Brood parasites – part 4

PHILIP VAN DEN BERG (U34) writes: As pointed out before, the cuckoo family is a large family of which most are brood parasites. Coucals and malkohas are the exceptions.

The true cuckoos are all intra-African migrants that visit southern Africa in summer. At the peak of the breeding season their loud, incessant, and repetitive calls are typical of the African bush in summer. Only the males call, and it is thought that the intensity of their calls activates hormone development in the females to synchronize their egg-laying with that of the host birds. The common cuckoo from Eurasia does not breed here and is therefore quiet. Cuckoos are insectivorous and eat hairy caterpillars that most other birds avoid.

Pictured above is the Levaillant’s cuckoo (Afr.: gestreepte nuwejaarsvoël) with its black back and crest, black striped, white throat and breast (in a few cases black), and its boldly marked long tail is a common visitor to our area. It announces its presence after arriving at the beginning of summer with loud kreeu kreeu followed by a fast tutututututu.

They parasitize arrow-marked babblers. See the photograph below.

Babblers live in small families and there is always an attendant at the nest, but if its attention is diverted, the female cuckoo enters the nest and lays her egg within seconds. She also punctures one of the hosts’ eggs and may return to puncture the others.

The blue egg of the cuckoo is bigger, and upon hatching, the chick receives the undivided attention of the babbler’s foster parents. During the five years that I have lived here, I have experienced three different cases of Levaillant’s cuckoo chicks being attended to by babblers. The photograph of the juvenile cuckoo (below) was taken in our village.

Hoogtepunt van die oord se jaarlikse sosiale kalender

Die staatmakers van die sosiale funksiegroep het onlangs ‘n uithaler-jaareindgeselligheid in die Nes aangebied. Die foto’s hieronder bied ‘n oorsig van die verrigtinge.

Recent innovation

A recent innovation to enable residents to meet and socialize, is held in the Lapa on every second Friday of each month between 16:00 and 17:00.

The photographs below were taken during the latest Happy Hour 

Die Voorsitter van die Bestuurskomitee se boodskap

 

WESSIE VAN DER WESTHUIZEN skryf: Die feesseisoen het aangebreek. Elkeen gaan dit tegemoet met verskillende emosies. Die grootste vreugde is egter dat ons die geboortedag van ons Verlosser, Jesus Christus, kan gedenk en die wete dat Hy, soos Hy beloof het, elke dag van die nuwe jaar in voor- en teenspoed by ons sal wees.

Something that has become obvious to me during the process of obtaining nominations for the 2033 Management Committee, is that I do not know all our residents. Now, my dear friends, an opportunity has arisen to enable us to meet each other every second Friday in the Lapa, and discuss constructive matters that need to be addressed.

Moenie ʼn etiket aan hierdie geleentheid koppel nie. Dit is ʼn geleentheid om gesellig te kuier. Daar word baie moeite gedoen sodat die inwoners meng om seker te maak dat jy ander kan leer ken. Hierdie geleentheid bied die kans om werklik eerstehandse kennis van ander inwoners op te doen en hulle nie op hoorsê te beoordeel nie. Onthou net, daar mag ook negatiewe of ongegronde feite van jou in die omloop te wees. Hier is nou jou kans om al die verkeerde indrukke reg te stel.

In closing: to cast aspersions on someone else may be likened to a man who builds a house without a back door. It enters by the front door and you will be left sitting with a red face.

2023 Management Committee

Front (fltr): Frikman Nel (Management Agent); Rina du Toit (Vice-chairman); Wessie van der
Westhuizen (Chairman); Werner Pauw (Developer); Susan Swanepoel (Administration).
Back (fltr): Johan Schreuder (Treasurer); Esta de Beer (Residents’ Activities); Charles Smit
(Maintenance); Lirpa Kuntz (Secretary); Frik Wasserman (Gardens). Absent: Gerhard van Rooyen
(Additional member)

 

Brood parasites – part 2

PHILIP VAN DEN BERG (U34) writes: Like the lesser honeyguide discussed in Brood parasites – part 1, the greater honeyguide is also a nesting parasite which  uses hole nesting species such as African hoopoes, barbets, kingfishers and starlings as hosts

The greater honeyguide

The photograph below shows the juvenile greater honeyguide with its foster parent, the Cape glossy starling

The host species are aware of the threat posed by the greater honeyguide and do their best to chase them away. However, when the opportunity arises, the greater honeyguide female secretly enters one of the nests and deposits a single egg. If she has time, she may puncture the hosts’ eggs to ensure that they do not hatch.

