Franschhoek's Literary Festival gets wings

Last weekend was the Literary Festival in my home town of Franschhoek.  It is an annual affair and draws academics, book lovers and esteemed authors to our town for a cultured and sophisticated weekend of lectures, talks, book reviews and of course lots and lots of wine.  The gentry that frequent this festival are quite different to the wine-lovers who flock to our town for Bastille or the Champagne Festival.  These are much more refined, dignified and learned folk who walk around in flowing robes and variously coloured jackets and shoes. Quite entertaining as locals to watch.

As a bookaholic myself, I searched the time-table to see which interesting author's talk I could attend and found my fellow-birder, Vernon Head, on the menu.  Vernon is an architect by trade but is an avid birder and very involved in the South African birding scene. He is also chairman of Birdlife South Africa. And now he is a successfully published author, having written a story about his expedition to find the rarest bird on earth, the Nechisar Nightjar, Caprimulgus solala (solus:only and ala:wing). 

The scientific name comes from the fact that this bird is known to exist purely from one wing that was found on a path which did not match any other known nightjar, hence it had to be a new, unknown species.  The bird comes from the Plains of Nechisar in the Great Rift Valley in the Gamo Gofa province of Ethiopia. In 1990, some Cambridge scientists undertook an expedition to the area in question. On that expedition, 315 species of birds were seen; 61 species of mammal and 69 species of butterfly were identified; 20 species of dragonflies and damselflies; 17 reptile species were recorded; three frog species were filed; plants were listed. Most importantly, and exciting for the bird world, was the wing of a road-killed bird which was packed into a brown paper bag, which subsequently became the most famous wing in the world.

Vernon, joined by another well-known birder and bird-guide writer, Iain Sinclair set off to find this elusive bird, twenty-two years later.  Jacana Publishers, who published Vernon's book, call it a "part detective trail, part love affair and pure story telling at its best"

I was naturally intrigued but when I tried to book a spot online, I found it sold out!  Apparently it was the first of all the talks to be sold out so I was out of luck.  I decided to head to the venue anyway and see if I could squeeze in. I was not alone.  There were eventually about 13 of us trying to find a space in this sold out talk.  After strictly controlling the entrance to the room, the organisers agreed to let us sneak in and sit on the floor at the front.  Every single ticket that had been sold was taken up by the purchaser.  I made my way to the front and sat on the floor and a very kind gentleman offered up his seat for me.  How nice to find chivalry alive and well in Franschhoek.

Iain Sinclair also joined Vernon at the table and they proceeded to entertain us and enlighten us on their adventure with much wit and humour.  The audience were enthralled and thoroughly enjoyed the occasion.  I had brought my Birds of Southern Africa, South of the Sahara book along which was co-authored by Iain Sinclair and got him to sign it for me.  A real character.