SA Rare Bird News Report - 19 September 2016

[Trevor Hardaker]

 

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This is the Southern African Rare Bird News Report issued at 20h00 on Monday, 19 September 2016. 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
As we progress through September, the number of interesting records certainly seems to be on the rise...   Starting in the Western Cape, the RUFOUS-TAILED SCRUB ROBIN at Zeekoevlei continues to entertain twitchers and was still on view today. Just for clarification, initially when we consulted several overseas birders about the race of this bird, they all indicated that they believed it to be of the nominate race, galactotes. I meant to inform all of you quite some time ago though that, after having studied the bird in more detail and doing lots of reading up on it, several of us locals were not satisfied with that decision and we actually believe that the bird is of the race syriaca which is the one that migrates into East Africa. It was only when someone asked me about it yesterday again that it reminded me that I needed to include this comment in the next report.     Anyway, this bird continues to be popular and, as things currently stand, I now have the names of 1250 birders who have been to look for the bird since it was first found. The bulk of them are still from the Western Cape with 835 twitchers while Gauteng heads up the "outsiders" at 228 twitchers. Birders from other regions include 24 from Kwazulu Natal, 23 from the Eastern Cape, 18 from Mpumalanga, 10 from the Free State, 9 from Limpopo, 8 from the North-west, 5 from Botswana, 3 from Namibia and 2 from Zimbabwe while visiting birders from other parts of the world that have now also detoured to see the bird include 33 from the USA, 26 from the UK, 10 from Canada, 3 from Malta and The Netherlands, 2 each from Australia, Spain and Switzerland and one each from Austria, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and France.   Elsewhere in the province, a pelagic trip out of Simon's Town yesterday delivered 2 SOUTHERN ROYAL ALBATROSSES, a WANDERING ALBATROSS and a FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER while the widely roaming WHITE-BACKED VULTURE was reported by several people on Friday along the N7 highway near Clanwilliam although no subsequent reports have been received. At least 2 GOLIATH HERONS were still at Verlorenvlei near Eland's Bay on the weekend whilst the LESSER SAND PLOVER was also still present at Seeberg in the West Coast National Park yesterday and the RED-NECKED PHALAROPE was also still parading around at Kliphoek Salt Pans in Velddrif earlier today.
Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin at Zeekoeivlei © Mike Bridgeford		Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin at Zeekoeivlei © Warren Kemm
Southern Royal Albatross on pelagic trip © Cliff Dorse		Flesh-footed Shearwater on pelagic trip © Cliff Dorse
In the Eastern Cape, a male GREEN-WINGED PYTLIA located yesterday at -32.305, 24.26 in the Camdeboo Conservancy near Graaff-Reinet was a big local surprise and well out of range for this species and is only the second ever record of this species for the province. Also still causing local interest, at least one AFRICAN PYGMY GOOSE (the male) was still present at Ottersvlei on the weekend while a single YELLOW-BILLED STORK was located yesterday 7km south of Cookhouse along the N10.   Up the coast in Kwazulu Natal, the GREEN SANDPIPER remained on at Kumahlahla hide in Mkuze Game Reserve throughout the weekend while the province's other GREEN SANDPIPER at Darvill Bird Sanctuary in Pietermaritzburg was also still on view yesterday.
Green-winged Pytilia at Camdeboo Conservancy © Alan Collett		Green Sandpiper at Darvill Bird Sanctuary © Niall Perrins
Green Sandpiper at Mkuze Game Reserve © Hugh Chittenden
In Gauteng, the SOUTHERN WHITE-FACED OWL and the Field and Study Centre in Sandton drew a steady stream of admirers throughout the weekend and was still there earlier today while a juvenile MARTIAL EAGLE was reported in a Centurion garden on Friday, presumably the same individual that had been seen in Die Wilgers the day before. Also of interest, a male GARGANEY was reported from Marievale Bird Sanctuary on the weekend as well. Unfortunately, the bird was only seen briefly before taking flight, so no photos were taken of it, but it would be pertinent for birders visiting the area to be aware of this and try and get photos of it if possible. At this point in time, it is unknown as to whether this record refers to a genuine vagrant or an escapee though but, hopefully, once more information is available, a more detailed analysis of the bird can be made.
Southern White-faced Owl in Sandton © Roelof van den Breggen		Southern White-faced Owl in Sandton © Jan Jacobs
Southern White-faced Owl in Sandton © Alan Bedford-Shaw
Over in Mpumalanga, the LESSER JACANA at Skukuza Golf Course remained on throughout the weekend and was also still drawing a number of admirers.   In the North-west Province, an AYRES' HAWK EAGLE was seen in a garden in Rustenburg on Saturday eating one of the neighbour's racing pigeons, a really awesome garden bird to have literally sitting in the garden!   Up in Limpopo Province, the two AFRICAN SKIMMERS were also still present at Albasini Dam earlier today.   And finally, in Namibia, a HOUSE CROW was seen on Friday in Swakopmund at Alte Brucke resort, just north of the Swakop River lagoon, possibly the same individual that has been reported from Walvis Bay in recent times.
		African Skimmer at Albasini Dam © Samson Mulaudzi
Lesser Jacana at Skukuza Golf Course © Dirk Neethling		Ayres’ Hawk Eagle in Rustenburg © Geoff Finney
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 -------------------------------------------------------------