SA Rare Bird News Report - 01 July 2024
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 Monday, 01 July 2024.
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, the exciting winter pelagic season continued with a pelagic trip out of Hout Bay yesterday producing a GREY-HEADED ALBATROSS, a SOUTHERN ROYAL ALBATROSS, at least 2 NORTHERN ROYAL ALBATROSSES as well as 2 SOUTHERN FULMARS. Also keeping to the seabird theme, a SOUTHERN FULMAR was seen 20km south-east of Gourits on Thursday as well. Elsewhere, a GOLIATH HERON was seen along the entrance road to Strandfontein Sewage Works on Saturday and 2 individuals together were seen there yesterday, the SQUACCO HERON was still at the northern end of Pan P1 at Strandfontein Sewage Works this morning, another SQUACCO HERON was found at Pan C at Paarl Bird Sanctuary on Saturday, a GREAT EGRET was present at Kliphoek Salt Pans in Velddrif on Saturday and a CINNAMON-BREASTED BUNTING was found at the top of Lower Steenbras in Gordon’s Bay at -34.155, 18.899 on Saturday. Further east, an ABDIM’S STORK was seen circling over Arabella Country Estate near Kleinmond on Saturday, 2 GOLIATH HERONS were present along the Nuwejaars River, south-west of Bredasdorp, at -34.658, 19.915 on Friday and a COMMON SCIMITARBILL was reported at Watermill Farm near Van Wyksdorp on Friday. | |||||||||
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Southern Fulmar on pelagic trip © Albert McLean | Southern Fulmar on pelagic trip © Trevor Hardaker | ||||||||
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Grey-headed Albatross on pelagic trip © Trevor Hardaker | Southern Royal Albatross on pelagic trip © Trevor Hardaker | ||||||||
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Southern Royal Albatross on pelagic trip © Albert McLean | |||||||||
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Northern Royal Albatross on pelagic trip © Albert McLean | Northern Royal Albatross on pelagic trip © Trevor Hardaker | ||||||||
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Squacco Heron at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Paul Verwey | Squacco Heron at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Daryl de Beer | ||||||||
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Squacco Heron at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Dana Goldberg | Squacco Heron at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Zach Kaspersen | ||||||||
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Squacco Heron at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Regard van Dyk | Squacco Heron at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Rhys Gwilliam | ||||||||
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Squacco Heron at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Tony Kent | |||||||||
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Squacco Heron at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Justin Hawthorne | Goliath Heron at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Regard van Dyk | ||||||||
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Squacco Heron at Paarl Bird Sanctuary © Gilbert Reinhardt | Squacco Heron at Paarl Bird Sanctuary © Glynis Coetzee | ||||||||
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Cinnamon-breasted Bunting at Lower Steenbras © Sarel Snyman | Southern Fulmar south-east of Gourits © Peter Ryan | ||||||||
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In the Eastern Cape, the mega TEMMINCK’S STINT was still at Pan 7 in Port Elizabeth yesterday. However, please note that this area is definitely not safe to visit on your own and the utmost care should be taken even if visiting in a group. Yesterday, there was an attempted hijacking there where a shootout ensued and this was on a group of 7 birders in 4 vehicles with a policeman present! Fortunately, none of the birders were injured, but it seems that the hijackers didn’t get off quite as easily… | |||||||||
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Temminck’s Stint at Pan 7 © Bert Ophoff | Temminck’s Stint at Pan 7 © Stewart MacLachlan | ||||||||
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Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, the EURASIAN OYSTERCATCHER was still at the St Lucia estuary on Saturday and the 2 RUFOUS-BELLIED HERONS were also still at the wetland just beyond Amazibu hide on the Eastern Shores of iSimangaliso Wetland Park earlier today as well. | |||||||||
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Rufous-bellied Heron on the Eastern Shores © Rob Hattingh | Rufous-bellied Heron on the Eastern Shores © Wally Klar | ||||||||
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In the Free State, an AFRICAN OPENBILL was found yesterday at the Schoemansdrift bridge on the Vaal River at -26.971, 27.212 and was still present there this morning.
Across in Mpumalanga, the Kruger National Park produced a juvenile SOOTY FALCON along the entrance road to Crocodile Bridge this morning, an adult PALM-NUT VULTURE over the S28 close to the H4-2 on Friday while the 2 AFRICAN SKIMMERS were still at the low level bridge near Lower Sabie earlier today as well. Elsewhere, a group of around 15 SWALLOW-TAILED BEE-EATERS were reported just before Witklip Dam near White River yesterday. | |||||||||
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African Openbill at Schoemansdrift bridge © Ian Luyt | Palm-nut Vulture over the S28 © Leon Marais | ||||||||
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Limpopo held on to the COLLARED PALM THRUSH which was still at Crooks Corner near Pafuri in the Kruger National Park until at least Saturday. | |||||||||
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Collared Palm Thrush at Crooks Corner © Ryan McGuirk | Collared Palm Thrush at Crooks Corner © Richter van Tonder | ||||||||
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Up in Namibia, the ROSS’S TURACO remained in place at Taranga Safari Lodge, west of Rundu, yesterday afternoon.
And finally, in Zimbabwe, the mega EUROPEAN PIED FLYCATCHER was still at Ruzawi School in Marondera today. Please keep in mind that tomorrow (Tuesday, 2 July) is the last day that birders will apparently have access to the school property to look for this bird. | |||||||||
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European Pied Flycatcher in Marondera © Jim Mackie | |||||||||
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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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