SA Rare Bird News Report - 11 January 2024

[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, 11 January 2024.   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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Nice to be back home and straight into the swing of things after a few week’s birding abroad. Firstly, a big thank you to Garret Skead and Michael Mason who so ably looked after SARBN while I was away. I see that they got to report on some seriously mega birds as well which always adds to the excitement too! Thanks again guys, I really appreciate your willingness to step in and assist while I am away and I’m sure the whole SARBN community appreciates it too.   On to the news and, starting in the Western Cape, the ELEGANT TERN was seen again in the Tern roost at Macassar Sewage Works on Tuesday while an AUSTRALASIAN GANNET was also still at Bird Island in Lambert’s Bay on Tuesday. A YELLOW-BILLED STORK was still present this morning at the bird sanctuary on the Klein River near Stanford while, over on the Garden Route, a single COMMON MYNA was reported this morning in Gourits at -34.352, 21.882 and the long-staying WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER was still present at Voelvlei until at least Monday afternoon.
Elegant Tern at Macassar Sewage Works © Riel Tredoux					Elegant Tern at Macassar Sewage Works © Willem Botes
Australasian Gannet in Lambert’s Bay © Diane McLean					Australasian Gannet in Lambert’s Bay © Albert McLean
Australasian Gannet in Lambert’s Bay © Gerald Wingate					Australasian Gannet in Lambert’s Bay © Tinus le Roux
Yellow-billed Stork near Stanford © Ronnie Hazell					White-rumped Sandpiper (left) at Voelvlei © Pieter la Grange
Kwazulu Natal’s offerings included an ALLEN’S GALLINULE at Muzi Pan this morning, a single MARABOU STORK at the dump site near Illovo at -30.111, 30.814 earlier today, 2 AYRES’S HAWK EAGLES over Teba this afternoon, the GREEN SANDPIPER back at Bhejane Hide in Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park this afternoon, an unconfirmed report of 10 AFRICAN SKIMMERS on the southern bank of new mouth at Richard’s Bay yesterday, the 2 AFRICAN SKIMMERS still at the St Lucia estuary yesterday, a rather out of place DUSKY LARK seen in the parking lot of Spar in St Lucia on Tuesday and at least one RUFOUS-BELLIED HERON still near Amazibu hide on the Eastern Shores of iSimangaliso Wetland Park on Tuesday as well.   In Gauteng, a pair of TERRESTRIAL BROWNBULS were reported in Faerie Glen Nature Reserve at -25.778, 28.298 on Sunday.
Dusky Lark in St Lucia © Ian Ferreira					Terrestrial Brownbul in Faerie Glen Nature Reserve © Dirk Human
It’s still very early in the new year but, already, Mpumalanga has opened its innings with a contender for “bird of the year” when Southern Africa’s 4th PIED WHEATEAR was found along the S40 near Satara in the Kruger National Park at -24.378, 31.711 yesterday. Our first record dates back to January 1984 at Twin Streams farm in Mtunzini. This was followed by records in December 2014 in Chobe National Park and February 2017 in Victoria Falls, this latter record being the only one that was vaguely twitchable (for some anyway!). Unfortunately, despite a number of birders searching for it today, the bird could not be relocated again.   The park didn’t stop there and also produced a CASPIAN PLOVER along the S25 near Crocodile Bridge at -25.348, 31.880  on Tuesday which was still there this this afternoon while the GREEN SANDPIPER was also still on the eastern side of Sweni bridge at -24.480, 31.780 yesterday. Elsewhere in the province, other notable records included a STRIPED CRAKE reported in Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve on Monday, a DENHAM’S BUSTARD seen walking along the airstrip at Mala Mala on Monday and an AFRICAN CRAKE found in Walkerson’s Estate in Dullstroom earlier today.
Pied Wheatear near Satara © Matthew Arthur					African Crake at Walkerson’s Estate © Andrew Allen
Denham’s Bustard in Mala Mala Private Game Reserve © Nic Nel
Green Sandpiper at Sweni Bridge © Jannie Steyn					Caspian Plover near Crocodile Bridge © Roelof Grosbeek
And finally, in Mozambique, a single EURASIAN OYSTERCATCHER was found at Linga Linga, north of Inhambane, yesterday.
Eurasian Oystercatcher at Linga Linga © Thinus van Staden
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