SA Rare Bird News Report - 24 November 2014

[Trevor Hardaker]

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This is the Southern African Rare Bird News Report issued at 20h00 on Monday, 24 November 2014. 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. 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
Before I get started with the report, I am in need of a favour from someone…   In mid December, I will be heading off with a group of friends for a birding trip and will only be back in early January, so therefore I will be unable to keep SARBN rolling along as I will be out of cellphone reception for a lot of the time and won't have the ability to send regular messages. I have asked around to most of the regular people that help out with SARBN when I am away, but unfortunately, all of them are also away at the same time, so it leaves me in a bit of a quandary.   I am now looking for a volunteer(s) to take over the running of SARBN in my absence. You don't have to prepare formal reports, but perhaps just keep the alerts and updates going, so that people are kept up to date. You need to have a reasonable grasp on bird identification as you often need to make a call on a particular record of a species before broadcasting it. You also need to be prepared to be the contact for receiving all of the messages in my absence and, depending on how many rarities are reported, this could either be very few messages or a rather large number. If anyone is prepared to run this service while I am away, please do get in touch with me, so that we can start making the necessary arrangements. Obviously, if I am not able to find someone to do this, then SARBN will have to come to a grinding holt while I am away.   Alright, on to the news and starting with some more scarcity records…   EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARDS were reported from the Polokwane Golf Course on Friday, in Kyalami in Johannesburg on Saturday, over the Krugersdorp Golf Course on Saturday, along the Sabie River at the Lubye-Lubye bridge near Lower Sabie in the Kruger National Park on Saturday, about 2km south-west of Royal Malewane yesterday and, once again, in Leeuwfontein Estate near Roodeplaat Dam earlier today.   The GREEN SANDPIPER was also still present at Sweni bridge along the H1-3 in the Kruger National Park throughout the weekend.   I have also included an updated map showing all the records of these two species (EHB in red and GS in blue) across the subregion since the beginning of September.
European Honey Buzzard in Kyalami © Mark Scholefield			European Honey Buzzard at Leeuwfontein Estate © Leon Labuschagne
Green Sandpiper (on left) at Sweni bridge © Mark Kirk
Let's get on to the rest of the news and most of the major excitement of the past few days centred itself around pelagic species on the east coast of the subregion. In Mozambique, a pelagic trip out of Maputo on Saturday produced a single BLACK-NAPED TERN, a serious subregion mega, as well as a small black and white shearwater seen briefly which was thought to most likely be a TROPICAL SHEARWATER, another great bird to encounter.   Moving down the coast into Kwazulu Natal, a pelagic trip out of Durban on Saturday matched the odds from Maputo and also delivered a TROPICAL SHEARWATER, a bird most likely from the population on Reunion Island, judging by its full white vent and undertail coverts, whilst a GREY PETREL was another absolutely stonking bird seen well on the trip. If that wasn't enough, it also turned up 2 regional rarities in the form of a NORTHERN GIANT PETREL and a EUROPEAN STORM PETREL and has been touted by some as possibly the most successful pelagic trip run out of Durban in recent times.   Also of interest in the province, the KNYSNA WARBLER at Doreen Clark Nature Reserve in Hilton was also still present on the weekend whilst the 4 CASPIAN PLOVERS remained at Mpempe Pan until at least Friday.
Grey Petrel on Durban pelagic trip © Niall Perrins			Grey Petrel on Durban pelagic trip © David Allan
Grey Petrel on Durban pelagic trip © Rich Everett			European Storm Petrel on Durban pelagic trip © David Allan
Tropical Shearwater on Durban pelagic trip © Niall Perrins			Tropical Shearwater on Durban pelagic trip © Rich Everett
Northern Giant Petrel on Durban pelagic trip © Niall Perrins			Northern Giant Petrel on Durban pelagic trip © David Allan
Birders enjoying the Grey Petrel on the Durban pelagic trip © Simone Swiel
Further down the coast in the Eastern Cape, there was also plenty to keep the local twitchers entertained…   The RED-NECKED PHALAROPE at Tankatara salt pans in Port Elizabeth continued to draw attention and was still present on Saturday whilst another great bird for the province, BLACK TERN, was also picked up at the same site on Saturday! Apparently, there are historical records for the province, but there has not been a record of this species in the Eastern Cape for many years now!   The GARDEN WARBLER remained in the garden in Graaff Reinet until at least Saturday as well whilst, also sparking some local excitement on the weekend were EURASIAN CURLEWS spotted at the Swartkops River estuary (just off Perseverance Road (R367) right next to road in a connecting body of water from the main Swartkops River to Marina Salt pans - approx co-ords S 33 51.610, E25 35.602) and at Kei mouth.   In the Western Cape, the RED-NECKED PHALAROPE at Kliphoek salt pans in Velddrif was also still present until at least Saturday.
			Red-necked Phalarope at Velddrif © Clive Prior
Red-necked Phalarope at Tankatara salt pans © Lynette Rudman			Red-necked Phalarope at Tankatara salt pans © Geoff Finney
Red-necked Phalarope at Tankatara salt pans © Gregg Darling			Black Tern at Tankatara salt pans © Lynette Rudman
Big smiles all round for the great birds at Tankatara salt pans © Lynette Rudman
Back across the country into Mpumalanga where at least 4 COMMON RINGED PLOVERS was still present at Sunset Dam in the Kruger National Park earlier today whilst the SOUTHERN BROWN-THROATED WEAVER was also still in the park at Crocodile Bridge today and a single SANDERLING was reported from Mkhombo Dam on Friday.   And, finally, in Gauteng, there was some local excitement when a BROAD-BILLED ROLLER was located around Emmarentia Dam in Johannesburg on Friday. The bird created a bit of a local twitch for Wider Gauteng listers and remained present throughout the weekend (still present today as well) attracting lots of attention during its stay. It seems to be hanging around the dead Eucalyptus at S26.15711 E28.00191 - which is above the paved pathway on the western side of the vlei between the main dam and the smaller dams. According to locals, this is the 3rd record for the province in the last 5 years! The 2 WESTERN MARSH HARRIERS also proved popular on the weekend and a number of people managed to connect with them until at least yesterday.
Broad-billed Roller at Emmarentia Dam © Lennard Vroom			Broad-billed Roller at Emmarentia Dam © Simon Vegter
Broad-billed Roller at Emmarentia Dam © Dirk Human			Broad-billed Roller at Emmarentia Dam © Johann Kritzinger
Broad-billed Roller at Emmarentia Dam © Matthew Axelrod			Broad-billed Roller at Emmarentia Dam © Neil Ebedes
Broad-billed Roller at Emmarentia Dam © Mark Tittley			Western Marsh Harrier at Marievale Bird Sanctuary © Dirk Human
Gauteng twitchers connecting with the Broad-billed Roller at Emmarentia Dam © Allan Ridley
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     Follow our local exploits in the field at: http://hardakerwildlife.wordpress.com/   See our photos and trip reports at: www.hardaker.co.za     ZEST for BIRDS Pelagics, rarity photos, listing clubs and more: www.zestforbirds.co.za     SA RARE BIRD NEWS Get the latest rarity news by joining at: http://groups.google.co.za/group/sa-rarebirdnews     SOUTHERN AFRICAN RARITIES Online database of all SA rarities www.rarities.co.za -------------------------------------------------------------