SA Rare Bird News Report - 10 August 2023
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, 10 August 2023.
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 BLACK HERON was seen again at Zandvlei Nature Reserve at -34.083, 18.467 this morning while the wandering PINK-BACKED PELICAN turned up again at the seasonal pan at Intaka Island Wetland Reserve yesterday. Up on the west coast, the RED-NECKED PHALAROPE was still at Kliphoek Salt Pans in Velddrif this afternoon. A LONG-CRESTED EAGLE was reported in the Uilkraal Valley between Grootbos and Platbos on Tuesday and was seen again at the entrance to Platbos Forest this morning while, further east, delayed news filtered through of a PALM-NUT VULTURE seen along the Malgas road 18km from Swellendam on 28 July 2023. It seemed like an unlikely twitch but locals headed out and found the bird again on Tuesday and it was still present in the same general area today. | |||||||||
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Pink-backed Pelican at Intaka Island Wetland Reserve © Andy Bullmore | Pink-backed Pelican at Intaka Island Wetland Reserve © Rakesh Patial | ||||||||
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Palm-nut Vulture near Swellendam © Jonathan Carter | Palm-nut Vulture near Swellendam © Ross Soller | ||||||||
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Palm-nut Vulture near Swellendam © Matthew Orolowitz | Palm-nut Vulture near Swellendam © Robert Cooper | ||||||||
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Palm-nut Vulture near Swellendam © Karin Wilson | Palm-nut Vulture near Swellendam © Jacques Giliomee | ||||||||
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In the Eastern Cape, the BLACK HERON, a pair of GREATER PAINTED SNIPES and several FULVOUS WHISTLING DUCKS were all still at Pan 7 at Swartkops in Port Elizabeth yesterday. | |||||||||
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Black Heron at Pan 7 © Gideon Williams | Black Heron at Pan 7 © Trevor Flugel | ||||||||
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Black Heron at Pan 7 © Patrick Kilian | Fulvous Whistling Ducks at Pan 7 © Trevor Flugel | ||||||||
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Greater Painted Snipe at Pan 7 © Gideon Williams | Greater Painted Snipe at Pan 7 © Patrick Kilian | ||||||||
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Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, a BURCHELL’S COURSER was found at Galway Farm in Normandien yesterday, the same area that also held one a couple of years ago, while a single ROSEATE TERN was present at the St Lucia estuary this morning.
Across in Mpumalanga, the Wilge River Valley produced some good local records yesterday with a SWEE WAXBILL seen at -25.615, 29.090 and a MOUNTAIN WAGTAIL found at -25.617, 29.087 while the PINK-BACKED PELICAN was also still at Sunset Dam near Lower Sabie in the Kruger National Park this afternoon. | |||||||||
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Burchell’s Courser at Galway farm © Garth Bushell | Swee Waxbill in the Wilge River Valley © Tristan Spurway | ||||||||
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Roseate Tern at the St Lucia estuary © Darren van Eyssen | |||||||||
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Gauteng held on to the LESSER JACANA which was still at the pan near Bapsfotein at -26.037, 28.419 yesterday and several SWALLOW-TAILED BEE-EATERS which were also still at Marievale Bird Sanctuary yesterday while the SLATY EGRET was reported this morning at Gnu Valley farm at -25.992, 27.867.
Over in the North-west Province, the SWALLOW-TAILED BEE-EATER was still along the Boons road at -26.179, 27.278 yesterday. | |||||||||
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Lesser Jacana near Bapsfontein © Jaime Freeman | Slaty Egret at Gnu Valley farm © Hannes Swanepoel | ||||||||
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Swallow-tailed Bee-eater at Marievale Bird Sanctuary © Marlou Schalkwyk | Swallow-tailed Bee-eater at Marievale Bird Sanctuary © Ian Johnson | ||||||||
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Up in Limpopo, the WHITE-BREASTED WATERHEN remained on at the dam at Westvalia Estate near Tzaneen at -23.746, 30.131 yesterday, 2 AFRICAN SKIMMERS were present at Letaba Estates yesterday and several GREY-BACKED SPARROWLARKS were still around at Mooiplaas waterhole and along the Tropic of Capricorn Loop in the Kruger National Park earlier today.
And finally, in Zimbabwe, news filtered through this afternoon of a delayed record from last month of a small group of PINK-THROATED TWINSPOTS seen and photographed at Simuwini Rest Camp in Gonarezhou National Park. Although they have been suspected of possibly occurring there, their presence in the country has never been confirmed before, so this represents the first confirmed record ever for Zimbabwe, a very exciting record indeed! | |||||||||
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White-breasted Waterhen near Tzaneen © Hermien Wapenaar | White-breasted Waterhen near Tzaneen © Richter van Tonder | ||||||||
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African Skimmers at Letaba Estates © Derek Engelbrecht | Pink-throated Twinspots at Simuwini Rest Camp © Unknown | ||||||||
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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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