SA Rare Bird News Report - 20 September 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 Monday, 20 September 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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Before I get started with the report, this is just to let everyone know that there will not be a formal report going out on Thursday evening as I am away for the long weekend… if there is anything significant that turns up in the interim, I will obviously send out an alert for it anyway.
On to the news and, starting in the Western Cape, it was all about lingerers with the PINK-BACKED PELICAN still on Pan P2 at Strandfontein Sewage Works until at least Friday afternoon, the DOUBLE-BANDED COURSERS still along the R307 near Moorreesburg until late on Thursday afternoon, the RED-NECKED PHALAROPE still at Kliphoek Salt Pans in Velddrif at -32.825, 18.203 on Saturday and the AFRICAN PIED WAGTAIL still at the dam at Postcard Café in Stellenbosch yesterday. | |||||||||
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Double-banded Courser near Moorreesburg © Finn Gretschel | African Pied Wagtail at Postcard Café © Karin Wilson | ||||||||
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Kwazulu Natal seems to be getting off to a really great rarity season so far and, perhaps the most exciting record from a provincial perspective was 2 OLIVE BEE-EATERS that were seen flying over Zimanga Private Game Reserve on Saturday. This is still an incredibly rare bird in the province. There an undated record referred to in literature from pre 1964 at St Lucia while the only other records are from Giants Castle in November 1985, Mtunzini in December 2003, Lake Bhangazi in November 2010, Ballito in November 2012 and, most recently, St Lucia in January 2017 so, at best, this is only the 7th record for KZN. Thanks to Digby Cyrus for assisting with this info.
Elsewhere, the popular PEARL-BREASTED SWALLOW was still around Pond 3 at Darvill Bird Sanctuary in Pietermaritzburg yesterday, a RUFOUS-BELLIED HERON was reported at Nsombiza Pan on the Eastern Shores of iSimangaliso Wetland Park yesterday (and was still there today) and a DARK CHANTING GOSHAWK was seen again at Manyoni Private Game Reserve yesterday as well. | |||||||||
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Olive Bee-eater at Zimanga Private Game Reserve © Tyrone Kruger | Dark Chanting Goshawk at Manyoni Private Game Reserve © Wade Lee | ||||||||
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Mpumalanga kept local birders entertained with the 2 AFRICAN SKIMMERS that were still at the Malelane bridge over the Crocodile River this afternoon, a COLLARED PRATINCOLE seen at Mkhombo Dam on Saturday and a SOUTH AFRICAN SHELDUCK seen at Ohrigstad Dam at -24.948, 30.631 on Saturday as well. | |||||||||
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African Skimmer at Malelane bridge © Ruan Minnaar | South African Shelduck at Ohrigstad Dam © Keenan Houareau | ||||||||
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Over in the North-west Province, there was some local excitement when a male GREY-BACKED SPARROWLARK was found at the Kgomo Kgomo bridge on Saturday and was still there yesterday while the number of SANDERLINGS at Finfoot Lake Reserve at Vaalkop Dam had swelled to 4 birds on Saturday. | |||||||||
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Grey-backed Sparrowlark at Kgomo Kgomo © Tjaart van Wyk | Sanderling at Finfoot Lake Reserve © Geoff Finney | ||||||||
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Sanderlings at Finfoot Lake Reserve © Shaun Mcgillewie | |||||||||
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And finally, in Botswana, an incredibly confiding STRIPED CRAKE was found at Broadhurst Sewage Ponds in Gaborone on Saturday. | |||||||||
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Striped Crake at Broadhurst Sewage Ponds © Ian White | |||||||||
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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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