1. Bird Population Monitoring Programme
Yellow-throated Sandgrouse, by Warwick Tarboton
Count Report (Mrs Keddy Moleofi and Dr. Senyatso)

2. Index for Pied Crow, Yellow-billed Kite, Sabota Lark, Southern Masked-Weaver

3. Common Myna records

4. Red-billed Quelea records

5. The index is calculated by assuming the November 2010 counts/divided no. of Nov transects as an index score of 1, and dividing subsequent counts (divided by their respective number of transects) by the score from this starting time-period.

6. BPM growth
The number of participants and transect for the four BPM counts

7. Transects distribution (Feb 2014)

8. Challenges: Common and widespread under-recorded and or misidentified species
Number of records per year
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Golden-tailed Woodpecker 7 9 17 13 10
Bearded Woodpecker 14 32 4
Cardinal Woodpecker 15 54
136 6 46
Barred Wren-Warbler (Southern Barred Warbler) 20 65 22
Icterine Warbler 3 66 5 1
Olive Tree Warbler
Chat Flycatcher 12 39
Red-capped Lark 2
Burnt-necked Eremomela
Fawn Colored Lark 76
134
123 16 53

9. Challenges: Samples of odd records during transects visits for the November 2013 and February 2014
Species
Number recorded during the count
Notes
Crested Guineafowl 63
Crested Guineafowl has been recorded once in Botswana from Kubu Lodge Kasane. It is not found in Botswana but found in neighboring countries Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mozambique. There are only two species of guinea fowl in the world, the one common and widespread in Botswana is Helmeted Guineafowl.
Cape Bunting 9
Has been recorded once in Botswana and it is also not found in Botswana, mistaken with the Long-tailed Paradise-Whydah.
European Turtle-Dove 3
Have been recorded once in Botswana and Found in West Africa across Europe; mistaken with Cape Turtle Dove
Cape Batis 5
Only one record made once in Botswana, found in South Africa, can be mistaken with Chinspot Batis or Pririt Batis
Grey Plover 10
This is wader/shore bird and not expected to be see numerously in a BPM count unless the transect is on wetland which should not be so.
Melodius Lark 7
Found only in high veld grassland in South Africa and rare and hardly occurs in Botswana.
Bokmakierie (Bushshrike) 6
Can be rarely seen in southeast of Botswana but is found in South Africa
Angola Swallow
One record in Southern Africa, found in north Africa and can be mistaken with Barn Swallow

10. Challenges continued…
Failure to repeat counts-missing data
Transfer of coordinators
Recordings of birds outside their known range and distribution
Bias of counters near the cities and towns
Under representation of some habitat types

11. Ideal Situation at Boteti
All villages in the sub-district represented (At least 50 people collecting data)
Stakeholder participating actively on the programme (DWNP, DEA, DVS, DFFR, BTO e.t.c involved in programme planning, data collection, report production e.t.c)
Even district representation transects coverage (at least 40 transects)
Common bird data available for the sub-district
to infer species abundance, diversity and composition at the sub-district level
Influence decisions made to conserve natural resources within the sub-district e.g game birds quotas, checklist for the PAs

12. Current Situation at Boteti district
Low participation of communities, stakeholders
Only 8 transects within the district
BPM training conducted twice and trained 60 participants including government officials
None of gov staff participating
Why take part
Baseline bird data
National bird inventory
Meet the CBD obligations
Update bird info on the NBSAP

13. Way forward
Identify ways to demonstrate data usage within the stakeholders
Solicit more support from the heads
Engage stakeholders on data analysis and count reports production
Establish local representative committee

14. Acknowledgements BPM data contributors
Coordinators/Local representatives
Implementing partners DWNP and DEA
Sponsors Debswana Orapa Letlhakane and Damtshaa mine and RSPB
Photographer-Warwick Tarboton
Map-Dikeme Kgaodi (DEA)

15. Enjoy the November 2014 Count!!!
Thank you !!!
Enjoy the November 2014 Count!!!