SA Rare Bird News Report - 16 January 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 Thursday, 16 January 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, there were a number of lingerers still around with the RED-NECKED PHALAROPE present on Pan P3 at Strandfontein Sewage Works yesterday, a SAND MARTIN still at Rondevlei Nature Reserve yesterday, the 2 AFRICAN JACANAS still at Paardevlei yesterday, the LESSER YELLOWLEGS still at Geelbek (visible from the Elizabeth Harding hide) in the West Coast National Park today and the EURASIAN OYSTERCATCHER still at Seeberg hide in the West Coast National Park earlier today as well. Elsewhere, a EURASIAN GOLDEN ORIOLE was seen at Utopia Guest Farm, just west of Swellendam, on Monday afternoon and a EUROPEAN ROLLER was found between Eight Bells and Brandwag, outside Mossel Bay, on Tuesday. | |||||||||
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Lesser Yellowlegs at Geelbek © Leonie Fouche | Lesser Yellowlegs at Geelbek © Wessel de Wet | ||||||||
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Eurasian Oystercatcher at Seeberg © Sieg Eiselen | Eurasian Golden Oriole at Utopia Guest Farm © Mary Clarke | ||||||||
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In the Eastern Cape, an AFRICAN WATTLED LAPWING was found at Amakhala Game Reserve yesterday afternoon while both the male and female MONTAGU’S HARRIERS were still at Tankatara on Tuesday.
Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, the Hluhluwe region provided records of DWARF BITTERNS at both Ukuwela Nature Reserve and Zuka Private Game Reserve yesterday while a DUSKY LARK was reported at Manyoni Private Game Reserve yesterday as well. Elsewhere, a GREATER SAND PLOVER was present at St Lucia estuary on Tuesday, an AYRES’S HAWK EAGLE was reported in Westville again on Tuesday, a CAPE VULTURE was seen over QE Park in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday, a VERREAUX’S EAGLE OWL was reported in a private garden in Kloof on Tuesday and the PECTORAL SANDPIPER was still at Darvill Bird Sanctuary in Pietermaritzburg this afternoon at -29.597, 30.435 along with a GREEN SANDPIPER reported in the same area as well.
Over in the Free State, there was some local surprize when a DUSKY LARK was found in the Kroonstad area yesterday. | |||||||||
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African Wattled Lapwing at Amakhala Game Reserve © Tim Wiseman | Dusky Lark in the Kroonstad area © Madaleine Erasmus | ||||||||
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Into Mpumalanga where the LESSER YELLOWLEGS was still at Mkhombo Dam at -25.152, 28.817 yesterday and the PINK-BACKED PELICAN was still there today while, over in the Kruger National Park, a GREEN SANDPIPER was reported near Sweni bridge at -24.513, 31.764 this morning.
In Gauteng, a SWEE WAXBILL was seen in the Seringveld Conservancy just before crossing the Krokodilspruit on Tuesday while other records of local note included a DWARF BITTERN seen in Pretoria East earlier today and an ALLEN’S GALLINULE seen along the main road at Marievale Bird Sanctuary just before the Flamingo Hide and main picnic site on Sunday. | |||||||||
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Lesser Yellowlegs at Mkhombo Dam © Etienne Marais | Swee Waxbill in the Seringveld Conservancy © Alistair Routledge | ||||||||
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And finally, in Namibia, the RED-THROATED PIPIT was still at Cape Cross at -21.753, 13.972 yesterday. | |||||||||
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Red-throated Pipit at Cape Cross © Anton Jooste | Red-throated Pipit at Cape Cross © Andrew Brown | ||||||||
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Red-throated Pipit at Cape Cross © Roger Hogg | |||||||||
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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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