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| 13 June
Saturday Outing The Aloe Farm, Hartbeesfontein Amethyst Sunbird – photo by Warwick Tarboton |
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| The Aloe Farm has extensive gardens that are open to the public and include a ‘Bush Garden’ that demonstrates the great possibilities that exist for indigenous plants in the home and commercial garden and is landscaped to attract wildlife. The aloe gardens have now become a renowned plant-lover’s and tourist attraction in the Hartbeespoort area, drawing visitors to admire the gardens, photograph the plants and birds, and purchase unique plants for their own gardens. | |||||||||||||
| Book: | witsbc234@gmail.com | ||||||||||||
| Meet: | 08:00 at the parking area | ||||||||||||
| Leader: | Andy Featherstone (083 259 0231) | ||||||||||||
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16 June
East Rand Bird Club’s Tuesday Evening Meeting Flock to St Helena with Spike Taylor |
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| Spike will recount his recent adventure to St. Helena Island on a Flock there with BirdLife South Africa. | |||||||||||||
| Time: | 18h30 for 19h00
ID/Driver’s license to be scanned at the entrance. |
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| Meet: | Country Life Retirement Village, Brentwood Park | ||||||||||||
| Cost: | R20 members inclusive of tea, coffee & snacks. R30 non-members. Tea, coffee, and snacks will be served after the presentation. | ||||||||||||
| 18 June
Thursday Evening Meeting Botha’s Lark – Insights, Facts And Some Successes with Matthew Orolowitz |
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| Step into the secretive world of Botha’s Lark, South Africa’s most endangered bird. Discover how researchers locate, observe, and monitor this elusive grassland specialist, and learn about the extraordinary efforts underway to ensure its survival. | |||||||||||||
| Book: | witsbc234@gmail.com | ||||||||||||
| Time: | 18h45 for 19h00 | ||||||||||||
| Meet: | Linden Bowling Club | ||||||||||||
| Cost: | Members free. R50 non-members. Tea, coffee, & snacks will be served. There is a cash bar. Please contact Diana Cowen at diana.m.cowen@gmail.com if you are able to contribute a platter of eats. | ||||||||||||
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20 June
Birding with a Purpose Saturday Atlasing Day |
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Looking for a Special for your Life List? Is there a bird that you really want to see for your Life List? Let the club know and we will try and tailor a trip to find it. |
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| Atlasing days are held once a month to atlas the pentads falling within the Greater Gauteng area. You don’t have to be an expert to join in, you can travel with an experienced atlaser and learn how to atlas. If you would like to learn more or take part, please contact Werner van Goethem on 082-462-7108. | |||||||||||||
| 24 June
Wednesday Outing * NEW VENUE* Waterfall Estate Fairy Flycatcher – photo by Andy Featherstone |
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| Waterfall Estates are bisected by the Jukskei River. The greenbelts along the river banks are accessible via paved pathways giving access to various small dams and wetlands. | |||||||||||||
| Book: | witsbc234@gmail.com | ||||||||||||
| Meet: | 07h15 for 07h30 on the bridge. | ||||||||||||
| Leader: | Ron Searle (071 443 2819) | ||||||||||||
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27 June
Saturday Outing Rust de Winter Dam Nature Reserve Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird – photo by Andy Featherstone |
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| Rust de Winter Dam Nature Reserve comprises 1 650 ha of thorn and broad-leaved woodland surrounding the 500-ha dam. Birding among the various campsites and picnic spots will produce bushveld species such as Kalahari Scrub-robin, Burnt-necked Eremomela, and Ashy Tit. The dam usually contains Great Crested Grebes, Knob-billed Duck, and Goliath Heron, while African Fish Eagle and even the occasional Osprey can be seen overhead. African Pygmy Geese have also visited the dam in the past. | |||||||||||||
| Book: | witsbc234@gmail.com | ||||||||||||
| Meet: | Meet 08h00 at the entrance | ||||||||||||
| Cost: | There is an entrance fee payable | ||||||||||||
| Leader: | Werner van Goethem (082 462 7108) | ||||||||||||
| 28 June
Sunday Outing Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve Sentinel Rock Thrush – photo by Warwick Tarboton |
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| The 13, 400 ha Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve is a well-known Highveld birding site. Both the grey and black colour forms of the Mountain Wheatear commonly occur, Red-throated Wryneck and African Red-eyed Bulbul can often be found around the visitor’s centre, and the mixed woodland on the southern side of the reserve holds populations of Black-faced Waxbill, Kalahari Scrub Robin, and White-backed Mousebird. Wintering birds could include Black Harrier, Sentinel Rock Thrush, Sickle-winged Chat, and even the occasional Yellow-breasted Pipit and Bush Blackcap.
