SARBN: Telegram and WhatsApp Rare Bird Alert groups
Trevor Hardaker
Hello to all SARBN subscribers,
Just as a reminder to all those that might be interested, there are a number of regional rare bird alert groups hosted on Telegram and WhatsApp where regular news and updates are posted on the rare and out of range species in those areas. Obviously, I don’t post updates on every out of range species on SARBN, or else we would be inundated with emails – I only post the regular news and updates on the birds that are of big Southern African subregion significance here, but do include ALL the records in the reports that get published twice a week.
Anyway, if you have the Telegram app installed on your phone, you can join one of these groups for the particular area that you might be interested in. Please just remember that these are only alert groups and not chat groups and no off-topic chats, emojis, etc will be tolerated on these groups. There are separate chat groups available for some of the areas as well if that is what you are after.
Here are the Telegram links:
Cape Rare Bird Alert
https://t.me/joinchat/QGhUawzSHBGk-CdKiMpRhQ
Eastern Cape Rare Bird Alert
https://t.me/joinchat/R7r8Gy3Cw0uiNkcE
KZN Rare Bird Alert
https://t.me/joinchat/WNAiloCYQuon5j2O
Wider Gauteng Rare Bird Alert
https://t.me/joinchat/VM7Akwr5OHKNUIBs
Mpumalanga Rare Birds
https://t.me/joinchat/WHWOJziz5Ntt-4uJ
North-west Province Rare Bird Alert
https://t.me/joinchat/G8kRMnjgNQgJ5ZaC
Kruger Birding
https://t.me/joinchat/GS-5PFFt34t_ngVC
There are also several other groups on WhatsApp for various parts of the subregion but, since WhatsApp groups are limited much more in group size, please only join these groups if you are actually from the respective areas or else you will be taking up space from some locals who may then not be able to join if the group is already full:
Free State
FS Sightings – contact Louise Coetzee at +27 82 382 1341 and she will add you or send you a link to join.
Limpopo
Limpopo Rarities – contact Jody de Bruyn at +27 82 802 2085 and he will add you or send you a link to join.
Namibia
Birding Namibia – contact Gudrun Middendorff at +264 81 240 3635 or Claire Kolberg at +264 81 129 3096 and one of them will add you or send you a link to join.
Zimbabwe
Special Species – contact Tony Wood at +263 77 222 4224 or Julia Pierini at +263 77 289 4562 and one of them will add you or send you a link to join.
Mozambique
Mozambique Specials – contact Gary Rowan at +258 84 292 0678 and he will add you or send you a link to join.
Thanks everyone! Enjoy what’s left of your long weekend…J
Kind regards
Trevor
Trevor Hardaker
Hi again everyone,
Sorry for the additional message, but it seems that there was an issue with the link to the Eastern Cape rarity group on Telegram included in my previous message. Please rather use this link which should hopefully work:
https://t.me/joinchat/R7r8G6QILtZyrpzp
Kind regards
Trevor