OUR LATEST NEWS
Join the 2020 Overberg 150km challenge
The challenge invites birders to see how many bird species you can log in the Overberg over the course of 2020. The challenge area is a 150km circumference around the most southerly tip of Africa (the centre of the circle is at the southernmost tip).
The search for the African Grass Owl – here’s what happened…
The search for the elusive African Grass Owl in the Agulhas Plain yielded not only owl pellets that are now being further analysed – but also THESE amazing photographs. The Bionerds team are driving a project to learn more about the African Grass Owl in
4 favourite birding spots in the Overberg
4 favourite birding spots in the Overberg Where are some of the best places to go birding in the Overberg? There’s no shortage of fantastic opportunities for birders – many on land that’s open to the public. Here are 4 of our favourite birding spots.
Powerlines impact on the future of Blue Cranes
Powerline collisions could potentially tilt the population of Blue Cranes from stable, to declining. That’s according to Endangered Wildlife Trust researcher, Christie Craig, at the Agulhas Biodiversity Initiative (ABI) meeting in September.
Ever seen this secretive owl? New research aims to find out more
Ever seen this secretive owl? New research aims to find out more There’s a secretive owl species that occurs in the Overberg – and yet so few people know about it. That’s because the African Grass Owl (Tyto capensis) is
New study: This Fynbos bird is disappearing – as temperatures rise
The Cape Rockjumper (Chaetops frenatus) is found only in the mountain Fynbos of southernmost South Africa. But new research has found that this species is fast disappearing from sections of its traditional range –
How our Overberg birds are ALSO affected by plastic
Birds in the Overberg face many threats. But did you know that plastic products are among those threatsBirds like Blue Cranes, Secretarybirds and other species we protect can be affected by bailing twine. They are drawn to sheep and ostrich feeding areas
How technology helps us understand Blue Crane movements
Christie Craig (Endangered Wildlife Trust/FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology) plans to provide clarity on these uncertainties through a three-year PhD research project. Among the questions Christie is asking: How do
THE OVERBERG 150km CHALLENGE: The results
The results of the project were phenomenal: There were 40 participants who joined in the challenge. And a total of 29,047 bird sightings were recorded in the year. A staggering 329 bird species were recorded. Through the project, conservationists and birding
Blue Crane release: A happy end to the Overberg’s fires
The fires in the Overberg in January had devastating effects – also for some of the Overberg’s Blue Cranes. During the chaos of the fire in Franskraal, just outside Gansbaai in the Western Cape, two tiny Blue Crane chicks were caught up in a backburn. They were rescued – just in time. And taken to
Blue Crane chicks saved from a life in captivity…
Two Blue Crane chicks were confiscated in Calvinia in the Northern Cape, in November 2017, from very suspicious circumstances – and ended up being raised and rehabilitated to the point where they could be released back into the wild – in our beautiful Overberg. ...
Boere Maak Vrede met Bloukraanvoëls
Ons Bloukraanvoëls was in die kollig die afgelope paar weke, en n hoogtepunt was die publikasie van die artikel oor die vennootskap tussen die Overberg Kraanvoël Groep en die Boere van die Overberg. Dit is n storie van hoop, en was gepubliseer in Suid Afrika se...