The young greater honeyguide already starts developing in the egg and hatches before the foster chicks. It is born with a sharp hooked bill which it uses to kill the hosts’ chicks.

The greater honeyguide is the only wild bird that has built up a relationship with human beings. It leads man by incessant calling, moving from perch to perch until it arrives at a bees’ nest, and then changes its call to announce the arrival at its destination.

This symbiotic relationship is to the advantage of both parties: man is shown where the nest is in order to obtain the honey, and the greater honeyguide feeds on the bee larvae and beeswax.

It is often said that the same mutually beneficial relationship exists between the greater honeyguide and the honey badger, but it has never been proven.

Wyle Toon se kremetartboom

Daar is min inwoners van ons oord wat nie ’n sagte plekkie vir inheemse bome het nie.  Wyle Toon Botes was gewis een hiervan. Hy en Hester was 52 jaar getroud voordat hy haar in 2013 ontval het. Hester woon in E130.

Wyle Toon Botes

Hester Botes staan by wyle Toon se kremetart

Hester sê dat Toon besonder lief was vir kremetartbome. Hy het een voor hulle eenheid geplant.

Hy het die volgende op sy boom se naamplaatjie geskryf: “Die boom ontkiem Des. 1996,” en “Hier geplant Sept. 2001.”

Naamplaatjie

Dié kremetartboom is dus 26 jaar oud en is reeds ʼn enorme boom. Kwêvoël (die oord se maandelikse nuusbrief waaruit hierdie plasing oorgeneem is) vermoed dat Hester ʼn emosionele verbintenis daarmee het omdat sy dit as Toon se nalatenskap aan haar  beskou.

Toon se kremetart in 2022

Ons verwelkom Elsie Winters

Elsie Winters (73) het onlangs haar intrek in E46 geneem nadat haar seun die wooneenheid aangeskaf het en tot haar beskikking gestel het. Sy sê dat sy dolgelukkig hier woon: haar woonplek is gerieflik, die inwoners is vriendelik en behulpsaam, en sy voel veilig. Trouens, sy verkneukel haar aan die aangename atmosfeer wat in ons oord heers.

Elsie is in Pretoria gebore en getoë. Sy het egter haar skoolopleiding in 1966 aan die Hoërskool Port Natal voltooi. Hierna het sy ʼn bankamptenaar geword, dog het onlangs uit diens getree nadat sy sewentien jaar lank betrokke was by die versorging van die inwoners van ʼn tehuis vir bejaardes in Pretoria.

Sy het twee kinders en vyf kleinkinders. 

Prins Charles se borshare

 

HERMAN EN ANTOINETTE LE ROUX (E48) skryf: Die onlangse gebeure met betrekking tot die Britse  koningshuis het ons met ʼn glimlag laat dink aan ʼn gebeurtenis etlike jare gelede wat die binnekring van ons familie nou nog laat lag.

Ons kinders, Jaco en René, was sowat vyf jaar in Engeland woonagtig waar hy hoofsaaklik hartsonars gedoen het. Eendag versoek ʼn kardioloog hom om op ʼn baie spesiale persoon ʼn hartsonar en EKG te doen. Die ondersoek was egter hoogs geheim omdat hulle wou verhoed dat dit aan die pers uitlek.

Hierdie spesiale persoon het toe prins Charles geblyk te wees. Die ondersoek het net voor sy huwelik met Camilla plaasgevind. Die koningshuis was bang dat dit sou uitlek en dat die koerante sou spekuleer dat prins Charles moontlik hartprobleme het, en dít voor sy troue.

Hierdie foto is tydens die aankondiging van prins Charles en Camilla se verlowing geneem

Prins Charles en sy gevolg, bestaande uit onder andere sy private kardioloog, het by die hospitaal opgedaag. Prins Charles het met ʼn hand so sag soos ʼn baba se boudjies gegroet, so asof dié hande nog nooit in hulle lewe ʼn steek harde werk verrig het nie.

