Identified Birds of PCC

Pretoria Country Club – Bird Watching

Our members seem to have a keen interest in the early morning activities at the Club, with some leaving the house early on a Saturday morning not with golf clubs in the trunk of their cars but rather...their binoculars!!

It started in January 2012 with a small group of 11 "Birders" and we schedule these Bird-Walks throughout the year, currently limiting the group sizes to not more that 35/40 people as they become to big to walk around and see everything as a group.

We are very lucky to always be accompanied by a friend from Bird Life Northern-Gauteng who assists us with these walks and act as the leader of our groups. They provide us amateurs with valuable information throughout the walk and are always willing to answer questions raised by our members.

Currently we do about 3 or 4 Bird-Walks every year with another Indoor Presentation scheduled for the colder winter months when most birds are away on their migratory quests. All Bird-Walks start around 6h00 and go for about 90-120 minutes and then everyone enjoy breakfast and coffee after the walk. After that we then call out the names of what we have seen during the walk and tick off and count those spotted.

Our best day so far was during the walk in February 2014 were no less than 52 of the 86 recorded species were spotted on that day...

All these walks start at Reception with a short loop on the Golf Course. Sometimes we finish at the Bowls Clubhouse but the bird life at the Dam Area just seems to be the highlight of each walk.

So far we have only had great interest by those who joined and it is always nice to see the new faces attending these walks. Some members have actually came to us and said that they have been members of this Club for more than 25 years and during these walks they have seen areas of our property that they never even knew existed!

Anybody interested to attend these Bird-Walks who are currently not on our mailing list - please reply to myself on dylan@ptacc.co.za or Carli-Jeanne at cj@ptacc.co.za with your details and we will happily inform you of our next walk...

Below find the list of Birds recorded at PCC: (in alphabetical order)

