SA Rare Bird News Report - 08 April 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 19h45 on Thursday, 08 April 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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As usual, let’s start with a few scarcity reports first…
EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARD:
· One just east of Caprivi Houseboat Safari Lodge in Katima Mulilo (Namibia) yesterday. · One at Bukalo in the Caprivi (Namibia) yesterday. · One over Dunkirk Estate in Salt Rock (KZN) again on Tuesday. · One in Meyerton, Ext 4 (Gauteng) on Monday afternoon. | |||||||||
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European Honey Buzzard at Dunkirk Estate © Luke Allen | European Honey Buzzard in Meyerton © Dave Cragg | ||||||||
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European Honey Buzzard at Bukalo © Cheni Langley | |||||||||
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On to the rest of the news and, starting in the Western Cape, the big news was the discovery of a BROWN NODDY in the Tern roost at Greenways in The Strand this morning, still pretty much a mega bird anywhere in the subregion. Close by, an AFRICAN PIED WAGTAIL was also found at Paardevlei this afternoon. Elsewhere, a group of between 6 and 8 RED-BILLED QUELEAS were seen in a garden in Kommetjie this morning and the SQUACCO HERON was still opposite the Sunset hide at Rietvlei Wetland Reserve on Tuesday while, up on the west coast, the BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER remained on at Geelbek in the West Coast National Park on Tuesday and the LESSER SAND PLOVER and RED-NECKED PHALAROPE were both still at Kliphoek Salt Pans in Velddrif yesterday. Also still lingering, the BROWN SNAKE EAGLE remained on at the van der Stel Pass near Bot River on Tuesday while a BLACK-CHESTED SNAKE EAGLE was seen this afternoon between Caledon and Napier. Over on the Garden Route, there was some excitement when a GREY WAGTAIL was found along the Seven Passes Road near Hoekwil at -33.946, 22.612 late yesterday afternoon. It didn’t show for most of the day today but, at 6pm, it was back at the same spot again this afternoon, it could not be found again today. Also of local interest, the GOLDEN-BREASTED BUNTING was still along the Uplands Road near Plettenberg Bay at -33.951, 23.305 on Tuesday and at least one LESSER STRIPED SWALLOW was still hanging around at the bridge on the N2 over the Goukamma River near Sedgefield earlier today as well. | |||||||||
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Brown Noddy in The Strand © Theuns Kruger | |||||||||
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Broad-billed Sandpiper at Geelbek © Otto Schmidt | Lesser Sand Plover at Kliphoek Salt Pans © Andre Strydom | ||||||||
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Brown Snake Eagle on the van der Stel Pass © Dana Goldberg | African Pied Wagtail at Paardevlei © Charles Britz | ||||||||
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Grey Wagtail on the Seven Passes Road © Josh Kleyn | Grey Wagtail on the Seven Passes Road © Mark Heystek | ||||||||
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In the Northern Cape, an immature RUFOUS-BREASTED SPARROWHAWK seen about halfway between Sutherland and Fraserburg on Tuesday.
In the Eastern Cape, the mega SOOTY GULL was still at the Sundays River mouth until at least Tuesday while other local rarities garnering much attention from provincial listers were the BRONZE-WINGED COURSER still at Lawrence de Lange Game Reserve near Queenstown on Tuesday evening and the DWARF BITTERN still at the local dam in Barkly East yesterday. | |||||||||
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Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk between Sutherland and Fraserburg © David Swanepoel | Sooty Gull at the Sundays River mouth © Steve van Niekerk | ||||||||
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Bronze-winged Courser at Lawrence de Lange Game Reserve © Stewart MacLachlan | Bronze-winged Courser at Lawrence de Lange Game Reserve © Lynette Rudman | ||||||||
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Dwarf Bittern in Barkly East © Foden Saunders | Dwarf Bittern in Barkly East © Clayton Meise | ||||||||
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Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, the BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER was still at Mpempe Pan yesterday while a DWARF BITTERN was reported at Bonamanzi Game Reserve on Tuesday.
Into the Free State where a small group of KNOB-BILLED DUCKS were found along the R719, about 40km from Bothaville, at -27.689, 26.54 yesterday.
Across in Mpumalanga, a group of 10 SWALLOW-TAILED BEE-EATERS were seen in Waterberry Estate in White River this morning while a STRIPED CRAKE was seen in Mjejane Game Reserve on Sunday. | |||||||||
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Dwarf Bittern at Bonamanzi Game Reserve © Heide Wetmore | Striped Crake at Mjejane Game Reserve © Stefenie Botha | ||||||||
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And finally, in Namibia, an immature male AMUR FALCON was seen at Hosea Kutako International Airport in Windhoek on Tuesday while the YELLOW-THROATED LEAFLOVES were back again in the gardens of Caprivi Houseboat Safari Lodge in Katima Mulilo on Tuesday as well. | |||||||||
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Amur Falcon at Hosea Kutako International Airport © Gabriel Jamie | |||||||||
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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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