SA Rare Bird News Report - 15 September 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 Monday, 15 September 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 pelagic trip out of Hout Bay turned up a juvenile SOUTHERN ROYAL ALBATROSS yesterday while, elsewhere, lingerers included 3 KNOB-BILLED DUCKS still in the Philippi wetlands at -34.020, 18.534 yesterday, the GOLIATH HERON seen again at Zeekoevlei on Friday, the EURASIAN OYSTERCATCHER still at Seeberg in the West Coast National Park this afternoon, one RED-NECKED PHALAROPE still at Kliphoek Salt Pans in Velddrif yesterday and one AUSTRALASIAN GANNET still at Bird Island in Lambert’s Bay earlier today as well. Also of interest, a single LUDWIG’S BUSTARD was reported north-east of Bredasdorp at -34.377, 20.290 on Friday while 2 birds were reported there yesterday afternoon. | |||||||||
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Eurasian Oystercatcher at Seeberg © Nicolaas Myburgh | Red-necked Phalarope at Kliphoek Salt Pans © Johan van der Westhuizen | ||||||||
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Southern Royal Albatross on pelagic trip © Trevor Hardaker | |||||||||
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Up in the Northern Cape, a SQUACCO HERON was found at Polentswa waterhole in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park on Saturday.
Into the Eastern Cape where an EURASIAN OYSTERCATCHER was found at the Kromme River estuary in St Francis Bay on Saturday and was still present opposite 23 Shore Road this morning. | |||||||||
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Squacco Heron at Polentswa waterhole © Elmarie Brits | Eurasian Oystercatcher at the Kromme River estuary © Aart Verrips | ||||||||
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Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, a single DAMARA TERN was found at the St Lucia estuary yesterday while the RUFOUS-BELLIED HERON was still at Umbogavango Nature Reserve in Amanzimtoti yesterday and 2 THICK-BILLED CUCKOOS were reported in the sand forest at Phinda Private Game Reserve on Saturday as well. | |||||||||
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Damara Tern at the St Lucia estuary © Darren van Eyssen | Rufous-bellied Heron at Umbogavango Nature Reserve © Mark Daniels | ||||||||
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Over in Mpumalanga, the AFRICAN SKIMMERS were still at Malelane bridge in the Kruger National Park this morning.
Gauteng held on to the SLATY EGRET which was still at Gnu Valley farm at -25.996, 27.868 this afternoon. | |||||||||
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African Skimmer at Malelane bridge © Bev Field | Slaty Egret at Gnu Valley farm © Sarah Liknaitzky | ||||||||
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Into Limpopo where a RUFOUS-BELLIED HERON was seen again at Vogelfontein on Saturday while the COLLARED PALM THRUSH was reported again at Crooks Corner near Pafuri in the Kruger National Park at -22.426, 31.307 on Friday. | |||||||||
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Rufous-bellied Heron at Vogelfontein © Jody de Bruyn | Rufous-bellied Heron at Vogelfontein © Corlia de Klerk | ||||||||
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Up in Namibia, a SQUACCO HERON was found on a farm about 140km south-east of Aranos yesterday while the long-staying ROSS’S TURACO was still at Taranga Safari Lodge, west of Rundu, on Saturday.
Across in Botswana, at least one EURASIAN WHIMBREL was still close to Jao Camp in the Okavango Delta on Friday.
And finally, in Zimbabwe, a PALM-NUT VULTURE was seen at Malilangwe Dam in Masvingo yesterday afternoon. | |||||||||
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Squacco Heron south-east of Aranos © Izette van Wyk | Palm-nut Vulture at Malilangwe Dam © Bradley Fouche | ||||||||
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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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