SA Rare Bird News Report - 06 July 2023
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, 06 July 2023.
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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Starting in the Western Cape, the big news that broke this afternoon was that of an immature (AMERICAN) PURPLE GALLINULE in a garden in Claremont. Chatting to the locals, it seems as if the bird has been there since at least Friday already!! It’s been a very long time since we last had a twitchable one of these anywhere in Southern Africa! Elsewhere, at least one BAILLON’S CRAKE was still on Pan P2 at Strandfontein Sewage Works this morning while, in the interior of the province, the 2 WHITE-BROWED SPARROW-WEAVERS were still on the private farm near Beaufort West yesterday and 2 WHITE-BROWED SCRUB ROBINS were reported on a farm west of Murraysburg at -31.924, 23.525 on Tuesday. | |||||||||
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(American) Purple Gallinule in Claremont © Zoe Lunau | (American) Purple Gallinule in Claremont © Gilbert Reinhardt | ||||||||
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(American) Purple Gallinule in Claremont © Zunaid Barday | (American) Purple Gallinule in Claremont © Matthew Orolowitz | ||||||||
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(American) Purple Gallinule in Claremont © Garret Skead | Baillon’s Crake at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Jacques Giliomee | ||||||||
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Baillon’s Crake at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Brodie Pascoe | Baillon’s Crake at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Leslie Crookes | ||||||||
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In the Eastern Cape, a BATELEUR was reported on Sibuya Private Game Reserve on Tuesday and again yesterday.
Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, there’ve been some interesting records coming through in the last few days, particularly from the Western Shores of iSimangaliso Wetland Park. On Saturday, the province’s 11th SWALLOW-TAILED BEE-EATER was found on the Makakatana road at the turn off to Nhlozi gate while, yesterday, the province’s 16th GREATER KESTREL was another surprize when it was found there at -28.280, 32.378. Also from the same general area, a LESSER MOORHEN was reported earlier today at -28.304, 32.443. Elsewhere in the province, a juvenile LESSER MOORHEN was seen at Sutton Dam at Sungulwane Lodge yesterday and an AFRICAN CRAKE was found in Umlalazi Nature Reserve at -28.952, 31.770 on Tuesday while the same (or another) one was seen walking along the tarred road near the slipway in Mtunzini this morning.
Into the Free State where it was all about SWALLOW-TAILED BEE-EATERS with at least 6 individuals still in Woodland Hills in Bloemfontein yesterday and another 3 birds found on Garingboom Guest Farm near Springfontein on Tuesday. | |||||||||
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Swallow-tailed Bee-eater on the Western Shores © Colin van Tonder | Greater Kestrel on the Western Shores © James Orton | ||||||||
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African Crake in Umlalazi Nature Reserve © Craig Widdows | Swallow-tailed Bee-eater on Garingboom Guest Farm © Riette Griesel | ||||||||
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In Gauteng, the AFRICAN DUSKY FLYCATCHER was still present at 26 Degrees South Lodge near Muldersdrift earlier today while several SWALLOW-TAILED BEE-EATERS were still around at Marievale Bird Sanctuary today as well.
Mpumalanga held on to at least 2 CHESTNUT-BANDED PLOVERS which were still at Leeupan near Leandra earlier today.
Up in Limpopo, an AFRICAN CRAKE was found at Magoebaskloof Hotel on Tuesday while a LARK-LIKE BUNTING was reported earlier today close to Babalala picnic site in the Kruger National Park.
And finally, in Zimbabwe, a single male GREY-BACKED SPARROWLARK was found feeding with Chestnut-backed Sparrowlarks at Chamabonda Vlei near Victoria Falls on Tuesday. | |||||||||
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Chestnut-banded Plover at Leeupan © Hennie Bestbier | Lark-like Bunting near Babalala picnic site © Ard van de Wetering | ||||||||
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African Crake at Magoebaskloof Hotel © Mike Henshall | Grey-backed Sparrowlark (left) at Chamabonda Vlei © Colin Baker | ||||||||
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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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