SA Rare Bird News Report - 18 March 2021
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 17h30 on Thursday, 18 March 2021.
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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Just a few scarcity reports to start with…
EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARD:
· One at Cristonbank near Harare (Zimbabwe) today. · One in Hillside in Bulawayo (Zimbabwe) today. · Two seen over the Swartberg Pass between Prince Albert and Oudtshoorn (Western Cape) at -33.362, 22.065 yesterday. · One over Mount Etjo Lodge south of Otjiwarongo (Namibia) yesterday. · One at Hartbeesfontein (North-west Province) on Tuesday. · One at Kube Yini Private Game Reserve (KZN) on Monday afternoon. | |||||||||
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European Honey Buzzard at the Swartberg Pass © Dennis Walden | European Honey Buzzard at Hartbeesfontein © Tony Archer | ||||||||
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European Honey Buzzard at Cristonbank © Piet Zwanikken | European Honey Buzzard in Bulawayo © Adam Herscovitz | ||||||||
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On to the rest of the news and, starting in the Western Cape, the SQUACCO HERON was still at Paardevlei near the Strand this morning, the GOLIATH HERON was still along the Berg River in Velddrif near the Riviera Hotel on Tuesday and a EUROPEAN ROLLER was found along the dirt road off the R319 just before the turn-off to De Hoop Nature Reserve on Tuesday as well. Over on the Garden Route, a single DARK-CAPPED BULBUL was still hanging around in Hill Street in Mossel Bay on Tuesday, there were at least 2 MARSH WARBLERS in George at -33.939, 22.465 on Tuesday and the 2 AFRICAN PIED WAGTAILS were still along the Keurbooms River in Plettenberg Bay earlier today. | |||||||||
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Squacco Heron at Paardevlei © Jenny Wentzel | Squacco Heron at Paardevlei © Kevin Drummond-Hay | ||||||||
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Goliath Heron in Velddrif © Maria Kirsten | African Pied Wagtail in Plettenberg Bay © Neil Ebedes | ||||||||
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In the Eastern Cape, the mega SOOTY GULL remained on at the Sundays River mouth today and an immature VIOLET-BACKED STARLING was seen in the gardens of Riverbend Lodge in Addo National Park yesterday as well. | |||||||||
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Sooty Gull at the Sundays River mouth © Joel Radue | Sooty Gull at the Sundays River mouth © Keith Joubert | ||||||||
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Sooty Gull at the Sundays River mouth © Janet White | Violet-backed Starling at Riverbend Lodge © Christiaan Viljoen | ||||||||
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Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, the popular BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER continued to entertain twitchers at Mpempe Pan yesterday while there were also still at least 5 TEMMINCK’S COURSERS there yesterday as well. An OVAMBO SPARROWHAWK was found in Tembe Elephant Park at -26.582, 32.261 yesterday, still pretty much a mega in the province while Pongola Nature Reserve was also still attracting attention yesterday with a LAPPET-FACED VULTURE seen at -27.348, 31.917 and a LESSER GREY SHRIKE reported at -27.346, 31.915. A pair of AFRICAN HAWK EAGLES were found at Nkonkoni Fishing Camp at Jozini Dam at -27.51, 32.003 this morning and a DARK CHANTING GOSHAWK was still present in Manyoni Private Game Reserve on Tuesday too. Also of local interest, a DWARF BITTERN was reported near the Hluhluwe River at -28.049, 32.343 on Tuesday and there were also still at least 4 TEMMINCK’S COURSERS present at Duzi Turf, next to Darvill Bird Sanctuary, in Pietermaritzburg yesterday. | |||||||||
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Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Mpempe Pan © Paul Bartho | Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Mpempe Pan © Sandy Sutherland | ||||||||
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Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Mpempe Pan © Dave Rimmer | Ovambo Sparrowhawk at Tembe Elephant Park © Craig Marwick | ||||||||
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Dark Chanting Goshawk at Manyoni Private Game Reserve © Julia Clarence | African Hawk Eagles at Nkonkoni Fishing Camp © Ian Gordon | ||||||||
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Into the Free State where an immature AFRICAN CUCKOO arrived at Garingboom Guest Farm near Springfontein on Monday afternoon and was still there today.
Mpumalanga chimed in with 2 CASPIAN TERNS seen along the Crocodile River in front of Ngwenya Lodge on Tuesday. | |||||||||
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African Cuckoo at Garingboom Guest Farm © Riette Griesel | Caspian Terns at Ngwenya Lodge © Simone Swiel | ||||||||
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In the North-west Province, the BRONZE-WINGED COURSER was still at Kgaswane Mountain Reserve near Rustenburg on Tuesday evening while a male RED-FOOTED FALCON was found near Brakspruit, between Klerksdorp and Ventersdorp, on Sunday.
And finally, in Limpopo, the 2 BLACK COUCALS were still at Zelati Safari Lodge yesterday and a GREATER FLAMINGO was found at Gila Pan along the Limpopo River in the Makuleke Concession near Pafuri in the Kruger National Park on Monday. | |||||||||
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Red-footed Falcon near Brakspruit © Tony Archer | Bronze-winged Courser at Kgaswane Mountain Reserve © Bernard Tabane | ||||||||
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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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