A day at Giant's Castle - BV's a-plenty!

Just had a great day in the Giant's Castle Reserve which forms part of the Ukuhlamba-Drakensberg Park working with one of our key projects, the Bearded Vulture Task Force, headed by Sonja Kruger from EKZN Wildlife, Ben and Shannon Hoffman and some volunteers attempting to catch and fit satellite transmitters to Bearded Vultures. A crew from the KykNet programme Groen were also present to film the activities to produce a programmeon the work of the BVTF.

We were already up at the capture site by 05:15 this morning getting traps and food ready in the hope that we would be able to catch some birds. Not surprisingly, we were joined by at least 3 Bearded Vultures circling above us by 05:40. These birds clearly don't follow the books that profess that they only take to the wing much later in the day!

Although we had several birds landing at or on traps, those that were ensnared unfortunately managed to wriggle free before we could get to them. However, it was still great to at times see as many as 8 Bearded's flying together and we estimate that there were at least 12 birds frequenting the site today. At times, we were observing as many as 8 birds of varying ages flying and circling the area! They were joined at various times by Cape Vultures, two Jackal Buzzards, the off Rock Kestrel and, of course, good numbers of White-necked Ravens who are ever-present. A lightning-fast appearance by a recently fledged Verraux's Eagle was later followed up by views of a single Peregrine and two Secretarybirds striding along a grassy slope.

We will be trying again for a while early tomorrow morning after which I will be heading to the Eastern Cape.