SA Rare Bird News Report - 13 May 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 18h00 on Thursday, 13 May 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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Starting in the Western Cape, the most exciting news concerned a new record for the province when observers returning from Marion Island on board the SA Agulhas II on Tuesday encountered 2 BARAU’S PETRELS about 120 nautical miles due south of Plettenberg Bay at -36.083, 23.416. Although there are previous records from south of Cape Point (but beyond the 200 nautical mile limit) and even up the west coast in Namibian waters, this is the first time that this species has actually been seen in Western Cape waters.
Elsewhere, there were still 3 CINNAMON-BREASTED BUNTINGS along Tafelberg Road yesterday, a LESSER SAND PLOVER was still present at Kliphoek Salt Pans in Velddrif this afternoon, GOLIATH HERONS were found at dam just outside Ceres at -33.36, 19.365 yesterday and at a dam opposite Buco Hardware on Rietvlei Road in Plettenberg Bay on Tuesday while the 2 WHITE-FRONTED-BEE-EATERS were still on Vierfontein farm near Murraysburg on Tuesday as well. | |||||||||
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Lesser Sand Plover at Kliphoek Salt Pans © Robert Boyes | Goliath Heron in Ceres © Wessel Uys | ||||||||
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The Eastern Cape has had an exciting last few days with an immature LESSER NODDY that was found at Cape Recife late on Tuesday afternoon and was still present there today. Although it is not 100% confirmed yet, there seems to be a strong possibility (after studying the photos) that this is the same individual that was present at The Strand in False Bay (Western Cape) a few weeks ago and that was last seen there on 17 April. If it is, in fact, the same individual, that would mean that it has covered at least 700km since it was last seen at The Strand in a period of 24 days which, at an average of just over 29km per day, is probably not very much at all for this bird.
Elsewhere, a single AUSTRALASIAN GANNET was present on Bird Island in Algoa Bay yesterday while, also creating some local excitement amongst provincial listers, a wayward LILAC-BREASTED ROLLER was found just outside Cannon Rocks at -33.737, 26.542 on Tuesday and was still present there yesterday. | |||||||||
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Lesser Noddy at Cape Recife © Brendon Dredge | Lesser Noddy at Cape Recife © Matthijs Ravensberg | ||||||||
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Lesser Noddy at Cape Recife © Dugald Ross | Lesser Noddy at Cape Recife © Rod Green | ||||||||
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Lesser Noddy at Cape Recife © Louis du Plessis | Lesser Noddy at Cape Recife © Godfrey Lodge | ||||||||
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Australasian Gannet on Bird Island © Eduard Drost | Lilac-breasted Roller near Cannon Rocks © Chris de Beer | ||||||||
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Lilac-breasted Roller near Cannon Rocks © Lynette Rudman | Lilac-breasted Roller near Cannon Rocks © Charles Pote | ||||||||
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Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, a LESSER MOORHEN was present on the Umfolozi Flats at Monzi yesterday.
In the North-west Province, a LAPPET-FACED VULTURE was reported along the Boons road at -26.1193, 27.2270 yesterday.
Up in Limpopo, a LONG-CRESTED EAGLE was seen at Crooks Corner near Pafuri in the Kruger National Park on Tuesday.
Namibia chimed in with a juvenile DWARF BITTERN found around the reception area at Wolwedans in the NamibRand Nature Reserve yesterday while the YELLOW-THROATED LEAFLOVES were still in the gardens of Caprivi Houseboat Safari Lodge in Katima Mulilo yesterday as well. | |||||||||
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Lappet-faced Vulture along the Boons road © Klaus Schmid | Dwarf Bittern at Wolwedans © Stephan Brückner | ||||||||
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And finally, in Mozambique, the MALAGASY POND HERON remained on at Dunes de Dovela this morning while the San Sebastian Peninsula near Vilanculous has produced some great birds between Tuesday and today including a single “STEPPE” WHIMBREL, 7 SAUNDERS’S TERNS, as many as 80 DAMARA TERNS, 3 EURASIAN OYSTERCATCHERS, 15 RED KNOTS and no fewer than 150 CRAB PLOVERS. | |||||||||
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Malagasy Pond Heron at Dunes de Dovela © Thomas Bruneau | Red Knots on the San Sebastian Peninsula © Albert McLean | ||||||||
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Saunders’s Tern on the San Sebastian Peninsula © Diane McLean | Saunders’s Tern (left) and Damara Tern (right) on the San Sebastian Peninsula © Albert McLean | ||||||||
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Saunders’s Tern on the San Sebastian Peninsula © Niall Perrins | |||||||||
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“Steppe” Whimbrel (second from left with the very white underwings) on the San Sebastian Peninsula © Albert McLean | |||||||||
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Eurasian Oystercatchers on the San Sebastian Peninsula © Albert McLean | Crab Plovers on the San Sebastian Peninsula © Albert McLean | ||||||||
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Crab Plovers on the San Sebastian Peninsula © Diane McLean | |||||||||
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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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