SA Rare Bird News Report - 01 May 2025

[Trevor Hardaker]

 

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
This is the Southern African Rare Bird News Report issued at 18h00 on Thursday, 01 May 2025.   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 https://groups.google.com/g/sa-rarebirdnews									SARBN is proud to be associated with the following brands:
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Starting in the Western Cape, a WANDERING-type ALBATROSS, possibly a TRISTAN ALBATROSS, was seen about 50km south-west of Cape Point on Monday while a single SAND MARTIN was still present around Pan P3 at Strandfontein Sewage Works earlier today.   Up in the Northern Cape, there was some surprize when a EUROPEAN ROLLER was found between Pofadder and Onseepkans at -29.059, 19.422 yesterday.
European Roller between Pofadder and Onseepkans © Etienne Marais					European Roller between Pofadder and Onseepkans © Thea Jenkins
Wandering-type Albatross south-west of Cape Point © Reyno Lategan
Into Kwazulu Natal where the locally popular LESSER JACANA was still at the Wattled Crane hide in the Karkloof Conservancy until at least Monday.   In the Free State, an AFRICAN OPENBILL was reported just outside Vrede along the R543 on Tuesday.
Lesser Jacana at the Karkloof Conservancy © Andrea Sander					Lesser Jacana at the Karkloof Conservancy © Terry Pickard
Mpumalanga chimed in with a SQUARE-TAILED DRONGO in Satara camp in the Kruger National Park at -24.394, 31.775 on Tuesday which was still in the same area earlier today. According to those in the know, this is only the second confirmed record ever for the park!   Over in the North-west Province, a PINK-BACKED PELICAN was present at Rockwall Dam, north of Rustenburg, at -25.506, 27.209 yesterday.   And finally, in Namibia, the long-staying PALE-THROATED GREENBULS (aka YELLOW-THROATED LEAFLOVES) were still in the gardens of Caprivi Houseboat Safari Lodge on Monday afternoon.
Square-tailed Drongo at Satara © Kenneth Gamble					Pink-backed Pelican at Rockwall Dam © Paul da Cruz
Pale-throated Greenbul at Caprivi Houseboat Safari Lodge © Brent Pearson
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