SA Rare Bird News Report - 12 October 2017

[Trevor Hardaker]

 

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This is the Southern African Rare Bird News Report issued at 20h00 on Thursday, 12 October 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
While we were all sitting back reminiscing about the awesome double header that Tankatara Salt Pans had served up for us a few weeks ago and wondering whether the rarity season had peaked a little early and that we were now going to have to satisfy our twitching needs for the remainder of the season with a good helping of "standard fare", things all took a turn for the totally obscene early in the week and it wasn't long before hearts started pounding, knees started turning to jelly and the Quattros were being fired up after having those adrenaline-inducing words popping up in our inboxes... GIGA ALERT! Not just Breaking news... not even a MEGA ALERT... but a GIGA ALERT - the combination of those two words for a twitcher can mean only one thing... Go... Go now... Don't even think about it, drop everything you are doing and go right now... This is going to be HUGE...!   And so it is that we head to Namibia to start this report off for a change where the massive news came through on Tuesday of what is potentially Southern Africa's 1st ever YELLOW-LEGGED GULL (Larus michahellis) found along the road to Paaltjies in Walvis Bay at 23 deg 0' 43.15'' S 14 deg 25' 46.36'' E. With news breaking just after midday, it was already frustratingly too late for many South Africans to get to Walvis Bay the same day as most of the flights had already left or were about to leave and there was not enough time to get on to them before they did. It didn't stop the handful of local birders though and they were out to search for the bird soon after the news breaking. However, it seemed that the local Kelp Gulls had taken a strong dislike to the visitor and were constantly harassing it until it moved off and, unfortunately, despite a number of locals searching for it, the bird wasn't refound after the initial sighting and had taken on classic "blocker" status with only one Southern African birder, Dayne Braine, the original finder, having seen it! That all changed late this afternoon when it was relocated at exactly the same site, so now all that remains is to see whether it hangs around for the weekend to give others the chance to catch up with it as well.   There are still ongoing discussions about the ID of this bird amongst a group of highly experienced Northern Hemisphere birders which has also highlighted just how difficult these gulls are to identify, but the bulk of them are still favouring the originally suggested ID of this bird as a Yellow-legged Gull. This would be the first time that this species has been recorded in Southern Africa and would also become the 975th species to be recorded in the subregion.   Also still attracting local attention, at least one BAT HAWK was still at the roost in Klein Windhoek on Tuesday.
Possible Yellow-legged Gull in Walvis Bay © Dayne Braine		Possible Yellow-legged Gull in Walvis Bay © Dayne Braine
Possible Yellow-legged Gull in Walvis Bay © Dayne Braine
Down in the Western Cape, there was a report yesterday of a PALE CHANTING GOSHAWK flying over Rosebank in the direction of Kirstenbosch, a really unusual record for the Cape Town area, while 2 AFRICAN PALM SWIFTS were seen in the Woodstock area over Nelson Mandela Boulevard yesterday as well. Up on the west coast, the RED-NECKED PHALAROPE was still present today at Kliphoek Salt Pans in Velddrif on the pans where the big salt heaps are while the GREY-HEADED BUSH-SHRIKE was also reported again in Plettenberg Bay on Tuesday.   In the Eastern Cape, the male AFRICAN PYGMY GOOSE was still present at Pan 6 at Swartkops in Port Elizabeth yesterday while the CRESTED BARBET was also still around near Addo village at -33.551, 25.709 yesterday. There was also some local excitement today when a lone VERREAUX'S EAGLE OWL was found in the Grahamstown Botanical Gardens at -33.318, 26.522, still quite a tough bird to connect with in the province.
African Pygmy Goose at Swartkops © Godfrey Lodge		Crested Barbet near Addo village © Dave Nel
Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, the long staying MALAGASY POND HERON at Fagolweni Dam at Mziki was, surprisingly, still in place yesterday and looking rather settled. Surely it must be getting urges by now to head off to breed or will it decide to spend the whole summer here?   In Gauteng, the BAR-TAILED GODWIT at Korsman Conservancy in Benoni was still attracting a lot of local attention as well and was still on view earlier today while at least 2 SANDERLINGS were present late on Tuesday afternoon near Rooiwal Sewage Works at -25.556, 28.223.   Across in Mpumalanga, the GREEN SANDPIPER was still present at Gezantfombi Dam about 5km north of Crocodile Bridge in the Kruger National Park yesterday.   And finally, in Limpopo, after a long period of no reports, the RUPPELL'S VULTURE was spotted at the nest site in the Cape Vulture breeding colony at Blouberg Nature Reserve again yesterday during a vulture census of the colony. Also still attracting attention, the AFRICAN SKIMMERS were still at Engelhardt Dam near Letaba in the Kruger National Park earlier today as well.
Bar-tailed Godwit at Korsmans Pan © Andrew Buitendach		Bar-tailed Godwit at Korsmans Pan © Billy Terre Blanche
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 -------------------------------------------------------------