{"title":"Birds of SABAP2 pentad 2915_2555 on the Jagersfontein Road, south-west of Bloemfontein, Free State","authors":"D. De Swardt","doi":"10.15641/bo.1315","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15641/bo.1315","url":null,"abstract":"This paper describes results of a bird survey done at Pentad 2915_2555 on the Jagersfontein road south-west of Bloemfontein between April 2008 and January 2023. A total of 197 species have been recorded from mainly 169 full-protocol SABAP2 cards (162 done by author) and more than 30 ad hoc lists. The seasonality of waterbird species is discussed based on responses and occurrences after the rainfall seasons. Higher reporting rates were obtained for species such as Yellow-billed Ducks (49.7%), Red-billed Teals (37.9%) and White-faced Whistling Ducks (32.0%) during the summer months, which were sometimes still present into the drier winter months. Spur-winged Goose (39.6%) and Egyptian Goose (69.2%) also have high reporting occurrences, although South African Shelducks showed a more seasonal occurrence with lower reporting rates (17.8%). The seasonality of winter visiting species such as Swallow-tailed Bee eater and Sickle-winged Chats is discussed. Sickle-winged Chats were mostly observed in the area between April–August preferring low shrubs in open patches in grassland and on gravel roads. Swallow-tailed Bee eater were observed in the Buddleja sp. bush areas on the slope of the hill at the Praalhoek farm between May and July. The seasonal occurrence of Melodeuis Larks, which starts singing after the first summer rains, is also discussed. The ongoing monitoring of bird populations through the SABAP2 project (and with other platforms such as the Virtual Museum digitization projects) is emphasized and therefore the importance of monitoring bird populations over time.","PeriodicalId":155392,"journal":{"name":"Biodiversity Observations","volume":"96 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"117160405","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Partial leucistic Gabar Goshawk Micronisus gabar in Bethlehem, Free State","authors":"Martin Potgieter","doi":"10.15641/bo.1374","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15641/bo.1374","url":null,"abstract":"A partially leucistic Gabar Goshawk Micronisus gabar was photographed in a residential garden in Bethlehem, Free State, on 27 March 2023.","PeriodicalId":155392,"journal":{"name":"Biodiversity Observations","volume":"23 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125730185","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Millions of Caper Whites Belenois aurota 100 km offshore of West Africa","authors":"Albert Chipps, L. Underhill","doi":"10.15641/bo.1343","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15641/bo.1343","url":null,"abstract":"At least 4.3 million Caper Whites Belenois aurota were observed at sea in the Atlantic Ocean offshore of Senegal and The Gambia between 14 and 18 October 2003. They were moving to the southwest, carried by the northeasterly wind.","PeriodicalId":155392,"journal":{"name":"Biodiversity Observations","volume":"4 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128033816","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ekiñe Velasco, Jon Zubillaga, Maite Gonzalez, E. Cottrant
{"title":"Spotted Gully Shark Triakis megalopterus at Robben Island, Table Bay, South Africa","authors":"Ekiñe Velasco, Jon Zubillaga, Maite Gonzalez, E. Cottrant","doi":"10.15641/bo.1339","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15641/bo.1339","url":null,"abstract":"We report a sighting of a Spotted Gully Shark Triakis megalopterus at Robben Island, 7 km from the nearest mainland, in Table Bay, South Africa. The sighting was made on 18 February 2023 within an hour of high tide.","PeriodicalId":155392,"journal":{"name":"Biodiversity Observations","volume":"101 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122594196","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Reptiles and Amphibians of the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa","authors":"M. Fraser","doi":"10.15641/bo.1338","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15641/bo.1338","url":null,"abstract":"The status of all the reptile and amphibian species that have been recorded in the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve (the southern section of the Table Mountain National Park) is described. A total of 57 species has been recorded, comprising seven tortoises and turtles, 14 lizards, one chamaeleon, 20 snakes, two platannas, and 13 frogs and toads. The Reserve is an important stronghold of the IUCN-classified ‘Endangered’ Cape Platanna Xenopus gilli, and holds the discrete southern population of the range-restricted, ‘Near Threatened’ Cape Peninsula Moss Frog Arthroleptella lightfooti.","PeriodicalId":155392,"journal":{"name":"Biodiversity Observations","volume":"38 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114285232","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Knob-billed Duck Sarkidiornis melanotos moulting in the Free State","authors":"Martin Potgieter","doi":"10.15641/bo.1329","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15641/bo.1329","url":null,"abstract":"Some Knob-billed Ducks Sarkidiornis melanotos in flightless moult were photographed on a farm dam in the central Free State Province of South Africa in May 2019. Although fairly common in the north-eastern quarter of southern Africa, this is apparently only the third record of this species moulting in the sub-region.","PeriodicalId":155392,"journal":{"name":"Biodiversity Observations","volume":"126 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131455418","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata: a possible first breeding record for Algeria","authors":"Ayeb Slimane, E. Ali, Salah Telailia","doi":"10.15641/bo.1210","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15641/bo.1210","url":null,"abstract":"Breeding events of a waterbird species outside of their normal breeding grounds could be important to address how population changes on wintering areas are impacted by changes elsewhere in the birds’ annual cycle. In this note we confirm the first breeding record of Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata in Algeria. The breeding site was a saline lake, Sebkhet El-mahmel, located 180 km from the Mediterranean Sea and subject to a semi-arid climate. The area was visited on 16 June 2019 and the species was confirmed as a pair of Northern Shoveler accompanied by eight juveniles. The Northern Shoveler is an unmistakable waterbird species in the northern hemisphere due to its distinctive bill. The female and her juveniles looked healthy and they spent almost the entire daytime foraging and swimming.","PeriodicalId":155392,"journal":{"name":"Biodiversity Observations","volume":"213 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131631670","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Impact of cold and wet weather on Common Swifts Apus apus (with comments)","authors":"Eddie Rabie, Christa Rabie, H. Oschadleus","doi":"10.15641/bo.849","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15641/bo.849","url":null,"abstract":"This note describes the effects of a cold and wet weather event on the Common Swifts Apus apus.","PeriodicalId":155392,"journal":{"name":"Biodiversity Observations","volume":"131 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133569064","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Breeding range extension of Southern Carmine Bee-eater Merops nubicoides in Botswana","authors":"D. McKenzie","doi":"10.15641/bo.860","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15641/bo.860","url":null,"abstract":"This paper reports the first observations of Southern Carmine Bee-eater Merops nubicoides breeding in the Limpopo drainage system, in Botswana, and suggests that it is likely that this species also breeds on the banks of the Limpopo River, on the South African side.","PeriodicalId":155392,"journal":{"name":"Biodiversity Observations","volume":"75 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131647014","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}