SA Rare Bird News Report - 08 January 2018

[Trevor Hardaker]

 

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This is the Southern African Rare Bird News Report issued at 20h00 on Monday, 08 January 2018. 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. 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
Well, here goes… back into the swing of things with the first formal report of 2018. There’s quite a bit to catch up on that has happened over the last week or so. I hope I haven’t missed anything but, if I have, you’ll just have to forgive me for it. As usual, let’s start with the reports of the scarcities…   EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARD:   ·         One at Zebula Estate near Bela Bela (Limpopo) this morning. ·         One at Amakhala Game Reserve (Eastern Cape) on Thursday and again on Saturday. ·         One at Cecilia Forest (Western Cape) on Thursday. ·         One at Northcliff Eco Park in Johannesburg (Gauteng) on Thursday and again yesterday. ·         One over Vanderbijlpark (Gauteng) on Thursday. ·         One over Irene Country Club (Gauteng) on Wednesday and another 2 different birds over suburbia in Irene last week as well. ·         One in Sibuya Game Reserve at the Kariega River crossing (Eastern Cape) on Tuesday and still in the same area yesterday. ·         One east of Kwambonambi (KZN) last Sunday.   GREEN SANDPIPER:   ·         One at the Gardenia hide close to Malalane gate in the Kruger National Park (Mpumalanga) on Monday. ·         One near Olifants camp in the Kruger National Park (Limpopo) last week.
European Honey Buzzard over Vanderbijlpark © Hennie Storm		Green Sandpiper near Olifants camp © Peter Hall
On to the rest of the news and, starting in the Western Cape, perhaps the biggest news for the subregion is also a touch embarrassing – a wagtail was seen at Rooisand Nature Reserve near Kleinmond on Saturday and a photo of the bird was circulated to a few people. The single photo didn’t necessarily show all the pertinent features and the bird was written off in haste as an aberrant Cape Wagtail. However, further photos came to the fore earlier today and, thanks to Faansie Peacock for originally picking up on these, it would seem that we possibly have a new species for the Southern African subregion on the cards, a WHITE WAGTAIL…! The bird is a rather scruffy, seemingly first winter individual, but shows a number of features which, in theory, rule out Cape Wagtail and point strongly to this species. It was searched for again this afternoon, but could not be relocated. Further searches will happen again tomorrow to try and relocate this bird, get more photos of it, possibly try and record the call and, hopefully, be able to confirm the ID of it beyond a shadow of a doubt.   Elsewhere in the province, at least 3 SPECTACLED PETRELS were seen on a pelagic trip out of Simon’s Town on Saturday. Lingering rarities included at least one PECTORAL SANDPIPER still at Strandfontein Sewage Works along the channel between Pans S2 and S3 last Saturday while the GREEN-BACKED HERON was also still present along the Black River until at least Wednesday afternoon. Up on the West Coast, 2 CASPIAN PLOVERS were found at Kliphoek Salt Pans in Velddrif on Wednesday with at least one still there on Thursday while the RED-NECKED PHALAROPE also remained on at the same site until Friday. Also still attracting some attention, the COMMON REDSHANK remained on at Geelbek in the West Coast National Park until at least last Sunday.   Heading eastwards, the WESTERN YELLOW WAGTAIL was still at Betty’s Bay until at least Saturday, a PECTORAL SANDPIPER was found at Rooisand Nature Reserve about 30m left of the hide on Thursday afternoon (and still there this afternoon) and a EUROPEAN ROLLER was reported along the N2 near the Witsand turn-off at -34.069, 20.619 on Saturday. The Garden Route provided a fantastic provincial record too when a DWARF BITTERN was found at a small river crossing north of Herbertsdale on Wednesday afternoon. Sadly, despite a number of birders rushing through to look for it, it has not been seen since then. Staying on the Garden Route, the GREY-HEADED BUSH SHRIKE was still present in Plettenberg Bay yesterday, a female RED-BACKED SHRIKE was found near Nature’s Valley on Saturday, the GOLIATH HERON remained on at the Bitou wetlands in Plettenberg Bay until at least Tuesday afternoon and the LESSER STRIPED SWALLOWS were still at the bridge over the Goukamma River on the N2 between Sedgefield and Knysna until at least Thursday while a BROWN SNAKE EAGLE was seen at the latter site on Monday. A single YELLOW-BILLED STORK was also found at Hartbeeskuil Dam near Hartenbos earlier today.
Possible White Wagtail at Rooisand Nature Reserve © Lester van Groeningen		Possible White Wagtail at Rooisand Nature Reserve © Lester van Groeningen
Pectoral Sandpiper at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Rousseau Lotter		Green-backed Heron along the Black River © Michael Mason
Spectacled Petrel on pelagic trip © Cliff Dorse		Western Yellow Wagtail at Betty’s Bay © Berdine Esterhuyse
Western Yellow Wagtail at Betty’s Bay © Jonathan Pepper		Western Yellow Wagtail at Betty’s Bay © Lester van Groeningen
Red-necked Phalarope in Velddrif © Jonathan Pepper		Caspian Plover in Velddrif © Jonathan Pepper
Dwarf Bittern north of Herbertsdale © Lourence Gerber		Red-backed Shrike near Nature’s Valley © John Graham
Grey-headed Bush Shrike in Plettenberg Bay © John Graham
