Programme
2026 programme
Our 2026 Programme is below.
The programme can change at short notice due to unforeseen circumstances.
We will keep members informed by email and on our WhatsApp group.
Please take particular note of the Meeting Dates. Our regular spot (first Thursday of the month) is not always available at the Library Hall, so some dates may change.
For any information or confirmation, please contact a committee member or email us at somersetwestbirdclub@gmail.com
Venues and Times
Club meetings – 18h30 for 19h00 at the Somerset West Library hall, c/o Victoria and Andries Pretorius Streets, Somerset West, every first Thursday of the month (except January where it is the second Thursday).
Club outings – usually departing between 06h30 and 07h00 [summer time] or 07h00 and 07h30 [winter time] depending on the destination. Please check WhatsApp group or check with a committee member for exact details for each outing. We also announce the details at the monthly meeting. Please arrive 15 minutes before the departing time so that car sharing can be arranged.
Depending on where we are going, parking at Habitat Centre, c/o N2 and R44, Somerset West [next to Somerset Mall], 34.0795783°S, 18.8207871°E or Vergelegen Plein c/o Sir Lowry’s Pass Rd and Bizweni Ave, 34.101943°S, 18.873910°E. (East side parking – Checkers side).
Dick Dent Bird Sanctuary and Paardevlei – April till September at 15h00; October till March at 16h00. DD – park at the church, c/o Woltemade and Jennings Streets, Strand. Paardevlei – park at Cheetah Sanctuary [34.091037°S, 18.813905°E]. Meet at gate to the vlei next to Lorenzo Marx coffee shop.
| June | 4 | Thursday | 19:00 | Meeting: CWAC Count presentation |
| June | 13 | Saturday | 15:00 | Bird watch / count: Paardevlei |
| June | 20 | Saturday | Meet at 07:00, leave at 07:15 | Outing: Harold Porter Botanical Garden / Rooiels / Penguin colony at Bettys Bay |
| July | 2 | Thursday | 19:00 | Meeting: Giselle Murison, Western Cape Estuaries |
| July | 11 | Saturday | 15:00 | Bird watch / count: Dick Dent |
| July | 18 | Saturday | TBC | Outing: Spier Wine Estate |
| July | 25 | Saturday | All day | CAR count (winter count) Date TBC |
| August | 6 | Thursday | 19:00 | Meeting: Speaker TBC |
| August | 8 | Saturday | 15:00 | Bird watch / count: Paardevlei |
| August | 15 | Saturday | TBC | Outing: Delheim Wine Estate |
| September | 3 | Thursday | 19:00 | Meeting, Speaker TBC |
| September | 12 | Saturday | 15:00 | Bird watch / count: Dick Dent |
| September | 19 | Saturday | TBC | Outing: Vergelegen |
| October | 1 | Thursday | 19:00 | Meeting, Speaker TBC |
| October | 10 | Saturday | 16:00 | Bird watch / count: Paardevlei |
| October | 16 – 18 | Weekend | Weekend away: Stanford | |
| October | 24 | Saturday | 06:00 | Bird count: Helderberg Marine Protected Area |
| November | 5 | Thursday | 19:00 | Meeting: Speaker TBC |
| November | Water Conservation World Watch (CWAC count) – date TBC | |||
| November | 14 | Saturday | 15:00 | Bird watch / count: Dick Dent |
| November | 21 | Saturday | TBC | Outing: Stamford boat trip / Willem Appel dam |
| November | Year End Function, date TBC | |||
| December | 3 | Thursday | 19:00 | Meeting: Photography Evening |
| December | 5 | Saturday | Birding Big Day | |
| December | 12 | Saturday | 15:00 | Bird watch / count: Paardevlei |
| December | 19 | Saturday | Outing TBC (Depends on interest) |
Previous events in 2026
| January | 8 | Thursday | 19:00 | Meeting: Quiz Night |
| January | 10 | Saturday | 16:00 | Bird watch / count: Dick Dent |
| January | 17 | Saturday | 07:00 | Outing: Strandfontein / Rondevlei Nature Reserve |
| January | 31 | Saturday | All day | CAR Count (Summer count) |
