SA Rare Bird News Report - 22 January 2015

[Trevor Hardaker]

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This is the Southern African Rare Bird News Report issued at 20h00 on Thursday, 22 January 2015. 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. 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
Let's start with the scarcities again and the reports of EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARDS continue to stream in with a bird in Fairland, Johannesburg (Gauteng) on Sunday, 2 birds present at Gnu Valley (Gauteng) on Tuesday, one in Irene (Gauteng) yesterday and at least 2 birds still being reported regularly at Avis Dam in Windhoek this week.
European Honey Buzzard at Avis Dam © Mike Buckham			European Honey Buzzard at Gnu Valley © Victor Soares
European Honey Buzzard at Avis Dam © Neil Ebedes
In Namibia, the RED-THROATED PIPIT still continues to hog the limelight at Avis Dam in Windhoek and was still entertaining visiting birders earlier today. Just for completeness sake, I have also included a photo of the PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER at Walvis Bay Lagoon, although I have had no further reports of it since the weekend (probably because no-one has been to look for it).
Red-throated Pipit at Avis Dam © Kevin Mileham		Red-throated Pipit at Avis Dam © Mike Buckham
Red-throated Pipit at Avis Dam © Neil Ebedes		Pacific Golden Plover at Walvis Bay © Kevin Mileham
Down into the Northern Cape, a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was located at Spitskop Dam near Kimberley on Tuesday.   Across to Gauteng, yet another RED-FOOTED FALCON was reported yesterday along the N4 on the powerlines at the beginning of Schoemans Kloof (coming from JHB), a species that certainly seems to have had a good season for out of range records this year whilst the SLATY EGRET was still present at Gnu Valley until at least Tuesday.   In Mpumalanga, the SOUTHERN BROWN-THROATED WEAVER was still present at Crocodile Bridge in the Kruger National Park on the weekend.   And finally, in Mozambique, there has been a large flock of CRAB PLOVERS hanging out along the beach at Pomene over the last few days.
Lesser Black-backed Gull at Spitskop Dam © Alf Taylor		Southern Brown-throated Weaver at Crocodile Bridge © Billy Terre Blanche
Slaty Egret at Gnu Valley © Victor Soares		Red-footed Falcon at Schoemans Kloof © Victor Soares
Crab Plovers at Pomene © Paul Bartho
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 -----------------------------------------------------------------------   TREVOR HARDAKER Cape Town, South Africa     Follow our local exploits in the field at: http://hardakerwildlife.wordpress.com/   See our photos and trip reports at: www.hardaker.co.za     ZEST for BIRDS Pelagics, rarity photos, listing clubs and more: www.zestforbirds.co.za     SA RARE BIRD NEWS Get the latest rarity news by joining at: http://groups.google.co.za/group/sa-rarebirdnews     SOUTHERN AFRICAN RARITIES Online database of all SA rarities www.rarities.co.za -------------------------------------------------------------