SA Rare Bird News Report - 16 December 2021
Trevor Hardaker
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S O U T H E R N A F R I C A N R A R E B I R D N E W S R E P O R T | |||||||||
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This is the Southern African Rare Bird News Report issued at 16h45 on Thursday, 16 December 2021.
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.
None of the records included in this report have undergone any adjudication process with any of the subregion’s Rarities Committees, so inclusion in this report does not constitute any official confirmation of the particular record. Observers are still encouraged to make the necessary submissions accordingly.
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 |
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As usual, let’s get all the scarcity reports out of the way first…
EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARD:
· One at Mazvikadei (Zimbabwe) today. · One 10km from Dukuduku Gate on the Western Shores of iSimangaliso Wetland Park (KZN) yesterday. · One at Western Deep Levels, near Carletonville (Gauteng) yesterday. · Two over Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens (Western Cape) on Tuesday. · One in Hluhluwe Game Reserve (KZN) at -28.219, 31.951 on Tuesday. · One in the Bokfontein area (Gauteng) on Tuesday. · One at Letaba Estates near Letsitele (Limpopo) on Tuesday. · Two in Maputaland Elephant Reserve (Mozambique) on Tuesday. · Two over the Kinkelbos road along the Alexandria dunefield (Eastern Cape) on Monday. · Two in Vaal Oewer (North-west Province) on Monday. · One at Van Stadens Pass (Eastern Cape) on Saturday.
GREEN SANDPIPER:
· One in Savuti (Botswana) at -18.973, 24.003 on Sunday. | |||||||||
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European Honey Buzzard at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens © Joel Radue | European Honey Buzzard at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens © Daryl de Beer | ||||||||
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European Honey Buzzard in Vaal Oewer © Coen Boshoff | European Honey Buzzard along the Kinkelbos road © Matthijs Ravensberg | ||||||||
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European Honey Buzzard in Bokfontein © Andrew Keys | European Honey Buzzard at Western Deep Levels © Ronald McKechnie | ||||||||
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European Honey Buzzard at Van Stadens Pass © Edwin Polden | European Honey Buzzard on the Western Shores © Hugo Voigts | ||||||||
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On to the rest of the news and, starting in the Western Cape, the mega BAIRD’S SANDPIPER was still showing well yesterday at Macassar Sewage Works, but there have been no further reports of it there today, despite a number of people looking for it. The BLACK HERON along the R304 near Joostenbergvlakte at -33.787, 18.769 also proved to be extremely popular amongst locals and was still there yesterday but, again, there was no sign of it today unfortunately. Other distractions in the same general area along the R304 included a GOLIATH HERON still present at -33.805, 18.784 today and a male RED-BACKED SHRIKE found at -33.760, 18.752 on Tuesday afternoon, but not seen since. Other lingerers included the AFRICAN PIED WAGTAIL still at Postcard Café in Jonkershoek today, at least one FULVOUS WHISTLING DUCK still at Paardevlei near The Strand on Tuesday and 2 BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATERS still around Rooisand Nature Reserve today while another BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATER was also found at De Mond Nature Reserve today as well. Another male RED-BACKED SHRIKE was found 11km east of Suurbraak at -34.010, 20.773 today, the GREAT REED WARBLER was still at Kingswood Golf Estate in George on Tuesday, a EUROPEAN ROLLER was found this afternoon along the Knysna River in Westford Nature Reserve at -34.007, 23.016 and the popular EURASIAN OYSTERCATCHER was also still in place at the Keurbooms River estuary in Plettenberg Bay earlier today as well. Heading inland, both an adult LESSER GREY SHRIKE and an immature RED-BACKED SHRIKE were found in close proximity to each other west of Murraysburg at -32.023, 23.347 this afternoon. | |||||||||
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Baird’s Sandpiper at Macassar Sewage Works © Warren Sutherland | Baird’s Sandpiper at Macassar Sewage Works © Brian du Preez | ||||||||
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Baird’s Sandpiper at Macassar Sewage Works © Keenan Houareau | Baird’s Sandpiper at Macassar Sewage Works © Dana Goldberg | ||||||||
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Baird’s Sandpiper at Macassar Sewage Works © Albert McLean | Baird’s Sandpiper at Macassar Sewage Works © Diane McLean | ||||||||
