SA Rare Bird News Report - 22 November 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, 22 November 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 start with a few scarcity reports from the last few days…
EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARD:
· One over Cecilia Forest (Western Cape) this morning. · One along Potchefstroom Road (North-west Province) at -26.724, 27.588 yesterday. · One in Katima Mulilo (Namibia) yesterday. · One in Parys (Free State) on Saturday. · One in Klein Windhoek (Namibia) on Saturday. · One over Kingsmead College in Rosebank (Gauteng) on Friday afternoon. · One at Selati Game Reserve (Limpopo) on Friday.
GREEN SANDPIPER:
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European Honey Buzzard in Selati Game Reserve © John Williams | European Honey Buzzard in Klein Windhoek © Birgitt Sauber | ||||||||
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European Honey Buzzard in Parys © Johan Louw | |||||||||
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On to the rest of the news and, starting in the Western Cape, a PECTORAL SANDPIPER was found at Strandfontein Sewage Works at -34.080, 18.527 yesterday morning and, later in the afternoon, was seen on the eastern edge of Pan P2 while, up on the west coast, a WESTERN YELLOW WAGTAIL was reported around the Stompneusbaai-Vredenburg-Paternoster road intersection yesterday afternoon. Heading eastwards, the popular EURASIAN OYSTERCATCHER was still moving between the beach and the Klein River Lagoon in Hermanus earlier today, a BROWN SNAKE EAGLE was also seen in the same area yesterday, the GREATER SAND PLOVER was still at the Uilenkraals River, east of Gansbaai, on Saturday and an immature WHITE-STARRED ROBIN was seen at Grootvadersbosch at -33.982, 20.832 on Saturday, a very interesting record, especially considering the recent record of an adult from the same site. Elsewhere, a delayed report came through of 2 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS seen on a pan just outside Witsand at -34.386, 20.826 last Sunday, but the good news is that birders headed out there and confirmed that they were still there yesterday. Over on the Garden Route, a GOLDEN-BREASTED BUNTING was found at Reflections Eco Reserve near Wilderness on Saturday while there was also some local excitement when a GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO was found south-east of Beaufort West at -32.557, 22.793 yesterday, still a pretty rare bird in the province. | |||||||||
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Pectoral Sandpiper at Strandfontein Sewage Works © John Graham | Greater Sand Plover at the Uilenkraals River © Pieter Verster | ||||||||
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Eurasian Oystercatcher in Hermanus © Pieter Verster | Eurasian Oystercatcher in Hermanus © Jacques Malan | ||||||||
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Eurasian Oystercatcher in Hermanus © Pete Walker | Eurasian Oystercatcher in Hermanus © Alex Aitkenhead | ||||||||
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Eurasian Oystercatcher in Hermanus © Gilbert Reinhardt | |||||||||
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Eurasian Oystercatcher in Hermanus © Nico Bestbier | Eurasian Oystercatcher in Hermanus © Johan van der Westhuizen | ||||||||
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White-starred Robin at Grootvadersbosch © Dean Boshoff | |||||||||
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Pectoral Sandpipers near Witsand © Benno Klinck | Brown Snake Eagle in Hermanus © Stanislav Novotny | ||||||||
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Pectoral Sandpipers near Witsand © Gerrit Wyma | |||||||||
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Golden-breasted Bunting at Reflections Eco Reserve © Mark Heystek | Great Spotted Cuckoo south-east of Beaufort West © Mark Williams-Wynn | ||||||||
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In the Eastern Cape, there was some local excitement when a GREY WAGTAIL was found along the river above Swallowtail Falls in Hogsback at -32.597, 26.948 on Saturday which was still there this morning while the EURASIAN OYSTERCATCHER at the Kariega River mouth at Kenton-on-Sea was also proving popular amongst local birders and was still there today. Elsewhere, a WHITE-BACKED VULTURE was seen at Schotia Private Game Reserve, east of Addo National Park, yesterday and 2 KNOB-BILLED DUCKS were found at Riverside farm dam, about 10km from Somerset East on the Zuurberg Road, at -32.798, 25.609 on Saturday. | |||||||||
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Grey Wagtail in Hogsback © Cassie Carstens | Grey Wagtail in Hogsback © Veer Bills | ||||||||
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Eurasian Oystercatcher at the Kariega River © Christelle Muller | Eurasian Oystercatcher at the Kariega River © Rob Boyd | ||||||||
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Eurasian Oystercatcher at the Kariega River © Alex de Koning | Knob-billed Duck near Somerset East © Barry Kurten | ||||||||
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Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, a pelagic trip out of Durban on Saturday turned up another BARAU’S PETREL, always a great bird to connect with while there was still plenty on offer around the province to keep birders entertained over the last few days. Southern Africa’s 30th GOLDEN PIPIT continued to perform well near Albert Falls at -29.494, 30.386 and was still on view late this afternoon while a LESSER SPOTTED EAGLE was also reported in that area yesterday. The RED PHALAROPE at Wilson’s Dam near Underberg was another popular attraction and was still showing well earlier today and I think a big thank you needs to go out to Bart Fokkens and Aldo Berrutti who have been paddling birders out on to the dam one by one in their kayaks to get decent looks at this bird which seems to be hanging around in an area that is not really easily visible from any piece of publicly accessibly shoreline. Talk about twitchers banding together to enjoy this great little bird…J
