SA Rare Bird News Report - 27 October 2025
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, 27 October 2025.
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 https://groups.google.com/g/sa-rarebirdnews |
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Starting in the Western Cape, the GOLIATH HERON was seen again at Rondevlei Nature Reserve on Saturday while, over at Paardevlei, a BAILLON’S CRAKE was reported at -34.089, 18.814 on Saturday and a GREAT EGRET was found at a wetland in a restricted access area, west of Paardevlei at -34.084, 18.794 on Friday . Up on the west coast, a couple of LESSER STRIPED SWALLOWS were still around the Darling Hills area at -33.475, 18.343 yesterday, the EURASIAN OYSTERCATCHER was still at Seeberg in the West Coast National Park this morning and at least one RED-NECKED PHALAROPE was also still at Kliphoek Salt Pans in Velddrif yesterday while, further east in the province, an AFRICAN PIED WAGTAIL was reported along the Breede River just upstream of Round the Bend Resort, south of Swellendam, at -34.134, 20.499 yesterday. | |||||||||
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Great Egret west of Paardevlei © Hernus Langeveldt | Great Egret west of Paardevlei © Sarel Snyman | ||||||||
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Lesser Striped Swallow in the Darling Hills area © Graham Luden | Lesser Striped Swallow in the Darling Hills area © Renier Meyer | ||||||||
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Eurasian Oystercatcher at Seeberg © Dieter Oschadleus | Eurasian Oystercatcher at Seeberg © Etienne Hinrichsen | ||||||||
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Red-necked Phalarope at Kliphoek Salt Pans © Etienne Hinrichsen | |||||||||
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In the Eastern Cape, there was some local excitement when the widely wandering HOODED VULTURE was found at Hugenot farms, west of Addo National Park, at -33.613, 25.670 late on Friday afternoon. A number of provincial listers managed to connect with the bird over the weekend and it was still present in the same area earlier today. | |||||||||
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Hooded Vulture at Hugenot farms © Seth Marais | Hooded Vulture at Hugenot farms © Jorrie Jordaan | ||||||||
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Hooded Vulture at Hugenot farms © Barry Kurten | Hooded Vulture at Hugenot farms © Stewart MacLachlan | ||||||||
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Hooded Vulture at Hugenot farms © Patrick Kilian | Hooded Vulture at Hugenot farms © Deno Lombard | ||||||||
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Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, the GREEN SANDPIPER was still at Luleka Dam on Manyoni Private Game Reserve on Friday while, on the Eastern Shores of iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a YELLOW-BILLED OXPECKER was reported at -28.255, 32.484 on Saturday and at least one RUFOUS-BELLIED HERON was still present at -28.317, 32.436 on Saturday as well. Other lingerers included the GREATER SAND PLOVER still at the St Lucia estuary on Saturday and the LESSER MOORHEN still just outside the Buddist Retreat in Ixopo at -30.094, 30.062 on Saturday. A GREY-HEADED KINGFISHER was also seen in a private garden in Umtentweni that borders along the Umtentweni River on Saturday morning. | |||||||||
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Green Sandpiper at Luleka Dam © Ryan Tyrer | Lesser Moorhen in Ixopo © Stuart McLean | ||||||||
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Grey-headed Kingfisher in Umtentweni © Danielle Ellish | |||||||||
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Over in Mpumalanga, there was plenty to keep local twitchers entertained with the GOLDEN PIPIT still on Timbavati Private Game Reserve until at least Saturday and the BLUE SWALLOWS still near God’s Window at -24.857, 30.881 yesterday as well. In the Kruger National Park, 3 AFRICAN SKIMMERS were reported on the western side of the Olifants River bridge on Friday and were still there on Saturday, a GREEN SANDPIPER was found along the Sabie River road (S3) in the Kruger National Park at -24.989, 31.467 on Friday and was still there yesterday, 2 PINK-BACKED PELICANS were reported along the Sabie River on Friday and one was still present at -25.141, 31.941 this afternoon and another 2 PINK-BACKED PELICANS were reported at Mlondozi Dam on Saturday and one was still there yesterday. These latter reports may actually all refer to the same individuals just moving between the two sites. | |||||||||
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Golden Pipit in Timbavati Private Game Reserve © Ziggi Hugo | Pink-backed Pelican along the Sabie River © Ruan Minnaar | ||||||||
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Green Sandpiper along the Sabie River road © Gigi Laidler | Green Sandpiper along the Sabie River road © Keegan Steward | ||||||||
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Green Sandpiper along the Sabie River road © Ruan Minnaar | |||||||||
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Up in Namibia, the mega NORTHERN CARMINE BEE-EATER was still in the Southern Carmine Bee-eater colony, just upstream of Zambezi Mubala Lodge, until at least late on Friday afternoon while a couple of PALE-THROATED GREENBULS (aka YELLOW-THROATED LEAFLOVES) were still around the gardens of Caprivi River Lodge in Katima Mulilo on Saturday.
And finally, in Zimbabwe, the mega 2 SPUR-WINGED LAPWINGS were still at Lake Chivero, west of Harare, yesterday. | |||||||||
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Northern Carmine Bee-eater near Zambezi Mubala Lodge © Christiane Maluche | Spur-winged Lapwing at Lake Chivero © Grant Reed | ||||||||
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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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