SA Rare Bird News Report - 27 March 2012

[Trevor Hardaker]

This is the Southern African Rare Bird News Report issued at 10h15 on Tuesday, 27 March 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
Sorry that I was unable to get a report out last night, but I was really not feeling up to doing anything. Fortunately, I have managed to drag myself out of bed this morning and, hopefully, writing something about our latest mega will make me feel a little better…J   Well, there is no doubt that the Western Cape is where it has all been happening over the last few days. The discovery of a female LITTLE CRAKE at the Clovelly Wetlands late last week threw the SA birding community into turmoil and had many people having to rearrange schedules to get down there as quickly as possible and also having to spend unbudgeted for sums of money to get there. This bird represents the first record of this species for the Southern African subregion – further research (and thanks to those who pointed it out to me!) reveals that there is one previous record south of the equator in Africa, a bird recorded in Ndola in Zambia in March 1980. So, this would seem to be only the second record south of the equator on the continent with a break of 32 years between sightings!   The bird has been extremely confiding and showed very well to all who have made the pilgrimage to go and see it. Even this morning, it is still performing well to the small group of gathered twitchers there. I am still trying to work out how many people have actually been to see this bird – some of you have already sent me your info for the twitch and I have also added those names to the list that I can personally remember seeing there (that have not sent their info to me as yet). I know that my list is nowhere near correct in terms of the number of people that have been there, so I would love to hear from more of you with your details of the twitch to get a better understanding of just how popular this bird has been. Already, I know for sure of 282 people that have seen the bird of which 78 travelled from far out of Cape Town to get there. Please remember to send your details through to hard...@mweb.co.za.   If you haven’t yet made the effort to go and see this bird, I would strongly urge that you do as who knows when we might next get a chance of this species in Southern Africa…
Little Crake at Clovelly © Shaun Overmeyer	Little Crake at Clovelly © John Graham
Little Crake at Clovelly © Cliff Dorse	Little Crake at Clovelly © Leon Strydom
Little Crake at Clovelly © Per Holmen	Little Crake at Clovelly © Dylan Vasapolli
Little Crake at Clovelly © Matthew Axelrod	Little Crake at Clovelly © Freddie Strauss
Little Crake at Clovelly © Martin Benadie	Little Crake at Clovelly © Trevor Hardaker
It seems that all other records have almost taken a back seat in the last few days, but nevertheless, the Western Cape continued to produce some other good sightings too. Another of our recently very popular birds, the SOOTY FALCON at Emily Moon Resort in Plettenberg Bay still continues to show well and was entertaining onlookers yesterday as it was chasing after swifts over the resort. Also, just outside Knysna, there were still some AMUR FALCONS on view as well. A pelagic trip out of Simon’s Town yesterday turned up a single FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER whilst, at Strandfontein Sewage Works, an adult FRANKLIN’S GULL on Pan P1 on Sunday showed briefly before vanishing prior to all the twitchers arriving. It is almost certainly still in the general area, but this species has a history of being tough to pin down at this site moving around with all the local gulls.   Disappointed provincial twitchers at Strandfontein Sewage Works received a consolation prize in the form of a SQUACCO HERON on Pan M1 whilst another individual was reported at Clovelly on Sunday at the pond closer to the sea from where the Little Crake is hanging out. Other good herons in the province include at least 2 GREAT EGRETS which were still present at the Bot River Lagoon on Wednesday (one reported from the Rooisand Nature Reserve and 2 reported from the bridge north of Arabella on the Hermanus Road) and a GOLIATH HERON at Paarl Bird Sanctuary on Saturday.   Something a little different on Sunday was a male SOUTHERN ELEPHANT SEAL that had hauled up on the beach at Hawston. Several people rushed through there to try and see it, some of them making it just in time as the animal headed off back into the water and others just missing it. From all reports, it would appear that this is the same large individual that hauled up near Olifantsbos on the Peninsula a few weeks ago. And the last report from the province is also a little bizarre and concerns several independent observers reporting a CAPE VULTURE soaring over Rondevlei Nature Reserve on Wednesday – perhaps this is the same individual that caused all the excitement at Gordon’s Bay last year...
Sooty Falcon in Plettenberg Bay © Bill Richter	Sooty Falcon in Plettenberg Bay © Frans-Hendrik Joubert
Amur Falcon near Knysna © Frans-Hendrik Joubert	Goliath Heron at Paarl Bird Sanctuary © Frans-Hendrik Joubert
Southern Elephant Seal at Hawston Beach © Johann Strauss	Franklin’s Gull at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Martie de Wijn
Squacco Heron at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Cliff Dorse	Squacco Heron at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Suretha Dorse
In the Eastern Cape, the AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER was still on view at Cape Recife near Port Elizabeth on Saturday whilst other good recent records include a EURASIAN HONEY BUZZARD near Keiskammahoek in the King Williamstown district on Sunday, a LESSER GREY SHRIKE at Coffee Bay on Sunday and last week producing 5 TEMMINCK’S COURSERS between St Francis Bay and Oyster Bay and a pair of RED-HEADED FINCHES just north of the Krom River near St Francis Bay.   Moving into Kwazulu Natal, the immature GREATER FLAMINGO that has been hanging around in the Durban Bay area over the last few months was once again reported from Wilson’s Wharf on Friday. Yesterday also turned up a RUFOUS-BELLIED HERON at Muzi Pan and a PECTORAL SANDPIPER at Cezwana Pan just north-west of the Ophanzi Gate to Mkhuze Game Reserve – it was present on the north side of the pan near the Mthala tributary.   In the Free State, a LONG-CRESTED EAGLE was reported along the R59 just outside Parys last week, a good provincial record.   And finally, in Mpumalanga, the AFRICAN PYGMY GEESE remain on view at Leeupan in the Kruger National Park while, not to create confusion, Leeupan near Evander produced a third year LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL on Saturday. Also still attracting attention, at least one PECTORAL SANDPIPER was still on view at Mkhombo Dam on Sunday as well.
African Pygmy Geese at Leeupan in the Kruger NP © Hugo le Roux	Lesser Black-backed Gull at Leeupan © Etienne Marais
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.
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
------------------------------------------------------------------------   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: www.hardaker.co.za     ZEST for BIRDS Pelagics, rarity photos, listing clubs and more: www.zestforbirds.co.za     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 www.rarities.co.za -----------------------------------------------------------------------