SA Rare Bird News Report - 06 April 2017

[Trevor Hardaker]

 

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This is the Southern African Rare Bird News Report issued at 20h00 on Thursday, 06 April 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
There are still a handful of EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARD records coming through: * One at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens (Western Cape) this morning. * One above Doone village between Kloof and Pinetown (KZN) yesterday. * One at Henley on Klip (Gauteng) yesterday.   On to the rest of the news and, starting in the Western Cape, the male NORTHERN SHOVELER at Oudebaskraal Dam in the Tanqua Karoo National Park continued to attract quite a bit of attention this week and was still in place on the eastern end of the dam earlier today. Up on the west coast, a single WHITE-FRONTED BEE-EATER seen at the Langebaan Country Estate yesterday was a rather nice find while at least one RED-NECKED PHALAROPE remained on at Kliphoek Salt Pans in Velddrif today as well. A pair of KNYSNA WOODPECKERS at Fraaigelegen farm close to Tulbagh on Sunday was also a rather unusual record for the area.   Over on the Garden Route, a stunning breeding-plumaged FRANKLIN'S GULL was discovered at Klein Brak River yesterday which attracted a fair amount of local attention (and was still in place there today) while the BLACK HERONS were still in place yesterday at the channel between Rondevlei and Langvlei in Wilderness and the SOOTY FALCON was still showing well in the trees in the parking area of Emily Moon Resort in Plettenberg Bay on Tuesday as well.
Northern Shoveler at Oudebaskraal Dam © Kevin Drummond-Hay		Red-necked Phalarope at Velddrif © Linda du Plessis
Northern Shoveler at Oudebaskraal Dam © Pieter le Roux
Franklin’s Gull at Klein Brak River © Sharon van der Westhuizen
Franklin’s Gull at Klein Brak River © Bryn de Kocks		Franklin’s Gull at Klein Brak River © Oswald Dittrich
In the Eastern Cape, there was a big surprize on Tuesday when a MANGROVE KINGFISHER was located at the Sandbar Restaurant in Bushmans River, well out of range for this species. It attracted a fair bit of local attention and was still in place until at least yesterday. Also of local interest, at least 3 TEMMINCK'S COURSERS were discovered on Shamwari Private Game Reserve on Monday.   Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, there were still 2 SOOTY FALCONS present at the second traffic circle coming into Mbazwana on Tuesday while a singleton was present yesterday at the first traffic circle.   And finally, in Gauteng, an AFRICAN GOSHAWK was reported flying and calling over Northcliff on Tuesday morning.
Mangrove Kingfisher at Bushmans River © Lynton Perry		Mangrove Kingfisher at Bushmans River © Lynette Rudman
Mangrove Kingfisher at Bushmans River © Tim Cockcroft		Mangrove Kingfisher at Bushmans River © Mike Pearson
Temminck’s Courser at Shamwari Private Game Reserve © Dylan van Aardt
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 -------------------------------------------------------------