SA Rare Bird News Report - 20 February 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 Thursday, 20 February 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, a GOLIATH HERON was seen again at Kenilworth Race Course Conservation Area on Tuesday while other lingerers included the BAILLON’S CRAKE still at Paardevlei this morning, the LESSER YELLOWLEGS still at Geelbek in the West Coast National Park on Tuesday and at least one GREATER SAND PLOVER still at De Mond Nature Reserve yesterday. Over on the Garden Route, the ELEGANT TERN was still at Hartenbos Lagoon yesterday morning and was then found at the Klein Brak River estuary yesterday afternoon. These 2 sites are only around 3,5km apart in a straight line, so it could be that the Tern is just moving between the two and both should be checked if one is looking for this bird. Also of local interest, a MARSH WARBLER was found at the start of the Brown-hooded Kingfisher Trail in Wilderness on Sunday. | |||||||||
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Goliath Heron at Kenilworth Race Course Conservation Area © Fairuz Prins | Baillon’s Crake at Paardevlei © Luke Allen | ||||||||
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Baillon’s Crake at Paardevlei © Michael Wright | Baillon’s Crake at Paardevlei © Renier Meyer | ||||||||
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Greater Sand Plover at De Mond Nature Reserve © Steve Schafer | Elegant Tern at Hartenbos Lagoon © Conrad Strauss | ||||||||
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Elegant Tern at Klein Brak River estuary © Phil Penlington | |||||||||
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In the Eastern Cape, the female MONTAGU’S HARRIER was still at Tankatara yesterday at -33.691, 25.755.
Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, the mega WHITE-THROATED BEE-EATER remained along the D162 on the north bank of the Umgeni River at -29.473, 30.479 until at least Tuesday while the 3 AFRICAN SKIMMERS were still at the St Lucia estuary this morning. Elsewhere, a CORN CRAKE was seen in Manyoni Private Game Reserve yesterday and, after all the recent rains, this morning at Sungulwane Lodge produced 4 DWARF BITTERNS, 2 AFRICAN CRAKES and a CORN CRAKE.
And finally, in Mpumalanga, at least 2 AFRICAN SKIMMERS were still near the low level bridge at Lower Sabie in the Kruger National Park on Tuesday. | |||||||||
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White-throated Bee-eater along the D162 © Ian Johnson | Corn Crake at Manyoni Private Game Reserve © John Ferguson | ||||||||
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African Skimmers at the St Lucia estuary © Ian Ferreira | |||||||||
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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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