SA Rare Bird News Report - 07 July 2022
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 Thursday, 07 July 2022.
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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Well, there is no doubt that Limpopo is the shining star of the subregion at the moment with the discovery of Southern Africa’s first ever WOOD WARBLER at Sefapane Lodge in Phalaborwa on Monday afternoon by visiting British birder, Nick Addey.
A number of people have asked me why this isn’t just a Willow Warbler, so I’ve included some excerpts out of the excellent Collin’s Bird Guide 2nd edition below to show the differences between Wood Warbler and Willow Warbler but, in brief, this bird has a subtly different shape mostly because of its long wings and short tail (which is obvious in many of the photos taken of it) and the yellow throat and sides of the breast also contrast quite starkly against the pure white underparts. The facial pattern is also subtly different to Willow Warbler and the obviously pale-edged tertials on the Phalaborwa bird (even although they are a little worn) are another useful feature that confirms the ID as a Wood Warbler.
I’ve also included a map below showing the worldwide distribution of the species, showing that it occurs widely over Europe and into the western parts of Asia and then also winters in Africa getting about as far south as the central parts of Tanzania, although it is more regular further north of that. This is clearly a case of reverse migration that has happened here, with the bird coming south instead of migrating north like it should have. | |||||||||
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Worldwide distribution of Wood Warbler © eBird | |||||||||
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Sefapane Lodge has been very accommodating through the whole event and have welcomed birders on to their property to come and see the bird. A number of twitchers from across the region have already made the pilgrimage to go and enjoy our latest avian visitor and the bird was still showing well there this afternoon. If the bird stays until the weekend, it is likely to prove very popular and draw much larger crowds of twitchers who have been unable to get away during the week due to work commitments.
The bird seems to favour the trees along the edge of the dam in the general area around -23.951, 31.151 for those who are still planning on going to look for it. | |||||||||
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Wood Warbler at Sefapane Lodge © Vaughan Jessnitz | Wood Warbler at Sefapane Lodge © Jody de Bruyn | ||||||||
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Wood Warbler at Sefapane Lodge © Johann Grobbelaar | Wood Warbler at Sefapane Lodge © Lizet Grobbelaar | ||||||||
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Wood Warbler at Sefapane Lodge © Richard Crawshaw | Wood Warbler at Sefapane Lodge © Mary Clarke | ||||||||
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Wood Warbler at Sefapane Lodge © Graham Luden | Wood Warbler at Sefapane Lodge © Margie Taylor | ||||||||
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Wood Warbler at Sefapane Lodge © Nick Smith | Wood Warbler at Sefapane Lodge © Trygve Hvidsten | ||||||||
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Wood Warbler twitchers at Sefapane Lodge © Robin Gray | |||||||||
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Down in the Eastern Cape, an immature PALM-NUT VULTURE was found at Inkwenkwezi Private Game Reserve near East London this afternoon.
Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, the popular ARNOT’S CHAT was still at Manyoni Private Game Reserve today while other new records of interest included a RUFOUS-BELLIED HERON at the Mphate River bridge on the Western Shores of iSimangaliso Wetland Park yesterday and an ALLEN’S GALLINULE at the dam with the bird hide at San Lameer yesterday as well. | |||||||||
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Arnot’s Chat at Manyoni Private Game Reserve © Julia Clarence | Allen’s Gallinule at San Lameer © Christo Venter | ||||||||
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Namibia held on to a few of its attractions with the ROSS’S TURACO still at Taranga Safari Lodge, west of Rundu, yesterday and the YELLOW-THROATED LEAFLOVES also still at Caprivi Houseboat Safari Lodge in Katima Mulilo yesterday.
And finally, in Mozambique, there were still 3 CAPE SHOVELERS and 5 CHESTNUT-BANDED PLOVERS at Bela Vista wetlands, south of Maputo, on Tuesday. | |||||||||
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Ross’s Turaco at Taranga Safari Lodge © Matt Prophet | Yellow-throated Leaflove at Caprivi Houseboat Safari Lodge © Timo Britze | ||||||||
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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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