SA Rare Bird News Report - 11 February 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, 11 February 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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Let’s get started with a few scarcities first…
EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARD:
· One over Centurion Golf Estate (Gauteng) today. · Two over Faerie Glen Nature Reserve (Gauteng) today. · One in Sandhurst, Johannesburg (Gauteng) yesterday. · One over Rozendal in Stellenbosch (Western Cape) on Tuesday. · Two around Dunes de Dovela (Mozambique) on Tuesday. · One at Lagoa Azul near Vilanculous (Mozambique) on Friday. | |||||||||
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European Honey Buzzard in Stellenbosch © Hilton Thomson | European Honey Buzzard near Vilanculous © Guto Gavino | ||||||||
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European Honey Buzzard around Dunes de Dovela © Thomas Bruneau | |||||||||
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On to the rest of the news and, starting in the Western Cape, the centre of attention remains the CRESTED HONEY BUZZARD which was still showing well to twitchers at Spanish Farm in Somerset West this afternoon while there was also some surprize when a EURASIAN GOLDEN ORIOLE was seen there on Tuesday. Other big local news concerns the discovery of a male breeding-plumaged YELLOW-CROWNED BISHOP that was found at Lake Michelle in Noordhoek on Tuesday and was still there today. Other lingerers include the AFRICAN JACANA still at Little Princess Vlei today and the WOODLAND KINGFISHER still at Jonkersrivier farm, between Worcester and Villiersdorp, on Tuesday while a male EURASIAN GOLDEN ORIOLE was seen in the Milkwoods around the camp sites at De Hoop Nature Reserve on Tuesday as well. A couple of EUROPEAN ROLLERS were also reported with one along the R322, north of Witsand, at -34.348, 20.830 on Tuesday and another along the R328, north of Brandwacht, at -34.016, 22.057 yesterday while the DARK-CAPPED BULBULS were still in Mossel Bay at -34.185, 22.146 yesterday as well. | |||||||||
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Crested Honey Buzzard in Somerset West © David Hoddinott | Crested Honey Buzzard in Somerset West © Basil Boer | ||||||||
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Crested Honey Buzzard in Somerset West © Gielie Bester | Crested Honey Buzzard in Somerset West © Paul Funston | ||||||||
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Crested Honey Buzzard in Somerset West © Hilton Thomson | European Roller north of Brandwacht © Kitty Steyn | ||||||||
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Crested Honey Buzzard twitchers in Somerset West © Trevor Hardaker | |||||||||
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Yellow-crowned Bishop in Noordhoek © Aaron Spagnoletti | Yellow-crowned Bishop in Noordhoek © Joel Radue | ||||||||
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Up in the Northern Cape, a SQUACCO HERON was seen at Lijersdraai waterhole in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park on Tuesday.
Into the Eastern Cape where the mega SOOTY GULL at Kei Mouth has not been seen since Monday morning (although it was reported earlier today, photos I received just before sending out this report show that that was a misidentification, so not the real thing unfortunately). However, both the BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER and PECTORAL SANDPIPER were still on the northern bank of the river at Kei Mouth yesterday providing some distraction at least while there were still several WHITE-WINGED WIDOWBIRDS present on a private farm near Cradock yesterday as well. | |||||||||
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Broad-billed Sandpiper at Kei Mouth © Stewart MacLachlan | Broad-billed Sandpiper at Kei Mouth © Jo Balmer | ||||||||
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White-winged Widowbird near Cradock © Barry Kurten | White-winged Widowbird near Cradock © Lynette Rudman | ||||||||
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White-winged Widowbird near Cradock © Tim Cockcroft | |||||||||
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Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, the EURASIAN CURLEW and HARTLAUB’S GULL were still both present in Durban Bay earlier today while other lingerers included the SOOTY TERN still at St Lucia estuary yesterday, the SOOTY FALCON still near Mtubatuba today and at least 4 TEMMINCK’S COURSERS and a WESTERN YELLOW WAGTAIL still at Mpempe Pan on Monday. Elsewhere, a LESSER MOORHEN was reported at Leopard Mountain Safari Lodge in Manyoni Private Game Reserve today while the reserve also produced a DARK CHANTING GOSHAWK on Tuesday and, slightly further north, Pongola Nature Reserve was also providing some good birds earlier today with a TEMMINCK’S COURSER reported at -27.342, 31.906 and a LESSER GREY SHRIKE seen at -27.341, 31.918. | |||||||||
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Sooty Falcon near Mtubatuba © Diane McLean | Sooty Falcon near Mtubatuba © Albert McLean | ||||||||
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Sooty Falcon near Mtubatuba © Georg Jacobs | Sooty Tern at St Lucia © Caroline Fox | ||||||||
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Eurasian Curlew in Durban Bay © Bart Fokkens | Eurasian Curlew in Durban Bay © David Allan | ||||||||
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Hartlaub’s Gull in Durban Bay © David Allan | Lesser Grey Shrike at Pongola Nature Reserve © Rowan Bartlett | ||||||||
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Temminck’s Courser at Mpempe Pan © Rowan Bartlett | Western Yellow Wagtail at Mpempe Pan © Rowan Bartlett | ||||||||
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Into the Free State where the popular MADAGASCAN CUCKOO was still at Soetdoring Nature Reserve today, the DWARF BITTERN was still at Soutpan at -28.762, 26.052 earlier today and the AFRICAN CRAKE was still near Soetdoring Nature Reserve at -28.784, 26.073 until at least Tuesday.
Up in Namibia, the YELLOW-THROATED LEAFLOVES were still in the gardens of Caprivi Houseboat Safari Lodge in Katima Mulilo yesterday.
Across in Botswana, there was some excitement when a pair of MAGPIE MANNIKINS were seen in a garden in Kasane on Monday and Tuesday. It appears that they have taken over an old Golden Weaver nest and have been seen entering and exiting the nest, although it is unconfirmed whether they are actually breeding there or not. This seems to be only the second ever record for the country following one at Kabulabula in the Chobe National Park back in 1994!
And finally, in Zimbabwe, a WESTERN MARSH HARRIER was present again in the Marlborough Vlei area in Harare yesterday. | |||||||||
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Western Marsh Harrier at Marlborough Vlei © Derek Adams | Magpie Mannikin in Kasane © Mark Muller | ||||||||
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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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