I have been trying to contact you for weeks. I'm guessing you've ben
away. Did you get any of my last 3-4 emails. hope you are well. I'm
guessing I'm signed in am I?

Hi  james
  Happy new year 2008
  Stilla waiting  the confirmation of your tripe to
eastern  D R Congo , Bukavu Town

  Robert Byamana Kizungu
  Head OBICOK
--- James Alan Wolstencroft <consultnature@...>
wrote:

> Dear Avi,
> We could certainly help you a great deal here in
> Tanzania!
>
> For example: we saw three Hunting Dogs and eight
> species of lark (including Beesley's Maasai Lark)
> just yesterday, on 'Boxing Day', very near Arusha.
>
> Check our website for local birding stories.
>
> Wishing you a very Happy New Year from the Tanzanian
> field bird team.
>
> James
>
> James A.Wolstencroft
>
> http://www.birds.intanzania.com> BEGIN:VCARD
> VERSION:2.1
> N:Wolstencroft;James;A.
> FN:James A. Wolstencroft
> EMAIL;PREF;INTERNET:gonolek@...
> REV:20071227T060840Z
> END:VCARD
>



      
________________________________________________________________________________\
____
Never miss a thing.  Make Yahoo your home page.
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs

Dear Sunetro et al,

Here is a brief except from "Jane's Mythology page" at
http://www.janesoceania.com/australia_aboriginal_mythology/index1.htm -
not too sure of the academic accuracy of it but it may give you some ideas.

Australian Aboriginal bird mythology and knowledge is the subject of a
book I have in preparation and Corvids will of course feature in that work.

For a personal look at how Corvids can really set their talons into you
have a look at Mark Cocker's marvelous book 'Crow Country', published by
Jonathan Cape in August 2007.

  "Crow (Waa, Wahn( Crow holds a very important place in the mythology of
the Australian Aborigines. to many he is a moiety ancestor and those
belonging to his moiety are called 'Crow people'. There is an area of
Perth that was once the land of the Bibbulmum, who belong to this
moiety, and the Crow is still held in respect to this day. Crow often is
a trickster character, in sharp contrast to his more sombre moiety
counterpart, Bunjil the eaglehawk. A Koori myth from Victoria tells how
Crow stole fire from the seven women guardians. In the Dreamtime only
these seven women knew the secret of fire and refused to divulge how it
was made. Crow decided that he would get their secret. he made friends
with the women and found out that they carried fire at the ends of their
digging sticks. He also found out that the women were found of termites,
but afraid of snakes. He buried a number of snakes in a termite mound,
then told the women he had found a large next of termites. They followed
him to the spot and broke open the mound. The snakes attacked them and
they defended themselves with their digging sticks. This caused fire to
fall from the sticks. Quickly, Crow picked up the fire between two
pieces of bark and ran away. Now Crow in his turn refused to share fire
with anyone. every time someone asked him, he mockingly called out,
'Waa, waa.' He caused so much strife that even he at last lost his
temper and threw coals at some of the men who were pestering him for
fire. the coals caused a bushfire in which he supposedly was burnt to
death, but the eternal trickster came to life and the survivors heard
his mocking 'Waa, waa' echoing from a large tree.

The Woiwurong Koori people's elders told a similar myth of how once
there were seven young women called the Karatgurk who lived on the Yarra
river where Melbourne now stands. They lived on yams which they dug out
with their digging sticks, on the end of which they also carried line
coals. they kept the fire to themselves. Crow found one of the cooked
yams and tasted it. He found it delicious and decided to cook his yams
from then on. the women refused to give him fire and so he decided to
trick them out of it. He caught and hid a lot of snakes in an ant mound,
then called to the girls that he had found a large ant mound and that
the ant larvas tasted much better than yams. The women ran to the mound
and began digging into it with their sticks. The snakes came hissing out
and chased them away, screaming. but then the women turned and began to
hit out at the snakes with their digging sticks. They hit so hard that
some of the live coals were knocked off. Crow was waiting for this. He
pounced on the live coals and hid them in a kangaroo skin bag he had
prepared. When the women had killed all the snakes, they came back to
look for the coals. They could not find them and decided that Crow had
taken them. They chased him, but he flew out of reach and perched on the
top of a very high tree.

Bunjil saw what had happened and asked Crow for some of the coals, as he
wanted to cook a possum. Crow offered to cook it for him and when he had
done so, threw it down to Eaglehawk who saw that it was still smoking.
He tried to blow it into flame, but failed. He ate the possum and while
he did so, the Koori people gathered around and shouted at Crow to give
them fire. the din scared him and at last he flung some live coals at
the crowd. Kurol-goru the fire-tailed finch picked up some of the coals
and bid them behind his back and that is why these finches have red
tails. Eaglehawk's shaman helpers, Djurt-djurt the nankeen kestrel and
Thara the quail hawk, grabbed the rest of the coals. Then the coals made
a bush fire which burnt Crow black. It also spread over his country and
bunjil had to gather all the Kooris to help put it out. He placed some
rocks at the head of the Yarra river to stop the fire spreading that
way, and they are there to this day. His two helpers were burnt and
became two rocks at the foot of the Dandenong Range. The Karatgurk were
swept up into the sky where they became the Pleiades, the stars
representing their glowing firesticks.

Crow is perhaps one of the most attractive and entertaining of the
ancestral beings. He lived and passed on in mirth. Towards the end of
his stay on Earth, he was travelling down the Murray river when he came
across Swamp Hawk. Crow decided to play a trick on the bird. He planted
echidna quills in the deserted nest of a kangaroo rat and got Swamp Hawk
to jump on them. One of the interesting things about many of Crow's
tricks is that they benefit the person he plays them on, and in this
case Swamp Hawk was pleased, for the quills grew into his feet and he
found that he could catch kangaroo rats easily. Crow continued on his
journey and became caught in a storm. The rain lashed down and he felt
cleansed by it. it was then that a voice was heard. it was Biame the
All-Father. He took the old Crow up into the sky where he became the
star Canopus.
See also Balayang; Bellin-Bellin; bunjil; Eaglehawk and Crow; rober
Carol; Sirius.@

Cheers and best and I'm sure there will be many more examples coming
your way!

Robert Gosford


DJowl@... wrote:
>
> Dear Sunetro,
> There is a very substantial body of information on the
> truly significant relationship that Native Americans have with the
> Corvids (especially the Raven).  I do not have specific stories and
> beliefs here, but would kindly suggest that you first do some Google
> searches on this relationship, and then follow up with some queries to
> websites for individual tribes (both USA Tribes and Canadian First
> Nation peoples).
>
> Sorry I can not be of more specific help to you..... but, I hope you
> well with your query.
> Strigologically yours,
>
> David
>
> David H. Johnson
> Center for Biological Diversity
> Director - Global Owl Project
> PO Box 10258
> Alexandria, Virginia 22310
> www.globalowlproject.com <http://www.globalowlproject.com>
> djohnson@...
> <mailto:djohnson@...>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Sunetro Ghosal <uncia_nebulosa@...>
> To: ethnoornithology@...
> Sent: Thu, 27 Dec 2007 2:09 am
> Subject: [Ethnoornithology] Corvidae myths
>
> Hello,
>
> I am trying to compile various myths and beliefs associated with
> members of the crow family. Just wondering if anyone  on this listserv
> know of any such tales, stories and myths from any part of the world.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Sunetro.
>
> Sunetro Ghosal
> 'Neerh'
> Matarwada Amboli
> Mumbai 400 058
> INDIA
> email: ghosal@..., uncia_nebulosa@...
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Sent from Yahoo!
>
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> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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>

David,

Thanks for the note and kind words.

Re the quest for the information on the owls site.

In order to assist I'll need a bit more information and this may be in
your notes.

Can you be a bit more specific in relation to the following?:
- how far west of Darwin and what was the nearest town/community?;
- I haven't heard of a site named 'Gordol' and the orthography is
unfamiliar - do you have any alternate spellings?
- do you know the language group that owns the area?
- any names of informants, traditional owners for the site? etc;
- any GPS or map coordinates?

I'll be back in the Top End of the NT (am at present at home at Yuendumu
in the centre, 1500km from Darwin) in a week or so and will make
enquiries when you provide further information as noted above. I only
expect to be up there for a month or two until I relocate here.

The "Owls in Lore, Culture, and Conservation" project sounds great and I
look forward to hearing and seeing more about it. I expect to be in the
States in mid-April for the Society of Ethnobiology conference at
Fayetteville in Arkansas - might there be a possibility that you could
present some of your work there then - it would be good to catch up.

Cheers for now and I look forward to hearing further from you.

