finch conservation | ornithology | aviculture

The RFCG stand at the Sasol Bird Fair.

Interest from both young and old was very good

In spite of the rain on the first day the How Tall Are You height chart proved to be a popular attraction for young kids. Shara and Corin Nattrass.

On the second and last day the weather was a lot more favorable. Targeting young children will be an important market with the Africa’s Smallest Finch conservation project

Two Love Birds celebrating their tallest day in their lives

Dr Hanneline Smit-Robinson from BirdLife South Africa is our key contact with the Orange-breasted Waxbill collaboration.

This past weekend was our first participation at the Sasol Bird Fair, which was held at the Walter Sisulu Bird Gardens at Rooderpoort, just outside Johannesburg . With more than 35 exhibitors it certainly was a great privilege and honour to be part of this annual event. Public awareness and support for the little Orange-breasted Waxbill conservation project and BirdLife International’s PREVENTING EXTINCTIONS initiative with Keeping Common Birds Commons is steadily growing.

Thanks to a generous printing sponsorship from Castle Graphics North (Pty)Ltd 60 Bird Hide posters will soon be erected in hides in all the birding areas where the Orange-breasted Waxbill can be seen in their natural habitat.

Photo: Chris Krog

 For more info visit http://www.rarefinch.org or write to the secretary at editor@avitalk.co.za

SEE – CONSERVE – ENJOY

This weekend  5 – 6 September is the Sasol Bird Fair at the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden. Roodepoort. JHB. South Africa

Pack a picnic and soak up the magnificent scenery at the Sasol Bird Fair. Activities include guided bird walks, a bird photography workshop, interactive entertainment, face-painting and educational activities for kids There will also be an exhibition area of everything related to birds and birding, from birding books , birding apps, binoculars, spotting scopes and bird feeders to birding holiday destinations and tour operators etc.

It will also be the first time that the Rare Finch Conservation Group will be present at the event. We will have lots of fun and interesting goodies for young kids to get involved in. Come chat to us and find out more about the work that we are currently doing in collaboration with BirdLife South Africa on the Orange-breasted Waxbill, Africa’s smallest finch. Just look out for the orange balloons and come on over and introduce yourselves. We certainly look forward to meeting you.

Photo: Chris Krog

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Lindsay Nutley, RFCG’s newest member, and founder member Fred Barnicoat. Photo Eelco Meyjes

On 10 August the RFCG had its 10th Anniversary

Fred Barnicoat , who is widely regarded as one of the grand masters of South African aviculture, and a founder member of the Rare Finch Conservation Group, shares some of his wisdom and expertise with Lindsay Nutley who is the newest member to join the RFCG. Fred, who is a retired Latin teacher, is also the person who fathered the name Rare Finch Conservation Group

Neville Brickell as a specialist film maker in the early sixties

It is difficult to believe that when the RFCG first started in 2005 GOOGLE  was still very much in it’s infancy and facebook hadn’t even been born yet. By using their incredible collection of bird books Fred Barnicoat and Neville Brickell ( who is also a founder member of the RFCG ), were able to provide a lot of the facts needed for the RFCG to build its very first website. These two great doyens of South African aviculture, who are now deep in their seventies, have had their outstanding work published in many leading South African and international bird books.

The authoritative Roberts’ Birds of Southern Africa 6th edition published in 1993. The first edition was published in 1940

Not many people know of the fact that Professor Gordon Lindsay Maclean, who authored the Sixth Edition of the famous Roberts’ Birds of Southern Africa , publicly acknowledged the important contribution made by aviculturists when nesting and incubation data was not available to him on certain bird species in the wild .

Today, thanks to the internet, information is sourced and shared a lot quicker. Part of Lindsay Nutley’s responsibility is to help guide the RFCG to be an active participant in the exciting new digital age . Last year Lindsay , who is an Australian based in Vietnam , uploaded the RFCG onto facebook, which in turn resulted in us finding the second photograph in the world of the elusive and threatened Shelley’s crimsonwing.This photograph was very kindly donated by Colin Jackson who is based in Nairobi, Kenya.  The Shelley’s crimsonwing is the finch that is used in the RFCG logo.

 CHEERS TO THE NEXT 10 YEARS AND MANY THANKS TO ALL OUR GENEROUS SUPPORTERS AND SPONSORS THAT HAVE BELIEVED IN US OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS. WITHOUT YOU NOTHING WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE.

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Professor Ernst Kruger

It is with deep regret that we need to inform all of our followers and supporters of the very sad and sudden passing of Professor Ernst Kruger. Ernst was a founder member and director of the Rare Finch Conservation Group. Not only was he one of South Africa’s finest aviculturists, but his contribution to the Rare Finch Conservation Group over the past 10 years was massive.

Shelley’s crimsonwing finch. Visual courtesy http://www.gorilla.org

Ernst played a lead scientific role with the work that was done up in Uganda on the threatened and elusive Shelley’s crimson wing finch. The fieldwork findings were shared with BirdLife International, Nature Uganda, Uganda Wildlife Authorities and many more conservation organisations. To date there are still only two known photographs of the finch in the world

More recently Ernst played an instrumental part in helping to prepare the research methodology required for the Orange-breasted Waxbill, Africa’s smallest finch, which now needs conservation help.

Ernst was a man with extreme integrity, high moral values and an amazing family man. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Elmien and two sons plus their families during this very difficult time.

R.I.P

27 JULY 1956 – 3 AUGUST 2015

A Black-faced Waxbill

A Green-winged Pytilia often refered to as a Melba Finch

A Scaly-feathered Finch

A Blue Waxbill

A Common Waxbill

According to the highly acclaimed Roberts birds of Southern Africa sixth edition there are no less than 89 species of finches in this beautiful part of the African continent. It may even be the widest variety of finches that one will see anywhere in the world. Chris Krog must rank as one of the finest bird photographers in South Africa and his talent to capture the mood, the colour and birds personality is simply unbelievable. Fortunately non of the above shown finches are listed as threatened

Chris Krog. A true master with his camera

The Rare Finch Conservation Group would hereby publicly like to thank him for allowing us to use his wonderful photographs to help advance a better understanding and appreciation for finches in general. And in particular the work that we are now doing on the Orange-breasted Waxbill, Africa’s smallest finch,which now needs conservation help

Orange-breasted Waxbill

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