SA Rare Bird News Report - 27 July 2017

[Trevor Hardaker]

 

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This is the Southern African Rare Bird News Report issued at 20h00 on Thursday, 27 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
Starting in the Western Cape, the group of 5 BLACK-BELLIED STARLINGS was still hanging around in Stellenbosch earlier today and were present in the area around -33.916, 18.886 while GOLIATH HERONS were reported along the Berg River east of Velddrif at Caledonia farm on Monday and at Kersefontein farm on Tuesday and one RED-NECKED PHALAROPE was also still on view today at Kliphoek Salt Pans in Velddrif. Further east in the province, both the GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO and WHITE-BROWED SCRUB ROBIN were also both still present at Reflections Eco-Reserve in Wilderness this morning as well.   In the Eastern Cape, a report has come through of 2 KNOB-BILLED DUCKS seen at one of the dams at the piggeries just to the west of Queenstown on Saturday, yet another out of range record of this species in the province in recent times, while a single GREAT WHITE PELICAN was seen earlier today flying over the western end of Port Alfred.
Black-bellied Starlings in Stellenbosch © Stanislav Novotny		Knob-billed Ducks near Queenstown © Gilbert Reinhardt
Red-necked Phalarope in Velddrif © Linda du Plessis
Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, the ever popular MALAGASY POND HERON was still in place at the dam at Mziki this morning. I have also been informed today by the Management at Phinda and &Beyond that they are no longer going to be able to offer the game drives to birders to go and see this bird unfortunately. They will, of course, still honour the game drives that have already been booked, the last of which happens this weekend but, after that, they will no longer be taking bookings for these drives. To be fair, this bird has now been present there for at least 1,5 months and they have been offering a morning and afternoon drive specifically to see this bird every day since then (obviously, not all of those have been taken up), so they have been more than accommodating in this regard and, on behalf of the entire Southern African birding community, I would like to thank them and express our sincere gratitude to them for coming to the party and making this opportunity available for all birders to make use of. It's been a fantastic opportunity to be able to get to see this bird, the first photographically confirmed record for the country, with relative ease and many people got to add a great lifer to their lists. Thank you to the team at Phinda and &Beyond, you have all done an amazing job!   Elsewhere in the province, the SOOTY TERN was still present at the St Lucia estuary yesterday while a KNOB-BILLED DUCK was reported at a dam on North End farm just north of Himeville on Tuesday.   In Mpumalanga, a BLUE-MANTLED CRESTED FLYCATCHER was present yesterday around the pond in Skukuza camp in the Kruger National Park.   Over in Namibia, at least one RED-NECKED PHALAROPE was still present at Walvis Bay Salt Works yesterday afternoon.   And finally, in Mozambique, delayed news has trickled through of a TROPICAL SHEARWATER found on the beach at Zimilene near Xai Xai on 16 July, still a really good bird to see anywhere in the subregion.
Knob-billed Duck near Himeville © Stuart McLean		Tropical Shearwater at Zimilene © Nicky Stapelberg
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 -------------------------------------------------------------