SA Rare Bird News Report - 22 February 2013
Trevor Hardaker
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This is the Southern African Rare Bird News Report issued at 06h20 on Friday, 22 February 2013. Information has been gleaned from various websites, email groups as well as from individual observers who have passed on their sightings. This report cannot be taken as being totally comprehensive as it is based only on information made available at the time of writing. All bird sightings reported here are reported in good faith based on information as provided by the observers. Any inaccuracies are totally unintentional and the writer cannot be held liable for these. For those who may have only joined the group recently and are interested in finding out what has been seen in the past, previous reports can be viewed at http://groups.google.co.za/group/sa-rarebirdnews | ||
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Sorry for the lack of a report last night, but Eskom decided that providing us with electricity was not a necessity, so we were stuck in darkness for most of the night… But, better late than never, here is the report.
EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARD
- One reported from Newlands Forest in Cape Town on Saturday (Western Cape). - One reported from De Wildt on Wednesday morning. (Gauteng). - One still present at Polokwane Golf Club on Wednesday (Limpopo). - One reported near Pretoriuskop in the Kruger National Park on Wednesday (Mpumalanga).
PECTORAL SANDPIPER
- A single bird reported from the first pond at Polokwane Bird Sanctuary on Saturday (Limpopo). | ||
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European Honey Buzzard near Pretoriuskop © Niel Muller | Pectoral Sandpiper at Polokwane Bird Sanctuary © Richter van Tonder | |
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On to the rest of the news and, starting in the Western Cape, the big excitement came when a NORTHERN ROCKHOPPER PENGUIN was discovered at Onrus on Tuesday afternoon. The bird was nearing completion of its moult and is very likely to be the same individual that entertained so many people just a few weeks ago at Soetwater Resort. A number of people managed to get there before dark and connected with the bird, but things were not looking so positive yesterday morning when the bird was no longer present and there have been no further reports of it.
Elsewhere in the province, there have been some other interesting sightings as well. The MARABOU STORK was relocated on another farm just outside Bredasdorp on Tuesday (and had apparently been there for a few days already) whilst, on the same day, a RED-BACKED SHRIKE was reported from the Robertson area (50m down the road that turns off to the Silverstrand Golf Club) and a BROWN SNAKE EAGLE was located at Fable Wine Farm in Tulbagh. What is assumed to be the same BATELEUR that was reported in the Paarl region about a week ago was reported yesterday along the R60 between Worcester and Robertson close to the turn-off to Nuy whilst a young PALM-NUT VULTURE was reported feeding on a carcass in farmlands south of the N2 close to Voelvlei near Mossel Bay yesterday afternoon. Also of interest, at least 2 AUSTRALIAN GANNETS were still present on Malgas Island in Saldahna Bay over the last week too. | ||
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Northern Rockhopper Penguin at Onrus © Carin Malan | Northern Rockhopper Penguin at Onrus © John Bowman | |
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Northern Rockhopper Penguin at Onrus © Elsari Strauss | Brown Snake Eagle in Tulbagh © Jo Lister | |
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In the Free State, there was some local excitement when 2 DARK-CAPPED YELLOW WARBLERS were located at Seekoeivlei Nature Reserve near Memel on Wednesday, seemingly well out of range in this area.
In Kwazulu Natal, it was good to find at least 3 BLACK-RUMPED BUTTON-QUAILS in short grassland near the old Cato Ridge microlight field on Sunday as, according to locals, these haven’t been recorded in the Durban area for quite some time.
Moving into Mpumalanga, a WESTERN MARSH HARRIER was reported from Wakkerstroom wetland on Wednesday morning whilst, at Leeupan in the Kruger National Park, the ALLEN’S GALLINULES and AFRICAN PYGMY GEESE are still on view as well.
And lastly, in Gauteng, there has been some major provincial excitement with the discovery of a MOUNTAIN WAGTAIL on Tuesday at Fountains Valley Resort next to the Groenkloof Nature Reserve only 3,5km from the Pretoria CBD. It continued to entertain locals and was still on view yesterday afternoon. I am still trying to find out if there are any previous records for the province and, if so, how many? If anyone has access to this information, I would appreciate hearing about it. | ||
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Mountain Wagtail in Pretoria © Amanda Walden | Mountain Wagtail in Pretoria © Dirk Human | |
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Mountain Wagtail in Pretoria © Jason Boyce | Mountain Wagtail in Pretoria © Lennard Vroom | |
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Please remember to send through your details to be included on the various listing clubs that are hosted at www.zestforbirds.co.za. This website also has an extensive rarities gallery that has many additional photos of a number of rarities that are mentioned in these reports. | ||
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Thank you to all observers who have contributed their records. Please continue to send through any reports of odd birds as well as continued updates on the presence of rarities already previously reported, no matter how mundane you think they may be. Even if you think someone else has probably sent in a report, rather send the report yourself as well. The only way to improve this service and to make it as useful as possible to everyone is if it can be as comprehensive as possible. | ||
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Kind regards Trevor | ||
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TREVOR HARDAKER Cape Town, South Africa
Follow our local exploits in the field at: http://hardakerwildlife.wordpress.com/
See our photos and trip reports at:
ZEST for BIRDS Pelagics, rarity photos, listing clubs and more:
SA RARE BIRD NEWS Get the latest rarity news by joining at: http://groups.google.co.za/group/sa-rarebirdnews
SOUTHERN AFRICAN RARITIES Online database of all SA rarities ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | ||
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