SA Rare Bird News Report - 30 December 2019

[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 20h00 on Monday, 30 December 2019.   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									SARBN is proud to be associated with the following brands:
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Well, here we go with the last report of 2019… what a good year it has been with some really exceptional megas that we’ve all enjoyed…:) This will also be the last report for about a week as I may well be out of town for a few days so there will not be any formal reports going out on Thursday evening or next Monday evening. We’ll probably get going again with the formal reports on Thursday, 9 January 2020. I will, however, continue to post alerts and updates on any important birds that might turn up in the interim. Then, just to wish you all a Happy New Year and let’s hope that 2020 is a massive birding year for all of us with plenty of lifers to go around!   Alright, let’s get going with the scarcities first…nd   EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARD:   ·         One at Bonamanzi Game Reserve (KZN) today. ·         One at Inanda Dam (KZN) yesterday. ·         One at Abe Bailey Nature Reserve near Carletonville (Gauteng) yesterday. ·         One over Hatfield in Pretoria (Gauteng) yesterday. ·         One in Olympia in Windhoek (Namibia) yesterday. ·         One over the contour path south of Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens (Western Cape) on Saturday. ·         One in Tembe Elephant Park (KZN) at -26.978, 32.400 on Saturday. ·         Two in a garden in Bethlehem (Free State) on Saturday. ·         One at Arebbusch Travel Lodge in Windhoek (Namibia) on Saturday. ·         One at Lomugundi College in Chinhoyi (Zimbabwe) on Saturday. ·         One in Camperdown (KZN) on Thursday. ·         One at Hermanusdoorns in the Waterberg (Limpopo) on Thursday. ·         One in Brendon Village (Mpumalanga) on Wednesday. ·         One in Secunda (Mpumalanga) on Wednesday. ·         One at Rondevlei Nature Reserve (Western Cape) on Tuesday. ·         One on the 4x4 trail between Kareedouw and Baviaanskloof (Eastern Cape) on Monday. ·         One on the Bhangazi Loop from Cape Vidal (KZN) on Monday.   GREEN SANDPIPER:   ·         One still present along the H13-1 about 3km before the intersection with the H1-8 near Punda Maria in the Kruger National Park (Limpopo) on Saturday. ·         One still at Mjejane Game Reserve (Mpumalanga) at -25.417, 31.706 on Friday and Saturday. ·         One along the S3 4km from Kruger Gate in the Kruger National Park (Mpumalanga) on Tuesday.
European Honey Buzzard at Rondevlei Nature Reserve © Gavin Tutt					European Honey Buzzard in Camperdown © Celia Fourie
European Honey Buzzard at Cape Vidal © Diet van Schalkwyk					European Honey Buzzard between Kareedouw and Baviaanskloof © Clint Theron
European Honey Buzzard at Tembe Elephant Park © Herman van Heerden					European Honey Buzzard in Secunda © Clint Palmer
European Honey Buzzard at Inanda Dam © Andrew Kruger					European Honey Buzzard at Hermanusdoorns © Paul Goslin
European Honey Buzzard at Abe Bailey Nature Reserve © Jaco Botes					European Honey Buzzard in Olympia © Kurt Hartung
Green Sandpiper in Mjejane Game Reserve © Dave Snow					Green Sandpiper in Mjejane Game Reserve © Johann Mey
On to the rest of the news and, starting in the Western Cape, there’ve been some interesting provincial records over the last week. A juvenile PALM-NUT VULTURE was seen in Pringle Bay yesterday and, according to locals, it may have been around for about 3 days prior to that already. Also creating some local interest was a BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATER that was found around the Duinepos Chalets in the West Coast National Park on 18 December and remained in the area until Friday (after which there have been no further reports despite people looking for it). Also on the west coast, an immature BLACK-CHESTED SNAKE EAGLE was seen just south of Yzerfontein/Darling intersection with the R27 on Saturday afternoon while a single RED-NECKED PHALAROPE was still present at Kliphoek Salt Pans in Velddrif on Saturday as well. Closer to Cape Town, the 2 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES were also still on the north-eastern end of Pan P3 at Strandfontein Sewage Works yesterday whilst a MARSH WARBLER was found near Philadelphia at -33.677,18.604 on Tuesday.   Heading east in the province, a LESSER SPOTTED EAGLE was seen on the farm Klip Drift at -34.008, 20.889 south-east of Grootvadersbosch on Friday morning while a BAILLON’S CRAKE was reported from the hide at Rondevlei in Wilderness yesterday and there were still several LESSER STRIPED SWALLOWS present at the bridge on N2 over the Goukamma River near Sedgefield earlier today. At least one COMMON SCIMITARBILL remained in place at the picnic site in Meiringspoort at -33.366, 22.551 yesterday and, also of local interest, 2 AFRICAN PALM SWIFTS were seen at Beaufort West Sewage Works yesterday.