Robert Gosford

djowl@... wrote:
> Dearest Robert,
> Warmest holiday greetings to you good sir!!
>
> Thank you for all of your wonderful work and leadership
> with ethnoornithology.  I just wanted to let you know how much we
> truly appreciate your efforts.
>
> I have an important question, and request, for you.  Four years ago, I
> was in Darwin, and spent some time with the tribal folks that live
> west of Darwin.  While there, I visited a very important owl-based
> rockshelter.  It was the Gordol owl site.  I took a roll of slide
> pictures while there, and had the pictures processed when I got back
> to the USA.  The entire roll was stolen (here in the USA).
>
> Now, I find myself beginning a large project focused on the "Owls in
> Lore, Culture, and Conservation" .... it is a traveling exhibition,
> and will likely start out at the Smithsonian.  Suffice to say it is a
> serious project, and the rockshelter photos from the Gordol site are a
> critical part of the future exhibition.  The owl is seen as the
> Creator Being there, and there is, literally, no other place on earth
> where the owl is viewed as such.  Other societies view owls as
> "helping spirits", the "Emperor of the Night", and other positive
> ways, but none view the owl as a creator being.
>
> Thus, I need your help.  I can dig out my notes, and give you as much
> in the way of details as is possible (as to my contacts, and the
> location of the site).  I will also try to locate some funds to assist
> you (or another) in getting to the site.  The local aborigine I met
> with with was most helpful and kind ... but I do not know if he is
> still alive (he was about 70 yrs old in 2003 when I was there).
> Thank you for your insights and suggestions here.  I am hopeful that
> you might have the opportunity to get out to the owl site sometime in
> 2008 ... that timing would work out fine.
>
> Thanks Robert,
> Strigologically yours,
> David
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Robert Gosford <robertgosford@...>
> To: Ethnoornithology@...
> Sent: Mon, 24 Dec 2007 5:47 pm
> Subject: [Ethnoornithology] Seasons greetings from the ERSG moderator
> - 2007 in review Part 2
>
> Dear all,
>
> Picking up where I left off from the previous message...my trip to
> Kenya was memorable for a number of reasons - it was my first trip to
> Africa, it provided an opportunity to renew acquaintances with
> researchers and students from Kenya in their home country - rather
> than at conferences and meetings scattered across the globe - and I
> was looking forward to seeing how ethnoornithology 'worked' in a
> country generally considered to be economically poor but biologically
> and culturally and linguistically rich.
>
> In all of these matters I was more than pleasantly surprised - people
> in Kenya were friendly and welcoming, the climate in Nairobi was
> amenable - with warm days and cool nights in October (so different
> from Darwin in Australia where in October the days are hot and humid
> and the nights only slightly less so).
>
> I arrived in Nairobi a week or so before the meeting so after a day or
> so recovering from my long flights I was looking forward to exploring
> the city and surrounds. On the Saturday morning I met up with Fleur
> Ng'weno, a veritable encyclopedia of things ornithological in Kenya
> and who runs the highly-recommended Wednesday morning bird walks
> around Nairobi city. She told me that we should head to Nairobi
> National Park, just a few miles from the city centre.
>
> I had no idea of what to expect but was absolutely stunned by the
> sheer variety of the birds and mammals we saw in a few short hours -
> virtually in the shadow of Nairobi's high-rise buildings we saw dozens
> of birds (all new to me) and a bewildering variety of ungulates,
> baboons, and a few of the 'big five' - all accompanied by Fleur's
> knowledgeable commentary.
>
> The next day we went to Lake Naivasha, a fresh-water lake in the Rift
> Valley an hour or so's drive from Nairobi. We went with a group of
> students, tour-guides and others interested in birds and the mix of
> Acacia woodland (so familiar to me from the savannah country across
> northern Australia) and lake-side habitat delivered another
> bewildering variety of birds and mammals - the sight of a group
> (herd?) of hippos lolling around in the shallows a few metres off
> shore was unforgettable.
>
> Then down to the business I was in Kenya for - the 1st
> Ethnoornithology Conference for Kenya. I've been impressed for some
> time with the vigour and interest shown by Kenyan and east African
> researchers involved in ethnoornithology and was looking forward to
> meeting people I'd only heard or read of.
>
> The meeting - like the rest of Kenya - was impressive and exciting.
> About 50 people gathered for the conference and represented all
> sectors of ethnoornithological interests in the country - young
> students interested in the practical application of cultural bird
> knowledge to species and habitat conservation, senior researchers,
> including Dr. George Matute and Dr. Hussein Isak, birders and
> professional ornithologists from the National Museums of Kenya,
> international guests, including Dr John Fanshawe and Dr Leon Bennun
> from Birdlife International, local bird-guides (interested in
> incorporating traditional bird knowledge to value-add to their work)
> and members of local support groups for the many Important Bird Areas
> (IBAs) throughout the country.
>
> Mercy Njeri has prepared a comprehensive report of the conference and
> I look forward to posting that on the ERSG site soon. I will also look
> to post copies of the presentations to the conference and some
> photographs of participants.
>
> I can't stress the importance of this meeting enough - I believe that
> it is important not only for the future of ethnoornithology in Kenya
> and east Africa but it also serves as a model and example for others
> interested in running similar conferences elsewhere - I'm sure that
> planning has started for the next one in the near future!
>
> That's all for now - must get the Xmas presents out, have breakfast
> and prepare for the day.
>
> Best to you all,
>
> Robert Gosford
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> More new features than ever. Check out the new AOL Mail
>
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Dear Robert,

In India, the Bombay Natural history society at Mumbai is a premier organisation in this field. their website is www.bnhs.org . Mr Asad Rehmani & Mr. Isaac Kehimkar are  the two contact persons. there a number of other organisations working in India at the micro level & ur visit will highlight the immense diversity of birdlife as well as the work being done at the local level.

I am based at Baroda (Gujarat) which is 400 kms north of Mumbai & we have a number of small groups in the area as well as students of ornithology, environmental sciences etc. doing their bit. In addition the forest department in various states are also adding their mite by setting up eco-tourism facilities (though their impact on the environment is debatable as many visitors forget the eco part & focus on the tourism side).

So you have quite a bit to choose from!

best wishes & hope to meet u in India in the near future!

Avi

Robert Gosford <robertgosford@bigpond.com> wrote:

Dear Avi,

I'm glad the information was useful.

I'd like very much to come to India and the rest of the sub-continent in
the near future but know little about this wonderful part of the world.

What you might be able to help me with is some contacts or links to
birding or ethnobiological conferences/meetings etc in the area during
2008 - from the very positive responses we've had to the ERSG from India
it seems that there are many people there interested in this subject and
we might be able to expand on those contacts over the next year or so.

I look forward to any suggestions you might make.

Thanks again and best for the season.