After paying the entrance fee, meet just inside the gate. We will commence our birding from here, traveling by car to the Diepkloof Picnic. At Diepkloof, we will continue on foot, exploring the picnic area and surrounding office buildings in search of species such as Fairy Flycatcher, African Red-eyed Bulbul, Bar-throated Apalis, and Mocking Cliff Chat. Thereafter, you may opt for a self-drive along the circular “Tourist Route.” This scenic drive traverses a variety of habitats, including rocky grasslands, well-wooded valleys, and thornveld, offering diverse birding opportunities. If you have the full day available, we highly recommend taking the complete route. Alternatively, if you have plans around lunchtime, take the shorter right-hand turn after ascending the moist valley, which will loop you back to the Diepkloof area more quickly. |
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| Book: | witsbc234@gmail.com | ||||||||||||
| Meet: | 07h30 at the entrance | ||||||||||||
| Cost: | There is an entrance fee payable | ||||||||||||
| Leader: | Lance Robinson (082 927 9785) | ||||||||||||
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WhatsApp group for Wits Bird Club members
Please follow this link to join the group that we have created to send reminders for meetings, courses and outings. Joining the group is completely voluntary, but we trust it will help to keep members up to date with our offerings and with last minute reminders. Only Admins can post on the group, so that it is not used for replies or general chat. Please continue to email the secretary (witsbc234@gmail.com) for other matters. |
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| July 2026 Events
Bookings are open and can be made at witsbc234@gmail.com |
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Leader | Venue | |||||||||||
| Sunday 5 July
Thursday 16 July 16, 18 & 19 July Tuesday 21 July Saturday 25 July Sunday 26 July |
Werner van Goethem
Christmas in July – Main Club Evening Meeting Awie Coetzee & Werner van Goethem Andy Featherstone – East Rand Evening MeetingAwie Coetzee & Werner van Goethem Awie Coetzee |
Birding with a purpose – Atlasing – pentads TBA
Linden Bowling Club Birding with a purpose – Winter CWAC counts Country Life Retirement Village, Brentwood Park Birding with a purpose – Winter CAR counts Birding with a purpose – Winter CWAC counts Marievale Bird Sanctuary |
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| FORTHCOMING ATTRACTION
22 August 2026: Saturday Course – Beginner’s Birding Course 28 – 30 August 2026: Weekend away – Wolfhuiskraal |
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PAYMENTS FOR ALL COURSES & OUTINGS TO BE MADE TO:BANK – NEDBANK HYDE PARK BRANCH CODE: 198-765 ACCOUNT NO: 1913 257 789 NAME OF ACCOUNT: WITS BIRD CLUB |
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| MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTIONS
Please note that as of 1 October 2024, all membership invoicing is handled by Wits Bird Club. BirdLife South Africa no longer issues membership invoices, and all payments are to be made to Wits Bird Club. Membership of BirdLife South Africa will be invoiced separately by their membership division. If you have not received your renewal invoice on the due date, please let us know. |
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| President Ridge Bird Sanctuary
Volunteer Duties |
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| Weekend of 6 & 7 June: Grant Esterhuyse
Weekend of 13 & 14 May: Lorraine & Gordon Duncan |
Public Holiday 16 June: Daniela Orsmond
Weekend of 20 & 21 June: Bridget Long |
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| Weekend of 27 & 28 June: Janet Kennedy | |||||||||||||
| Thank you to all our volunteers who perform opening and closing duties at President Ridge Bird Sanctuary. | |||||||||||||
| The Protection of Personal Information Act (aka POPIA)
came into effect on 1 July 2021. The act requires that we obtain your consent to communicate with you in the future. If you are happy to continue receiving emails from us, then there is no need to do anything. If you wish to be removed from our mailing list or change your mind at any time in the future, please contact the club secretary at witsbc234@gmail.com |
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