SA Rare Bird News Report - 07 April 2025

[Trevor Hardaker]

 

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
This is the Southern African Rare Bird News Report issued at 18h00 on Monday, 07 April 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									SARBN is proud to be associated with the following brands:
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Starting in the Western Cape, there was some surprize when a MACARONI PENGUIN was seen offshore of Mouille Point at -33.893, 18.413 by a kayaker yesterday, possibly the same individual that had been present around Blouberg a few weeks ago. Elsewhere, the popular WESTERN YELLOW WAGTAIL was still at Macassar Sewage Works until Friday, but then did a disappearing act after that and was not seen again. However, a WESTERN YELLOW WAGTAIL was found between Pans P3 and P4 at Strandfontein Sewage Works yesterday giving more local twitchers the chance to catch up with it which was still in place there earlier today. Interestingly, although the two sites are not that far apart as the Wagtail flies, the Strandfontein bird was not the same individual as the Macassar one. Other lingerers included the LONG-CRESTED EAGLE still near Klapmuts on Friday and the LESSER YELLOWLEGS still at Geelbek in the West Coast National Park yesterday while a SQUACCO HERON was found at Willem Appel Dam in Stanford at -34.443, 19.454 yesterday. At least 12 BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATERS were still present just west of Gouritz on Friday, an exhausted juvenile WANDERING ALBATROSS which subsequently died was found at The Point in Mossel Bay this morning and the biggest surprize in the province came when a DUSKY LARK was found at Springfontein Dam in Beaufort West at -32.34, 22.601 yesterday. This is a new species for the province but, unfortunately, the bird didn’t hang around for too long before flying off, and was not seen again.
Macaroni Penguin offshore of Mouille Point © Andrew Lailvaux					Western Yellow Wagtail at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Didi Franklin
Western Yellow Wagtail at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Daryl de Beer					Western Yellow Wagtail at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Rhys Gwilliam
Western Yellow Wagtail at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Karin Wilson					Western Yellow Wagtail at Macassar Sewage Works © Garret Skead
Western Yellow Wagtail at Macassar Sewage Works © Basil Boer					Western Yellow Wagtail at Macassar Sewage Works © Kevin Drummond-Hay
Western Yellow Wagtail at Macassar Sewage Works © Lawrie Wilken					Western Yellow Wagtail at Macassar Sewage Works © Robert Cooper
Western Yellow Wagtail at Macassar Sewage Works © Stephen Mills					Western Yellow Wagtail at Macassar Sewage Works © Regard van Dyk
Western Yellow Wagtail at Macassar Sewage Works © Ockert Lombard					Western Yellow Wagtail at Macassar Sewage Works © Sarel Snyman
Squacco Heron at Willem Appel Dam © Johan van der Westhuizen					Blue-cheeked Bee-eater near Gouritz © Pieter la Grange
In the Eastern Cape, 2 PALM-NUT VULTURES were seen along the Kwelera River just outside East London on Thursday while a single SAND MARTIN was reported at Tankatara on Friday.   Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, a STRIPED CRAKE was reported at the pan on the R22 just outside Giba at -27.725, 32.465 yesterday while a DWARF BITTERN was seen in Weenen Game Reserve at -28.861, 29.975 yesterday as well.   Over in Mpumalanga, a PALM-NUT VULTURE was seen on a private farm near Komatipoort on Saturday while an AFRICAN SKIMMER was still at Sunset Dam near Lower Sabie in the Kruger National Park earlier today.   Limpopo held on to the 4 AFRICAN SKIMMERS at Nhlanganini Dam in the Kruger National Park until at least Friday.   And finally, in Namibia, the DWARF BITTERN was still at Springbokhaar Dam near Nomtsas on Friday.
Palm-nut Vulture along the Kwelera River © Julie Schroeter					African Skimmers at Nhlanganini Dam © Connor Nicholson
Dwarf Bittern at Springbokhaar Dam © Albert Voigts von Schütz
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