Jaco het die prins se borshare vir die EKG-plakkers afgeskeer. Charles het op die trapmeul begin draf terwyl hy kla: “Is it really necessary, this is utter torture!”. 

Een Saterdag besluit René om huis skoon te maak en op ʼn rak in die studeerkamer ontdek sy ʼn botteltjie wat baie verdag lyk. “Jaco, wat op aarde is in dié botteltjie?” Vaag antwoord hy: “Dis prins Charles se borshare!!!” Geskok sê sy: “Jaco, jy is weird, man!” Grappenderwys vertel hy toe maar dat hy daarmee wil geld maak. René wou opsluit niks daarvan weet nie en die botteltjie het summier in die snippermandjie beland.

Soms wonder ons of KONING Charles se borshare vandag nie meer werd sou gewees het as PRINS Charles s’n nie!

Inwoners haal plaaslike koerant

 

ANDRIES VAN DER HEYDE skryf in die 7 Oktober-uitgawe van Die Pos-koerant: Die Renaissance-aftreeoord in Bela-Bela se vroue het ʼn passie vir die lewe en vir kosmaak. Caro van der Schyff, Tina Lotter en Susan Hitge het mense tydens die AGS Kerk se 100-jaarvieringe by hul stalletjie laat stilstaan om ʼn smakie te kry van wat hulle kan opdis.

Die drie het aan Die Pos vertel dat hulle almal trotse inwoners van Renaissance is.

We welcome Gerad and Christine Bonthoux

 

Gerad (78) and Christine (79) Bonthoux recently relocated to U110 at the behest of their son, who is a local professional hunter.

Gerad was born in Algeria to expatriate parents. His father was French and his mother, Spanish. The family later moved to the town of Les Mureaux in France. He graduated from the St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Brive-la-Gaillarde in 1962 to accept a position at Simca Automobiles in Les Mureaux.

Christine was born and bred in Sailly, France. She completed her schooling at Melens Catholic School in 1960, after which she became a stenographer at a local company.

The couple were married in Les Mureaux in 1967. They have a son and two grandchildren.

Gerad and Christine emigrated to South Africa in 1970 after Gerad accepted a position as a crane driver at Iscor. After two years he joined the Blyvooruitzicht gold mine in Carletonville, and later qualified as a fitter at the neighbouring Deelkraal gold mine. In 2004 he retired as manager of the Deelkraal recreation club.

The Chairman's message - November 2022

 

The year 2022 is rapidly coming to an end. Diverse opinions have been expressed in our village this year. Many of these were inaccurate. I was also occasionally guilty of this. A lot of things have taken place, and much has yet to happen.

 Die gesegde lui dat elke sport sy beserings het. Dieselfde toedrag van sake is hier in ons oord van toepassing. Kragonderbrekings en ʼn tekort aan water is maar vir almal ʼn spanningsvolle ervaring. Dit is hartseer om te sien hoe die plante wat baie gekos het en wat ons met liefde vertroetel het, in die hitte verwelk.

The water shortages have been caused by all the electricity interruptions we have had. The Magalies Water quota allocated to Bela-Bela and other towns, was reduced due to load shedding. They are unable to provide sufficient purified water to augment reservoir levels. Poor co-operation shown by townsfolk is a contributing factor. Eskom is a different matter altogether. They rule the roost and provide electricity as and when it pleases them.

 Namens die bestuurskomitee vra ek om verskoning dat ons nie aan jul behoeftes in hierdie verband kon voldoen nie.

Thank you to all the residents and workers who have helped to spruce up the Snake Park. A good rainy season and dedicated residents will ensure that our village will soon become the delightful place that we have become accustomed to.

Brood parasites – Part 1

PHILIP VAN DEN BERG (U34) writes: Brood parasites are birds which lay their eggs in the nests of other bird species. The latter hatch and rear the young parasites. There are three parasitic groups in Southern Africa, the Cuckoos, the Honeyguides and the Whydahs (which include Indigo-birds).  Members of all three groups occur in our village and will be dealt with in more detail in future issues of this blog.

It is only the Honeyguide family that is exclusively parasitic.

The Lesser Honeyguide (below top) can often be seen if there are nesting activities by either the Black-collared Barbet (below centre) or the Crested Barbet (bottom).

Barbets nest in excavated holes in soft dry wood. The nesting logs made from the base of the inflorescence of the Agave (garingboom) that people fasten to a tree, is ideal for this purpose.