In the Eastern Cape, an immature GREAT WHITE PELICAN was seen at Kariega Game Reserve on Saturday while a WAHLBERG’S EAGLE was reported at Sleepy Hollow in Port Elizabeth on Friday.   Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, a SPOTTED CRAKE was seen again at Sappi Stanger on Saturday morning at -29.362, 31.303 and was still present in a similar area this morning. Also of local interest, an AYRES’ HAWK EAGLE was seen over Meerensee in Richard’s Bay again this morning. Unusual Harriers were also at the fore with a MONTAGU’S HARRIER seen along the Loop Road at Midmar Dam on Tuesday and a PALLID HARRIER reported at Mziki Marsh in Phinda Private Game Reserve on Monday. A CHESTNUT-BANDED PLOVER at -27.9854 32.3646 on Sandy Point Road south of the camping spot at False Bay Park on Tuesday was a good local find while a number of MONOTONOUS LARKS remained on in Mkuze Game Reserve in the vicinity of the observation tower until at least Tuesday. Also at Mkuze, the DWARF BITTERN was still present around Kumasinga Hide until at least Saturday whilst another was found at Nambiti Private Game Reserve on Friday and yet another was present at Brettonwood Coastal Estate in Salt Rock on Friday as well (this latter site also hosted a LESSER MOORHEN on Friday too). There were also still a number of HARLEQUIN QUAILS present in Mkuze Game Reserve last week with one also recorded from Hluhluwe Imfolozi Game Reserve last week as well. And to round off the province’s reports, the PURPLE-CRESTED TURACO was still holding on in Underberg until at least Thursday
Spotted Crake at Sappi Stanger © Mike O’Donoghue		Ayres’ Hawk Eagle over Richard’s Bay © Nada Crafford
Monotonous Lark at Mkuze Game Reserve © Jorrie Jordaan		Monotonous Lark in Mkuze Game Reserve © Rich Everett
Dwarf Bittern at Mkuze Game Reserve © Jorrie Jordaan		Montagu’s Harrier at Midmar Dam © David Hoddinott
Harlequin Quail at Hluhluwe Imfolozi Game Reserve © Rich Everett
In the Free State, a BROWN SNAKE EAGLE was seen along the S1035 (28° 6' 48.14"S  28°46' 44.82"E) between Bethlehem and Warden on Saturday and 2 WESTERN YELLOW WAGTAILS were still present at Loch Lomond in Bethlehem until at least Thursday.
Brown Snake Eagle between Bethlehem and Warden © Martin Potgieter		Western Yellow Wagtail at Loch Lomond © Kevin Nel
Across in Gauteng, the SLATY EGRET remained on at Gnu Valley in Muldersdrift until at least Saturday, a WHIMBREL was reported at Bronkhorstspruit Nature Reserve on Wednesday and the SOUTHERN WHITE-FACED OWL was still at the Sandton Field & Study Centre until at least Wednesday whilst the immature COMMON CUCKOO was last reported from that site on Monday.
Southern White-faced Owl at Sandton Field & Study Centre © Alan Bedford-Shaw		Common Cuckoo at Sandton Field & Study Centre © Alan Bedford-Shaw
In neighbouring North-west Province, a RUFOUS-BELLIED HERON was seen at the Kgomo Kgomo bridge on Wednesday and remained present there until at least Saturday whilst a BROAD-BILLED ROLLER was also present in the Zaagkuilsdrift region at -25.171, 28.164 earlier today. Also of interest, a single CASPIAN PLOVER was found earlier today at the waterhole at Tree Frog Lodge in Madikwe Game Reserve whilst 2 AFRICAN SKIMMERS were reported from Vaalkop Dam north of Rhino Island this afternoon.
Rufous-bellied Heron at Kgomo Kgomo © Hugo le Roux		Rufous-bellied Heron at Kgomo Kgomo © Andrew Buitendach
Broad-billed Roller in the Zaagkuilsdrift region © Andrew Buitendach
Over in Mpumalanga, a single PINK-BACKED PELICAN was found at Kumana Dam in the Kruger National Park yesterday.   Up in Limpopo, the best record was certainly the WHITE-THROATED BEE-EATER that was seen on Saturday just north of the Luvuvhu River bridge near Pafuri in the Kruger National Park at S22.41724 E031.22060 whilst the roaming immature EGYPTIAN VULTURE was still proving extremely popular as well and was seen flying over the S100 about 7km from the S41 near Satara in the Kruger National Park on Saturday. Elsewhere, the park also delivered a COMMON RINGED PLOVER at Grootvlei Dam along the S50 on Thursday afternoon whilst a PECTORAL SANDPIPER was found on Monday at Houtriver Dam about 30km west of Polokwane at -23.786, 29.231.
Pink-backed Pelican at Kumana Dam © Guy Hausler		Egyptian Vulture near Satara © Ernest Porter
And finally, in Namibia, a EURASIAN OYSTERCATCHER was found this morning at Pelican Point in Walvis Bay, the long-staying BLACK SPARROWHAWK was still at Rossmund Golf Course in Swakopmund earlier today, the COMMON REDSHANK was still present at Mile 4 Salt Works in Swakopmund until at least Friday, a WESTERN YELLOW WAGTAIL was found at Namib Desert Lodge about 30km south of Solitaire on Friday and the BAT HAWKS were still present at the usual roost site in Klein Windhoek until at least Tuesday.
Eurasian Oystercatcher at Pelican Point © Chris Klopper		Western Yellow Wagtail at Namib Desert Lodge © Timo Britze
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     Follow our local exploits in the field at: http://hardakerwildlife.wordpress.com/   See our photos and trip reports at: www.hardaker.co.za     ZEST for BIRDS Pelagics, rarity photos, listing clubs and more: www.zestforbirds.co.za     SA RARE BIRD NEWS Get the latest rarity news by joining at: http://groups.google.co.za/group/sa-rarebirdnews     SOUTHERN AFRICAN RARITIES Online database of all SA rarities www.rarities.co.za -------------------------------------------------------------