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Black Heron along the R304 © Jenny Wentzel | Black Heron along the R304 © David Hall | ||||||||
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Black Heron along the R304 © Jacques Giliomee | Black Heron along the R304 © Melanie Cornelius | ||||||||
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Black Heron along the R304 © Willem Botes | Black Heron along the R304 © Kevin Drummond-Hay | ||||||||
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Red-backed Shrike along the R304 © Garret Skead | Red-backed Shrike along the R304 © Bryn de Kocks | ||||||||
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Red-backed Shrike along the R304 © David Hall | Goliath Heron along the R304 © Kevin Drummond-Hay | ||||||||
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African Pied Wagtail at Postcard Cafe © Trevor Hardaker | Fulvous Whistling Duck at Paardevlei © Stanislav Novotny | ||||||||
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Blue-cheeked Bee-eater at Rooisand Nature Reserve © Vic Smith | Blue-cheeked Bee-eater at De Mond Nature Reserve © Theanette Staal | ||||||||
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Red-backed Shrike east of Suurbraak © Tim Dee | Eurasian Oystercatcher in Plettenberg Bay © Neil Ebedes | ||||||||
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In the Eastern Cape, a single MARABOU STORK was reported at Thomas River near Stutterheim yesterday and 2 birds were seen close by at -32.427, 27.324 today. A BROWN SNAKE EAGLE was found at Coega this morning and another BROWN SNAKE EAGLE was reported at Amakhala Game Reserve yesterday. Elsewhere, a GREATER SAND PLOVER was found at the pan to the south of the Swartkops River mouth at Bluewater Bay yesterday, the Kromme River in St Francis Bay held on to some of its specials on Tuesday with the PECTORAL SANDPIPER still present at -34.137, 24.809 and the LESSER SAND PLOVER also still in place at -34.142, 24.833 while the EURASIAN OYSTERCATCHER held on at the Kariega River mouth at Kenton-on-Sea until at least Tuesday as well. | |||||||||
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Pectoral Sandpiper along the Kromme River © Mike Buckham | Lesser Sand Plover along the Kromme River © Mike Buckham | ||||||||
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Greater Sand Plover at Bluewater Bay © Godfrey Lodge | Brown Snake Eagle at Coega © Arnold Slabbert | ||||||||
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Eurasian Oystercatcher at the Kariega River mouth © Rob Boyd | Eurasian Oystercatcher at the Kariega River mouth © Edwin Polden | ||||||||
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Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, the very popular GOLDEN PIPIT was still showing off near Albert Falls at -29.494, 30.386 this afternoon while one RUFOUS-BELLIED HERON was still at Nsombiza Pan on the Eastern Shores of iSimangaliso Wetland Park yesterday. | |||||||||
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Golden Pipit near Albert Falls © Harry Pearce | Golden Pipit near Albert Falls © Craig Sagar | ||||||||
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Golden Pipit near Albert Falls © Adrian Brink | |||||||||
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The Free State held on to its main attraction as well with the mega MADAGASCAN CUCKOO still present at Soetdoring Nature Reserve yesterday. | |||||||||
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Madagascan Cuckoo at Soetdoring Nature Reserve © Dawie de Swardt | |||||||||
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Madagascan Cuckoo at Soetdoring Nature Reserve © Ian Davidson | Madagascan Cuckoo at Soetdoring Nature Reserve © Mandy McDonald | ||||||||
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Over in Gauteng, there was some surprize when a RED-BILLED OXPECKER was spotted at Modini Fishing Resort earlier today, a little out of range for this species.
Limpopo chimed in with a group of 11 SOUTHERN POCHARDS seen at Letaba Estates, near Letsitele, on Tuesday, a rather unusual species for the Lowveld region.
And finally, in Namibia, the YELLOW-THROATED LEAFLOVES were still in the gardens of Caprivi Houseboat Safari Lodge in Katima Mulilo yesterday. | |||||||||
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Red-billed Oxpecker at Modini Fishing Resort © Imran Vanker | Southern Pochards at Letaba Estates © Duncan McKenzie | ||||||||
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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 | |||||||||
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TREVOR HARDAKER Cape Town, South Africa |
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