UCT Open Access Journals (Univ. of Cape Town)
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Return to a Zambian Jewel: A research stay at Mutinondo Wilderness Lodge.
Get PDFIn the beginning of March 2016, my husband (Thomas) and I spent six grace-filled days ringing birds at Mutinondo Wilderness Lodge in northern Zambia (12?27?S 31?17?E)
Birds feeding on aloe nectar: do camera traps and point counts produce comparable data?
Get PDFThis paper represents a single season of camera trapping at aloes. We found that point counts recorded more species and therefore gave a broader picture of species diversity in the area. The differences between the two methods indicate caution in relying on just one method for this type of survey. Since camera traps focus on the aloes, they capture primarily birds feeding on nectar. The two methods should be regarded as complementary, since both an overview of the avifauna and the activity of individual species is important in analysing differences between seasons
Altitudinal migration in south-eastern Africa
Get PDFAltitudinal migration is defined as the seasonal movement of birds from high level breeding haunts to lower levels during the winter. Data is given on the movements of selected species and it is shown in some cases that the migrants maintain a territory in their winter quarters. Evidence from ringed birds shows that species undertaking altitudinal migration do so year after year proving that the phenomenon is not merely a dispersal by young birds. There are no known forests where the whole population moves to lower levels. The significance of the migration is discussed and it is concluded that its evolution was related to vicissitudes of the pseistocene climate. At the present time it is probably important in maintaining gene flow between populations in montane forest, a highly fragmented and, in many areas, a vanishing habitat
Breeding of Buff-streaked Chat, including an eyewitness account of nestling predation by Rinkhals
Get PDFThis note reports on observations at three nests of the Buff-streaked Chat Campicoloides bifasciata made between September 2016 and January 2017 in the conservancy bordering Clarens, eastern Free State, South Africa. Besides witnessing a Rinkhals Hemachatus haemachatus predating Buff-streaked Chat nestling, we also take the opportunity to report on apparently unusual nest sites for this species, and what appears to be the first record of the incubation period
Cape White-eyes in the Eastern Cape: plumage characters, survival, and movements.
Get PDFAlmost all our records of green-bellied Cape White-eyes are outside the breeding season, with a peak in winter. They possibly come from localities to the east of Grahamstown, Bathurst and Port Alfred, but we have no direct evidence of such movement, nor of altitudinal migration between coastal and inland sites. The higher frequency of green-bellied birds at the coastal ringing sites may suggest local movements within the coastal belt, or occasional coastwards movement by adjoining populations, which could also account for the diversity of flank colours recorded in a small proportion of the birds
Determinants of Building Construction Costs in South Africa
Get PDFCompleting project within cost is the target of most clients on any construction project. However, the achievement of this desire is just an imagination in the construction industry, because procurement and execution environments for projects are hostile and unpredictable. This study examines the determinants of building construction costs in South Africa and whether changes in the cost of certain resource factors such as construction equipment, labour and materials can be related to changes in building construction costs. The study employs a longitudinal cross-sectional quantitative research design approach and makes use of literature review and historical data obtained from institutional and governmental databases to identify the determinants. The data collected were analysed using time series analysis to confirm the trends in the cost of the resource factors and its alignment to the changes in building construction cost. After that, it makes use of an appropriate predictive modelling tool or causal analysis in establishing the determinants of construction cost. The results show that the price indices of construction equipment (EI), labour (LI) and materials (MI) have a gentler slope when compared with the Building Cost Index (BCI). It also emerged that later levels of the BCI are significantly and positively related to EI. The findings infer that the key determinant of increase in building construction costs in South Africa is equipment costs. Contractors and public or private sector clients in South Africa must utilize construction equipment optimally on projects, and these pieces of equipment should not be left idle on project sites or plant yards. Appropriate provisions should be made of equipment utilization policies which allow the joint ownership of equipment by contractors to mitigate the problems of cost increases. There are widely unexamined assumptions as to what resource factors are responsible for the growth in building construction costs in South Africa. Also is the similar high risk and uncertainty affecting the South African construction industry as a result of these fluctuations. The results of the study extend the knowledge of the resource factors responsible for building construction costs increases.
Immature Cape Vulture Gyps coprotheres breaks species range record
Get PDFOver the 20-month observation period, the Cape Vulture considered in this paper visited seven countries. We calculated its total foraging range to be 2,066,350 km2 The foraging range of this Cape Vulture is the largest recorded for the species; indeed, it is more than four times larger than that the previous record holder
Cheetahs Acinonyx jubatus utilising Sociable Weaver Philetairus socius structures at Tswalu Kalahari Reserve
Get PDFHere we observe that Cheetahs in Tswalu Kalahari Reserve also use these structures as look-out perches. We have observed cheetahs on top of colonies and have camera trap footage of them climbing the trees that contain these structures
Omnivorous diets of Karoo Thrush and Dark-capped Bulbul
Get PDFThe diets of the Karoo Thrush Turdus smithii and Dark-capped Bulbul Pycnonotus tricolor were observed. 26 items were confirmed and bread was added to their diets
Deformed head of a Burchell\'s Sandgrouse Pterocles burchelli
Get PDFWhile sandgrouse are the essence of grace and strength, we caught a strange looking Burchell\'s Sandgrouse during a ringing session on 1 April 2016 near Witvlei in Namibia. It looked like it had suffered a blow on the head