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater in the West Coast National Park © Philip Bardone					Blue-cheeked Bee-eater in the West Coast National Park © Gilbert Reinhardt
Palm-nut Vulture in Pringle Bay © Andrea Schnetler					Lesser Spotted Eagle on Klip Drift farm © Paul Martin
Common Scimitarbill in Meiringspoort © Justin Ponder
Into the Northern Cape we go where some interesting records have come out of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. 2 YELLOW-BILLED STORKS were found there on 17 December along the main road to Mata Mata between Dalkeith waterhole and 14th waterhole, a rather unusual record for the park and then, perhaps even further out of range, 2 WOOLY-NECKED STORKS were seen there on Tuesday on the main road to Nossob between Gunong and Kransbrak waterholes.
Yellow-billed Storks in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park © James Kruger					Woolly-necked Storks in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park © James Kruger
In the Eastern Cape, the rarity action continued as well with the very popular SPUR-WINGED LAPWING still present around the Continental Tyres Building in Port Elizabeth yesterday. This story has also grown in interest as it seems that there are actually 2 birds present at this site and they are rumoured to be on a nest with 2 eggs in it! More info on this as and when I get the absolute confirmation with photos.   Elsewhere, an AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER was found at a farm dam near Humansdorp at -34.084, 24.764 on Saturday (but has sadly not been seen since then) while other good records included a RED-BACKED SHRIKE seen near Aberdeen at -32.466, 24.007 on Friday, a GREAT WHITE PELICAN seen at Alwynshoek butchery near Uitenhage at -33.738, 25.517 on Friday, a young BLACK KITE seen east of Uitenhage at -33.740, 25.511 on Thursday and a BROWN SNAKE EAGLE seen at Amanzi near Uitenhage on Thursday. The Uitenhage region seemed to really be attracting great birds and continued with the juvenile AYRES’S HAWK EAGLE seen again over there on Friday and a WAHLBERG’S EAGLE seen over there on Wednesday. Other good records included a GULL-BILLED TERN reported at Port Alfred east beach on Tuesday and a BROWN SNAKE EAGLE seen near Loerie Dam on Tuesday while both the ALLEN’S GALLINULE and AFRICAN PYGMY GOOSE held on at Cintsa East Dam near East London until at least Thursday.
Spur-winged Lapwing in Port Elizabeth © Lynette Rudman					Spur-winged Lapwing in Port Elizabeth © Dana Goldberg
American Golden Plover near Humansdorp © Adam Buckham					Great White Pelican near Uitenhage © Gerrie Horn
Ayres’s Hawk Eagle over Uitenhage © Keith Joubert					Wahlberg’s Eagle over Uitenhage © Keith Joubert
Black Kite near Uitenhage © Justin Nicolau					Red-backed Shrike near Aberdeen © Elmarie Brits
Brown Snake Eagle near Uitenhage © Barry Kurten					Brown Snake Eagle at Loerie Dam © Dave Todd
African Pygmy Goose at Cintsa East Dam © Foden Saunders					Allen’s Gallinule at Cintsa East Dam © Foden Saunders
Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, the SOOTY FALCON was still in the trees at the traffic circle in Mbazwana yesterday, a VERREAUX’S EAGLE OWL was found in the Karkloof at -29.358, 30.277 on Saturday evening, an AFRICAN CRAKE was found at Darvill Bird Sanctuary in Pietermaritzburg on Thursday and the WESTERN YELLOW WAGTAIL was still at Mpempe Pan on Friday. Elsewhere, the action was all in Mkhuze Game Reserve with an ALLEN’S GALLINULE found at Nsumo Pan at -27.669, 32.307 on Friday, a PURPLE INDIGOBIRD seen at Kumasinga hide on Friday and a GREY-HEADED KINGFISHER also seen at Kumasinga hide on Wednesday.