Lesser Honeyguides are solitary and inconspicuous birds, but when Barbets are nesting they often visit the nesting holes looking for an opportunity to lay an egg. Barbets do not meekly accept them and have developed behaviour traits to counter the actions of the honeyguides. The male Honeyguide, on the other hand, tries to lure the Barbets away from the nest to give the female an opportunity to lay her egg. When the young Honeyguide hatches, it will kill the Barbet chicks using a sharp hook at the tip off its bill specifically grown for this purpose. The Honeyguide chick will then receive the undivided attention of the host parents, i.e. the Barbets.

In closing, a strange but true story relates that Honeyguides used to visit churches in Mozambique to feed on the candles! 

Bome het ook name

Die aanplanting en versorging van die inheemse bome in Warmbad Renaissance was van meet af aan vir die bestuurskomitee en die meeste inwoners ʼn saak van erns. Terwyl ons oord in 1989/1990 in aanbou was, het die ontwikkelaar alles moontlik in die werk gestel om nie die inheemse bome op die terrein te beskadig nie.

Net soos ons, het alle bome name, vgl. worsboom,  blompeer, wildepruim, ens. Hulle is pragtige inheemse bome wat ons oord verfraai.

Op 27 Januarie 1993 het Gert Pretorius van die plaaslike dendrologiese vereniging die inheemse bome in ons oord geïdentifiseer en van naamplaatjies voorsien (foto onder).

Die botaniese name is universeel. Die populêre name verskil soms van streek tot streek. Sommige genusname het intussen ook verander, byvoorbeeld die Acacia genus het na Senegalia (foto’s onder) en Vachelia verander Hierbenewens moes die bome wat nog nie van naamplaatjies voorsien is nie, ook aandag kry. Alle inheemse bome, maar ook ’n paar mooi uitheemse bome, is van naamplaatjies voorsien.

Gertie Oosthuizen van die dendrologiese vereniging, het goedgunstiglik kom help om bome te identifiseer. Sy het 72 naamplaatjies teen R10 elk aangebring (foto onder). Gertie het nog ʼn paar plaatjies wat sy ekstra gehad het, aan die oord geskenk. Bome wat nuut aangeplant is, soos byvoorbeeld die wit-stinkhout en  karee wat Piet Combrinck vroeër op die grasperk voor die administrasiekantoor aangeplant het, is eweneens van naamplaatjies voorsien.

Ten slotte: ons het ʼn aantal seldsame bome in ons oord. Die  bosveld-saffraan wat naby E116 groei is een hiervan. Hierdie boom word ernstig in sy natuurlike omgewing bedreig en mag nie beskadig word nie. Die alombekende maroela is nog een, so ook die kremetartboom wat by E123 aangeplant is. Die poerabessie voor E119 is nie alombekend nie, waarskynlik omdat dit eintlik ʼn tropiese plant is wat selde in Suid-Afrika aangetref word. 

Oord verwelkom Steph en Thea Maré

Steph (72) en Thea Maré (69), wat onlangs hul intrek in E78 geneem het, is Bosvelders in hart en niere. Hulle het na 25 jaar vanaf Pretoria teruggekeer na húl wêreld nadat hulle verskeie aftreeopsies in Pretoria, Mookgopong en Modimolle oorweeg het. Hulle is in hul noppies met hulle uiteindelike keuse. Volgens hulle vertoon die oord se terrein pragtig, hul eenheid is gerieflik, ander inwoners is vriendelik en hulle voel veilig. Hulle sien daarna uit om by oordaktiwiteite in te skakel.

Thea is op Mokopane gebore, waar sy grootgeword en in 1971 aan die Hoërskool Piet Potgieter gematrikuleer het. Hierna was sy om die beurt ʼn bankamptenaar, werksaam by haar eie sakeonderneming, ʼn  tuisteskepper en het uiteindelik die boekhouding van Steph en hulle seun se konstruksieonderneming behartig.

Steph is op Tolwe gebore, dog beskou Wonderfontein as sy grootworddorp. Hy het in 1968 aan die Potchefstroom Gimnasium gematrikuleer waarna hy hom aan die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiekollege as ʼn geregsdienaar bekwaam het. Na ses jaar in die polisiediens het hy die sakewêreld betree en sy eie sakeondernemings bedryf totdat hy in 2017 afgetree het as die mede-eienaar van ʼn konstruksieonderneming.

