SA Rare Bird News Report - 24 July 2023
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, 24 July 2023.
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 plenty of keep locals entertained. A pelagic trip out of Hout Bay yesterday delivered 2 NORTHERN ROYAL ALBATROSSES (an adult and a juvenile) and a SPECTACLED PETREL. The popular BLACK HERON continued to attract attention and was still at Marina da Gama earlier today. The PINK-BACKED PELICAN was seen again at the seasonal pan at Intaka Island Wetland Reserve on Friday and yesterday, but was missing in action on Saturday. Interestingly, a PINK-BACKED PELICAN was reported over Pan P2 at Strandfontein Sewage Works on Saturday. Whether these records refer to the same individual or whether there is more than one individual involved here is still unknown though. Elsewhere, a GOLIATH HERON was found at Rietvlei Wetland Reserve at -33.852, 18.501 on Friday and was seen again there yesterday afternoon, the female BLACK CUCKOOSHRIKE was reported again in the same area in Somerset West yesterday afternoon and at least one RED-NECKED PHALAROPE was still at Kliphoek Salt Pans in Velddrif on Friday. AFRICAN RED-EYED BULBUL records continue to come in with one seen in a garden in Riebeek Kasteel yesterday and another seen at the entrance to The Creative Hub, near Wolseley, on Friday while a wayward CAPE VULTURE was also reported along the R43 between Stanford and Gansbaai at -34.521, 19.424 yesterday. Over on the Garden Route, an AFRICAN JACANA was reported west of George at -33.983, 22.324 this afternoon, the AFRICAN PIED WAGTAIL was still around The Lofts in Knysna at -34.048, 23.047 on Friday and the CROWNED HORNBILLS were reported again near Ashlands on Askop Road in The Crags near Plettenberg Bay on Friday as well. | |||||||||
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Northern Royal Albatross on pelagic trip © Trevor Hardaker | Spectacled Petrel on pelagic trip © Trevor Hardaker | ||||||||
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Black Heron at Marina da Gama © Robert Cooper | Black Heron at Marina da Gama © Pamela Cooper | ||||||||
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Black Heron at Marina da Gama © Gillian Ainslie | Black Heron at Marina da Gama © Kevin Shields | ||||||||
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Pink-backed Pelican at Intaka Island Wetland Reserve © Filippo Girardo | Pink-backed Pelican at Intaka Island Wetland Reserve © Anieka van Wyk | ||||||||
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Pink-backed Pelican at Intaka Island Wetland Reserve © Otto Schmidt | |||||||||
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Pink-backed Pelican at Intaka Island Wetland Reserve © Margaret Maciver | Pink-backed Pelican at Intaka Island Wetland Reserve © Rakesh Patial | ||||||||
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Pink-backed Pelican at Intaka Island Wetland Reserve © Vera Sutherland | Black Cuckooshrike in Somerset West © Hernus Langeveldt | ||||||||
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African Red-eyed Bulbul in Riebeek Kasteel © Fiona Hellmann | African Red-eyed Bulbul at The Creative Hub © Wessel Uys | ||||||||
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Into Kwazulu Natal where 3 AFRICAN CRAKES were seen in Zini River Estate in Mtunzini yesterday afternoon, a GURNEY’S SUGARBIRD was found feeding on Aloes in the garden at Biyela Lodge in mFulaWozi Wilderness Private Game Reserve on Saturday and a LESSER MOORHEN was seen on the Eastern Shores of iSimangaliso Wetland Park at -28.348, 32.430 on Friday.
Over in the Free State, a dead LEMON DOVE was found at a Poplar grove near Warden on Saturday, slightly out of range for this species.
Gauteng chimed in with a SWALLOW-TAILED BEE-EATER near Rooiwal at -25.531, 28.149 on Saturday and another found about 3km away at -25.524, 28.171 yesterday. | |||||||||
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Lesser Moorhen on the Eastern Shores © Ian Ferreira | Swallow-tailed Bee-eater near Rooiwal © Reinhardt Haywood | ||||||||
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Mpumalanga held on to a couple of lingerers with the LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL still at Leeupan near Leandra yesterday and the PINK-BACKED PELICAN still at Sunset Dam near Lower Sabie in the Kruger National Park earlier today as well.
Across in the North-west Province, a SWALLOW-TAILED BEE-EATER was found on the Boons Road at -26.177, 27.278 on Saturday. | |||||||||
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Pink-backed Pelican at Sunset Dam © Pieter Roux | Pink-backed Pelican at Sunset Dam © Bertie Kloppers | ||||||||
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Lesser Black-backed Gull at Leeupan © Patrick O’Brien | Swallow-tailed Bee-eater on the Boons Road © Doug Newman | ||||||||
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And finally, in Namibia, an immature LIZARD BUZZARD was found at Rossmund in Swakopmund on Saturday, the long-staying BLACK SPARROWHAWK was seen again around the Strand Hotel in Swakopmund on Saturday and the lone AFRICAN SPOONBILL was still along Paaltjies Road in Walvis Bay on Saturday as well. | |||||||||
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Lizard Buzzard at Rossmund © Christien Boshoff | Lizard Buzzard at Rossmund © Dayne Braine | ||||||||
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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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