African Crake at Darvill Bird Sanctuary © Craig Sagar					Purple Indigobird in Mkhuze Game Reserve © Jonathan Sykes
Verreaux’s Eagle Owl in the Karkloof © Josh Judd					Sooty Falcon at Mbazwana © Cameron Meyer
Into the Free State where there was some local excitement when both a BROWN SNAKE EAGLE and a DENHAM’S BUSTARD were found in Wolutherskop in Bethlehem yesterday.   Gauteng held on to its lingering rarities with the SLATY EGRET still at Gnu Valley farm in Muldersdrift yesterday and the RUFOUS-BELLIED HERON still at the wetland next to Candlewoods Estate in Centurion until at least Tuesday.   In the North-west Province, a single GREY PLOVER was found at Moeka on Friday.
Brown Snake Eagle in Bethlehem © Kevin Nel					Grey Plover at Moeka © Fransie O’Brien
Slaty Egret at Gnu Valley farm © Nick Fordyce					Slaty Egret at Gnu Valley farm © Rene Rossouw
Mpumalanga chimed in with 2 PINK-BACKED PELICANS found at Sunset Dam in the Kruger National Park on Friday, and still there on Saturday, whilst a LARK-LIKE BUNTING found in Nelspruit at -25.442, 30.995 on Tuesday was another good local record.
Lark-like Bunting in Nelspruit © Brad Arthur					Pink-backed Pelicans at Sunset Dam © Jean Graham
Up in Namibia, the mega ROSS’S TURACO was still present at Taranga Safari Lodge, west of Rundu, earlier today while other good records included a juvenile ALLEN’S GALLINULE found at Kunene River Lodge yesterday, a DENHAM’S BUSTARD seen on the Andoni Plains in Etosha National Park on Friday and a RED PHALAROPE seen along the Paaltjies Road in Walvis Bay at -23.013, 14.418 on Thursday. The YELLOW-THROATED LEAFLOVES were back in the gardens of Caprivi Houseboat Safari Lodge in Katima Mulilo this afternoon again as well.
Ross’s Turaco at Taranga Safari Lodge © Madina Fourie					Red Phalarope in Walvis Bay © Pieter Verster
Denham’s Bustard in Etosha National Park © Eckart Demasius					Allen’s Gallinule at Kunene River Lodge © Cobus Venter
Across in Zimbabwe, things heated up a little with the discovery of Southern Africa’s 10th RED-NECKED BUZZARD (and Zimbabwe’s 1st) at Chamabondo Vlei in the Zambezi National Park west of Victoria Falls on Friday (and seen again there on Saturday) at -17.984, 25.652. This bird has an interesting history in Southern Africa and was only confirmed when a juvenile bird was photographed in July 2014 in the Buffalo Reserve in Namibia. Once people became aware of it, a few other records surfaced from the archives with the first record for the subregion dating back to August 2001 in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Another 2 records then also came to the fore predating the Buffalo Reserve bird with singletons seen in March 2009 at Ngepi Camp and, in August 2012 in Mahango Game Reserve, both in Namibia. Subsequently, we’ve had a few more records with another in July 2014 in Chobe National Park, one in January 2015 at Kasane Forest Reserve, the massively popular bird in December 2016 in Stilbaai in the Western Cape (which stayed around until February 2017), then one in February 2018 at Rundu Sewage Works and the most recent one being in March 2018 from Mbwabwata National Park in Namibia.   Not satisfied with just a single mega, Zimbabwe then went on to produce yet another SPUR-WINGED LAPWING as well, this time a single bird found at the dam at Imire Game Reserve near Hwedza on Friday. This constitutes only the 13th record of this species for Southern Africa (although we have had a bit of a glut of them recently) and is possibly one of the individuals that have relocated from Lake Chivero. There was also a single RED-BILLED OXPECKER present at the same site on Friday.   And finally, in Mozambique, after a longish period of no reports, the SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER was on view again this morning in the usual area at Macaneta, north of Maputo, while 3 RED-BILLED OXPECKERS were seen on the Barra Peninsula at -23.858, 35.548 yesterday.
Red-necked Buzzard at Chamabondo Vlei © Charles Brightman					Red-necked Buzzard at Chamabondo Vlei © Brian Ellement
Red-necked Buzzard at Chamabondo Vlei © Charles Brightman
Spur-winged Lapwing at Imiri Game Reserve © Teresa Sparks					Red-billed Oxpecker at Imiri Game Reserve © Teresa Sparks
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