Thea en Steph is 45 jaar gelede op Mokopane getroud. Hulle het twee kinders en vier kleinkinders.

Voorsitter se boodskap – Oktober 2022

Die Voorsitter van die Bestuurskomitee, WESSIE VAN DER WESTHUIZEN skryf soos volg: Ons betuig graag ons innige meegevoel teenoor die De Villiers-, Bester- en Cornelius-families wat geliefdes aan die dood afgestaan het.

Recently there was talk of clique forming in our village, perhaps justifiably so. However, when residents were recently invited to a meet-and-greet function, only 22 turned up. I wondered what the reason for the poor turnout could be.

Eerstens was daar inwoners wat met vakansie, siek, hartseer was en mobiliteitsprobleme gehad het. Tweedens het die uitnodiging sommige inwoners nie bereik nie omdat hulle hulle aan die oord se WhatsApp-groep onttrek het. Derdens is daar sorgwekkende apatie by sommige inwoners te bespeur omdat hulle redeneer dat daar wel ander sal wees wat die wa deur die drif sal trek.

An invitation to attend a gathering with the purpose of getting to know each other, will soon be sent out to residents once again. I hope that you will be able to accept it.

Ek wil ten slotte sê dat ek dit as my plig en voorreg beskou om soms hulp aan my medemens te verleen. Indien ʼn inwoner se gesondheidstoestand egter dermate verswak dat hy/sy ʼn risiko, verleentheid of oorlas vir ander inwoners skep, is die bestuurskomitee ingevolge par. 2.2 van ons gedragsreëls geregtig om te vereis dat hy/sy na ʼn gepaste fasiliteit gaan waar hy/sy die nodige sorg kan ontvang.

Helping good people do good things

The concept of law has its origins in Ancient Greece between 500 and 300 BC. Simply stated, it refers to a set of rules created and enforced by social or governmental institutions to regulate behaviour thus helping good people do good things. Similarly, our Rules of Conduct are a set of rules to regulate much of what happens in our village.Our Rules of Conduct are underpinned by specific laws of our country, i.e. the Sectional Titles Act, the Act on Elderly Persons, the Act determining the Nature of Housing Development Schemes for Retired Persons, and the Constitution.

There can be little doubt, therefore, that they (our Rules of Conduct) are obligations imposed by law and put into effect by a legal entity, i.e. the Management Committee, under the auspices of the Management Association.

However, as in the case of the laws of the country, our Rules of Conduct may appear somewhat inflexible. Hence, the Management Committee exercises a reasonable degree of empathy when putting them into effect.

Perhaps it is time to remind residents that our Rules of Conduct are fundamental to the peaceful coexistence and good order in our village. Consequently, the next few postings on this blog will briefly focus on some of them.

This month residents are advised to take note of Par. 2, which determines that our village is meant for people who are self-supporting and can live independently without causing a risk, embarrassment or nuisance to other residents.

Super Constellation Starliner lands in Warmbaths/Bela-Bela

Super Constellation Starliner

The story below recounts the sensational arrival in Warmbaths/Bela-Bela of a Super Constellation Starliner, nicknamed Connie, which, in its operational lifetime, was able to convey a maximum of 44 passengers in  pressurised comfort on international routes. Although this blog is unable to confirm the source of the information and photographs, the name of Erik Eriksen crops up frequently.

Connie was withdrawn from service by Trek Airways in April 1969 and stored in Johannesburg until it was bought for the sum of R2 000 in July 1971 by a local businessman named Willem Pelser who planned to convert the aircraft into a restaurant. At the time, Pelser was the owner of the Klein-Kariba holiday resort, 7 km north of Warmbaths/Bela-Bela.

The aircraft’s last flight was to Warmbaths/Bela-Bela on 9 October 1971. Captain Retief approached from the direction of Nylstroom and skilfully landed Connie on a primitive landing strip in the bush. See photograph below.

There were no runway lights nor (perhaps) even a windsock. It was, in fact, little more than a glorified plaaspad!

The plans for a restaurant did not materialize. When Klein-Kariba was taken over by the Afrikaanse Taal- en Kultuurvereniging in 1973, the aircraft was converted into a boardroom.

