Familiar Chat

When I was asked to take over as editor of the Familiar Chat I was very apprehensive. However I have enjoyed every minute of producing the Chat, but as I am also the Treasurer for the association I feel that it is time to let go. The new editor will be Eugenie Skelton. Eugenie will need lots of support and contributions from the members, her email address is skelton@home.co.bw. We bid a sad farewell to Bruce and Polly Hargreaves who will be missed as their input on flora on our walks and talks was always valued. Whilst I was walking in our garden I
thought I saw a baby Chinspot Batis, with which the male and female were frolicking in our Pappea Capensis, but after double checking in the books I discovered it was a Fairy Flycatcher! The Pappea Capensis (Jacket Plum) is in full flower (again) and attracting hundreds of flies, small bees, wasps, butterflies, and other succulent insects. Apart from the delightful Fairy Flycatcher there are many other diners visiting.

The Editor
Daphne Goldsworthy 

Birdlife Botswana sponsored its regular “Winter Camp” at a location called “Dithopo Camp” just west and a little north of Lephephe. A departure from Gaborone by 3:00 pm on Friday afternoon got us to our destination in the Dithopo Camp just in time to setup camp in the magnificent yet rapidly diminishing light of the winter sunset. Harold and Geraldine Hester led a caravan of 4 other vehicles to the camp site with Anthony Vodraska and Anita Gilbert pulling up the rear. With three GPS among the group, 2 sets of car-to-car walky-talkies and cell phones, (not to mention detailed directions from Daphne, Mike and Chris who scouted the location the previous week) we were sure not to get lost or stray as the landmarks became few this close to the CKGR. Under the generous spread of a group of ancient Marula Trees, we set up a communal fire-pit and a ring of camp chairs, the individual tents and vehicles casually doting the perimeter. Among the campers were new BLB members attending their first camp: George and Paula Tutt with son, Nick, and Mark and Eugenie Skelton. Ant Snyman was on his second camp. Lucky with a break in the cold weather pattern, the group of 10 hardy and ready souls found that they could do without some of the ensemble of the cold temperature clothing. The campfire at night kept us close to its heat, but the days found us in shirt sleeves by 10 am. I did not find the need to break out the hot chocolate. 

2005 has been a very eventfull year. We have increased our staff one hundredfold welcoming Keddy Mooketsa to BLB as Administrative assistant. We also opened our offices in Kgale Siding and our patron Sedia Modise agreed to join us.

2006 will see another member of staff as we are joined by a Japanese volunteer who has been seconded to us for a two year period, we wish her a successful stay. Another visitor in our midst, not a member of staff but definitely a member of the bird community is an Osprey. It has been seen at the Gabs Yacht club and was here about the same time last year for about 3 weeks. Sadly we will be saying goodbye to

Avril and Eldrid Kasner shortly who have been strongly supportive of BLB whilst living in Lobatse. We have also recently learned that Brenda
and Brian Webster also from Lobatse will be leaving us after a very short relationship with BLB. Gremlins – or Santa’s elves were up to their usual mischief and my computer would not switch on after Xmas and the Chat was obliterated and had to be “reformatted”. I was unable to obtain some of the pictures that had been sent with articles and apologise to authors some of whose pictures have not been included. 

Page 

Birdlife Kasane
Mike Lakin 3
National Bird
Nikki Bousfield 4
Nnwane Dam Anita Gilbert & Anthony Vodraska 5
Depletion of the Planet Quiz 6
Avian flu
Birdlife International 11
Chobe visit
Lucinda Briddes 14
Bird Ringing lake Ngami
Peter D’Arcy 15
Committee members 17
Events Gaborone-Maun-Kasane 18

The Editor
Daphne Goldsworthy
Email: daf@botsnet.bw

We had a most successful office opening in May where we gained much approval for what we have done and are planning to do. There were several important guests there, among who were the Minister of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism as well as two Permanent Secretaries in the ministries of Wildlife and the Environment. There were other government officials from DWNP and the public sector. An important guest was a senior lady from the British Embassy who is responsible for DFID. Altogether there were about sixty guests, who gathered outside our
new office and enjoyed drinks and snacks and listened to an excellent address from the Minister who said exactly what we needed him to say. Then Kabelo gave a PowerPoint presentation on progress and plans for BLB. Several outsiders approached us to join the Society and one of our corporate sponsors said that they hoped to adopt our IBA project as theirs. The Minister was particularly complimentary and said that he
hoped that his departments and ourselves would work closely together in the future. The ambience was most pleasant in the early evening under the large trees and stars, with lanterns twinkling above our heads

Remember – The Annual Dinner is on the 17th September and we have an exciting speaker.