SA Rare Bird News Report - 30 August 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, 30 August 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, there was still plenty to keep locals entertained over the last few days. Many provincial listers were still twitching the PINK-BACKED PELICANS which were still at Zeekoevlei yesterday while a single AFRICAN PIED WAGTAIL was found at the dam at Postcard Café in Stellenbosch on Saturday and was still there yesterday as well. Further north, the DOUBLE-BANDED COURSER remained in same area close to Moorreesburg at -33.206, 18.520 on Saturday while there was also some local excitement when an adult BATELEUR was reported along the road between Velddrif and Hopefield yesterday at -32.868, 18.215 and, close by, a GOLIATH HERON was noted on the Berg River floodplain east of Velddrif at -32.918, 18.308 yesterday as well.
Further east, the young DWARF BITTERN was seen along the Onrus River in the Bosplasie portion of Onrus on Saturday, only about 2km away, as the Bittern flies, from where it was previously seen in Sandbaai while the Garden Route also held on to some lingerers with the 4 KNOB-BILLED DUCKS still near Vleesbaai at -34.254, 21.876 yesterday, the AFRICAN PIED WAGTAIL still at Knysna Yacht Club on Saturday and at least 2 AFRICAN PIED WAGTAILS also still around the Keurbooms River in Plettenberg Bay on Saturday as well. However, the most exciting record from the Garden Route came this afternoon when an adult BATELEUR was seen flying over the N2 about 4km east of Sedgefield, the second one to be reported in the province in as many days! | |||||||||
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Pink-backed Pelican at Zeekoevlei © Charles Britz | Pink-backed Pelican at Zeekoevlei © Zoe Lunau | ||||||||
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Pink-backed Pelican (in front) at Zeekoevlei © Gigi Laidler | Pink-backed Pelican at Zeekoevlei © Jenny Wentzel | ||||||||
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Dwarf Bittern along the Onrus River © Mieni Heymans | Knob-billed Ducks near Vleesbaai © Elmarie Brits | ||||||||
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Up in the Northern Cape, a BLACK SPARROWHAWK was seen on the golf course in Jan Kempdorp yesterday.
In the Free State, an adult PALM-NUT VULTURE was seen once again at Loch Athlone in Bethlehem on Saturday.
Across in Gauteng, the wayward YELLOW-BELLIED GREENBUL was still at Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens yesterday. | |||||||||
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Palm-nut Vulture at Loch Athlone © Martin Potgieter | Yellow-bellied Greenbul at Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens © Jon Pullen | ||||||||
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Mpumalanga held on to the 2 AFRICAN SKIMMERS which were still at the Olifants River bridge in the Kruger National Park until at least Friday.
Over in Limpopo, it was also all still about AFRICAN SKIMMERS with 2 birds still at Moholoholo Mountain View yesterday and another 2 birds still along the Letaba River on the Lonely Bull Trail in the Kruger National Park until at least Wednesday. | |||||||||
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African Skimmers at Moholoholo Mountain View © Nicholas Knott-Craig | African Skimmers on the Lonely Bull Trail © Dirk Human | ||||||||
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And finally, in Namibia, the mega ROSS’S TURACO was still showing well at Taranga Safari Lodge, west of Rundu, yesterday. With travelling now opening up a little across Southern Africa, it is certainly worthwhile considering a twitch for this bird if you have not done so yet. Who knows when there might next be a chance to add this incredible bird to your subregion list… | |||||||||
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Ross’s Turaco at Taranga Safari Lodge © Stephan Steyn | |||||||||
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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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