A glorified boardroom!

In 1978 the South African Airways bought the aircraft to restore it to its former glory. It was dismantled, loaded on trucks (see photograph below) and transported to Johannesburg in 1979 where the restoration was completed in 1988.

Today she is on display at the South African Airways Museum, Rand Airport in Germiston (see photograph below).

Oord verwelkom Gudrun Smith

 

Gudrun Smith (E26) is in 1948 in Amsterdam, Nederland, gebore. In 1958 het sy en haar ouers na Suid-Afrika geëmigreer. Hulle hul mettertyd in Germiston gevestig. Hier het sy haar skoolloopbaan aan die Hoërskool Vryburger voltooi. Sy het met Francois Marais in die huwelik getree en die edel roeping van voltydse tuisteskepper aanvaar. Nadat Francois oorlede is, is sy met Raymond Smith getroud. Hy het haar egter ook later ontval.

Gudrun het haar voorheen intensief met onder andere tapesserie-, pottebak-, kers- en houtsneewerk besig gehou.

Sy vertel dat sy verskeie aftreeopsies oorweeg het voordat sy besluit het om vanaf Kemptonpark na ons oord te verhuis. Sy is in haar noppies met haar gerieflike wooneenheid en die vriendelike inwoners wat sy tot dusver ontmoet het. Sy het reeds by die sosiale funksiesgroep ingeskakel.

 

 

The best vetkoek in town

The Social Functions Group recently held yet another hugely successful vetkoek bake-and-sell. Our staatmakers are owed a vote of thanks for their efforts. They made 288 vetkoeks. The proceeds will be ringfenced and eventually spent on something that is likely to benefit our village and its residents.

The photographs below provide an overview of proceedings in chronological order

Voorsitter se boodskap - September 2022

 

Die Voorsitter van die Bestuurskomitee, WESSIE VAN DER WESTHUIZEN skryf soos volg: Die lente is in aantog; ʼn seisoen wat deur die ontwaking van die natuur gekenmerk word. Ons dank ons Hemelse Vader vir die voorreg om dit opnuut te mag ervaar.

I recently heard that a few residents perceive our Rules of Conduct as of little consequence. Regrettably, they appear to be under the impression that it may be contravened with impunity. I hope that the lawlessness that pervades our country, does not find its way into our village. Nonetheless, I prefer to believe that most of our residents diligently abide by our Rules of Conduct.

Baie dankie aan al die inwoners wat ̓n bydrae lewer om van ons oord ʼn aangename tuiste te maak en diegene wat die bestuurskomitee onder-steun. Ek verseker u dat klagtes beskou word as ʼn eerlike strewe om ons lewensomstandighede te verbeter.

The year is rapidly drawing to a close. Nonetheless, there are quite a few matters that need to be  attended to, for example our annual general meeting, our budgetary proposals, dealing with a number of motions and the election of the Management Committee for 2023.

Ten opsigte van laasgenoemde doen ek hiermee ʼn beroep op u om my te kom spreek as u van inwoners weet wat geskik is om in die bestuurskomitee te dien.

We welcome new residents Charles and Lynette Smit

Charles (61) and Lynette (52) Smit moved to Warmbad Renaissance from Benoni after friends told them that our village may well be what they were looking for, i.e. a friendly, secure and affordable retirement lifestyle set in a well-cared for setting. To paraphrase Julius Caeser, they came, they saw, they were conquered before deciding to buy U29.

Lynette was born in Bulawayo, but later moved to Port Elizabeth with her family. In 1986 she matriculated at Westering High School before enrolling at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (formerly the University of Port Elizabeth) to study pharmacy. She obtained the B.Pharm. degree in 1990 and completed her internship in Johannesburg. She has since practised at various pharmacies, including Dischem.

Charles was born in Harare. He completed his school education at Northlea High School, Bulawayo, before he and his family moved to Port Elizabeth. After completing his national service at the Air Force Base Langebaanweg, he qualified as a turner/machinist in 1984.

His experiences in the Air Force conceivably inspired him to become an aviator. So, in 1989, while living in Port Elizabeth, he qualified as a licenced commercial pilot and flight instructor. Then followed an interesting career, including becoming a charter pilot, freelancing for the United Nations and transporting the CEO of Anglo American