Garden Club talks about birds and raptors
Guest speaker, Lorna Stanton, spoke to the Johannesburg South Garden Club members on Tuesday April 28, about birds and raptors of South Africa.
ALBERTON – Lorna showed a video of many different species she has come across and those raptors which she has spent time with.
Places to visit
Con Joubert Park – Desert Road, Randfontein, contains a permanent pan with a good bird hide. Here you will get to see birds such the African sacred ibis, glossy ibis, greater flamingo, maccoa duck, African purple swamp hen and grey-headed gull. It also has a wetland, which has become a regular breeding ground for large numbers of grey-headed gulls and sacred ibis.
Bullfrog Pan – Benoni. Here you’ll find over 150 bird species, including the glossy ibis, African sacred ibis, African spoonbill, great egret, little egret, yellow-billed egret, black-winged stilt, blacksmith stilt, pied avocet, and African snipe.
Gillooly’s Farm – Situated around a man-made lake, Gillooly’s Farm is a superb place to go bird watching. A lot of the birds, especially the waterfowl, at the farm are tame and it is possible to walk right up to them. With over 50 bird species, the sanctuary spreads over an area of 44 hectares. Prime attractions include the white-breasted cormorant, reed cormorant, African darter, grey heron, cattle egret, white stork, Egyptian goose, yellow-billed duck, house sparrow and Cape wagtail. The farm is open every day from Monday to Sunday and the entrance is free. It is an ideal place to relax after walking. Braai and picnicking facilities are available all around the lake. There is also a restaurant with seating both indoors and outdoors.
Melrose Bird Sanctuary – The Melrose Bird Sanctuary in James and Ethel Gray Park in Melrose Road has a hide for birdwatchers from which they can watch the wide variety of birds that nest in the reeds beside the dam. The sanctuary with its 10 ha/25ac of luxuriant vegetation, is an ideal nesting-place for many species of birds. A tour in Melrose Wild Bird Sanctuary will take a full day. You will be able to see many birdsongs with vibrant colours. There are more than 120 species of wild birds, some of them you will see on natural trees along the gleaming lake. This is a perfect attraction for a family visit.
For more information on the garden club, phone Maud Pickup on 011 435 0852/ 082 854 9212, Rob Jones on 082 049 9739 or Fathima Badat on 071 191 8700/ 011 432 2628.
