SA Rare Bird News Report - 06 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 Thursday, 06 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, it’s been mostly a continuation of the influx of CINNAMON-BREASTED BUNTINGS with one found in the Blaauwberg Conservation Area yesterday, one at the end of Steens Way in Llandudno on Tuesday evening, at least 3 still present at the Steenbras River mouth on Tuesday, another 3 reported at Harold Porter Botanical Gardens in Betty’s Bay on Tuesday and 2 birds present in the parking area of the restaurant at De Hoop Nature Reserve on Tuesday as well. Elsewhere, a dead AFRICAN CRAKE was found on a small holding in Atlantis yesterday, the 4th record of this species in the province in the last month, the AFRICAN FINFOOT was seen again today on the Breede River in Robertson in front of Silverstrand Estate and the wayward DWARF BITTERN was still at Vierfontein farm near Murraysburg yesterday as well.
In the Eastern Cape, the BRONZE-WINGED COURSER was still at Lawrence de Lange Nature Reserve near Queenstown until at least Monday evening.
Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, an AFRICAN CRAKE was seen at Umlalazi Nature Reserve in Mtunzini in the grass just before the sign to Chalets 9 and 10 this morning.
Gauteng produced at least 10 SWALLOW-TAILED BEE-EATERS in the De Tweedespruit Conservancy near Cullinan on Tuesday.
Over in the North-west Province, a LONG-CRESTED EAGLE was seen along the R24 near the Boons turn-off just past Olifantsnek Dam in Rustenburg this morning. | |||||||||
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Cinnamon-breasted Bunting in the Blaauwberg Conservation Area © Louis van Wyk | Cinnamon-breasted Bunting at the Steenbras River mouth © Willem Botes | ||||||||
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African Finfoot in Robertson © Mary Clarke | Swallow-tailed Bee-eaters in de Tweedespruit Conservancy © Johan van der Walt | ||||||||
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Up in Namibia, the YELLOW-THROATED LEAFLOVES were back in the gardens of Caprivi Houseboat Safari Lodge in Katima Mulilo yesterday while a dead male BUFF-SPOTTED FLUFFTAIL was found at the mouth of the Swakop River in Swakopmund on Monday, miles out of range for this species. In fact, there are actually very few records that I could find for the country and a quick search revealed previous records in May 1976 at Oranjemund, May 1995 at Gobabis, October 1995 at Lianshulu and May 2003 in Swakopmund. There seems to be a prevalence of May records which probably links in to the strong easterly winds that are around at this time of the year.
And finally, in Mozambique, a pair of CAPE SHOVELERS were found in a flooded area near the new bridge at Katembe on Sunday and were still there on Monday, possibly representing only the 7th record ever for the country. | |||||||||
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Cape Shovelers at Katembe © James Hogg | |||||||||
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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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