African Black Sunbird
Afrikaanse Swartsuikerbekkie

African Darter
Afrikaanse Slanghalsvoël

African Hoopoe
Hoephoep

African Palm Swift
Afrikaanse Palmwindswael

African Spoonbill
Lepelaar

Arrow-Marked Babbler
Pylvlekkatlagter

Black Collared Barbet
Rooikophoutkapper

Black Crake
Swartriethaan

Black Cuckoo
Swartkoekoek

Black-eyed Bulbul
Swartoogtiptol

Black-headed Heron
Swartkop Reier

Black-headed Oriole
Swartkopwielewaal

Black-winged Kite
Blouvalk

Black Sparrowhawk
Swart sperwer

Blacksmith Lapwing
Bontkiewiet

Bronze Mannikin
Gewone Fret

Brown Hooded Kingfisher
Bruinkopvisvanger

Burchell’s Cougal
Gewone Vleiloerie

Cattle Egret
Bosluisvoël

Cape White Eye
Kaapse Glasogie

Cape Robin
Gewone Janfrederik

Cape Sparrow
Gewone Mossie

Cape Wagtail
Gewone Kwikkie

Cardinal Woodpecker
Kardinaalspeg

Common Fiscal Shrike
Gewone Fiskaallaksman

Common Moorhen
Groot Waterhoender

Crowned Lapwing
Kroonkiewiet

Crested Barbet
Kuifkophoutkapper

Diederik Cuckoo
Diederikkie

Egyptian Geese
Egiptiese Kolgaans

Feral Pigeon
Tuinduif

Fiery-necked Nightjar
Naguil

Fiscal Flycatcher
Fiskallvlieëvanger

Fork-tailed Drongo
Mikstertbyvanger

Giant Kingfisher
Reuse Visvanger

Glossy Starling
Kleinglansspreeu

Grey Heron
Bloureier

Grey Hornbill
Grysneushoringvoël

Grey Go-away-bird
Kwêvoël

Groundscraper Trush
Gevlekte Lyster

Gymnogene
Kaalwangvalk

Hadeda Ibis
Hadeda

Hammerkop
Hamerkop

Helmeted Guinea-Fowl
Tarentaal

House-Sparrow
Huismossie

Indian Myna
Indiese Spreeu

Jacobin Cuckoo
Bontnuwejaarsvoël

Karoo Thrush
Geelbeklyster

Laughing Dove
Rooiborsduifie

Little Bittern
Woudapie / Klein Rietreier

Mallard Duck
Mallard Eend

Ovambo Sparrowhawk
Ovambosperwer

Paradise Flycatcher
Paradysvlieëvanger

Pied Crow
Witborskraai

Pied Kingfisher
Bontvisvanger

Puffback
Sneeubal

Rameron Pigeon
Geelbekbosduif

Red-Billed Woodhoopoe
Gewone Kakelaar

Red-Chested Cuckoo
Piet-my-vrou

Red Eyed Dove
Grootringduif

Red-Knobbed Coot
Bleshoender

Red Throated Wryneck
Draaihals

Reed Cormorant
Rietduiker

Red-Winged Starling
Rooivlerkspreeu

Ring-necked Dove
Gewone Tortelduif

Rose Ringed Parakeet
Ringnekpapgaai

Sacred Ibis
Skoorsteenveër

Southern Boubou
Suidelike Waterfiskaal

Southern Masked Weaver
Swartkeelgeelvink

Southern Red-Bishop
Suidelike Rooivink

Speckled Mousebird
Gevlekte Muisvoël

Speckled Pigeon
Kransduif

Spotted Eagle Owl
Gevlekte Ooruil

Spotted Flycatcher
Europese Vlieevanger

Spotted Thick-Knee
Dikkop

Tawny-flanked Prinia
Bruinsylangstertjie

Thick-billed Weaver
Dikbekbewer

White-bellied Sunbird
Witpenssuikerbekkie

White-faced Duck
Nonnetjie-eend

White-throated Swallow
Witkeelswael

Woodland Kingfisher
Bosveldvisvanger

Yellow-billed Duck
Geelbekeend

Yellowbilled Egret
Geelbekwitreier

Yellow-billed Kite
Geelbekwou

Yellowedeyed Canary
Geeloogkanarie

*Info and Images from Google, Wikipedia and Warwick Tarboton Photography.

John Collier Good Governance and Environmental Compliance Award

John Collier Report 2013

PCC's Course Management team have recently been awarded the "Best Return for 2013".

Below find the article published in a few electronic and other golf related magazines...

Extract from - Compleat Golfer South Africa - June 2014 (Monthly Golf and Industry Magazine)

On World Environment Day (WED), it was announced that Pretoria Country Club came out best in the John Collier Survey on Governance and Environmental Compliance for 2013.

“What impressed the judges most about the Pretoria Country Club’s submission,” John Collier said, “was the proactive manner in which the club has shown year-on-year improvements in areas of water, biodiversity and turf grass management in seeking governance and environmental compliance.

“From a water-management perspective, their irrigation usage monitoring, backed up by data support from their weather station and financial budgeting processes, are detailed, transparent and world class.

“As regards biodiversity programmes, their tree- and shrub-asset register matches with the best the judges have seen for some time, especially the identification of indigenous and exotics and non-indigenous trees.”

Collier described the club’s turf grass management as “holistic” and highlighted the “careful management of and transparency as to the types of pesticides and wetting agents used on the course”. He said it all adds “to the aesthetic beauty of the course”.

It was also shown that the list of birds that can be spotted on the course is growing. On one walk, a total of 52 species were spotted.

Each year, special mention is made of one other club, and this year, Ebotse Golf Club got commended.

Previous winners of the award:

2007, Benoni Country Club
2008, Randpark Golf Club
2009, Leopard Creek
2010, Kyalami Golf Club
2011, Leopard Creek
2012, Metropolitan Golf Club