Robert Gosford
ERSG moderator

Avi Sabavala wrote:
> Thanks Robert, for the useful info. Perhaps your next birding trip
> could be here in India if you have not already been or even if you
> have been. We have some excellent birding sites too!
> cheers
> Avi
>
> */Robert Gosford <robertgosford@bigpond.com>/* wrote:
>
> Dear Avi,
>
> I would strongly encourage a trip to Kenya - I have no experience in
> Tanzania but by all accounts you can't go far wrong in east Africa -
> the birds are wonderful and readily accessible, there is a wide
> variety of local tour guides with flexible itineraries and there is a
> great variety of habitats.
>
> I can't recommend any particular individual guides or companies though
> I'd say that you could you drop a line to Nature Kenya - they should
> be able to point you in the right direction - the NK home page is at:
> http://www.naturekenya.org/. <http://www.naturekenya.org/.>
>
> There are a lot of similar groups throughout eastern Africa and you
> can get more information from birding-specific sites including
> FatBirder:http://www.fatbirder.com/ <http://www.fatbirder.com/>
> and Surfbirds:
> http://www.surfbirds.com/. <http://www.surfbirds.com/.>
>
> I haven't been to Tanzania but by all reports the birding and
> facilities are near to the standard in Kenya.
>
> I picked up a copy of "The Birds of East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania,
> Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi" by Terry Stevenson & John Fanshawe in Nairobi
> - as far as I know it is available from NBHS and Amazon.
>
> Cheers and best - enjoy your trip - I'm planning on being back there
> later next year.
>
> Robert Gosford
> ERSG moderator
> --- In Ethnoornithology@yahoogroups.co.uk
> <mailto:Ethnoornithology%40yahoogroups.co.uk>, "Avi Sabavala"
> <jodhpur58@...> wrote:
> >
> > Hi Robert,
> > found your account of the kenya visit very interesting.
> >
> > I would like to visit it in 2008. Can you let me know details of
> > people who can make the local arrangements. do you also think a
> trip
> > to neighbouring Tanzania would add to the charm of the trip
> > best wishes for the Chrismas & New year to all of you on the group
> >
> > Avi
> >
> >
> > --- In Ethnoornithology@yahoogroups.co.uk
> <mailto:Ethnoornithology%40yahoogroups.co.uk>, "Robert Gosford"
> > <robertgosford@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Dear all,
> > >
> > > Picking up where I left off from the previous message...my trip to
> > > Kenya was memorable for a number of reasons - it was my first
> trip
> > to
> > > Africa, it provided an opportunity to renew acquaintances with
> > > researchers and students from Kenya in their home country - rather
> > > than at conferences and meetings scattered across the globe -
> and I
> > > was looking forward to seeing how ethnoornithology 'worked' in a
> > > country generally considered to be economically poor but
> > biologically
> > > and culturally and linguistically rich.
> > >
> > > In all of these matters I was more than pleasantly surprised -
> > people
> > > in Kenya were friendly and welcoming, the climate in Nairobi was
> > > amenable - with warm days and cool nights in October (so different
> > > from Darwin in Australia where in October the days are hot and
> > humid
> > > and the nights only slightly less so).
> > >
> > > I arrived in Nairobi a week or so before the meeting so after a
> > day or
> > > so recovering from my long flights I was looking forward to
> > exploring
> > > the city and surrounds. On the Saturday morning I met up with
> Fleur
> > > Ng'weno, a veritable encyclopedia of things ornithological in
> Kenya
> > > and who runs the highly-recommended Wednesday morning bird walks
> > > around Nairobi city. She told me that we should head to Nairobi
> > > National Park, just a few miles from the city centre.
> > >
> > > I had no idea of what to expect but was absolutely stunned by the
> > > sheer variety of the birds and mammals we saw in a few short
> > hours -
> > > virtually in the shadow of Nairobi's high-rise buildings we saw
> > dozens
> > > of birds (all new to me) and a bewildering variety of ungulates,
> > > baboons, and a few of the 'big five' - all accompanied by Fleur's
> > > knowledgeable commentary.
> > >
> > > The next day we went to Lake Naivasha, a fresh-water lake in the
> > Rift
> > > Valley an hour or so's drive from Nairobi. We went with a group of
> > > students, tour-guides and others interested in birds and the
> mix of
> > > Acacia woodland (so familiar to me from the savannah country
> across
> > > northern Australia) and lake-side habitat delivered another
> > > bewildering variety of birds and mammals - the sight of a group
> > > (herd?) of hippos lolling around in the shallows a few metres off
> > > shore was unforgettable.
> > >
> > > Then down to the business I was in Kenya for - the 1st
> > > Ethnoornithology Conference for Kenya. I've been impressed for
> some
> > > time with the vigour and interest shown by Kenyan and east African
> > > researchers involved in ethnoornithology and was looking
> forward to
> > > meeting people I'd only heard or read of.
> > >
> > > The meeting - like the rest of Kenya - was impressive and
> exciting.
> > > About 50 people gathered for the conference and represented all
> > > sectors of ethnoornithological interests in the country - young
> > > students interested in the practical application of cultural bird
> > > knowledge to species and habitat conservation, senior researchers,
> > > including Dr. George Matute and Dr. Hussein Isak, birders and
> > > professional ornithologists from the National Museums of Kenya,
> > > international guests, including Dr John Fanshawe and Dr Leon
> Bennun
> > > from Birdlife International, local bird-guides (interested in
> > > incorporating traditional bird knowledge to value-add to their
> > work)
> > > and members of local support groups for the many Important Bird
> > Areas
> > > (IBAs) throughout the country.
> > >
> > > Mercy Njeri has prepared a comprehensive report of the conference
> > and
> > > I look forward to posting that on the ERSG site soon. I will also
> > look
> > > to post copies of the presentations to the conference and some
> > > photographs of participants.
> > >
> > > I can't stress the importance of this meeting enough - I believe
> > that
> > > it is important not only for the future of ethnoornithology in
> > Kenya
> > > and east Africa but it also serves as a model and example for
> > others
> > > interested in running similar conferences elsewhere - I'm sure
> that
> > > planning has started for the next one in the near future!
> > >
> > > That's all for now - must get the Xmas presents out, have
> breakfast
> > > and prepare for the day.
> > >
> > > Best to you all,
> > >
> > > Robert Gosford
> > >
> >
>
>
>
>
> Avi Sabavala
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try
> it now.
> <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51733/*http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ%20>
>
>

Avi Sabavala

---

Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.

Dear Avi,

I'm glad the information was useful.

I'd like very much to come to India and the rest of the sub-continent in
the near future but know little about this wonderful part of the world.

What you might be able to help me with is some contacts or links to
birding or ethnobiological conferences/meetings etc in the area during
2008 - from the very positive responses we've had to the ERSG from India
it seems that there are many people there interested in this subject and
we might be able to expand on those contacts over the next year or so.

I look forward to any suggestions you might make.

Thanks again and best for the season.

Robert Gosford
ERSG moderator

Avi Sabavala wrote:
> Thanks Robert, for the useful info. Perhaps your next birding trip
> could be here in India if you have not already been or even if you
> have been. We have some excellent birding sites too!
> cheers
> Avi
>
> */Robert Gosford <robertgosford@bigpond.com>/* wrote:
>
> Dear Avi,
>
> I would strongly encourage a trip to Kenya - I have no experience in
> Tanzania but by all accounts you can't go far wrong in east Africa -
> the birds are wonderful and readily accessible, there is a wide
> variety of local tour guides with flexible itineraries and there is a
> great variety of habitats.
>
> I can't recommend any particular individual guides or companies though
> I'd say that you could you drop a line to Nature Kenya - they should
> be able to point you in the right direction - the NK home page is at:
> http://www.naturekenya.org/. <http://www.naturekenya.org/.>
>
> There are a lot of similar groups throughout eastern Africa and you
> can get more information from birding-specific sites including
> FatBirder:http://www.fatbirder.com/ <http://www.fatbirder.com/>
> and Surfbirds:
> http://www.surfbirds.com/. <http://www.surfbirds.com/.>
>
> I haven't been to Tanzania but by all reports the birding and
> facilities are near to the standard in Kenya.
>
> I picked up a copy of "The Birds of East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania,
> Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi" by Terry Stevenson & John Fanshawe in Nairobi
> - as far as I know it is available from NBHS and Amazon.
>
> Cheers and best - enjoy your trip - I'm planning on being back there
> later next year.
>
> Robert Gosford
> ERSG moderator
> --- In Ethnoornithology@yahoogroups.co.uk
> <mailto:Ethnoornithology%40yahoogroups.co.uk>, "Avi Sabavala"
> <jodhpur58@...> wrote:
> >
> > Hi Robert,
> > found your account of the kenya visit very interesting.
> >
> > I would like to visit it in 2008. Can you let me know details of
> > people who can make the local arrangements. do you also think a
> trip
> > to neighbouring Tanzania would add to the charm of the trip
> > best wishes for the Chrismas & New year to all of you on the group
> >
> > Avi
> >
> >
> > --- In Ethnoornithology@yahoogroups.co.uk
> <mailto:Ethnoornithology%40yahoogroups.co.uk>, "Robert Gosford"
> > <robertgosford@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Dear all,
> > >
> > > Picking up where I left off from the previous message...my trip to
> > > Kenya was memorable for a number of reasons - it was my first
> trip
> > to
> > > Africa, it provided an opportunity to renew acquaintances with
> > > researchers and students from Kenya in their home country - rather
> > > than at conferences and meetings scattered across the globe -
> and I
> > > was looking forward to seeing how ethnoornithology 'worked' in a
> > > country generally considered to be economically poor but
> > biologically
> > > and culturally and linguistically rich.
> > >
> > > In all of these matters I was more than pleasantly surprised -
> > people
> > > in Kenya were friendly and welcoming, the climate in Nairobi was
> > > amenable - with warm days and cool nights in October (so different
> > > from Darwin in Australia where in October the days are hot and
> > humid
> > > and the nights only slightly less so).
> > >
> > > I arrived in Nairobi a week or so before the meeting so after a
> > day or
> > > so recovering from my long flights I was looking forward to
> > exploring
> > > the city and surrounds. On the Saturday morning I met up with
> Fleur
> > > Ng'weno, a veritable encyclopedia of things ornithological in
> Kenya
> > > and who runs the highly-recommended Wednesday morning bird walks
> > > around Nairobi city. She told me that we should head to Nairobi
> > > National Park, just a few miles from the city centre.
> > >
> > > I had no idea of what to expect but was absolutely stunned by the
> > > sheer variety of the birds and mammals we saw in a few short
> > hours -
> > > virtually in the shadow of Nairobi's high-rise buildings we saw
> > dozens
> > > of birds (all new to me) and a bewildering variety of ungulates,
> > > baboons, and a few of the 'big five' - all accompanied by Fleur's
> > > knowledgeable commentary.
> > >
> > > The next day we went to Lake Naivasha, a fresh-water lake in the
> > Rift
> > > Valley an hour or so's drive from Nairobi. We went with a group of
> > > students, tour-guides and others interested in birds and the
> mix of
> > > Acacia woodland (so familiar to me from the savannah country
> across
> > > northern Australia) and lake-side habitat delivered another
> > > bewildering variety of birds and mammals - the sight of a group
> > > (herd?) of hippos lolling around in the shallows a few metres off
> > > shore was unforgettable.
> > >
> > > Then down to the business I was in Kenya for - the 1st
> > > Ethnoornithology Conference for Kenya. I've been impressed for
> some
> > > time with the vigour and interest shown by Kenyan and east African
> > > researchers involved in ethnoornithology and was looking
> forward to
> > > meeting people I'd only heard or read of.
> > >
> > > The meeting - like the rest of Kenya - was impressive and
> exciting.
> > > About 50 people gathered for the conference and represented all
> > > sectors of ethnoornithological interests in the country - young
> > > students interested in the practical application of cultural bird
> > > knowledge to species and habitat conservation, senior researchers,
> > > including Dr. George Matute and Dr. Hussein Isak, birders and
> > > professional ornithologists from the National Museums of Kenya,
> > > international guests, including Dr John Fanshawe and Dr Leon
> Bennun
> > > from Birdlife International, local bird-guides (interested in
> > > incorporating traditional bird knowledge to value-add to their
> > work)
> > > and members of local support groups for the many Important Bird
> > Areas
> > > (IBAs) throughout the country.
> > >
> > > Mercy Njeri has prepared a comprehensive report of the conference
> > and
> > > I look forward to posting that on the ERSG site soon. I will also
> > look
> > > to post copies of the presentations to the conference and some
> > > photographs of participants.
> > >
> > > I can't stress the importance of this meeting enough - I believe
> > that
> > > it is important not only for the future of ethnoornithology in
> > Kenya
> > > and east Africa but it also serves as a model and example for
> > others
> > > interested in running similar conferences elsewhere - I'm sure
> that
> > > planning has started for the next one in the near future!
> > >
> > > That's all for now - must get the Xmas presents out, have
> breakfast
> > > and prepare for the day.
> > >
> > > Best to you all,
> > >
> > > Robert Gosford
> > >
> >
>
>
>
>
> Avi Sabavala
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try
> it now.
> <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51733/*http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ%20>
>
>

