This is the Southern African Rare Bird News Report issued at 20h15 on
Thursday, 05 July 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>
http://groups.google.co.za/group/sa-rarebirdnews
Well, I am finally back on line, so hopefully, the reports will start
pouring through now.J
Starting in the Western Cape, the biggest excitement in the last few days
has certainly been the discovery of a GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO near Klipheuwel.
First seen on Tuesday morning, it was not until about lunchtime yesterday
that the news filtered through and the alert could go out. The keenest of
local twitchers dropped everything immediately and raced out there
connecting with the bird almost straight away and, by nightfall, a number of
the local birders had made their way out there. The bird performed well
again throughout today attracting a regular following of locals who were all
excited to finally catch up with this very tough provincial bird. The last
record that I am aware of in the province was on a farm not too far away
from where this bird is back in August 2008 and it only stayed for a few
hours before moving off again, so hardly anyone managed to catch up with
that one. This bird was also a milestone bird for John Graham as it became
the 500th bird species he has seen in the province making him the first
person to ever achieve this. Well done John!
Elsewhere in the province, there have also still been a few things
happening. Perhaps most exciting of these was last Tuesday when an ATLANTIC
PETREL was seen on a seawatch from Cape Point just inside False Bay. The
lousy weather at the time surely had a lot to do with this extremely rare
vagrant turning up there. AFRICAN JACANAS were still being reported last
week from both Zandvlei and the De Zalze Estate in Stellenbosch whilst
reports of FULVOUS DUCKS were also still being received from Die Oog Nature
Reserve in Bergvliet and at Paarl Bird Sanctuary. The Garden Route also
continued to provide entertainment until at least the early part of this
week with the WHITE-FRONTED BEE-EATER at Plettenberg Bay being the most
popular and the MARABOU STORK at the George dumpsite and the TUFTED DUCK at
Rondevlei also still showing well.
Great Spotted Cuckoo near Klipheuwel
C Basil Boer
Great Spotted Cuckoo near Klipheuwel
C Sion Stanton
Great Spotted Cuckoo near Klipheuwel
C Freddie Strauss
Great Spotted Cuckoo near Klipheuwel
C David Hall
Great Spotted Cuckoo near Klipheuwel
C Barrie Rose
Great Spotted Cuckoo near Klipheuwel
C Trevor Hardaker
White-fronted Bee-eater in Plettenberg Bay
C Frans-Hendrik Joubert
In the Eastern Cape, a BEARDED WOODPECKER was reported on Sunday along the
Kei River near Bolo Reserve which seems to be a little out of range for this
species.
Moving into Kwazulu Natal, a small party of GREEN-CAPPED EREMOMELAS were
reported from a garden in Ladysmith last week whilst, on Saturday, an
AFRICAN PENGUIN was seen just offshore of Shelley Beach. A single GREATER
FLAMINGO was present at the mouth of the Umzumbe River this morning as well.
Mpumalanga's best offering came in the form of a CHESTNUT-VENTED TIT-BABBLER
at Kirkman's Camp in the Sabi Sands Reserve last week, seemingly quite far
east for this species.
The North-west Province continues to produce reports of YELLOW-BELLIED
GREENBULS with several reports coming through from Madikwe Game Reserve.
In Gauteng, there was some excitement yesterday when 5 CAPE VULTURES were
spotted flying around Northcliff Hill in Johannesburg yesterday whilst a
single individual was reported close by this morning as well.
And finally, in Namibia, the leucistic COMMON REDSHANK is still present at
Mile 4 Salt Works near Swakopmund whilst, last week, a trip out of Walvis
Bay on a hake longliner produced a WANDERING ALBATROSS and a SPECTACLED
PETREL.
Bearded Woodpecker near Bolo Reserve
C Stuart MacLachlan
Spectacled Petrel offshore of Walvis Bay
C John Paterson
Wandering Albatross offshore of Walvis Bay
C John Paterson
Please remember to send through your details to be included on the various
listing clubs that are hosted at <http://www.zestforbirds.co.za/>
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.
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
Trevor
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TREVOR HARDAKER
Cape Town, South Africa
Follow our local exploits in the field at:
<http://hardakerwildlife.wordpress.com/>
http://hardakerwildlife.wordpress.com/
See our photos and trip reports at:
<http://www.hardaker.co.za/> www.hardaker.co.za
ZEST for BIRDS
Pelagics, rarity photos, listing clubs and more:
<http://www.zestforbirds.co.za> www.zestforbirds.co.za
SA RARE BIRD NEWS
Get the latest rarity news by joining at:
<http://groups.google.co.za/group/sa-rarebirdnews>
http://groups.google.co.za/group/sa-rarebirdnews
SOUTHERN AFRICAN RARITIES
Online database of all SA rarities
<http://www.rarities.co.za> www.rarities.co.za
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