SA Rare Bird News Report - 28 March 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, 24 March 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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Starting in the Western Cape, a SPECTACLED PETREL was seen on a pelagic trip out of Hout Bay yesterday while Strandfontein Sewage Works had plenty to keep locals entertained yesterday as well with a SQUACCO HERON found on Pan P1, a number of FULVOUS WHISTLING DUCKS still on Pan P4, the PINK-BACKED PELICAN seen again on Pan P3 and a SAND MARTIN seen around Pan S2 as well. A single AFRICAN PALM SWIFT was reported at Rietvlei Wetland Reserve on Saturday while other lingerers included the RED-NECKED PHALAROPE still at Kliphoek Salt Pans in Velddrif on Saturday, the BROWN SNAKE EAGLE still on the van der Stel Pass near Bot River at -34.150, 19.240 on Saturday and the GREATER SAND PLOVER still at the Uilenkraals River, east of Gansbaai, this afternoon. Another SQUACCO HERON was found next to the sewage works at Struisbaai at -34.773, 20.035 yesterday while, over on the Garden Route, the RED-NECKED PHALAROPE was still present at the pan close to Gouritz at -34.246, 21.887 this morning, the popular EURASIAN OYSTERCATCHER was still on the Keurbooms River estuary in Plettenberg Bay at -34.025, 23.397 today and a single EUROPEAN ROLLER was present near Plettenberg Bay at -34.005, 23.372 earlier today as well. Heading inland, the EUROPEAN NIGHTJAR was still north of Klaarstroom on Saturday, at least 2 RED-FOOTED FALCONS were still outside Beaufort West at -32.342, 22.551 on Saturday, a EUROPEAN ROLLER was found in Beaufort West at -32.361, 22.558 on Saturday and the LILAC-BREASTED ROLLER was still along the road to Nelspoort at -32.134, 22.926 on Saturday as well. | |||||||||
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Pink-backed Pelican at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Simon Fogarty | Fulvous Whistling Ducks at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Daryl de Beer | ||||||||
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Spectacled Petrel on pelagic trip © Trevor Hardaker | |||||||||
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Squacco Heron in Struisbaai © Tino Herselman | Red-necked Phalarope near Gouritz © Jurie Blignaut | ||||||||
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Red-necked Phalarope near Gouritz © Lynette de Wilde | Red-necked Phalarope near Gouritz © Amanda Walden | ||||||||
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Red-necked Phalarope near Gouritz © Ben Fouche | Red-necked Phalarope near Gouritz © Elmarie Brits | ||||||||
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European Nightjar near Klaarstroom © Pieter le Roux | Lilac-breasted Roller near Nelspoort © Trevor Hardaker | ||||||||
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Red-footed Falcon in Beaufort West © Trevor Hardaker | Red-footed Falcon in Beaufort West © Michael Mason | ||||||||
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In the Eastern Cape, a PRION was found at Kei Mouth on Saturday and, although the photos are inconclusive as to the exact species, it seems most likely to be a SALVIN’S PRION. Elsewhere, a BLACK-CHESTED SNAKE EAGLE was reported along the road to Morgans Bay at -32.689, 28.303 yesterday, a BROWN SNAKE EAGLE was found at Nyala Valley Private Game Reserve near Bathurst yesterday, the DWARF BITTERN was still at the Red Bishop hide at Main Camp in Addo National Park today, the BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATERS were still in Colchester on Saturday, the WOODLAND KINGFISHER was still at Camdeboo National Park on Friday and the COMMON WHITETHROAT was still at Elandsrivierpoort farm near Tarkastad on Friday. | |||||||||
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Common Whitethroat near Tarkastad © Jorrie Jordaan | Blue-cheeked Bee-eater in Colchester © Janet White | ||||||||
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Brown Snake Eagle at Nyala Private Game Reserve © Rick Loveland | Brown Snake Eagle at Nyala Private Game Reserve © Lee Howard | ||||||||
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Possible Salvin’s Prion at Kei Mouth © Foden Saunders | |||||||||
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Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, the popular EURASIAN OYSTERCATCHER was still at Umdloti yesterday, a LESSER MOORHEN was reported near Underberg at -29.919, 29.529 on Saturday and a male YELLOW-CROWNED BISHOP was found at Amanzimtoti Bird Sanctuary yesterday and was still there today. | |||||||||
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Eurasian Oystercatcher at Umdloti © Marina Gravett | Eurasian Oystercatcher at Umdloti © Graham Haird | ||||||||
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Yellow-crowned Bishop at Amanzimtoti Bird Sanctuary © Ansie Coetser | Yellow-crowned Bishop at Amanzimtoti Bird Sanctuary © Karen Diederiks | ||||||||
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The Free State held on to at least 5 DWARF BITTERNS which were still at Soutpan yesterday.
In Gauteng, the popular SPOTTED CRAKE was still entertaining twitchers at Marievale Bird Sanctuary yesterday.
Up in the North-west Province, a STRIPED CRAKE was reported along the Zaagkuildrift road at -25.156, 28.101 at the Plat River on Saturday.
Across in Limpopo, about 100 GREAT WHITE PELICANS were seen at Shingwedzi camp in the Kruger National Park on Friday afternoon. | |||||||||
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Dwarf Bittern at Soutpan © David Weaver | Spotted Crake at Marievale Bird Sanctuary © Elmarie Hirschhorn | ||||||||
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Into Namibia where a single YELLOW-THROATED LEAFLOVE was back in the gardens of Caprivi Houseboat Safari Lodge in Katima Mulilo on Saturday.
Botswana chimed in with a pair of RED-THROATED TWINSPOTS seen at Kubu Lodge in Kasane on Friday. | |||||||||
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Red-throated Twinspots at Kubu Lodge © Mark Vandewalle | |||||||||
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And finally, in Mozambique, it was all happening at the Bela Vista wetlands south of Maputo where the country’s 2nd ever confirmed WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER was found on Friday along with an incredible 6 BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPERS…! This collection of Broad-billed Sandpipers is surely the largest group ever recorded together anywhere in Southern Africa. All birds were still in position yesterday as well. | |||||||||
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White-rumped Sandpiper at Bela Vista © James Hogg | White-rumped Sandpiper at Bela Vista © Sam Liebert | ||||||||
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Broad-billed Sandpipers at Bela Vista © James Hogg | Broad-billed Sandpipers at Bela Vista © Sam Liebert | ||||||||
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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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