With masses of free activities, exhibitions, workshops and guided walks on offer at this year's Sasol Birds & Birding Fair, Johannesburg Zoo is the place to be on 28 and 29 May 2011.
This partnership between Sasol, BirdLife South Africa, Johannesburg Zoo and Africa-Birds & Birding magazine offers a weekend of fun and learning for the entire family. Entrance to the zoo has been reduced to R35 for the duration of the fair and once inside, all fair activities are free, including lectures by leading ornithologists, demonstrations and guided bird walks.
The star of this year's fair and "Bird of the Year 2011" is the humble Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) the most widespread species of swallow in the world. After breeding is complete and the summer comes to a close in Europe, much of Asia and the majority of North America, over 100-million barn swallows migrate to Africa, many of them to southern Africa.
These little birds are generally the welcome harbingers of spring. This and their attractive and charismatic lifestyle account for their popularity and make them a good choice for Bird of the Year 2011.
In addition to the many activities on offer to visitors, Stephan Terblanche will be giving helpful tips on how to spot the differences between swallows, swifts and martins. In other talks, Dr Andrew McKechnie will discuss how desert birds are being affected by climate change and Geoff Lockwood will focus on changing bird species in Johannesburg, as well as bird territories and whey they are so much more than just a place to stay.
Dr Dieter Oschadleus will cover several subjects such as climate change, wetlands, citizen science and ringing and Ulrich Uberprieler will give the lowdown on migratory birds of prey.
Kids can learn about migration too. Amongst the activities lined up for them is a migration game to learn about birds' migratory patterns and a colouring-in competition.
Of course, a bird fair would not be complete without focusing on bird conservation. Several stands – BirdLife South Africa, the Endangered Wildlife Trust's Bird of Prey Programme, and the Southern Ground-Hornbill Project – will give visitors insight into endangered species and how the public can play a role in conserving them.
Importantly, the Mount Moreland Conservancy will be there to demonstrate how it is conserving the millions of Barn Swallows that roost near King Shaka International Airport near Durban in KwaZulu-Natal.
And if all that is just not enough to tempt you to migrate to the Sasol Bird & Birding fair on 28 or 29 May, then the fantastic lucky draw prizes should get you there. These include a Beginners Guide to Avian Photography for two people by Robbie Aspeling; a weekend away for a family of four at Mutapa Hotel and Resort in the Waterberg; a pair of Nikon binoculars; 10 discount vouchers for Mutapa Hotel and Resort, five subscriptions to Africa-Birds & Birding, five subscriptions to BirdLife South Africa and one subscription to FreeMe.
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Notes to the editor:
Highlights of The Fair
Saturday 28 May 2011
| Time |
Title |
Presenter |
09h00-
14h00 |
Beginner bird photography - workshop* |
Robbie Aspeling |
| 10h00 |
Gardening is for the birds – creating a bird-friendly garden |
Malcolm Hepplewhite |
| 12h00 |
Swallows, swifts and martins – why they are what they are! |
Stephan Terblanche |
| 14h00 |
Desert birds and climate change |
Dr Andrew McKecknie |
| 16h00 |
The changing bird species of Johannesburg – what is here and what is no longer here |
Geoff Lockwood |
Sunday 29 May 2011
| Time |
Title |
Presenter |
| 09h00 – 14h00 |
Beginner bird photography - workshop* |
Robbie Aspeling |
| 10h00 |
South African Bird Atlas Project 2 (SABAP2) – how atlasing assists conservation planning |
Dieter Oschadleus |
| 12h00 |
Migratory birds of prey |
Ulrich Uberprieler |
| 14h00 |
Bird territories – more than just a place to stay |
Geoff Lockwood |
| |
|
|
* This workshop has been compiled to enable the bird enthusiast to venture out into the world of bird photography and will cover the following topics:
1. Getting started
2. Equipment recommendations for new bird photographers
3. What camera settings to use to achieve the best results
4. Exposure, exposure compensation and working with histograms
5. Basic composition
6. Basic field techniques
7. Birds in flight photography
The workshop and lectures are on a first come first served basis.
A Migration Game for children will take place twice during the morning and afternoon on both days. Visit the BirdLife South Africa stand for more information.
