SA Rare Bird News Report - 21 July 2016

[Trevor Hardaker]

 

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This is the Southern African Rare Bird News Report issued at 20h00 on Thursday, 21 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
The news has been a little bit lopsided this week with a single bird very much dominating the headlines…   Starting in the Western Cape, the RUFOUS-TAILED SCRUB ROBIN that has been present at Zeekoeivlei since Sunday already has remained faithful to a fairly small area around the picnic site on the eastern side of the vlei and, even though there has been some pretty miserable weather moving through this week, the bird has continued to draw a steady stream of twitchers to enjoy it and I now have the names of 336 people who have already been to see it.   David Allan also had the following interesting information to add on the previous most-southerly record of this species on the continent: an immature in worn plumage was mist-netted by the legendary ringer Dale Hanmer at Nchalo in far southern Malawi on 13 December 1987. The source for this is Dowsett-Lemaire & Dowett's book The Birds of Malawi published in 2006. It's worth noting that some parts of far northern Zimbabwe and central Mozambique (i.e. parts of the Southern African subregion) lie further north than Nchalo.   The AFRICAN JACANA was also still present at Strandfontein Sewage Works until at least Monday.
Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin at Zeekoeivlei © Cliff Dorse		Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin at Zeekoeivlei © John Fincham
Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin at Zeekoeivlei © Andy Bullmore		Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin at Zeekoeivlei © Frank Hallett
Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin at Zeekoeivlei © Eugene van der Walt		Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin at Zeekoeivlei © Basil Boer
Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin at Zeekoeivlei © Douw Steyn		Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin at Zeekoeivlei © Owen Oertli
Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin at Zeekoeivlei © Pieter le Roux
Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin twitchers at Zeekoeivlei © Ian Grant
Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin twitchers at Zeekoeivlei © Brian Vanderwalt
Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin twitchers at Zeekoeivlei © Neil Ebedes
In the Eastern Cape, there was some surprise on Tuesday when the COMMON REDSHANK was relocated on the Swartkops estuary in Port Elizabeth at -33.863 25.615 after having been missing for several months already. Slightly further downstream than where it was previously, locals have advised that this area is not all that safe to go to alone and, if you are thinking of trying for this bird, it is preferable to do so in a group. Also still lingering, at least 3 TEMMINCK'S COURSERS were also still present on Tuesday at S34 00'48" E24 34'02"on the R62 between Humansdorp and Kareedouw.   Up in Gauteng, a single COMMON STARLING was, once again, reported around the coffee shop at Rietvlei Nature Reserve on Tuesday afternoon.   Over in Mpumalanga, the LESSER JACANA was still on cue at Skukuza Golf Course until at least Tuesday.   Limpopo's Makuleke Dam is also still holding on to some attention with both of the AFRICAN SKIMMERS and a single GREAT WHITE PELICAN still holding on there yesterday.
		Common Redshank at Swartkops estuary © Paul Martin
African Skimmer at Makuleke Dam © Samson Mulaudzi		Great White Pelican at Makuleke Dam © Samson Mulaudzi
And finally, in Namibia, the Rossmund Golf Course in Swakopmund seems to continue producing birds of local interest with a BLACK SPARROWHAWK seen there on Tuesday and an AFRICAN SCOPS OWL found there yesterday.
Black Sparrowhawk at Rossmund Golf Course © Dayne Braine		African Scops Owl at Rossmund Golf Course © Dayne Braine
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 -------------------------------------------------------------