Avi Sabavala

Dear all,

After my too-short trip to Kenya to attend the 1st Ethnoornithology
Conference at the National Museum of Kenya on 22 October I traveled
back to Johannesburg in South Africa and then on to Cape Town. I
stayed at the well-recommended All Africa House on the campus of the
Cape Town University.

I went to South Africa to catch up with Doug Harebottle, Les Underhill
and others from the Percy Fitzpatrick Institute of African
Ornithology,  on the Cape Town University campus (see the 'Fitztitute'
website at: http://www.fitzpatrick.uct.ac.za/) and to give a short
presentation on Ethnoornithology at the Niven Library at the Fitztitute.

The presentation went well and I had time to have a good look at the
Niven Library - many thanks to Margaret Sandwith, the Librarian at the
Niven. She directed me towards some great resources in what must be
the premier ornithological library in Africa. I think I've got enough
material for a presentation on early southern African
ethnoornithological research for next year's Pan African
Ornithological Congress ('the PAOC'). Mark Cocker has also supplied me
with some information and references that will be useful.

One reason I wanted to meet up with staff at the Fitztitute was to
discuss progress of a proposed symposium on African ethnoornithology
at the PAOC.

The Twelfth Pan-African Ornithological Congress will take place at the
Goudini Spa Conference Centre, near Cape Town, from Sunday evening 7
to Friday afternoon 12 September 2008. It will be hosted by the Avian
Demography Unit and the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African
Ornithology at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, and by the
AP Leventis Ornithological Research Institute at the University of
Jos, Nigeria. These are the three university-linked ornithological
research groups in Africa. PAOC12 will be administered by the
University of Cape Town. See the PAOC homepage at:
http://paoc12.adu.org.za/index.htm.

The outline for the Ethnoornithology symposium is on the conference
web-page and reads as follows: "Ethno-ornithology in Africa: bird
knowledge, culture and conservation - In recent years Ethnoornithology
has emerged as a valuable source of ethnobiological research, partly
for its potential to be able to make a valuable contribution to bird
conservation and also as a means of empowering people of all cultures
preserve, re-examine and discover the connections between individuals,
groups and cultures and the birds that people hunt, venerate and
cherish. In this seminar it is proposed to examine, through a variety
of oral presentations, current ethnoornithological research in Africa,
future directions for proposed research and support and professional
development, particularly in the area of methodology, will also be
considered."

I'll issue a Call for Papers in the next few weeks - so if you are
interested drop a line through the website.

I'd tried to get onto a pelagic trip out of Cape Town while I was
there (thanks to Ross Wanless from the Fitztitute for your efforts)but
look forward to getting on a boat as part of the PAOC field trips.

Thats all for now - I'm off for my lunch - my next post will be on
prospects for the coming year and some of the exciting events and
projects that are coming up.

Cheers and best to you all,

Robert Gosford
ERSG moderator

Hello,

This email message is a notification to let you know that
a file has been uploaded to the Files area of the Ethnoornithology
group.

   File        : /NMK presentation.FINAL 201007ppt.ppt
   Uploaded by : robert_gosford <robertgosford@...>
   Description : Robert Gosford - presentation to 1st Ethnoorn Conference,
Nairobi, Kenya 22 October 2007

You can access this file at the URL:
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%20201007ppt.ppt

To learn more about file sharing for your group, please visit:
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Regards,

robert_gosford <robertgosford@...>

Dear Avi,

I'm glad the information was useful.

I'd like very much to come to India and the rest of the sub-continent in
the near future but know little about this wonderful part of the world.

What you might be able to help me with is some contacts or links to
birding or ethnobiological conferences/meetings etc in the area during
2008 - from the very positive responses we've had to the ERSG from India
it seems that there are many people there interested in this subject and
we might be able to expand on those contacts over the next year or so.

I look forward to any suggestions you might make.

Thanks again and best for the season.

Robert Gosford
ERSG moderator

Avi Sabavala wrote:
> Thanks Robert, for the useful info. Perhaps your next birding trip
> could be here in India if you have not already been or even if you
> have been. We have some excellent birding sites too!
> cheers
> Avi
>
> */Robert Gosford <robertgosford@...>/* wrote:
>
>     Dear Avi,
>
>     I would strongly encourage a trip to Kenya - I have no experience in
>     Tanzania but by all accounts you can't go far wrong in east Africa -
>     the birds are wonderful and readily accessible, there is a wide
>     variety of local tour guides with flexible itineraries and there is a
>     great variety of habitats.
>
>     I can't recommend any particular individual guides or companies though
>     I'd say that you could you drop a line to Nature Kenya - they should
>     be able to point you in the right direction - the NK home page is at:
>     http://www.naturekenya.org/. <http://www.naturekenya.org/.>
>
>     There are a lot of similar groups throughout eastern Africa and you
>     can get more information from birding-specific sites including
>     FatBirder:http://www.fatbirder.com/ <http://www.fatbirder.com/>
>     and Surfbirds:
>     http://www.surfbirds.com/. <http://www.surfbirds.com/.>
>
>     I haven't been to Tanzania but by all reports the birding and
>     facilities are near to the standard in Kenya.
>
>     I picked up a copy of "The Birds of East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania,
>     Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi" by Terry Stevenson & John Fanshawe in Nairobi
>     - as far as I know it is available from NBHS and Amazon.
>
>     Cheers and best - enjoy your trip - I'm planning on being back there
>     later next year.
>
>     Robert Gosford
>     ERSG moderator
>     --- In Ethnoornithology@...
>     <mailto:Ethnoornithology%40yahoogroups.co.uk>, "Avi Sabavala"
>     <jodhpur58@...> wrote:
>     >
>     > Hi Robert,
>     > found your account of the kenya visit very interesting.
>     >
>     > I would like to visit it in 2008. Can you let me know details of
>     > people who can make the local arrangements. do you also think a
>     trip
>     > to neighbouring Tanzania would add to the charm of the trip
>     > best wishes for the Chrismas & New year to all of you on the group
>     >
>     > Avi
>     >
>     >
>     > --- In Ethnoornithology@...
>     <mailto:Ethnoornithology%40yahoogroups.co.uk>, "Robert Gosford"
>     > <robertgosford@> wrote:
>     > >
>     > > Dear all,
>     > >
>     > > Picking up where I left off from the previous message...my trip to
>     > > Kenya was memorable for a number of reasons - it was my first
>     trip
>     > to
>     > > Africa, it provided an opportunity to renew acquaintances with
>     > > researchers and students from Kenya in their home country - rather
>     > > than at conferences and meetings scattered across the globe -
>     and I
>     > > was looking forward to seeing how ethnoornithology 'worked' in a
>     > > country generally considered to be economically poor but
>     > biologically
>     > > and culturally and linguistically rich.
>     > >
>     > > In all of these matters I was more than pleasantly surprised -
>     > people
>     > > in Kenya were friendly and welcoming, the climate in Nairobi was
>     > > amenable - with warm days and cool nights in October (so different
>     > > from Darwin in Australia where in October the days are hot and
>     > humid
>     > > and the nights only slightly less so).
>     > >
>     > > I arrived in Nairobi a week or so before the meeting so after a
>     > day or
>     > > so recovering from my long flights I was looking forward to
>     > exploring
>     > > the city and surrounds. On the Saturday morning I met up with
>     Fleur
>     > > Ng'weno, a veritable encyclopedia of things ornithological in
>     Kenya
>     > > and who runs the highly-recommended Wednesday morning bird walks
>     > > around Nairobi city. She told me that we should head to Nairobi
>     > > National Park, just a few miles from the city centre.
>     > >
>     > > I had no idea of what to expect but was absolutely stunned by the
>     > > sheer variety of the birds and mammals we saw in a few short
>     > hours -
>     > > virtually in the shadow of Nairobi's high-rise buildings we saw
>     > dozens
>     > > of birds (all new to me) and a bewildering variety of ungulates,
>     > > baboons, and a few of the 'big five' - all accompanied by Fleur's
>     > > knowledgeable commentary.
>     > >
>     > > The next day we went to Lake Naivasha, a fresh-water lake in the
>     > Rift
>     > > Valley an hour or so's drive from Nairobi. We went with a group of
>     > > students, tour-guides and others interested in birds and the
>     mix of
>     > > Acacia woodland (so familiar to me from the savannah country
>     across
>     > > northern Australia) and lake-side habitat delivered another
>     > > bewildering variety of birds and mammals - the sight of a group
>     > > (herd?) of hippos lolling around in the shallows a few metres off
>     > > shore was unforgettable.
>     > >
>     > > Then down to the business I was in Kenya for - the 1st
>     > > Ethnoornithology Conference for Kenya. I've been impressed for
>     some
>     > > time with the vigour and interest shown by Kenyan and east African
>     > > researchers involved in ethnoornithology and was looking
>     forward to
>     > > meeting people I'd only heard or read of.
>     > >
>     > > The meeting - like the rest of Kenya - was impressive and
>     exciting.
>     > > About 50 people gathered for the conference and represented all
>     > > sectors of ethnoornithological interests in the country - young
>     > > students interested in the practical application of cultural bird
>     > > knowledge to species and habitat conservation, senior researchers,
>     > > including Dr. George Matute and Dr. Hussein Isak, birders and
>     > > professional ornithologists from the National Museums of Kenya,
>     > > international guests, including Dr John Fanshawe and Dr Leon
>     Bennun
>     > > from Birdlife International, local bird-guides (interested in
>     > > incorporating traditional bird knowledge to value-add to their
>     > work)
>     > > and members of local support groups for the many Important Bird
>     > Areas
>     > > (IBAs) throughout the country.
>     > >
>     > > Mercy Njeri has prepared a comprehensive report of the conference
>     > and
>     > > I look forward to posting that on the ERSG site soon. I will also
>     > look
>     > > to post copies of the presentations to the conference and some
>     > > photographs of participants.
>     > >
>     > > I can't stress the importance of this meeting enough - I believe
>     > that
>     > > it is important not only for the future of ethnoornithology in
>     > Kenya
>     > > and east Africa but it also serves as a model and example for
>     > others
>     > > interested in running similar conferences elsewhere - I'm sure
>     that
>     > > planning has started for the next one in the near future!
>     > >
>     > > That's all for now - must get the Xmas presents out, have
>     breakfast
>     > > and prepare for the day.
>     > >
>     > > Best to you all,
>     > >
>     > > Robert Gosford
>     > >
>     >
>
>
>
>
> Avi Sabavala
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try
> it now.
>
<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51733/*http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtD\
ypao8Wcj9tAcJ%20>
>
>

Dear Avi,

I would strongly encourage a trip to Kenya - I have no experience in
Tanzania but by all accounts you can't go far wrong in east Africa -
the birds are wonderful and readily accessible, there is a wide
variety of local tour guides with flexible itineraries and there is a
great variety of habitats.

I can't recommend any particular individual guides or companies though
I'd say that you could you drop a line to Nature Kenya - they should
be able to point you in the right direction - the NK home page is at:
http://www.naturekenya.org/.

There are a lot of similar groups throughout eastern Africa and you
can get more information from birding-specific sites including
FatBirder:http://www.fatbirder.com/ and Surfbirds:
http://www.surfbirds.com/.

I haven't been to Tanzania but by all reports the birding and
facilities are near to the standard in Kenya.

I picked up a copy of "The Birds of East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania,
Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi" by Terry Stevenson & John Fanshawe in Nairobi
- as far as I know it is available from NBHS and Amazon.

Cheers and best - enjoy your trip - I'm planning on being back there
later next year.

Robert Gosford
ERSG moderator
--- In Ethnoornithology@yahoogroups.co.uk, "Avi Sabavala"
<jodhpur58@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Robert,
> found your account of the kenya visit very interesting.
>
> I would like to visit it in 2008. Can you let me know details of
> people who can make the local arrangements. do you also think a trip
> to neighbouring Tanzania would add to the charm of the trip
> best wishes for the Chrismas & New year to all of you on the group
>
> Avi
>
>
> --- In Ethnoornithology@yahoogroups.co.uk, "Robert Gosford"
> <robertgosford@> wrote:
> >
> > Dear all,
> >
> > Picking up where I left off from the previous message...my trip to
> > Kenya was memorable for a number of reasons - it was my first trip
> to
> > Africa, it provided an opportunity to renew acquaintances with
> > researchers and students from Kenya in their home country - rather
> > than at conferences and meetings scattered across the globe - and I
> > was looking forward to seeing how ethnoornithology 'worked' in a
> > country generally considered to be economically poor but
> biologically
> > and culturally and linguistically rich.
> >
> > In all of these matters I was more than pleasantly surprised -
> people
> > in Kenya were friendly and welcoming, the climate in Nairobi was
> > amenable - with warm days and cool nights in October (so different
> > from Darwin in Australia where in October the days are hot and
> humid
> > and the nights only slightly less so).
> >
> > I arrived in Nairobi a week or so before the meeting so after a
> day or
> > so recovering from my long flights I was looking forward to
> exploring
> > the city and surrounds. On the Saturday morning I met up with Fleur
> > Ng'weno, a veritable encyclopedia of things ornithological in Kenya
> > and who runs the highly-recommended Wednesday morning bird walks
> > around Nairobi city. She told me that we should head to Nairobi
> > National Park, just a few miles from the city centre.
> >
> > I had no idea of what to expect but was absolutely stunned by the
> > sheer variety of the birds and mammals we saw in a few short
> hours -
> > virtually in the shadow of Nairobi's high-rise buildings we saw
> dozens
> > of birds (all new to me) and a bewildering variety of ungulates,
> > baboons, and a few of the 'big five' - all accompanied by Fleur's
> > knowledgeable commentary.
> >
> > The next day we went to Lake Naivasha, a fresh-water lake in the
> Rift
> > Valley an hour or so's drive from Nairobi. We went with a group of
> > students, tour-guides and others interested in birds and the mix of
> > Acacia woodland (so familiar to me from the savannah country across
> > northern Australia) and lake-side habitat delivered another
> > bewildering variety of birds and mammals - the sight of a group
> > (herd?) of hippos lolling around in the shallows a few metres off
> > shore was unforgettable.
> >
> > Then down to the business I was in Kenya for - the 1st
> > Ethnoornithology Conference for Kenya. I've been impressed for some
> > time with the vigour and interest shown by Kenyan and east African
> > researchers involved in ethnoornithology and was looking forward to
> > meeting people I'd only heard or read of.
> >
> > The meeting - like the rest of Kenya - was impressive and exciting.
> > About 50 people gathered for the conference and represented all
> > sectors of ethnoornithological interests in the country - young
> > students interested in the practical application of cultural bird
> > knowledge to species and habitat conservation, senior researchers,
> > including Dr. George Matute and Dr. Hussein Isak, birders and
> > professional ornithologists from the National Museums of Kenya,
> > international guests, including Dr John Fanshawe and Dr Leon Bennun
> > from Birdlife International, local bird-guides (interested in
> > incorporating traditional bird knowledge to value-add to their
> work)
> > and members of local support groups for the many Important Bird
> Areas
> > (IBAs) throughout the country.
> >
> > Mercy Njeri has prepared a comprehensive report of the conference
> and
> > I look forward to posting that on the ERSG site soon. I will also
> look
> > to post copies of the presentations to the conference and some
> > photographs of participants.
> >
> > I can't stress the importance of this meeting enough - I believe
> that
> > it is important not only for the future of ethnoornithology in
> Kenya
> > and east Africa but it also serves as a model and example for
> others
> > interested in running similar conferences elsewhere - I'm sure that
> > planning has started for the next one in the near future!
> >
> > That's all for now - must get the Xmas presents out, have breakfast
> > and prepare for the day.
> >
> > Best to you all,
> >
> > Robert Gosford
> >
>

Avi Sabavala

Dear Avi,

I would strongly encourage a trip to Kenya - I have no experience in
Tanzania but by all accounts you can't go far wrong in east Africa -
the birds are wonderful and readily accessible, there is a wide
variety of local tour guides with flexible itineraries and there is a
great variety of habitats.

I can't recommend any particular individual guides or companies though
I'd say that you could you drop a line to Nature Kenya - they should
be able to point you in the right direction - the NK home page is at:
http://www.naturekenya.org/.

There are a lot of similar groups throughout eastern Africa and you
can get more information from birding-specific sites including
FatBirder:http://www.fatbirder.com/ and Surfbirds:
http://www.surfbirds.com/.

I haven't been to Tanzania but by all reports the birding and
facilities are near to the standard in Kenya.

I picked up a copy of "The Birds of East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania,
Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi" by Terry Stevenson & John Fanshawe in Nairobi
- as far as I know it is available from NBHS and Amazon.

Cheers and best - enjoy your trip - I'm planning on being back there
later next year.

Robert Gosford
ERSG moderator
--- In Ethnoornithology@..., "Avi Sabavala"
<jodhpur58@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Robert,
> found your account of the kenya visit very interesting.
>
> I would like to visit it in 2008. Can you let me know details of
> people who can make the local arrangements. do you also think a trip
> to neighbouring Tanzania would add to the charm of the trip
> best wishes for the Chrismas & New year to all of you on the group
>
> Avi
>
>
> --- In Ethnoornithology@..., "Robert Gosford"
> <robertgosford@> wrote:
> >
> > Dear all,
> >
> > Picking up where I left off from the previous message...my trip to
> > Kenya was memorable for a number of reasons - it was my first trip
> to
> > Africa, it provided an opportunity to renew acquaintances with
> > researchers and students from Kenya in their home country - rather
> > than at conferences and meetings scattered across the globe - and I
> > was looking forward to seeing how ethnoornithology 'worked' in a
> > country generally considered to be economically poor but
> biologically
> > and culturally and linguistically rich.
> >
> > In all of these matters I was more than pleasantly surprised -
> people
> > in Kenya were friendly and welcoming, the climate in Nairobi was
> > amenable - with warm days and cool nights in October (so different
> > from Darwin in Australia where in October the days are hot and
> humid
> > and the nights only slightly less so).
> >
> > I arrived in Nairobi a week or so before the meeting so after a
> day or
> > so recovering from my long flights I was looking forward to
> exploring
> > the city and surrounds. On the Saturday morning I met up with Fleur
> > Ng'weno, a veritable encyclopedia of things ornithological in Kenya
> > and who runs the highly-recommended Wednesday morning bird walks
> > around Nairobi city. She told me that we should head to Nairobi
> > National Park, just a few miles from the city centre.
> >
> > I had no idea of what to expect but was absolutely stunned by the
> > sheer variety of the birds and mammals we saw in a few short
> hours -
> > virtually in the shadow of Nairobi's high-rise buildings we saw
> dozens
> > of birds (all new to me) and a bewildering variety of ungulates,
> > baboons, and a few of the 'big five' - all accompanied by Fleur's
> > knowledgeable commentary.
> >
> > The next day we went to Lake Naivasha, a fresh-water lake in the
> Rift
> > Valley an hour or so's drive from Nairobi. We went with a group of
> > students, tour-guides and others interested in birds and the mix of
> > Acacia woodland (so familiar to me from the savannah country across
> > northern Australia) and lake-side habitat delivered another
> > bewildering variety of birds and mammals - the sight of a group
> > (herd?) of hippos lolling around in the shallows a few metres off
> > shore was unforgettable.
> >
> > Then down to the business I was in Kenya for - the 1st
> > Ethnoornithology Conference for Kenya. I've been impressed for some
> > time with the vigour and interest shown by Kenyan and east African
> > researchers involved in ethnoornithology and was looking forward to
> > meeting people I'd only heard or read of.
> >
> > The meeting - like the rest of Kenya - was impressive and exciting.
> > About 50 people gathered for the conference and represented all
> > sectors of ethnoornithological interests in the country - young
> > students interested in the practical application of cultural bird
> > knowledge to species and habitat conservation, senior researchers,
> > including Dr. George Matute and Dr. Hussein Isak, birders and
> > professional ornithologists from the National Museums of Kenya,
> > international guests, including Dr John Fanshawe and Dr Leon Bennun
> > from Birdlife International, local bird-guides (interested in
> > incorporating traditional bird knowledge to value-add to their
> work)
> > and members of local support groups for the many Important Bird
> Areas
> > (IBAs) throughout the country.
> >
> > Mercy Njeri has prepared a comprehensive report of the conference
> and
> > I look forward to posting that on the ERSG site soon. I will also
> look
> > to post copies of the presentations to the conference and some
> > photographs of participants.
> >
> > I can't stress the importance of this meeting enough - I believe
> that
> > it is important not only for the future of ethnoornithology in
> Kenya
> > and east Africa but it also serves as a model and example for
> others
> > interested in running similar conferences elsewhere - I'm sure that
> > planning has started for the next one in the near future!
> >
> > That's all for now - must get the Xmas presents out, have breakfast
> > and prepare for the day.
> >
> > Best to you all,
> >
> > Robert Gosford
> >
>

Hi Robert,
found your account of the kenya visit very interesting.

I would like to visit it in 2008. Can you let me know details of
people who can make the local arrangements. do you also think a trip
to neighbouring Tanzania would add to the charm of the trip
best wishes for the Chrismas & New year to all of you on the group

Avi


--- In Ethnoornithology@..., "Robert Gosford"
<robertgosford@...> wrote:
>
> Dear all,
>
> Picking up where I left off from the previous message...my trip to
> Kenya was memorable for a number of reasons - it was my first trip
to
> Africa, it provided an opportunity to renew acquaintances with
> researchers and students from Kenya in their home country - rather
> than at conferences and meetings scattered across the globe - and I
> was looking forward to seeing how ethnoornithology 'worked' in a
> country generally considered to be economically poor but
biologically
> and culturally and linguistically rich.
>
> In all of these matters I was more than pleasantly surprised -
people
> in Kenya were friendly and welcoming, the climate in Nairobi was
> amenable - with warm days and cool nights in October (so different
> from Darwin in Australia where in October the days are hot and
humid
> and the nights only slightly less so).
>
> I arrived in Nairobi a week or so before the meeting so after a
day or
> so recovering from my long flights I was looking forward to
exploring
> the city and surrounds. On the Saturday morning I met up with Fleur
> Ng'weno, a veritable encyclopedia of things ornithological in Kenya
> and who runs the highly-recommended Wednesday morning bird walks
> around Nairobi city. She told me that we should head to Nairobi
> National Park, just a few miles from the city centre.
>
> I had no idea of what to expect but was absolutely stunned by the
> sheer variety of the birds and mammals we saw in a few short
hours -
> virtually in the shadow of Nairobi's high-rise buildings we saw
dozens
> of birds (all new to me) and a bewildering variety of ungulates,
> baboons, and a few of the 'big five' - all accompanied by Fleur's
> knowledgeable commentary.
>
> The next day we went to Lake Naivasha, a fresh-water lake in the
Rift
> Valley an hour or so's drive from Nairobi. We went with a group of
> students, tour-guides and others interested in birds and the mix of
> Acacia woodland (so familiar to me from the savannah country across
> northern Australia) and lake-side habitat delivered another
> bewildering variety of birds and mammals - the sight of a group
> (herd?) of hippos lolling around in the shallows a few metres off
> shore was unforgettable.
>
> Then down to the business I was in Kenya for - the 1st
> Ethnoornithology Conference for Kenya. I've been impressed for some
> time with the vigour and interest shown by Kenyan and east African
> researchers involved in ethnoornithology and was looking forward to
> meeting people I'd only heard or read of.
>
> The meeting - like the rest of Kenya - was impressive and exciting.
> About 50 people gathered for the conference and represented all
> sectors of ethnoornithological interests in the country - young
> students interested in the practical application of cultural bird
> knowledge to species and habitat conservation, senior researchers,
> including Dr. George Matute and Dr. Hussein Isak, birders and
> professional ornithologists from the National Museums of Kenya,
> international guests, including Dr John Fanshawe and Dr Leon Bennun
> from Birdlife International, local bird-guides (interested in
> incorporating traditional bird knowledge to value-add to their
work)
> and members of local support groups for the many Important Bird
Areas
> (IBAs) throughout the country.
>
> Mercy Njeri has prepared a comprehensive report of the conference
and
> I look forward to posting that on the ERSG site soon. I will also
look
> to post copies of the presentations to the conference and some
> photographs of participants.
>
> I can't stress the importance of this meeting enough - I believe
that
> it is important not only for the future of ethnoornithology in
Kenya
> and east Africa but it also serves as a model and example for
others
> interested in running similar conferences elsewhere - I'm sure that
> planning has started for the next one in the near future!
>
> That's all for now - must get the Xmas presents out, have breakfast
> and prepare for the day.
>
> Best to you all,
>
> Robert Gosford
>

Dear all,

As a closing note on this look at some of the important events in
ethnoornithology for 2007 I believe it is important to recognise the
individuals and groups involved in the Nairobi conference.

Thanks go to the Netherlands government for providing essential
funding, to Birdlife International and Nature Kenya for providing
stimulus, support and the staff essential for the preparation of this
conference and also to the National Museums of Kenya (NMK), which
provided the Invertebrate Zoology Training lab as a venue and the many
staff that contributed, in a wide variety of ways, to the smooth
running of the conference.

Mr. Ronald Mulwa, Head of Ornithology section, NMK opened proceedings
and welcomed participants and chaired the first session, Dr. Muchai
Muchane, Head of the Zoology Department of NMK gave the opening speech
on behalf of Dr. H. Oyieke, Director, Research, NMK.

The second session  involved five case studies by Mr. G. Amutete, Ms.
M. Muiruri, and Dr. H. A. Isack and Mr. R. Gosford and a paper
presentation by Ms Aneesa Kassam from the University of Durham in the UK.

After lunch a workshop session with break-out groups with the theme of
"Ethno-ornithology in Kenya – the way forward" was chaired by Paul
Matiku, and the rapporteur was George Amutete.

This was followed by a closing session chaired by Dr John Fanshawe of
Birdlife International.

Special thanks must also go to all of the other participants in the
conference and to Martha Nzisa, Maryam Imbumi, Lucy Kariuki, Caroline
Njoki and Mercy Njeri for providing essential administrative support,
and for their participation during and encouragement for the meeting.

As noted previously Mercy Njeri has prepared a more complete report
that I'll post when it is finalised.

One important focus throughout the conference was the emphasis on the
development of ethnoornithology in Kenya and beyond in the coming
years. A reference group was established that will drive this process
and it is expected to report on its proposals soon. A further issue
for consideration was preparation and participation in the
Ethnoornithology symposium at the Pan-African Ornithological Congress
in South Africa in September 2008 (more on this later!).

As a final personal note on the Nairobi conference I must comment on
how I was tremendously encouraged to see the variety of interests and
possibilities presented at the conference, and the enthusiasm and the
potential for the future of ethnoornithology in Kenya and east Africa.

Notwithstanding the apparent difficulties (poverty, lack of funding
etc etc) I think that the future for ethnoornithology in east Africa
is bright - there is a strong history of academic research and
on-the-ground conservation management and achievement, there is an
active tourist industry with strong local support and involvement and
Kenya's cultures and languages (two vital components for
ethnoornithology)offer many opportunities for further development and
exploration.

I was also pleased to tell the participants that not only was the
conference the first dedicated to ethnoornithology in Kenya, it was a
world first - one thing we might like to think about is the
preparation and conduct of an inaugural International Congress on
Ethnoornithology - I'd be interested in any thoughts on this idea -
one proposal is that it could be held in say, September or October
2009. It may be that Nairobi would be a good location for such a
conference...any thoughts?

I haven't talked much about this but one thing that will definitely
draw me back to Kenya (I'm planning a week or two immediately after
the PAOC in Cape Town in September 2008) is the birds - over 1100
species across the country and a wonderful variety of habitats and
cultures to learn about!!

I'll have a look back at the other events of importance to us in 2007
in my next posting and then turn my mind to the future and the very
busy 2008 that awaits.

Thats all for now,

Best for the season to you all,

Robert Gosford
ERSG moderator
Australia

Dear all,

Picking up where I left off from the previous message...my trip to
Kenya was memorable for a number of reasons - it was my first trip to
Africa, it provided an opportunity to renew acquaintances with
researchers and students from Kenya in their home country - rather
than at conferences and meetings scattered across the globe - and I
was looking forward to seeing how ethnoornithology 'worked' in a
country generally considered to be economically poor but biologically
and culturally and linguistically rich.

In all of these matters I was more than pleasantly surprised - people
in Kenya were friendly and welcoming, the climate in Nairobi was
amenable - with warm days and cool nights in October (so different
from Darwin in Australia where in October the days are hot and humid
and the nights only slightly less so).

I arrived in Nairobi a week or so before the meeting so after a day or
so recovering from my long flights I was looking forward to exploring
the city and surrounds. On the Saturday morning I met up with Fleur
Ng'weno, a veritable encyclopedia of things ornithological in Kenya
and who runs the highly-recommended Wednesday morning bird walks
around Nairobi city. She told me that we should head to Nairobi
National Park, just a few miles from the city centre.

I had no idea of what to expect but was absolutely stunned by the
sheer variety of the birds and mammals we saw in a few short hours -
virtually in the shadow of Nairobi's high-rise buildings we saw dozens
of birds (all new to me) and a bewildering variety of ungulates,
baboons, and a few of the 'big five' - all accompanied by Fleur's
knowledgeable commentary.

The next day we went to Lake Naivasha, a fresh-water lake in the Rift
Valley an hour or so's drive from Nairobi. We went with a group of
students, tour-guides and others interested in birds and the mix of
Acacia woodland (so familiar to me from the savannah country across
northern Australia) and lake-side habitat delivered another
bewildering variety of birds and mammals - the sight of a group
(herd?) of hippos lolling around in the shallows a few metres off
shore was unforgettable.

Then down to the business I was in Kenya for - the 1st
Ethnoornithology Conference for Kenya. I've been impressed for some
time with the vigour and interest shown by Kenyan and east African
researchers involved in ethnoornithology and was looking forward to
meeting people I'd only heard or read of.

The meeting - like the rest of Kenya - was impressive and exciting.
About 50 people gathered for the conference and represented all
sectors of ethnoornithological interests in the country - young
students interested in the practical application of cultural bird
knowledge to species and habitat conservation, senior researchers,
including Dr. George Matute and Dr. Hussein Isak, birders and
professional ornithologists from the National Museums of Kenya,
international guests, including Dr John Fanshawe and Dr Leon Bennun
from Birdlife International, local bird-guides (interested in
incorporating traditional bird knowledge to value-add to their work)
and members of local support groups for the many Important Bird Areas
(IBAs) throughout the country.

Mercy Njeri has prepared a comprehensive report of the conference and
I look forward to posting that on the ERSG site soon. I will also look
to post copies of the presentations to the conference and some
photographs of participants.

I can't stress the importance of this meeting enough - I believe that
it is important not only for the future of ethnoornithology in Kenya
and east Africa but it also serves as a model and example for others
interested in running similar conferences elsewhere - I'm sure that
planning has started for the next one in the near future!

That's all for now - must get the Xmas presents out, have breakfast
and prepare for the day.

Best to you all,

Robert Gosford

JAMBO!Is how we say hallow here in home Tanzania. I read about you
safari but you didn't passe here.Wellcome when you will passe near
bay next time.
Your birding freandElvis, Arusha Tanzania.
--- In Ethnoornithology@..., "Robert Gosford"
<robertgosford@...> wrote:
>
> Dear all,
>
> It's been a very busy year and I've been remiss in my duties to the
> ERSG for the past few months - for that I apologise. Since
> mid-September I've been back at work as a lawyer in Darwin in the
Top
> End , 1500km away from my home here at Yuendumu in central
Australia.
> We've been very busy with a change in Federal Government, changes
at
> the top of the Northern Territory government and with substantial
> changes to the administration of the Northern Land Council, the
> statutory authority that I'm working for that is responsible for
the
> management of the thousands of square kilometres of Aboriginal land
> and sea in the top half of the NT.
>
> Apart from returning to work (hopefully my stint will be over in a
> month or so and I can devote more attention to ethnoorn!) it has
been
> a great year for ethnoornithology.
>
> First my travel - In late March & early April I attended and
presented
> at an ethnoornithology symposium at the 30th Society of
Ethnobiology
> conference at Berkeley in California then with my partner Gloria
had a
> wonderful two weeks driving through the backroads of New Mexico and
> Arizona.
>
> Then in May I was off to Maturin in Venezuela for the 8th
Neotropical
> Ornithological Conference, where I was a co-chair of another
> ethnoornithology session and had the pleasure of meeting new
> colleagues from across south and central America.
>
> In June I returned, via the UK, to attend and present at a
workshop at
> the Institute for the Sociology of Law at Onati, outside Bilboa in
the
> Basque country the back to the UK to travel up to Cambridge to
give a
> presentation at the Birdlife International offices there. Thanks to
> John Fanshawe of BI we had a wonderful dinner and a few ales with
> Martin Walsh (another ethnoornithologist specialising, like John,
in
> east African bird knowledge) and Mark Cocker. Mark is working on an
> international version of his wonderful book, Birds Britannica
(more on
> this matter in another post).
>
> I managed to spend a few months back at home before traveling up to
> Darwin to start work back at the NLC fgor a few months, until
October,
> when I flew via Perth and Johannesburg to Nairobi in Kenya. There I
> was the guest and (honoured and flattered) keynote speaker at the
1st
> Ethnoornithology Conference at the National Museums of Kenya at
Nairobi.
>
> End of Part 1 - Gloria tells me that we have to take the dogs for
> their Christmas Eve walk - I'll look out for the Spotted Nightjars
and
> Wedegtailed Eagles that have been a regular sighting on these
> walks...back soon.
>
> Cheers and best,
>
> Robert Gosford
> ERSG moderator
>

Dear all,

It's been a very busy year and I've been remiss in my duties to the
ERSG for the past few months - for that I apologise. Since
mid-September I've been back at work as a lawyer in Darwin in the Top
End , 1500km away from my home here at Yuendumu in central Australia.
We've been very busy with a change in Federal Government, changes at
the top of the Northern Territory government and with substantial
changes to the administration of the Northern Land Council, the
statutory authority that I'm working for that is responsible for the
management of the thousands of square kilometres of Aboriginal land
and sea in the top half of the NT.

Apart from returning to work (hopefully my stint will be over in a
month or so and I can devote more attention to ethnoorn!) it has been
a great year for ethnoornithology.

