil

Yaida birding - Af Broadbill, Gideru Ridge

2010-01-18T13:36:00.002+01:00

this sms in from Jo Anderson

First exciting record for 2010, Af Broadbill, Gideru Ridge, Yaeda. Also Saker and lots of great birds. Yaeda valley open WATER.

This is the first record from 3503C, the nearest being from Manyara NP in 3503B and D.

Most records from Yaida have come from Daudi Peterson (an amazing 6,563 from a square total of 9,410). Daudi, did you ever bird this site Jo mentions ?

Jo. hopefully you have Georeferenced this locality.

Would be good to have a feel for waterbird numbers in Yaida, breeding could be important as the water recedes and the vegetation grows. Do keep an eye out for Black-necked Grebes.

cheers

Neil
Neil and Liz Baker, Tanzania Bird Atlas, P.O. Box 1605, Iringa, Tanzania.
Mobiles: 0776-360876 and 0776-360864.

Grey Kestrel

2010-01-18T13:29:00.003+01:00

I always enjoy seeing this bird, it's really neat, almost cute.

This one photographed recently by Mike Webster appears to lack the bright yellow eye patch so might not be a full adult.

While the literature coverage is quite poor it does appear as though this bird has expanded its range eastwards in recent decades and it now overlaps with Dickinson's Kestrel at both square and site level.

Neil

First TZ Eur. Wryneck - photos

2010-01-14T09:24:00.004+01:00

Find attached two images of the Eurasian Wryneck I found at the SW corner of
Small Mommella Lake, Arusha NP, on 11th Jan.

Sadly they are a little unsharp as the bird was moving quickly through the
trees after taking off from the ground and the autofocus had difficulties
finding the bird against the foliage. Nevertheless, I hope that you can see
that it is clearly Eurasian rather than Red-throated on account of the pale
throat, which shows some faint barring, and the dark streak through the eye.

Hopefully the bird will stick around for other observers to enjoy.

All the best,
Adam

Humblot's Heron is still in the Selous

2010-01-12T23:01:00.000+01:00

Hi all

Mark Johnson has written in to let us know that the Humblot's is still in the Selous and still twitchable at $75 / day, entrance fee only !!!!

Neil

PS..Mark, any new pics of this bird ?

Mtera birding

2010-01-12T23:00:00.001+01:00

Hi all

We counted the southern and eastern shoreline of Mtera at the weekend. Huge dark storm clouds all around us, heavy rain, esp to the west and the water level visibly rising. Given that this reservoir is 660km2 at 700m that's a lot of new water flowing in.

Highlights included a single flock of skimmers counted at 320 (3.2% of biogeographical population, 1.6% of global population) but photos will hopefully give us a more accurate count. Initially they were among >1,000 Grey-headed Gulls so difficult to count. I deliberately disturbed them and they separated out, wonderful sight, magical beasts. Greater Flamingos were scattered along the shoreline in small flocks, total close to 1,450 (4% of bio pop, BUT THIS POP OF 35,000 is, I THINK, AN UNDERESTIMATE, THE TRUTH BEING CLOSER TO 50,000 AND PERHAPS EVEN MORE)...

Button Quail with tiny chicks was an excellent breeding record and 2 Red-throated Pipits also worthy of note.

Rising water levels meant far fewer waders than 2 weeks ago..where do all these birds go when the whole country is in flood ??

Neil

Which Longclaw?

2010-01-12T10:42:00.004+01:00

Hi Neil,

Anna, Kate and I were birding the Seronera area of Serengeti at Xmas -
oh the views of lesser kestrels, very exciting for me - and the
harriers... though we didnt get up to 53...

Anyway... Anna and I got these foties of two different longclaw
individuals. They have to be yellow-throated, right? It's just that we
were struck by how orangey their throats were (more so to the naked
eye than conveyed in the photos), and then got worried that the yellow
stripe doesnt extend too far behind the eye. (And then started musing
on these westward movements that are being observed in some other
spp). They're not Pangani longclaws are they? Sorry, I'm no fundi on
these birds and a bit lacking in decent books just now - can you
advise.

Cheers
Trev
All photos: Trevor Jones

Eurasian Wryneck - NEW for Tanzania!

2010-01-12T10:40:00.000+01:00

Adam Kennedy just phoned this in. New for TZ, photos to follow.

SW corner of Small Momella, well worth the effort to try for this if u live in Arusha.

Neil
Neil and Liz Baker, Tanzania Bird Atlas, P.O. Box 1605, Iringa, Tanzania.
Mobiles: 0776-360876 and 0776-360864.

Heavy flooding in Kilosa and Shinyanga!

2010-01-08T13:04:00.002+01:00

http://www.ippmedia.com/frontend/index.php?l=12105

For those of you out counting waterbirds, be aware!
Stein

From ippmedia: See link above for full story;

"It is meanwhile reported that 429 people have been rendered homeless following downpours in Bariadi District, Shinyanga Region.

According to Bariadi district executive director Digamagariga Sedoyeka, the destructive rains ran on for some five hours non-stop and left many households homeless and short of food and other basic needs.

The worst affected areas include Saranda, Kidinda, Lubeka, Jipoya, Viwandani, Kisesa, Igongwa, Nyankaka and Imalaseko, he said.

“Before this disaster, most households had enough food but things are different now. Virtually all the foods has been washed away or rendered unfit for human consumption by the floods,” elaborated the DED.

He said that various agencies have moved in and extended humanitarian assistance to the people affected by the floods “but we would appreciate much more material and other help because the problem is very serious”.

The district council is reported to have chipped in with emergency supplies, chiefly maize and beans, as more formal assistance is awaited.

Sedoyeka further explained that the rains also made Bariadi River burst its banks “which threw into disuse the pipes meant to supply Bariadi town with tap water”.

Meanwhile, President Jakaya Kikwete yesterday sent a message of condolence to victims of the massively destructive floods in Kilosa District, Morogoro Region, which have left a number of people dead and wreaked havoc on houses and infrastructure.

At least 813 houses have been destroyed so far and 4,819 others are surrounded by flood water, leaving thousands of people without shelter.

Most of the flood victims are putting up in makeshift structures in different parts of the district.

Delivering the message, Morogoro Regional Commissioner Lt Col (rtd) Issa Machibya said the president was hugely saddened by the damage caused by the floods over the last week.

More than 9,000 people have been rendered homeless since floods started incessantly hitting Kilosa District.

The RC said the number had increased from 8,008 four days ago and all the homeless are accommodated in 15 camps."

Chestnut-banded Plovers at Eyasi

2010-01-08T12:47:00.000+01:00

just came back from the lake shore and counted 79 Chestnut-banded Plovers along 350m of shore line, most of them concentrated on a 150m stretch where a little river flowed into the lake coming from our land.
Flamingos slowly coming in as are lots of waders.

Also have had quite a few Greater Reed Warblers around.

Best,
Chris
*********
yes, this rain will change the dynamics considerably.

79 chestnuts in only 350m of shoreline is excellent data. It will be really interesting to hear how many are at Natron and Manyara.

really hope u can count several km of lake shore, at least 5k either side of you please. have u anyone lined up to help u with this count ?

Great Reed Warblers in dense wet vegetation ? what habitat exactly ? are they very noisy ?

great stuff and many thanks

Neil

Ngorongoro from space

2010-01-08T10:20:00.003+01:00

You can virtually see the flamingos in the caldera, enjoy the view!
http://veimages.gsfc.nasa.gov/16894/PIA04959_lrg.jpg