PCC Tree List - 2014

PCC Tree List A few years ago we made an effort to identify and record every specie of trees and shrubs, indigenous and exotics, currently growing on our property.  About 80% of our trees on the course and other areas on our property have since been tagged with a green tag (indigenous) and yellow tag (exotics). This tag includes their Common names in English and Afrikaans, also the Botanical Name and National Tree Number. Find below a list of the 105 available trees on PCC, with the exception of only 2 trees still to be identified.
*All Exotics/Non-Indigenous trees are numbered with a "X"
Botanical Name	Common Name	Afrikaans	National Tree no.
Acacia caffra	Common hook-thorn	Gewone Haakdoring	162
Acacia farnesiana	Needle Bush	Soetwattel	X492
Acacia galpinii	Monkey thorn	Apiesdoring	166
Acacia mearnsii	Blackwattle	Swartwattel	X494
Acacia melanoxylon	Blackwood	Swarthout	X495
Acacia sieberiana var. woodii	Paperbark thorn	Papierbasdoring	187
Acacia terminalis	Peppertree wattle	Peperboomwattel	X500
Acacia tortilis	Umbrella thorn	Haak en steek	188
Acacia xanthophloea	Fever tree	Koorsboom	189
Acer buergerianum	Chinese maple	Chinese ahorn	X658
Aloe barberiae	Tree aloe	Boomaalwyn	28
Araucaria bidwillii	Bunya-bunya	Boenjaboenja	X19
Archontophoenix cunninghamiana	King Palm	Koningpalm	X207
Bauhinia blakeana	Fragrant orchid tree	Geur orgideeboom	X520
Bauhinia variegata	White orchid tree	Witorgideeboom	X523
Bolusanthus speciosus	Tree wisteria	Vanwykshout	222
Brachychiton acerifolium	Australian flame tree	Australiese vlamboom	X722
Caesalpinia ferrea	Leopard tree	Luiperd Boom	X547
Callistemon citrinus	Lemon bottlebrush	Lemoenperdestert	X853
Callistemon viminalis	Weeping Bottlebrush	Treurperdestert	X856
Calodendrum capeanse	Cape chestnut	Wildekastaiing	256
Carya illinoinensis	Pecan tree	Pekanboom	X271
Casuarina equisetifolia	Horsetail tree	Perdestertboom	X246
Cedrus deodara	Deodar	Deodar seder	X46
Celtis africana	White stinkwood	Witstinkhout	39
Celtis australis	Australian nettle tree	Netelboom	X322
Celtis sinensis	Chinese Nettle tree	Chinese netelboom	X323
Ceratonia siliqua	Carob tree	Karob	X524
Chorisia speciosa	Silk floss tree	Kapokboom	X718
Cinnamomum camphora	Camphor tree	Kanferboom	X396
Combretum erythrophyllum	River bushwillow	Vaderlandswilg	536
Combretum kraussii	Forest bushwillow	Bosvaderlandswilg	540
Combretum molle	Velvet bushwillow	Fluweelboswilg	537
Cotoneaster amoenus	Fire mountain	Pronkbessie	X427
Cussonia paniculata	Highveld cabbage tree	Hoeveldse kiepersol	563
Cussonia spicata	Common cabbage tree	Gewone kiepersol	564
Dais cotinifolia	Pompon tree	Basboom	521
Dombeya rotundifolia	Common wild pear	Gewonde drolpeer	471
Dovyalis zeyheri	Kei-apple	Keiappel	507
Ekebergia capenis	Cape ash	Essenhout	298
Eriobotrya japonica	Loquat	Lukwart	X449
Erythrina crista-galli	Cockspur coral tree	Hoenderspoorkoraalboom	X571
Erythrina lysistemon	Common coral tree	Gewone koraalboom	245
Eucalyptus globulus	Blue gum	Bloekom	X815
Eucalyptus saligna	Sydney blue gum/Saligna Gum	Salignabloekom	X817
Eucalyptus urnigera	Urn Gum	(nie beskikbaar)	n/a
Euclea crispa	Blue guarri	Bloughwarrie	594
Faidherbia albida	Ana tree	Anaboom	159
Fagus sylvatica	European beech	Europese beukeboom	X291
Faurea saligna	Transvaal beech	Transsvaalboekenhout	75
Ficus benjamina	Weeping fig	Treurvy	X336
Ficus burkei	Common wild fig	Gewone Wilde Fy	48
Ficus hawaii	Hawaiian Ficus Liana	(nie beskikbaar)	n/a
Fraxinus americana	American Ash	Amerikaanse esseboom	X912
Gleditsia triacanthos	Honey locust	Soetpeulboom	X537
Grevillea robusta	Australian Silver-oak	Australiese silwereik	X347
Harpephyllum caffrum	Wild plum	Wildepruim	361
Heteropyxis natalenis	Lavender tree	Laventelboom	455
Hymenosporum flavum	Sweet cheesewood	Soetkasuur	X414
Ilex aquifolium	English Holly	Europese Huls	X650
Jacaranda mimosifolia	Jacaranda	Jakaranda	X971
Kigelia africana	Sausage tree	Worsboom	678
Kiggelaria africana	Wild peach tree	Wildeperskeboom	494
Lagerstroemia indica	Pride of India	Skubliesroos	X766
Laurus nobilis	Greek laurel	Griekse lourier	X403
Ligustrum lucidum	Chinese Privet	Chinese liguster	X925
Liquidambar styracuflua	Sweet gum	Amberboom	X416
Magnolia campbellii	Indian magnolia	Indiese magnolia	X377
Melia azedarach	Seringa	Maksering	X604
Morus nigra	Mulberry	Moerbei	X327
Mundulea sericea	Cork bush	Kurkbos	226
Murraya exotica	Orange Jessamine	Oranje jasmyn	X580
Olea europaea ssp. africana	Wild olive	Olienhout	617
Peltophorum africanum	Weeping wattle	Huilboom	215
Pinus roxburgii	Chir pine	Tjirden	X40
Platanus x acerifolia	London plane	Gewone plataan	X419
Platycladus orientalis	Chinese arborvitae	Chinese lewensboom	X83
Plumeria alba	White frangipani	Wit frangipani	X939
Podocarpus falcatus	Outiniqua yellowwood	Outeniekwa geelhout	16
Podocarpus henkelii	Henkel's yellowwood	Henkel-se-geelhout	17
Podocarpus latifolius	Real yellowwood	Opregte geelhout	18
Populus nigra	Lombardy poplar	Italiaanse populier	X253
Populus simonii	Simon's Poplar	Chinese Populier	X254
Populus tremuloides	American aspen	Amerikaanse esp	X255
Quercus acutissma	Bristle oak	Stekeleik	X296
Quercus palustris	Pin oak	Moeraseik	X309
Quercus robur	English oak	Steeleik	X312
Quercus suber	Cork oak	Kurkeik	X314
Robinia pseudo-acacia	Black Locust	Witakasia	X562
Salix babylonica	Weeping willow	Treurwilger	X258
Schefflera actinophylla	Umbrella Tree	Australiese kiepersol	X743
Schinus molle	Pepper Tree	Peperboom	X638
Schotia brachypetala	Weeping boer-bean	Huilboerboon	202
Sclerocarya birrea subsp. caffra	Marula	Maroela	360
Searsia (Rhus) lancea	Karee	Karee	386
Searsia (Rhus) leptodictya	Mountain karee	Bergkaree	387
Searsia (Rhus) pendulina	White karee	Witkaree	396
Stenocarpus sinuatus	Firewheel tree	Vuurwielboom	X363
Syagrus romanzoffiana	Queen Palm or Cocos Palm	Kokos palm	X767
Syzygium paniculatum	Australian water pear	Australiese waterpeer	X784
Tabebuia avellanedae	Pink trumpet tree	Pienk trompetboom	X976
Taxodium distichum	Swamp cypress	Moerassipres	X70
Tipuana tipu	Tipu tree	Tipoeboom	X567
Ulmus parvifolia	Chinese Elm	Fynblaarolm	X319
Vibernum odoratissimum	Sweet snowball	Soetsneeublas	X999