| February | 5 | Thursday | 19:00 | Meeting: AGM followed by speaker Albert van Reenen, Tankwa Karoo |
| February | 14 | Saturday | 16:00 | CWAC (water bird) count: potentially Paardevlei, Dick Dent, Steenbras and Macassar |
| February | 21 | Saturday | 07:00 | Outing: Karwyderskraal Road / Swartriver Road |
| February | 28 | Saturday | 07:00 | Bird Count: Helderberg Marine Protected Area |
| March | 5 | Thursday | 19:00 | Meeting: Speaker Michelle Watson – Kogelberg Biosphere Wildlife Rescue and Training Centre |
| March | 14 | Saturday | 16:00 | Bird watch / count: Dick Dent |
| April | 2 | Thursday | 19:00 | Meeting: Speaker Muneba Lamera, Restoring Sunbird migration routes in the Cape |
| April | 11 | Saturday | 15:00 | Bird watch / count: Paardevlei : Combined with Friends of Paardevlei event |
| May | 7 | Thursday | 19:00 | Meeting: Guy Hausler, Yellow Billed Oxpecker |
| May | 9 | Saturday | 15:00 | Bird watch / count: Dick Dent |
| May | 16 | Saturday | TBC | Outing: Tygerberg Nature Reserve / Majik Forest |
2025 events
| Jan | 9 | Thursday | 19h00 | Meeting: Quiz Night |
| Jan | 11 | Saturday | 16h00 | Bird watch / count: Dick Dent |
| Jan | 18 | Saturday | 07h30 | Outing: Rooiels, Howard Porter |
| Feb | 8 | Saturday | 16h00 | Bird watch / count: Paardevlei |
| Feb | 13 | Thursday | 19h00 | Meeting: AGM / Birds of Socotra: Willene van der Merwe |
| Feb | 15 | Saturday | 07h30 | Outing: Delheim Estate |
| Mar | 6 | Thursday | 19h00 | Meeting: Coordinated Avifaunal Roadcounts: Donella Young |
| Mar | 8 | Saturday | 16h00 | Bird watch / count: Dick Dent |
| Mar | 15 | Saturday | 07h30 | Strandfontein Sewage Works |
| April | 12 | Saturday | 15h00 | Bird watch / count: Paardevlei |
| April | 19 | Saturday | 07h30 | Outing: Sir Lowry’s Pass cannons |
| May | 10 | Saturday | 15h00 | Bird watch / count: Dick Dent |
| May | 15 | Thursday | 19h00 | Meeting: Eco Schools: Joanne Trinchero |
| May | 17 | Saturday | 07h30 | Outing: Vergelegen Estate |
| June | 5 | Thursday | 19h00 | Meeting: Birds and crop agrochemicals: Lorinda Hart |
| June | 14 | Saturday | 15h00 | Bird watch / count: Paardevlei |
| June | 21 | Saturday | 07h30 | Outing: Van der Stel Pass |
| July | 7 | Thursday | 19h00 | Meeting: Birds of New Zealand North Island: John Magner |
| July | 12 | Saturday | 15h00 | Bird Watch / Count: Dick Dent |
| July | 19 | Saturday | 07h30 | Outing: Lourensford |
| July | 26 | Saturday | CAR count | |
| August | 7 | Thursday | 19h00 | Meeting: Bird ringing, Dieter Oschadleus |
| August | 9 | Saturday | 15h00 | |
| August | 16 | Saturday | 07h30 | Outing: Hartenberg Estate, Bottelary |
| August | 25 | SWBC Birthday | ||
| Sept | 11 | Thursday | 19h00 | Meeting: Shared migrants-Eastern Atlantic Flyway: Peter Penning |
| Sept | 13 | Saturday | 15h00 | Bird watch / count: Dick Dent |
| Sept | 20 | Saturday | 07h30 | Outing: Kirstenbosch |
| October | 2 | Thursday | 19h00 | Meeting: Monsiuer Levaillant: Prof Ian Glenn |
| October | 11 | Saturday | 16h00 | Bird watch / count: Paardevlei |
| October | 17/18/19 | Weekend | Weekend Away: Venue TBA | |
| October | 25 | Saturday | Helderberg Marine Protected Area Bird Count | |
| Nov | 1 | Saturday | Wader Conservation World Watch | |
| Nov | 6 | Thursday | 19h00 | Meeting: Feathers, Forests and the Fight for Ecuador’s Future – Katherine Wiid (Club member) |
| Nov | 8 | Saturday | 16h00 | Bird watch / count: Dick Dent |
| Nov | 15 | Saturday | 07h30 | Outing: Fernkloof, Hermanus |
| Nov | 28 | Friday | Year End Function: Kilberry Terrace, Helderberg Village | |
| Dec | 4 | Thursday | 19h00 | Meeting: Photography Evening |
| Dec | 6 | Saturday | Birding Big Day | |
| Dec | 13 | Saturday | 16h00 | Bird watch / count: Paardevlei |