SA Rare Bird News Report - 12 April 2018

[Trevor Hardaker]

 

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This is the Southern African Rare Bird News Report issued at 20h00 on Thursday, 12 April 2018. 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
The scarcity reports are definitely on the decrease with only a couple received over the last few days...   EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARD:   ·         One in Irene, Pretoria (Gauteng) this afternoon. ·         One in Steynsburg (Eastern Cape) yesterday. On to the rest of the news and, starting in the Western Cape, the RED-NECKED PHALAROPE was still at the southern end of Pan P6 at Strandfontein Sewage Works yesterday. Elsewhere, an AFRICAN PALM SWIFT was reported at a farm just outside Robertson on Tuesday, the GREY-HEADED BUSH SHRIKE was seen again after a period of no reports in Maplin Drive in Plettenberg Bay on Tuesday and both GREY and WHITE-HEADED PETRELS were reported from observers on board the SA Agulhas ll en route to Marion Island just before it left subregion waters on Sunday.
European Honey Buzzard in Steynsburg © Lynette Meyburg		Red-necked Phalarope at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Rob Bowie
Grey-headed Bush Shrike in Plettenberg Bay © Mike Bridgeford		Grey-headed Bush Shrike in Plettenberg Bay © Bruce Ward-Smith
In the Eastern Cape, the PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER was still showing well this morning on the estuary at Hamburg while the SHAFT-TAILED WHYDAH also showed briefly again this morning at the entrance to Mountain Zebra National Park.
Pacific Golden Plover at Hamburg © Foden Saunders		Shaft-tailed Whydah at Mountain Zebra National Park © Hugh Retief
Across in the Free State, a LONG-CRESTED EAGLE was seen at the junction of the N8 and R26, west of Ladybrand, yesterday, a little west of where they are normally known to occur.   Over in Mpumalanga, the RED PHALAROPE at the Wakkerstroom wetlands continued to attract attention and was still on view this morning but some of the most exciting news of the last few days came this afternoon when a fine male GOLDEN PIPIT was found west of the Mlambane causeway on the S25 in the Kruger National Park at -25.391069, 31.607182 (please ignore the 2km distance given in the earlier alert as this is not apparently accurate and rather work with these co-ordinates that have been provided). This is still a much sought after species and it’s going to be interesting to see whether twitchers are successful tomorrow in relocating this bird.   In Botswana, there was some surprize when a PEL'S FISHING OWL was found roosting in a tree on the John Mackenzie school fields in Blue Jacket Street in Francistown on Tuesday, a little out of range for this species.   And finally, in Mozambique, the sanctuary area on the San Sebastian Peninsula near Vilanculos produced some interesting birds on Tuesday, not least of which was a flock of some 450 or so ROSEATE TERNS. Although this species has been recorded erratically in this area before, it is generally only as singletons or very small groups, but never in these sorts of numbers. Other very exciting distractions in the same general area on Tuesday included a single BROWN NODDY and a EURASIAN OYSTERCATCHER as well as at least 14 CRAB PLOVERS.
Golden Pipit along the S25 in the Kruger National Park © Caroline Beer
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   -------------------------------------------------------------