Delta Environmental Centre

05/06/2026

29/05/2026

Owl update - 29 May 2026: Signs of action . . . . and a close shave!

Yesterday evening, I was down in the car park next to the Centre to check whether the owls had started mating yet. They have been duetting at dusk for over two weeks now, and there also have been signs that the male has been visiting the nest box - trying to entice the female to start!

Both of these behaviours are typical of the start of the new breeding season, but when they start mating, egg-laying is usually not too far off.

The male was on the window ledge next to the Evergreen Oak, and the female was on the back corner of the GoldFields Centre - calling back-and-forth for over thirty minutes. The male then flew up to the nest box . . and a pair of Black Sparrowhawks appeared out of nowhere. They had obviously seen the male, and the female sparrowhawk landed on the parapet just above the nestbox (where the male was sheltering), while the male sparrowhawk perched up in the Blue Gum behind the Centre.
Both owls wisely stayed put, and eventually the sparrowhawks moved off towards the Florence Bloom Bird Sanctuary. The owls will need to keep their eyes open!

By Geoff Lockwood

14/05/2026

Delta Environmental Centre at Yebo Gogga 2026. 13-17 May 2026 at Oppenheimer Life Sciences Building at the University of the Witwatersrand

22/04/2026

This Earth Day 2026, we’re taking action!

Delta Environmental Centre and Mimecast Johannesburg joined forces to remove Verbena, an invasive alien plant threatening grasslands.
By restoring the land, we’re protecting precious water resources, reducing risk to wildlife and safeguarding indigenous biodiversity.
Together, we’re making Earth Day count.

11/04/2026

The owl talk by Geoff Lockwood ....

11/03/2026

Want to learn more about owls ... or the owls at the Delta Environmental Centre, then don't miss the talk by Geoff Lockwood.

09/03/2026

Come join us for a guided walk through the Water Wise and Sensory Gardens and park-lands of Delta Park.

13/02/2026

The Delta Environmental Centre is seeking part-time Environmental Education Officers.
If you have a qualification in Natural Sciences, experience in Environmental Education, or are a retired Geography or Science teacher, we would love to hear from you.
Please contact Avashnee on 011 888 4831 or email [email protected] for more information.

12/02/2026

Great news! Thanks to all the excitement and high demand, we’ve added a third Bat Talk!

07/02/2026

Attendees enjoying the talk on bats, presented by Julia and Erna and hosted jointly by GNoRBIG and Delta Environmental Centre. This will be followed by a "Bat Walk". See DECs page for details of the next talk on 7 March 2026.