Over three bird ringing visits to Botuin, we have caught 748 birds of 57 species! Botuin is situated on the outskirts of Vanrhynsdorp and accessible with a normal car. Compared with the surrounding countryside, it is a bit of an oasis and has an amazing variety of birds. There are resident Namaqua Warblers, Karoo Scrub Robins, Fiscal Flycatchers, sparrows and weavers, and other species in the garden area. Some other special birds caught here include European Bee-eater, Pearl-breasted Swallow and Red-headed Finch. We never know which species will surprise us next!
Not far away are the sewage works where we have caught a variety of waterbirds in special nets, including Cape Teal, Moorhen and several wader species. In future we will also try other trapping methods here.
In the nearby karoo veld we have caught four lark species, Rufous-eared Warblers, various canaries, and other species. The ringing rate is slower here, but worth it for the exciting birds we catch. And while waiting for birds, we enjoy the amazing karoo scenery, and walk around to birdwatch.
The next BDI-Birds4Africa bird ringing course at Botuin is from 28 June to 4 July 2023. It is not too late to register for this exciting event!
Previous visits: 23-26 Jan 2020, 27 Nov-1 Dec 2021, 1-7 Feb 2023 [blog].
Birds caught at Botuin during three visits from 2020 to 2023
| Sp no | Count | English |
|---|---|---|
| 98 | 2 | Cape Teal |
| 210 | 1 | Common Moorhen |
| 237 | 1 | Kittlitz’s Plover |
| 238 | 4 | Three-banded Plover |
| 245 | 4 | Blacksmith Plover |
| 253 | 4 | Little Stint |
| 317 | 30 | Laughing Dove |
| 318 | 11 | Namaqua Dove |
| 391 | 13 | White-backed Mousebird |
| 392 | 17 | Red-faced Mousebird |
| 404 | 10 | European Bee-eater |
| 418 | 1 | African Hoopoe |
| 463 | 2 | Large-billed Lark |
| 474 | 2 | Spike-heeled Lark |
| 485 | 6 | Grey-backed Sparrow-lark |
| 488 | 2 | Red-capped Lark |
| 495 | 4 | White-throated Swallow |
| 498 | 3 | Pearl-breasted Swallow |
| 506 | 1 | Rock Martin |
| 509 | 2 | Brown-throated Martin |
| 525 | 1 | Southern Grey Tit |
| 544 | 10 | African Red-eyed Bulbul |
| 570 | 2 | Familiar Chat |
| 576 | 1 | African Stonechat |
| 581 | 6 | Cape Robin-chat |
| 583 | 11 | Karoo Scrub Robin |
| 604 | 5 | Lesser Swamp Warbler |
| 606 | 9 | African Reed Warbler |
| 619 | 2 | Rufous-eared Warbler |
| 646 | 2 | Levaillant’s Cisticola |
| 653 | 6 | Namaqua Warbler |
| 658 | 4 | Chestnut-vented Tit-babbler |
| 665 | 10 | Fiscal Flycatcher |
| 678 | 4 | Fairy Flycatcher |
| 686 | 9 | Cape Wagtail |
| 707 | 3 | Southern Fiscal |
| 722 | 1 | Bokmakierie |
| 733 | 1 | Common Starling |
| 745 | 1 | Red-winged Starling |
| 760 | 9 | Southern Double-collared Sunbird |
| 784 | 27 | House Sparrow |
| 786 | 144 | Cape Sparrow |
| 799 | 95 | Cape Weaver |
| 803 | 79 | Southern Masked Weaver |
| 805 | 1 | Red-billed Quelea |
| 808 | 64 | Southern Red Bishop |
| 820 | 2 | Red-headed Finch |
| 843 | 4 | Common Waxbill |
| 865 | 18 | White-throated Canary |
| 866 | 2 | Yellow Canary |
| 867 | 1 | Streaky-headed Canary |
| 871 | 6 | Larklike Bunting |
| 873 | 4 | Cape Bunting |
| 1104 | 1 | Karoo Thrush |
| 1172 | 74 | Cape White-eye |
| 4139 | 6 | Karoo Prinia |
| 4142 | 3 | Southern Greyheaded Sparrow |
