SA Rare Bird News Report - 28 March 2011
Trevor Hardaker
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This is the Southern African Rare Bird News Report issued at 21h00 on Monday, 28 March 2011. 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 |
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Starting in the Western Cape, the PECTORAL SANDPIPER at Rocher Pan north of Velddrif is still present and was showing well earlier today. A pelagic trip out of Simon’s Town on Saturday turned up a FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER whilst several locals were able to confirm that a GOLIATH HERON was still present at Paarl Bird Sanctuary on the weekend and a single FULVOUS DUCK was also noted on Pan S7 at Strandfontein Sewage Works yesterday.
In the Tanqua Karoo area, a BLACK-CHESTED SNAKE EAGLE was reported from the Skitterykloof area on the weekend, whilst over towards the eastern end of the province, the Beaufort West area has really been producing some great provincial birds. Best of the bunch undoubtedly goes to a group of 5 TEMMINCK’S COURSERS located about 21km from town on the Rietbron Road yesterday. Other birds continuing to show well in town are the GREEN WOOD-HOOPOE and YELLOW-CROWNED BISHOP whilst, in the Karoo National Park, both VILLAGE INDIGOBIRD and AFRICAN FIREFINCH were located around the campsite area on the weekend. |
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Temminck’s Courser near Beaufort West © Japie Claassen |
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Yellow-crowned Bishop in Beaufort West © Japie Claassen |
Goliath Heron at Paarl Bird Sanctuary © Freddie Strauss |
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In Kwazulu Natal, there was some local excitement yesterday when a GREAT CRESTED GREBE, a species that has become increasingly difficult to pin down in the province recently, was found at a dam opposite a biltong store along the R34 about 30km before Vryheid.
In Mpumalanga, the WHITE-BACKED NIGHT HERONS at Lake Panic near Skukuza in the Kruger National Park continued to perform to onlookers throughout the weekend.
Moving into the North-west Province, the Kgomo-Kgomo/Zaagkuildrift area continued to turn up some great birding on the weekend with no fewer than 6 RIVER WARBLERS present and a single THRUSH NIGHTINGALE heard briefly on Saturday morning whilst a COLLARED PRATINCOLE was still present around the floodplain area.
Limpopo Province produced a single RED-FOOTED FALCON in amongst Amur Falcons at Wolfhuiskraal yesterday whilst, despite many hours spent waiting at the vulture restaurant over the weekend, the RUPPELL’S VULTURE reported recently at Shelanti Game Ranch was not seen at all. In fact, virtually no vultures of any sort were present there on the weekend. |
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Collared Pratincole at Kgomo-Kgomo © Dylan Vasapolli |
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Don’t forget to send through your details to be included on the various listing clubs that are hosted at www.zestforbirds.co.za. This website also has an extensive rarities gallery that has many additional photos of a number of rarities that are mentioned in these reports. |
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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. |
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Kind regards Trevor |
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TREVOR HARDAKER Cape Town, South Africa
MY WILDLIFE PHOTOS See my photographic attempts at:
ZEST for BIRDS Trevor Hardaker and John Graham Pelagics, rarity photos, listing clubs and more:
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 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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