SA Rare Bird News Report - 31 July 2017

[Trevor Hardaker]

 

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This is the Southern African Rare Bird News Report issued at 20h00 on Monday, 31 July 2017. 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
Before I get started with the actual news, just a quick message to take time and reflect a little because today is SARBN's 9th birthday... it was on 31 July 2008 that I sent the first ever message out on SARBN and it has just continued to grow from strength to strength! There've been around 2400 reports, alerts and updates since then and there are now several thousand subscribers to this service so, hopefully, virtually all of you have benefited from it in some way or the other. Here's to the next 9 years and hopefully still LOTS of megas to report on…J   Alright, on to the news and, starting in the Western Cape, an AFRICAN PIED WAGTAIL was discovered yesterday at the Klein River estuary in Hermanus while the group of BLACK-BELLIED STARLILNGS remained around Rustenburg Road in Stellenbosch yesterday. Over in the east of the province, the WHITE-BROWED SCRUB ROBIN was also still attracting attention at Reflections Eco-Reserve in Wilderness until at least Saturday.
African Pied Wagtail in Hermanus © Trevor Hardaker		White-browed Scrub Robin at Reflections Eco-Reserve © John Graham
Black-bellied Starling in Stellenbosch © Pieter la Grange		Black-bellied Starling in Stellenbosch © Francois Dreyer
In the Northern Cape, there were some happy birders yesterday when they discovered an immature LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL at Spitskop Dam near Kimberley, a site that has hosted this species several times in the past as well.
Lesser Black-backed Gull at Spitskop Dam © Doug Harebottle		Lesser Black-backed Gull at Spitskop Dam © Brian Culver
The Eastern Cape has seen some exciting records over the last few days, perhaps best of which was an adult RED-TAILED TROPICBIRD seen over Port Alfred on Thursday. Unfortunately, despite several birders searching for it afterwards, it was unable to be relocated. The Port Alfred area scored again on Saturday afternoon when a VIOLET-BACKED STARLING was seen next to Medolino caravan park, but the bird only hung around briefly and disappeared before any twitchers arrived on the scene unfortunately. Provincial twitchers were happy, however, when the KNOB-BILLED DUCK was relocated at the Kruis River causeway in Uitenhage on Saturday and remained there throughout the weekend drawing in a number of local twitchers from around the province while excitement was on a high again yesterday when an immature PALM-NUT VULTURE was spotted at Hopewell Private Game Reserve between Alexandria and Nanaga. Also of interest, a single WANDERING ALBATROSS was seen yesterday at -33.490, 27.621 just less than 20 nautical miles offshore between East London and Port Alfred while a NORTHERN ROYAL ALBATROSS was reported today at -33.373, 28.029 about 25 nautical miles offshore of East London.
Red-tailed Tropicbird over Port Alfred © Lynton Perry		Palm-nut Vulture at Hopewell Private Game Reserve © Chris Baker
Violet-backed Starling in Port Alfred © Don Henderson		Knob-billed Duck near Uitenhage © Tim Cockcroft
Knob-billed Duck near Uitenhage © Hester Jordaan		Knob-billed Duck near Uitenhage © Jorrie Jordaan
Wandering Albatross offshore of Port Alfred © Maans Booysen		Northern Royal Albatross offshore of East London © Maans Booysen
Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, the well twitched MALAGASY POND HERON remained in place at Mziki this morning while the SOOTY TERN at the St Lucia estuary was also twitcher-friendly and remained in place throughout the weekend. The latter site also delivered a single CHESTNUT-BANDED PLOVER yesterday, a very unusual bird in the province. Up at Mkuze Game Reserve, the BAT HAWK was still present at Nsumo Pan this morning while another fantastic record for the province this morning was 2 CUT-THROAT FINCHES at Kumasinga hide at Mkuze which was seen coming down to drink between 10h30 and 11h30. Also of local interest, at least 5 KNOB-BILLED DUCKS were present this afternoon at Bavuloma water pan in Imfolozi Game Reserve. Elsewhere, Saturday produced an AYRES' HAWK EAGLE circling over the Bluff in Durban and what appears to be a different individual was seen yesterday over Westville North.
Malagasy Pond Heron at Mziki © Mike O’Donaghue		Malagasy Pond Heron at Mziki © Barend Esterhuizen
Malagasy Pond Heron at Mziki © Andre Marx		Sooty Tern at St Lucia © Philip Bredenhann
Cut-throat Finch at Kumasinga hide © David Hoddinott		Bat Hawk at Nsumo Pan © Ivor van Rooyen
Ayres’ Hawk Eagle over The Bluff © Andre Steenkamp		Ayres’ Hawk Eagle over Westville North © Daniel Loumeau
In the Free State, there was some local interest at Seekoeivlei Nature Reserve near Memel on Friday when a CAPPED WHEATEAR and 2 TEMMINCK'S COURSERS were found on a recently burnt section in the reserve, both unusual birds for the area, while a SOUTHERN YELLOW-BILLED HORNBILL seen just outside Heilbron yesterday was another unusual record for the area.
Capped Wheatear at Seekoeivlei Nature Reserve © Morne Pretorius		Temminck’s Courser at Seekoeivlei Nature Reserve © Morne Pretorius
Up in the North-west Province, there was some excitement on Saturday when a single LAPPET-FACED VULTURE was spotted along the Boons Road just off the N14 at -26.215, 27.276, a great record for the area, but it could not be relocated again on the weekend or today unfortunately.   Across in Mpumalanga, there was a big surprize yesterday afternoon when a single AFRICAN SKIMMER was seen along the Sabie River from Chalet 13 at Elephant Point at -24.967, 31.409 on the north bank of the river, a really good sign that this species is hopefully starting to move back into South Africa now...   Moving into Limpopo Province, there was also some excitement yesterday when a group of 7 AFRICAN SKIMMERS were located on the Foskor mine dams just outside Phalaborwa, yet more good news for this species in the country. Unfortunately, this area is not generally accessible to the public but the same dams also produced small groups of both GREAT WHITE and PINK-BACKED PELICANS, both unusual birds in the area. Also of interest, the long-staying PALM-NUT VULTURE around Mockford Farm near Polokwane was seen again yesterday flying with other vultures over the R519 close to where the solar panels are.
African Skimmer along the Sabie River © Renier Balt		African Skimmers at Foskor dams © Lieliebet van der Westhuizen
Up in Namibia, a single AFRICAN OPENBILL was spotted in Swakopmund yesterday afternoon, well out of range for this species, and was still moving around the general area earlier today as well.   And finally, in Mozambique, the cracking male NORTHERN WHEATEAR, first seen in Gorongosa National Park on 12 July, was still present in the same area yesterday.
African Openbill in Swakopmund © Katharina Reddig		Northern Wheatear in Gorongosa National Park © Clive Dreyer
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 -------------------------------------------------------------