Two days of summer comes to the Western Cape in September

The last two days found me on my first trip to the Western Cape for this year, quite unusual as I normally get to come here a lot earlier. However, circumstances didn't allow for it and I'm quite happy that this opportunity seems to have over-lapped with apparently the first bit of decent weather with temperatures that resemble that of summer, that's if the comments from the locals is to be believed. The sunshine and warm temperatures with little wind is a pleasure compared to my experience at the Pan-African Ornithological Congress at the same time last year when we had a full week of strong winds, rain, snow and freezing temperatures! Fortunately, in the winelands of the Cape, that is all the excuse you need to gain strength from the fruit of the vine to see you through and we certainly gained strength a lot last year!

The main aim of this visit was to meet with some project executants and sponsors to plan activities for the next few months and to ensure that there is delivery on what we have committed to. I am also ken to extend funding from one donor and to transfer the funding to another, much larger project in future years. Sounds as if they are not unhappy with the suggestion, but a final decision will only come later.

The Breede River Fish Eagle Project work for the third season will commence in the next 10 days or so and this will wrap up the activities of this project by the end of February next year. All that will be left to do then is to obtain the results of the analysis of blood samples collected from Fish Eagle chicks in the project area that were sent to the Clemson University in the US for processing. Once this has been received, the project's final reports and papers can be drafted and the relevant information disseminated. Dr. Andrew Jenkins, who has been involved with this initiative from the start, will also be undertaking the bulk of the work this season. The sponsor of this project also seems happy with the plans for this season.

Apart from a variety of other meetings and discussions, I also had a quick opportunity yesterday morning to visit the Boulders African Penguin site near Simonstown where most of the birds are busy moulting. Not great for getting good pics, but at least this youngster provided an opportunity to get something that can at least be used for general entertainment. Of interest was a group of gentlemen from Egypt that also visited the birds, one of which considered it his mission to jump up and down and make as much noise as possible to try and get some reaction from the birds. He obviously did, but also got an earful about disturbing birds and the illegality of it. I would have liked to jump on him to see how he reacted!

In between all the work activity, I was also ble to add quite a few birds to my southern African yearlist. Species such as Cape Francolin, Cape Sugarbird, Orange-breasted Sunbird, Southern Black Korhaan, Bank Cormorant and an un-expected White-chinned Petrel that ventured very close to land in quite a stiff south-easter were some of the species to boost the 2009 total for the region to well beyond 600 species.

All in all a fairly successful two days, but I look forward to getting back home and putting my feet up, for a day or so at least. Tomorrow we commemorate 'Heritage Day' in South Africa, but it is more widely known as 'National Braai Day' which is very likely what we will be doing at home once I get back. Up at 4am to catch the plane and try and work out how to get the rental car back to the airport with all of the road deviations around the airport. Should be interesting...