Southern African Rare Bird News Monday 1 August 2022

[Garret Skead]

Dear SARBN subscribers

Today the Eastern Cape will have to start things off, with a very unusual record that filtered through, of a STRIPED CRAKE female seen at the Storms River Rest Camp, Tsitsikamma National Park, on Saturday, at 16:20. The bird was seen approximately 200m into the park from the main entrance, alongside a puddle of water, according to the observer. This is all the information I currently have about the bird, and I don't think anyone has attempted the twitch as of yet. How (or perhaps rather why) this bird should find itself at the southern tip of the continent deep into winter is anyone's guess. I'll need to review the data available, but this must surely represent the southernmost record of this species. See photo attached (c) Keith Linderoth. 

In Limpopo, the WOOD WARBLER was reported on Saturday afternoon, but I haven't received any further updates since then. It's quite possible that the bird is still around, but that the level of twitching interest is starting to fade. Also in the province, an ALLEN'S GALLINULE was seen yesterday the western side of Rust de Winter Dam, at -25.223, 28.478.

In Kwazulu-Natal, the ARNOT'S CHAT was still present at Manyoni Private Game Reserve on Saturday morning, and at least two RUFOUS-BELLIED HERONS were seen on the Pan Loop at St Lucia Wetland Park yesterday.

In the Western Cape, a pelagic trip out of Simon's Town yesterday delivered an adult WANDERING ALBATROSS (see photo attached (c) Vincent Ward) and a NORTHERN ROYAL ALBATROSS, and a trip out of Hout Bay yielded a different individual WANDERING ALBATROSS (this being a subadult), SPECTACLED PETRELS (possibly three different individuals), and a SOUTHERN FULMAR (see photo attached (c) Alvaro Jaramillo), which I believe is the first for 2022. Staying in the province, two GOLDEN-BREASTED BUNTINGS remained at the same area near George on Friday, at -33.945, 22.431, and four WHITE-FRONTED BEE-EATERS were seen on a CAR count close to Uniondale (at -33.445, 23.107). Two COMMON SCIMITARBILLS were seen in the same general area at -33.415, 23.197. There were at least four ROSEATE TERNS feeding offshore from Kleinbaai on Sunday, and another seen today, at -34.622, 19.351. Two AFRICAN PALM SWIFTS were seen at the Langebaan quarry on Saturday. At Strandfontein sewage works, FULVOUS WHISTLING DUCKS were seen at P1 over the weekend, and the AFRICAN JACANA was reported on Sunday from the northern side of S1 pan.

In the Northern Cape, a BLACK-FACED WAXBILL was seen on the farm Wortelfontein, 40km north-west of Richmond.

In the Free State, at least three LITTLE BEE-EATERS were seen close to Dealesville on Sunday, at -28.754, 25.642.

And lastly, in Namibia, a BLACK-EARED SEEDEATER was seen and photographed 40km south of Rundu on Friday. This is now the second record of this species in the country in a short space of time. This could represent a mini-irruption, or perhaps this species is present in low numbers. If any local birders have insight into this, I would be very interested to hear from you.

Kind regards

Garret