SA Rare Bird News Report - 14 July 2016

[Trevor Hardaker]

 

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This is the Southern African Rare Bird News Report issued at 20h00 on Thursday, 14 July 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
Are we seeing the start of an irruption of African Skimmers across the subregion…? Perhaps that is a little optimistic, but let's just wait and see how this turns out…   Starting down in the Western Cape, the RED-NECKED PHALAROPE continued to spin around on the pans at Kliphoek Salt Pans in Velddrif (access through Kuifkopvisvanger farm - www.kuifkop.co.za) yesterday while, slightly further north, the GREAT EGRET was also still present at Litaue Dam along the Olifants River between Koekenaap and the mouth of the river yesterday.   In the Eastern Cape, there was some local excitement yesterday when a single HOTTENTOT TEAL was located at Quenera Lagoon in East London, a rather unusual species for this area.   Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, an immature PALM-NUT VULTURE was seen yesterday at a dam across the road from the main entrance to San Lameer on the south coast. The dam apparently cannot be seen from the main road, but you should turn on to a gravel road directly opposite the San Lameer main entrance and then travel about 100m to get to it. Also of particular interest, a pelagic trip out of Durban yesterday turned up a single ANTARCTIC TERN, a very rare species in the province, as well as at least 3 SOOTY TERNS.
Red-necked Phalarope at Velddrif © Linda du Plessis		Palm-nut Vulture at San Lameer © Malcolm Sutton
Antarctic Tern on Durban pelagic trip © Niall Perrins
Over in the Free State, the BURCHELL'S COURSERS near Heilbron were still drawing twitchers to admire them until at least yesterday and I now have the names of 129 birders who have already made the pilgrimage to go and see these birds. Also of local interest, a LONG-CRESTED EAGLE was seen yesterday along the R57 between Heilbron and Petrus Steyn about 30 km from Petrus Steyn, an unusual record for the area of this species that certainly seems to be expanding its range quite dramatically at the moment.   Neighbouring Gauteng also remained in the limelight with the OLIVE WOODPECKER at the Amanzintaba Resort in the Wilge River Valley still present yesterday while, close by, another locally exciting find was a MOUNTAIN WAGTAIL at Qodesh Camping Retreat yesterday as well, also a rather rare bird in the province.
Burchell’s Courser near Heilbron © Ian Grant		Burchell’s Courser near Heilbron © Don Reid
Burchell’s Courser twitchers near Heilbron © Don Reid
Mountain Wagtail at Qodesh Camping Retreat © Rolf Wiesler		Olive Woodpecker at Amanzintaba Resort © Owen Oertli
Just across the border in Mpumalanga, a PINK-BACKED PELICAN was seen at a roadside pan along the N12 yesterday about 38km on the Delmas side of Benoni.   Up in Limpopo Province, the excitement was centred around Makuleke Dam adjacent to Makuleke village where the 2 AFRICAN SKIMMERS were still showing well there yesterday while at least 5 GREAT WHITE PELICANS were also present there yesterday.   And finally, across the border in Zimbabwe, there was excitement on Tuesday when 2 AFRICAN SKIMMERS were located at the lake at the Fishing Lodge at Nottingham Estate just west of Beitbridge (subsequent information from locals indicate that these 2 birds have been around for 3 or 4 years already!!) while another individual was located yesterday at Masasanya Dam in Gonarezhou National Park as well.
African Skimmers at Makuleke Dam © Willie Knoetze		African Skimmers at Nottingham Estate © Nina Robertson
African Skimmers at Makuleke Dam © Geoff Goetsch
Great White Pelicans at Makuleke Dam © Geoff Goetsch
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 -------------------------------------------------------------