Elsewhere, a LESSER KESTREL seen about 1 km north of the entrance to the Vlei Loop on the Eastern Shores of iSimangaliso Wetland Park yesterday was an interesting find, a report has also come through of 2 OLIVE BEE-EATERS seen at Kosi Bay at -26.892, 32.859 on Thursday and a COMMON CUCKOO was also seen along the Drakensberg Gardens road outside Underberg on Thursday evening while other popular lingerers included the SLATY EGRET still at Bell Park Dam earlier today and the ALLEN’S GALLINULE still at the private farm dam in Port Edward until at least Friday. | |||||||||
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Golden Pipit near Albert Falls © Hugo Voigts | Golden Pipit near Albert Falls © David Hoddinott | ||||||||
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Golden Pipit near Albert Falls © Ronnie Herr | Golden Pipit near Albert Falls © Jacky Stassen | ||||||||
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Golden Pipit near Albert Falls © Rich Kinvig | Golden Pipit near Albert Falls © Jason McCormick | ||||||||
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Golden Pipit near Albert Falls © Angela Gifford | |||||||||
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Golden Pipit near Albert Falls © Garret Skead | Golden Pipit near Albert Falls © Blessing Majoka | ||||||||
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Golden Pipit near Albert Falls © Stewart Clarke | Golden Pipit near Albert Falls © James Fulton | ||||||||
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Golden Pipit near Albert Falls © Paul van der Merwe | Golden Pipit near Albert Falls © Yoricka van der Merwe | ||||||||
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Red Phalarope at Wilson’s Dam © Bart Fokkens | Red Phalarope at Wilson’s Dam © Wade Lee | ||||||||
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Red Phalarope at Wilson’s Dam © Decklan Jordaan | Red Phalarope at Wilson’s Dam © Hennie Jordaan | ||||||||
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Red Phalarope at Wilson’s Dam © Craig Widdows | |||||||||
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Red Phalarope at Wilson’s Dam © Hugo Voigts | Red Phalarope at Wilson’s Dam © Clayton Burne | ||||||||
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Red Phalarope at Wilson’s Dam © Pam Kleiman | Red Phalarope at Wilson’s Dam © Stewart Clarke | ||||||||
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Red Phalarope twitchers (with the bird just behind them) at Wilson’s Dam © Pam Kleiman | |||||||||
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Slaty Egret at Bell Park Dam © David Hoddinott | Slaty Egret at Bell Park Dam © Wade Lee | ||||||||
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Lesser Kestrel in iSimangaliso Wetland Park © Ian Ferreira | Lesser Kestrel in iSimangaliso Wetland Park © Caroline Fox | ||||||||
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Common Cuckoo near Underberg © Chris Kelly | Allen’s Gallinule in Port Edward © Rowan Bartlett | ||||||||
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Not to be outdone, the Free State delivered a MADAGASCAN CUCKOO at Soetdoring Nature Reserve at -28.821, 26.051 on Saturday, seemingly very likely to be the same individual that spent the last summer season at this site and drew birders in from all over the country to enjoy it. Now to wait and see whether it will stay there for the whole of this season as well.
Gauteng had some local excitement when a TAMBOURINE DOVE was found in the Wilge River Valley at -25.622, 28.974 on Saturday, potentially the first record for the province, while the popular SLATY EGRET was still at Gnu Valley farm in Muldersdrift on Saturday.
Into Mpumalanga where several CASPIAN PLOVERS and COLLARED PRATINCOLES were still at Mkhombo Dam yesterday while 2 BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATERS and 2 PIED AVOCETS were found on a farm just south of Komatipoort on Saturday, both really unusual species for the area. | |||||||||
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Slaty Egret at Gnu Valley farm © Jean van Rooyen | Blue-cheeked Bee-eater south of Komatipoort © Johan Eksteen | ||||||||
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ePied Avocets south of Komatipoort © Johan Eksteen | |||||||||
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Up in Namibia, the westerly irruption of FULVOUS WHISTLING DUCKS into the country continues with one found at Avis Dam in Windhoek yesterday and numbers increasing to at least 4 there this morning while another 22 individuals were found at Erongo Mountain Conservancy, 30 km west of Omaruru, yesterday and a singleton was reported at Rietfontein in Etosha National Park yesterday as well. Elsewhere, a single CASPIAN PLOVER was present at Andoni waterhole in Etosha National Park yesterday and the YELLOW-THROATED LEAFLOVES were seen briefly again in the gardens of Caprivi Houseboat Safari Lodge in Katima Mulilo yesterday as well. | |||||||||
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Fulvous Whistling Ducks at Erongo Mountain Conservancy © Gulia Lewis | Fulvous Whistling Duck at Avis Dam © Daneel van der Walt | ||||||||
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Fulvous Whistling Ducks at Avis Dam © Madina Fourie | |||||||||
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Zimbabwe chimed in with a ROSS’S TURACO seen at Old Drift Lodge in Victoria Falls at -17.879, 25.792 yesterday while a group of 5 SOUTHERN POCHARDS seen on the Zambezi River at the confluence with the Mulola River on Friday was also an interesting find for the area. Another exciting find was 2 BLUE QUAILS seen at Katiyo Estate in the Honde Valley this morning.
And finally, in Mozambique, 2 CAPE SHOVELERS were found at Macaneta, north of Maputo, at -25.735, 32.723 yesterday, still a pretty rare species in the country. | |||||||||
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Ross’s Turaco at Old Drift Lodge © Duncan Macduff | Cape Shovelers at Macaneta © Samuel Liebert | ||||||||
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Southern Pochards at the Zambezi – Mulola River confluence © Colin Baker | |||||||||
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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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