SA Rare Bird News Report - 24 May 2012
Trevor Hardaker
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This is the Southern African Rare Bird News Report issued at 20h35 on Thursday, 24 May 2012. 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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Winter has really begun to set in and the reports have been very quiet…
In the Western Cape, a SQUACCO HERON was reported on a golf course in George earlier this week whilst, at the Garden Route Game Lodge, a juvenile PALM-NUT VULTURE put in an appearance on Sunday. A pelagic trip on the weekend produced a WANDERING ALBATROSS and a SPECTACLED PETREL while 2 FULVOUS DUCKS were also reported from Strandfontein Sewage Works on the weekend. Perhaps most interesting is the discovery of 2 FERRUGINOUS DUCKS located earlier in the week at Paarl Bird Sanctuary (and still present there earlier today). Although the likelihood of escapees cannot be ruled out at this stage, the timing of their arrival, along with the Southern Pochards with whom their range overlaps on their wintering grounds, does raise the possibility of them being genuine vagrants. A lot more research is required on this, but it may well be worthwhile going to see them just to have it as an “insurance tick” for the future…J
And, in the North-west Province, the Schweizer Reneke area produced two out of range species earlier this week, a DUSKY SUNBIRD and a SOUTHERN YELLOW-BILLED HORNBILL. | ||
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Palm-nut Vulture at Garden Route Game Lodge © Gareth Robbins | Ferruginous Duck at Paarl Bird Sanctuary © Howard Langley | |
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Dusky Sunbird near Schweizer Reneke © Tony Archer | Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill near Schweizer Reneke © Tony Archer | |
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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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