SA Rare Bird News Report - 25 October 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 Monday, 25 October 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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Let’s start with a few scarcity reports first…
EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARD:
· One near Karatara (Western Cape) at -33.932, 22.781 yesterday. · One at Ruah Park Campsite about 30km north of Pretoria (Gauteng) yesterday. · One in Khadoum National Park (Namibia) at -18.788, 20.633 on Friday. | |||||||||
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European Honey Buzzard at Ruah Park © Hennie Welman | |||||||||
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On to the rest of the news and, starting in the Western Cape, a pelagic trip out of Hout Bay yesterday turned up some good birds with both a NORTHERN and SOUTHERN ROYAL ALBATROSS as well as a SPECTACLED PETREL being seen on the trip. After a long period of no reports, the YELLOW-CROWNED BISHOP was seen again at Lake Michelle in Noordhoek yesterday while other lingerers included both PINK-BACKED PELICANS still on Pan P2 at Strandfontein Sewage Works yesterday (and one still there today) and at least one DOUBLE-BANDED COURSER still at the usual spot along the R307 near Moorreesburg yesterday as well. Other interesting local records included a LONG-CRESTED EAGLE seen at Rustenberg farm in Stellenbosch yesterday, an AFRICAN EMERALD CUCKOO found in the gums on the western side of Harold Porter Botanical Gardens in Betty’s Bay on Saturday (which, unfortunately, could not be relocated yesterday despite a number of people looking for it) and a single male BLACK-EARED SPARROWLARK seen in Bontebok National Park about halfway along the road between reception and the picnic site at -34.066, 20.430 yesterday. Over on the Garden Route, the AFRICAN JACANA was still at Hartenbos Sewage Works at -34.109, 22.106 yesterday, at least one GOLDEN-BREASTED BUNTING was still at Outeniqua Nature Reserve near George yesterday and a single LESSER STRIPED SWALLOW was also reported at George Dam at -33.964, 22.514 yesterday. | |||||||||
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Southern Royal Albatross on pelagic trip © Trevor Hardaker | Southern Royal Albatross on pelagic trip © Mike Buckham | ||||||||
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Southern Royal Albatross on pelagic trip © Dana Goldberg | Northern Royal Albatross on pelagic trip © Dana Goldberg | ||||||||
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Northern Royal Albatross on pelagic trip © Trevor Hardaker | Northern Royal Albatross on pelagic trip © Mike Buckham | ||||||||
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Spectacled Petrel on pelagic trip © Trevor Hardaker | Spectacled Petrel on pelagic trip © Mike Buckham | ||||||||
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Spectacled Petrel on pelagic trip © Dana Goldberg | |||||||||
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Pink-backed Pelicans at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Margaret Maciver | Pink-backed Pelican at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Kevin Shields | ||||||||
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Pink-backed Pelican at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Garret Skead | Yellow-crowned Bishop at Lake Michelle © Wally Smith | ||||||||
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Black-eared Sparrowlark at Bontebok National Park © Richard Hayes | Golden-breasted Bunting at Outeniqua Nature Reserve © Pieter Uitenweerde | ||||||||
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In the Eastern Cape, a single BLACK HERON was found at Kei Mouth on Friday, a LESSER JACANA was found at Smiling Valley farm along Kei Road on Friday (but could not be found again subsequent to that) and a single AFRICAN PYGMY GOOSE was reported at Settlers Dam, south of Grahamstown, on Friday as well while slightly belated news has also emerged of at least 2 LONG-TAILED PARADISE WHYDAHS seen at Karoo Secrets near Aberdeen on 15 October, still a very rare species in the province. | |||||||||
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Lesser Jacana at Smiling Valley © Stewart MacLachlan | Lesser Jacana at Smiling Valley © Foden Saunders | ||||||||
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Black Heron at Kei Mouth © Foden Saunders | Long-tailed Paradise Whydah at Karoo Secrets © Edwin Polden | ||||||||
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Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, the GREATER SAND PLOVER was still at the Umgeni River estuary in Durban yesterday while a EURASIAN CURLEW was reported on Centre Bank in Durban Bay on Wednesday. Further north, a HOODED VULTURE was seen at Manyoni Private Game Reserve on Saturday and no fewer than 3 RUFOUS-BELLIED HERONS (2 adults and a juvenile) were still around at Amazibu Hide on the Eastern Shores of iSimangaliso Wetland Park on Saturday.
Across in Mpumalanga, the GREAT WHITE PELICAN was still south of Leandra at -26.526, 28.856 on Saturday while all the AFRICAN SKIMMERS at the Olifants River bridge in the Kruger National Park and at the Malelane bridge over the Crocodile River were all still in place yesterday. | |||||||||
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Greater Sand Plover at Umgeni River estuary © Craig Widdows | Rufous-bellied Heron at Amazibu hide © Karen Diederiks | ||||||||
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Hooded Vulture at Manyoni Private Game Reserve © Wade Lee | Great White Pelican south of Leandra © Shaun Graham | ||||||||
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The Free State produced a EURASIAN WHIMBREL this afternoon near Memel, and about 3km from Seekoeivlei Nature Reserve, at -27.632, 29.601 where it was seen foraging in a recently burnt area.
Into Gauteng where a single PECTORAL SANDPIPER was found at Bronkhorstspruit Dam Nature Reserve at -25.917, 28.689 this morning and, close by, a single SANDERLING was also found there at -25.913, 28.686, while the SLATY EGRET was also still at Gnu Valley farm in Muldersdrift yesterday. | |||||||||
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Pectoral Sandpiper at Bronkhorstspruit Dam Nature Reserve © Johan van der Walt | Sanderling at Bronkhorstspruit Dam Nature Reserve © Johan van der Walt | ||||||||
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Up in Limpopo, 3 BANDED MARTINS were reported along the Limpopo floodplain in the Makuleke Concession near Pafuri in the Kruger National Park this morning while the park also delivered a single RUDDY TURNSTONE at Rooibosrant Dam this morning as well.
Botswana chimed in with a BAR-TAILED GODWIT found at Bokaa Dam yesterday. | |||||||||
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Banded Martin in the Makuleke Concession © Ross Hawkins | Bar-tailed Godwit at Bokaa Dam © Ian White | ||||||||
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And finally, in Mozambique, there was plenty to report on with a single SOOTY TERN found on Bazaruto Island yesterday while The Sanctuary on the San Sebastian Peninsula near Vilanculous had lots on offer too with 61 CRAB PLOVERS, 4 SAUNDERS’S TERNS, a single ROSEATE TERN and a BROWN SKUA seen there on Saturday and 2 GULL-BILLED TERNS, 1 EURASIAN OYSTERCATCHER and 1 EURASIAN CURLEW enjoyed there on Friday. | |||||||||
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Eurasian Oystercatcher on the San Sebastian Peninsula © Michael Mandy | Gull-billed Tern on the San Sebastian Peninsula © Michael Mandy | ||||||||
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Saunders’s Tern (in front) on the San Sebastian Peninsula © Michael Mandy | |||||||||
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Eurasian Curlew on the San Sebastian Peninsula © Michael Mandy | Brown Skua on the San Sebastian Peninsula © Michael Mandy | ||||||||
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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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