Arbor Week 2014

Arbor Week 2014

South Africa celebrates Arbor Week from 1-7 September annually. 

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), as the custodian of forestry in South Africa is responsible for the campaign.

National Arbor Week is an opportune time to call on all South Africans to plant indigenous trees as a practical and symbolic gesture of sustainable environmental management and PCC would like to actively get all our our members from different sections, visitors, environmental enthusiasts and everyone else currently enjoying our outdoor facilities…

• It affords the government, the private sector, non-governmental and community based organisations and the public to be involved in "greening" their communities. Planting trees and greening human settlements takes place in communities.
• It is therefore important for the public to join hands with partners in local government and community-based organisations.
• Greening refers to an integrated approach to the planting, care and management of all vegetation in urban and rural areas, to secure multiple benefits for communities
• Greening in the South African context takes place in towns, townships and informal settlements specifically because in the past the latter mentioned areas were disadvantaged in terms of planning for parks as well as tree planting in streets and open spaces.

Arbor Week History

Arbor Day originated in Nebraksa in the United States of America in the 1870s. The pioneers missed the forests from their homelands and on 4 January 1872, J.Sterling Morton, a journalist, proposed a tree-planting holiday to be called "Arbor Day" at a meeting of the State Board of Agriculture. The date was set for 10 April 1872. It was estimated that more than one million trees were planted in Nebraska on the first Arbor Day.

During the 1870s, other states passed legislation to observe Arbor Day.

Arbor Day has now spread beyond the United States and many countries observe the day.

Historically, South Africa has not had a culture of tree planting and it was not until the 1970's that a real need to promote tree planting was recognised. The concept of a National Arbor Day ensued from 1973 Green Heritage Campaign. Following requests from various bodies, the then Department of Forestry obtained approval in 1982 to establish National Arbor Day that has been in place countrywide since 1983.

In 1996, the Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry extended Arbor Day from one day to one week.

Advantages about Arbor Week:

• Promotes a better knowledge of trees, particularly indigenous trees
• Stresses the necessity for everyone to plant trees and care for them
• Highlights the vital role of trees in our lives
• Contributes to the achievement of a green, dignified and healthy environment in all parts of South Africa.
• Encourages bird, insect and other wildlife

Below find the list of National Trees of South Africa 2010-2015

2010	Acacia xanthophloea	Fever tree, Koorsboom
2011	Pappea capensis	Jacket-plum, Doppruim
2012	Syzygium cordatum	Water berry, Waterbessie
2013	Virgilia oroboides	Blossom tree, Keurboom
2014	Heteropyxis natalensis	Lavender trees, Laventelbome
2015	Combretum krausii	Forest bushwilow, Bosvaderlandswilg

Source:  Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF)