The gravity of the situation...

Gravity plays a background role in most of our life.  We take it for granted.  But in some moments, gravity is a vivid force.

Me and gravity have been getting along fine, but sometimes our relationship is a bit strained (though I’m the only one doing the straining).  Roped ascents are a reasonably safe way to get high into trees.  A skill I learned while working for the Mauritius Wildlife Foundation, on the recovery project for the endangered Echo Parakeet.  During the five months of the parakeet breeding season of ’06-’07, I had survived around 200 climbs.  Many of the natural tree-cavities, and artificial nesting boxes were scaled multiple times for various reasons; egg checks, hatching success, ringing, and end of season maintenance (bees, termites, anti-viral spraying, and fresh nesting woodchips).  This skill has been invaluable in recent years for putting up owl nesting boxes, and presently for the Crowned Eagle research.

some examples of climbing in Mauritius. central image by Mia Jessen

and recently at the Victoria Country Club. photos by James Walker

Since arriving here in April to start the research I have also become very keen on rock climbing.  Initially in order to improve flexibility and strength conditioning for the tree-climbing work, and well, it became great to be out on rock faces for fun and the wildlife.  The KZN climbers have produced an excellent route guide, and places like Monteseel, and Rumdoodle in the Kloof Gorge Nature Reserve are stunning areas. Often we are climbing in areas where a Lanner or Peregrine falcon will fly past, and at Umgeni Valley occasionally a Verreaux Eagle too.  When reaching high into a crack of rock the occasional thought of confronting a snake in its hideout creeps into my mind.  With a fascination for snakes, I am looking forward to seeing and identifying species, but face-to-face up a 20 meter wall with a skinny finger-hold – not so much.

Spotted Rock Snake   Lamprophis guttatus   a habitat specialist of rock flakes and crevices

I have attempted to manage the potential dangers of climbing to Crowned Eagle nests.  Of course the rope must be well maintained and checked for weak points.  Whilst climbing, old trees and particularly Eucalypts, create large brittle dead snags, which with a little shake or rope pressure, come crashing through the canopy.  Look up!

 And not least the eagles.  When it comes to eagles nesting - a good offense is the best defense.  There have been many cautionary tales told and I remembered from years back an image in Leslie Brown’s book of deep puncture wounds in his shoulder.  I didn’t know until recently that Ben Hoffman had been to that particular nest several times, but wasn’t there when Leslie was gripped below the ribs – the eagles talons missing his kidneys by a couple of centimeters.  Having spent time with Simon Thomsett also, he told of similar stories, including a Danish volunteer that was struck hard  “She had pushed his teeth through his gums and put a few deep holes in his head. On his way down the trees had broken his fall but had broken his arm too.”
Read the whole story here

Simon has been attacked several times, and on one occasions, remembering Leslies photo, took a similar self-portrait.

Brown, L. 1976. Birds of Prey: Their Biology and Ecology

Simon mimicking Leslie - follow the link in text to Simons blog 

With these tales, I prepared well to face the wrath of a protective mother, and decided on a foam filled backpack with waist straps to protect from attacks from the rear, and a police riot helmet with visor and neck guard.  Going so far as to paint big eyes on the back of my helmet – in the hopes that they will not be so bold as to attack while I’m watching.  There was one very recent incident that presented another danger that I didn't predict.  The wrath of a deeply passionate local who wasn't informed of the research we are doing.  Taking misperceptions to the extreme and not appreciating that our timing and disturbance on the eagles has been carefully considered, with the least disturbance possible, UKZN Animal Ethics approval, landowner permissions, and municipality permits.  Despite these details that we tried to explain, in the heat of the moment and with large pair of kitchen scissors, I found myself 20 meters up a tree with an irate local preparing to cut me down.  Thankfully, Mia saved what was potentially a fall to my death, or in the least, serious injury.  Yet the scissors still found their way to my rope anyhow, and our passionate resident cut off six meters from the free end of a R2,000 rope – as a warning.

Heated exchanges cooled, and over a lovely cup of sweet rooibos, it seems we ended the day on amicable terms.  It was a oversight on my part to not ensure the neighborhood was well informed with the details of the research, this is a lesson well learnt.

Prologue

How does this blog begin?  A question I have mulled over for several weeks now as I have built the webpage.  If I were to start by describing recent evens it would be solemn and slow.    A recount of the tiresome process of gathering the mountains of documents required for a South African study visa, of enrolling at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), and of attempting funding applications from New Zealand.

Rewind to a more fitting time to begin the story. April 2006.

I arrived in Nairobi, Kenya.  And at the airport are reunited with Mia (a born falconer and raptor enthusiast from Denmark, courtesy of the ‘Mongolian Dating Agency’ as Andrew Dixon describes the Saker Falcon project – but that’s another story entirely).  Collected from Jomo Kenyatta airport by Simon Thomsett and hastened out to his house, perched in the back corner of a conservancy and dispersal area for Nairobi National Park.  An ex-game ranch teeming with the wildlife that looked as I had always dreamed the African savannah would.

At that time Simon was supported by the Peregrine Fund, and ran a raptor conservation operation from his house.   A little dream of a self-built house of rocks and mortar, a papyrus thatched roof, and surrounded by aviaries built from local resources. 

Over the preceding months Mia had briefed me on some of Simons extensive contributions to the raptor world.  Of their first meeting on the Cape Verde Islands to capture the then unknown Cape Verde Kite, and a number of exploits prior and since including: attempts to re-introduce the Bearded Vulture to the Kenya, periodic road trips to the Masai Mara Reserve counting raptors, advocating vulture conservation, and much more besides.  In the aviaries and mews’ surrounding the house were a variety of advocacy and rehabilitating raptors; Fish Eagles, Augur Buzzards, Giant Eagle-owl, a Verraux Eagle, and a Bearded Vulture.  In the largest and most extravagant pen sat Rosy and Girl, a pair of Crowned Eagles that Simon has had successfully breeding for some 20 years.

Rosy and Girl with young Dutchess. (C) Simon Thomsett

Dutchess in April 2007.

The drive towards Simons house on the first day was overwhelming, through giraffe and crowned cranes, and herds of impala and eland.  I was almost immediately introduced to a juvenile Crowned Eagle sat on a bow perch.  Named Dutchess at the time, this was the twelfth offspring produced by Rosy and Girl, with all previous young having been released into the wild. 

Over the next ten weeks I slowly learned the nature of this Duchess, and we worked towards increasing her hunting prowess.  The fast-track to a successful release required her to prove her hunting success, and while this road to independence might take two years in natural circumstances, I had just ten weeks and needed to provide ample opportunities for her to gain confidence.

Nocturnal life on the farm was far more abundant and naive to the hunting eagle, and so she started out tackling hares and springhares by spotlight.  It was enlightening to read her reactions, initially she was all coy and hesitant.  Before long she was confident and proactive, proving herself by dispatching of a weaner Thomson’s Gazelle.  Ready to expand her options she was then out hunting in the afternoons where she was able to capture some young vervet monkeys – one of the Crowned Eagles more usual prey.

A successful hunt.

And with a Vervet Monkey.

I was immensely sad to leave Kenya at that time.  Simon was preparing to move on, security issues and economic viability forcing the move.  Those birds that could be released were, and over the next months that sadness was mediated by the progress reports of Dutchess successful release at Ol Donyo Laro.  A history of this release, of Rosy and Girls progress in subsequent years, and the fantastic cross-continent Raptor Expedition can be read on Simons blog.  Start here with Dutchess' release…