First my travel - In late March & early April I attended and presented
at an ethnoornithology symposium at the 30th Society of Ethnobiology
conference at Berkeley in California then with my partner Gloria had a
wonderful two weeks driving through the backroads of New Mexico and
Arizona.

Then in May I was off to Maturin in Venezuela for the 8th Neotropical
Ornithological Conference, where I was a co-chair of another
ethnoornithology session and had the pleasure of meeting new
colleagues from across south and central America.

In June I returned, via the UK, to attend and present at a workshop at
the Institute for the Sociology of Law at Onati, outside Bilboa in the
Basque country the back to the UK to travel up to Cambridge to give a
presentation at the Birdlife International offices there. Thanks to
John Fanshawe of BI we had a wonderful dinner and a few ales with
Martin Walsh (another ethnoornithologist specialising, like John, in
east African bird knowledge) and Mark Cocker. Mark is working on an
international version of his wonderful book, Birds Britannica (more on
this matter in another post).

I managed to spend a few months back at home before traveling up to
Darwin to start work back at the NLC fgor a few months, until October,
when I flew via Perth and Johannesburg to Nairobi in Kenya. There I
was the guest and (honoured and flattered) keynote speaker at the 1st
Ethnoornithology Conference at the National Museums of Kenya at Nairobi.

End of Part 1 - Gloria tells me that we have to take the dogs for
their Christmas Eve walk - I'll look out for the Spotted Nightjars and
Wedegtailed Eagles that have been a regular sighting on these
walks...back soon.

Cheers and best,

Robert Gosford
ERSG moderator

Congrats Vanya, for being selected to participate in the NCSC 2007.
Am glad to see you are also a member of this egroup.
Do send me a copy of your revised paper as I have not yet received it. Hope you have incorporated some of the changes suggested in my office.

Am just back from Dzongu for a day before going off there again for a BNHS nature camp. Back on 3rd Nov.

Good luck and keep up the good work.
Regards,
Usha

Vanya Jha <vanyanegia@yahoo.co.in> wrote:

Dear esteemed members of this group

 

At the onset I express my deep gratitude to Dr. Robert Gosford for kindly accepting my application for membership of this group. Ever since I got to know  about this group I have been keen to be a part of it.

 

I am Vanya Jha, from Sikkim, India. I am a student. Sikkim as many of you might know, is a heaven of birds. It is a small state with area of only about 7096 sq. km it has hosts 550 species of birds.

 

I am very much interested in ethnoornithology of Lepchas, an indigeneous group of people from Sikkim. I am to participate in National Children's Scinence Congress in December and my paper is traditional knowledge on Rhythmic Behaviour of birds: A study of Lepchas of Sikkim.

 

If the group permits, I would like to send a copy of my paper for your critical comments.

 

I am keen to learn more from all of you.

 

Thanks

 

Vanya Jha

D/o Dr. Ajeya Jha

Sikkim manipal Institute of Technology

Sikkim, INDIA

---

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Usha Lachungpa
Sr. Research Officer (WL)
Dept. of Forests, Env. & WL
Government of Sikkim
Deorali, Gangtok 737 102, INDIA
ulachungpa@gmail.com
ulachungpa2001@yahoo.com
Tel/Fax: 00-91-3592-280402 (o)
Cell: 094340-25273

__________________________________________________
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Dear esteemed members of this group

 

At the onset I express my deep gratitude to Dr. Robert Gosford for kindly accepting my application for membership of this group. Ever since I got to know  about this group I have been keen to be a part of it.

 

I am Vanya Jha, from Sikkim, India. I am a student. Sikkim as many of you might know, is a heaven of birds. It is a small state with area of only about 7096 sq. km it has hosts 550 species of birds.

 

I am very much interested in ethnoornithology of Lepchas, an indigeneous group of people from Sikkim. I am to participate in National Children's Scinence Congress in December and my paper is traditional knowledge on Rhythmic Behaviour of birds: A study of Lepchas of Sikkim.

 

If the group permits, I would like to send a copy of my paper for your critical comments.

 

I am keen to learn more from all of you.

 

Thanks

 

Vanya Jha

D/o Dr. Ajeya Jha

Sikkim manipal Institute of Technology

Sikkim, INDIA

---

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Dear Michelle,

Thanks for your message and welcome to the ERSG. I'm sure that the
ERSG will be able to expand your interest in the role of birds and
animals in Australian Aboriginal religious life.

Please don't underestimate the contribution that you might make just
because you 'don't work in this field' - there are a lot of ways that
you can contribute - ethnoornithology and ethnobiology are by their
very nature interdisciplinary and so capable of accommodating aspects
of knowledge outside of traditional areas often associated with bird
study.

You've said you are keen to see what is developing in ethnoornithology
and I'd suggest you keep an eye on posts on the ERSG group from time
to time and keep asking questions!!

Welcome and looking forward to your future posts.

Robert Gosford
ERSG Moderator

--- In Ethnoornithology@..., "sage.white"
<sage.white@...> wrote:
>
> Hello,
>
> I'm one of those new members :)
>
> My name is Michelle and I'm living in Brisbane.  My interest in
> joining the group is a purely selfish one.  I have a great interest in
> Aboriginal spirituality and very much love the idea of learning about
> Indigenous names and information of birds - all fauna to be exact.
> I'm afraid I won't be of much help as I don't work in thie field and
> know absolutely nothing about this work, but am very keen to hear
> whats developing.
>
> Michelle
>

Dear Heidi,

Any update on the Community Counrt Day & advice on when the Oral
History book might be published - particularly any reviews or excerpts?

Best and don't forget to keep the ERSG members updated on the work of
you and your group.

Robert Gosford
ERSG Moderator

--- In Ethnoornithology@..., "Heidi Stevens"
<stevensh@...> wrote:
>
> Robert,
> Kerry-Jayne Wilson is presenting a paper on behalf of Kaupapa Kereru
at the AOC, but this is not in the ethoornithology session this year.
  I have just submitted an abstract to the Human Ecology Conference in
October this year regarding both the Tui Restoration and Kaupapa
Kereru projects.
> The tui website is not available yet, but will hopefully be so soon.
  I would recommend taking a look at the Kaupapa Kereru website, there
is some interesting stuff on there.
> Kaupapa Kereru held a very successful 'Community
> Count Day' this year, and is soon to publish an Oral Histories Book,
which features interviews with long-time residents of Banks Peninsula
as well as recent research.
>
> Heidi
>

Dear 'Chezliley',

I'm just catching up on a few messages posted in the past few months
and found your note.
How are you progressing with your research?
I think it is particularly interesting that you are taking a
biogeographical approach - looking at bird knowledge and cultures
across human boundaries and along the flightlines that the birds
themselves establish.
In my research in Australia I've found that there is a lot of material
found outside of the realm of what we would normally look at to find
bird knowledge - I've found material in the stories that Australian
Aboriginal artists use to provide background to their paintings of
religious sites and beliefs. I've also found a lot of material in
material prepared for use in schools, dictionaries, bibliographies of
social science research etc.
I think your primary emphasis on the more salient species is a good
approach and may reveal a lot of similarities and links between
cultures and languages (though don't forget the differences can often
be just as important and sometimes species that are effectively
ignored in one culture can be treated quite differently in
neighbouring cultures or language groups).
I also like the idea of looking at how birds emerge in song and dance
- here in Australia there are many examples of bird knowledge being
embedded in the songs and dances associated with religious and secular
ceremonies.

Good luck with your research and the Flyways project. Please keep us
all informed of your progress and we look forward to more messages
from you. Please also look to participate in any conferences and
symposia that ERSG members are involved - you might be interested in
participating in the PAOC workshop we are planning for September 2008.

Best wishes,

Robert Gosford
ERSG moderator

--- In Ethnoornithology@..., "chezliley" <chezliley@...>
wrote:
>
> I am researching bird knowledge among peoples of the Great Rift Valley
> for a project called "Flyways," based on the migration along the Great
> Rift from Turkey to southern Africa. The project will chronicle the
> birds' passage using music of the cultures over which the birds fly
> and featuring the voices of some of the various endemic and migrating
> species. The birds' extraordinary journeys link cultures across vast
> distances, a powerful symbol for the interconnectedness of all forms
> of life as well as for the need for international collaboration for
> conservation. Music and dance are often the defining elements of
> cultures, and music can also weave a joining thread. "Flyways'"
> purpose is to celebrate and affirm the diverse and extraordinary
> musical and dance traditions found throughout the region, many of
> which are in danger of disappearing; and to support conservation
> efforts relating to the birds.
>
> For my ethno-ornithology research, I am particularly interested in
> species which feature prominently in the cultural landscapes, such as
> storks and  cranes, hoopoes,  woodpeckers, nightjars, and owls.  I'm
> also interested in knowledge and lore relating to endangered and
> threatened species, such as the Bald Ibis. Lastly, in addition to the
> above, I'd like to learn about any of the birds with "musical,"
> evocative, or amazing vocalizations (for example, African Fish Eagle,
> bitterns, bustards, doves, shrikes, turacos, boubous.)
>
> All ideas and suggestions are welcome.
>
> With thanks,
>