Renowned ornithologist visits Scottburgh
Renowned avian expert, David Allan, will be the next guest speaker at Crocworld.
BIRDERS shouldn’t miss the next in a series of environmental talks that Scottburgh’s Crocworld Conservation is hosting.
Renowned avian expert, David Allan, will be the next guest speaker at Crocworld, on Saturday, September 14, at 8.30am. His talk, entitled ‘Birds and Birding along the sub-tropical southern KwaZulu-Natal coast; a wealth of colourful forest birds and more!’, will pinpoint some of the best coastal birding areas in the province.
For the past 17 years, David has been the Curator of Birds at the Durban Natural Science Museum. Before this he worked at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute for African Ornithology and the Avian Demography Unit at the University of Cape Town.
His vast experience in his field is evident in the series of books he has published on the subject. As well as writing several books on birds of prey, he co-authored a new book entitled ‘Geographical Variation of Southern African Birds’. He was also a senior editor for ‘The Atlas of Southern African Birds’. David is a popular public speaker on a wide range of avian subjects and also serves on the National Rarities Committee of Bird Life South Africa.
In this talk, David will focus on revealing and describing the best birding spots in the area, and will explain the beautiful species that each one offers. The subtropical conditions of lower KwaZulu-Natal are ideal for forest birds and are home to some of the most sought after and spectacular species on the subcontinent. This bountiful area also boasts several world-class birding destinations in the form of wild and sprawling nature reserves, all with excellent walking trails along which the birding riches can be sampled.
As well as forest species, David will explore the possibilities offered by other habitats, including valley bushveld, grassland, estuaries and the coastline itself.
In line with the centre’s increasing focus on conservation, these talks are designed to educate those who attend about the uniquely beautiful flora and fauna of the KwaZulu-Natal coastline and to inspire conservation efforts.It is the ideal venue for a talk on birding. As well as having an impressive range of aviaries housing rescued and rehabilitating exotic birds, the centre is home to over 300 species of wild birds which can be seen throughout its grounds.
On the day of the talk, registration will be at 8:30am, with the talk starting at 9am. It should be about an hour and a half in length, after which tea, coffee and muffins will be served. Tickets are R70 per adult, with a discounted price of R30 for pensioners and students.
Guests are invited to stay afterwards to enjoy the other attractions that the centre has to offer. Booking is essential, and payment secures the place. Please send proof of payment, or arrange to pay on the day. To make your reservation contact: Nolean Allun, Crocworld Conservation Centre at 039 9761103/ 083 6549651 or email crocworld@cbl.co.za
