SA Rare Bird News Report - 31 May 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 18h00 on Monday, 31 May 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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Starting in the Western Cape, several pelagic trips ventured out yesterday and, between them, managed to accumulate some nice birds including SOUTHERN FULMAR and SPECTACLED PETREL. There was some local excitement when 2 KNOB-BILLED DUCKS were found on Pan P1 at Strandfontein Sewage Works on Saturday which were both still there today while another good local find was a male DUSKY SUNBIRD near Strandfontein Pavilion at -34.081, 18.572 on Saturday which was also still there today. Elsewhere, the DOUBLE-BANDED COURSERS were still near Moorreesburg yesterday, at least 3 AFRICAN RED-EYED BULBULS were reported at Driehoek campsite in the Cederberg on Saturday and the ROSEATE TERNS were also still hanging around at Kleinbaai with 4 seen there on Friday and at least 2 still there yesterday. Over on the Garden Route, there were 3 SQUACCO HERONS in the channel linking Langvlei and Rondevlei, between Wilderness and Sedgefield, on Saturday and a GOLDEN-BREASTED BUNTING was seen along the Hoogekraal road above Sedgefield at -33.973, 22.783 on Saturday as well. | |||||||||
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Southern Fulmar on pelagic trip © Vince Ward | |||||||||
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Spectacled Petrel on pelagic trip © Mayur Prag | Southern Fulmar on pelagic trip © Mayur Prag | ||||||||
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Spectacled Petrel on pelagic trip © John Graham | Spectacled Petrel on pelagic trip © Michael McSweeney | ||||||||
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Spectacled Petrel (on left) on pelagic trip © Richard Crawshaw | |||||||||
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Knob-billed Ducks at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Ian Rijsdijk | Knob-billed Duck at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Daryl de Beer | ||||||||
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Knob-billed Duck at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Robert Cooper | Knob-billed Duck at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Pamela Cooper | ||||||||
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Knob-billed Duck at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Stanislav Novotny | Double-banded Coursers near Moorreesburg © Daryl de Beer | ||||||||
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Dusky Sunbird near Strandfontein Pavilion © John Graham | Dusky Sunbird near Strandfontein Pavilion © Mike Buckham | ||||||||
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Dusky Sunbird near Strandfontein Pavilion © Ian Rijsdijk | Dusky Sunbird near Strandfontein Pavilion © Jacque Smit | ||||||||
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Dusky Sunbird near Strandfontein Pavilion © Karin Wilson | Dusky Sunbird near Strandfontein Pavilion © Jenny Wentzel | ||||||||
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Dusky Sunbird near Strandfontein Pavilion © Robert Cooper | Dusky Sunbird near Strandfontein Pavilion © Pamela Cooper | ||||||||
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African Red-eyed Bulbul at Driehoek campsite © Gabriel Jamie | Squacco Heron between Langvlei and Rondevlei © Regard van Dyk | ||||||||
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Up in the Northern Cape, there was some surprize when an AFRICAN DUSKY FLYCATCHER was found in Prieska at -29.534, 22.999 on Saturday, well out of range for this species.
In the Eastern Cape, Cape Recife was still the centre of attention with both the LESSER NODDY and the LITTLE BEE-EATER still showing well there today. Not too far away, 2 HOUSE CROWS were also reported flying past Marine Towers on Saturday heading in the direction of Cape Recife. | |||||||||
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Lesser Noddy at Cape Recife © Meghan van der Linde | Lesser Noddy at Cape Recife © Neil Ebedes | ||||||||
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Lesser Noddy at Cape Recife © Tristan Silver | |||||||||
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Little Bee-eater at Cape Recife © Andre Marais | Little Bee-eater at Cape Recife © Rod Green | ||||||||
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Little Bee-eater at Cape Recife © Wilma Meiring | Little Bee-eater at Cape Recife © Tristan Silver | ||||||||
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Little Bee-eater at Cape Recife © Meghan van der Linde | Little Bee-eater at Cape Recife © Neil Ebedes | ||||||||
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Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, the BLUE KORHAAN was still south of Midmar Dam at -29.557, 30.154 on Friday, but has not been seen since then. A SOUTHERN WHITE-FACED OWL in a garden in St Andrews Drive in Durban North on Friday was also a popular local find though. | |||||||||
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Southern White-faced Owl in Durban North © Bart Fokkens | Southern White-faced Owl in Durban North © Rowan Bartlett | ||||||||
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Gauteng held on to the YELLOW-BELLIED GREENBUL at Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens until at least Friday.
Up in Limpopo, the 2 PINK-BACKED PELICANS were still at Vogelfontein yesterday while another 2 PINK-BACKED PELICANS were found in the Samaria section of Mapungubwe National Park yesterday and were still present there this morning.
Into Zimbabwe where the out of range RED-CAPPED ROBIN-CHAT was still at Hippo Pools along the Mazowe River in the Umfurudzi Safari Area, about 150km north-east of Harare, this afternoon.
And finally, in Mozambique, the MALAGASY POND HERON was still at Dunes de Dovela yesterday as well. | |||||||||
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Yellow-bellied Greenbul at Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens © Shane Wilken | Pink-backed Pelican at Mapungubwe National Park © Joe Grosel | ||||||||
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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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