SA Rare Bird News Report - 24 December 2012
André Marx
This is the Southern African Rare Bird News Report issued at 21h00 on Monday, 24th December 2012. Information has been gleaned from various websites, email groups as well as 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
With the Christmas and New Year break now in full swing many birders are out and about and the records are starting to come in from all corners of the country…
Starting in the Western Cape a surprise sighting on Sunday afternoon was of a SOUTHERN CARMINE BEE-EATER in a garden at De Kelders just outside Gansbaai. The GPS coordinates given for this locality are S 34*33.181' and E 019*22.085' when the bird was last seen yesterday evening, when it remained perched in one place and appeared to be exhausted. This is a very rare bird in the province and would be of immense interest for regional listers if it can be located again. A look at the SABAP2 distribution for this species shows it is well over 1000km out of range and is only reported to be arriving in Kruger and parts of Limpopo Province at the moment!
Southern Carmine Bee-eater at Gansbaai
© Martie van Dyk
Another interesting record from the Western Cape is of two RED KNOTS at Olifantsbos on the Cape Peninsula on Sunday. This species has declined in recent years and is not being seen in the numbers that it once was in years gone by.
Red Knot at Olifantsbos, W Cape
© Trygve Hvidsten
In the Northern Cape a remarkable record coming from Mata Mata Camp in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park on Saturday is of an AFRICAN CRAKE photographed standing on the window sill of a chalet! There are no records for SABAP2 for this species anywhere near this area and it is a very interesting record for the province.
African Crake at Mata Mata, Kgalagadi
© Glynis Bowie
In Limpopo a report in from the Kruger National Park is that a GREEN SANDPIPER was present this morning alongside the S127 when driving west to the Timbavati Picnic Site.
Over in North West Province, at the popular Kgomo-Kgomo site, there has been at least one PECTORAL SANDPIPER still present over the last few days.
Pectoral Sandpiper at Kgomo-Kgomo
© Niall Perrins
Mpumalanga has continued to produce some interesting records. A GREY-HEADED GULL was seen at the bridge below Lower Sabie Camp in the Kruger National Park. This species is generally very uncommon in the park. There have been no further reports of the AFRICAN SKIMMER at Mkhombo Dam that was last reported on Wednesday, but the possibility exists that this bird has moved to a different area at this large dam. But other birds still being reported at the dam are at least one PECTORAL SANDPIPER still being present and there are numbers of YELLOW WAGTAILS around.
Grey-headed Gull at Lower Sabie
© Hylton Allison
Yellow Wagtail (flava race) at Mkhombo Dam
© Niall Perrins
Gauteng produced a mega rarity for the province in recent days when a BLACK-TAILED GODWIT was seen at Marievale Bird Sanctuary in the vicinity of the Shelduck Hide on Sunday. By nightfall a number of birders had already managed to see it and it was found again early this morning before moving off after a few hours, however many birders were still out looking for it in the afternoon and there is every chance it will show again. This species used to appear annually at this locality around 10-15 years ago but there are very few records from the province in recent years.
Black-tailed Godwit at Marievale
© Alan Sampson
Black-tailed Godwit at Marievale
© Jerome Ainsley
Black-tailed Godwit at Marievale
© Rolf Wiesler
In KwaZulu Natal the now regular SOOTY TERN at St Lucia was still present late yesterday afternoon.
Finally, over in Namibia there has been a report of a GULL-BILLED TERN at Walvis Bay from Sunday 16 December. In recent months there have been a number of records of these birds in the area and this sought after rarity is still around.
Gull-billed Tern at Walvis Bay
© Eckart Demasius
Please note that while Trevor is away Robert Wienand and myself will continue to collate rarity records and will send these out twice a week in a report. Our contact details are:
André Marx
083 411-7674
Robert Wienand
083 299-2484
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
Kind regards
André and Robert
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