SA Rare Bird News Report - 31 July 2025
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, 31 July 2025.
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 https://groups.google.com/g/sa-rarebirdnews |
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Starting in the Western Cape, a SOUTHERN FULMAR was seen on a seawatch from Platboom near Cape Point this morning while there was also some local surprize when an AFRICAN PIED WAGTAIL was found walking around on the forecourt at Engen Brand Auto on the corner of Church and Dorp Street in Vredendal on Tuesday morning. Over on the Garden Route, both the GREATER SAND PLOVER and the TIBETAN (LESSER) SAND PLOVER were still at the Keurbooms River estuary in Plettenberg Bay this afternoon. | |||||||||
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African Pied Wagtail in Vredendal © Ralie Claassen | Greater Sand Plover at Keurbooms River estuary © Mike Bridgeford | ||||||||
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Greater Sand Plover at Keurbooms River estuary © Etienne Hinrichsen | Tibetan (Lesser) Sand Plover at Keurbooms River estuary © Etienne Hinrichsen | ||||||||
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Tibetan (Lesser) Sand Plover at Keurbooms River estuary © Mike Bridgeford | |||||||||
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Mpumalanga remained Skimmer Central with the Kruger National Park holding on to 2 AFRICAN SKIMMERS still at the Olifants River bridge yesterday and another 2 AFRICAN SKIMMERS still at the Malelane bridge this morning as well.
Up in Namibia, the ROSS’S TURACO was still at Taranga Safari Lodge, west of Rundu, on Tuesday while at least 3 PALE-THROATED GREENBULS (aka YELLOW-THROATED LEAFLOVES) were also still present around Caprivi River Lodge in Katima Mulilo yesterday and another single PALE-THROATED GREENBUL was found this morning a little way east of Katima Mulilo in the camp grounds of Caprivi Mutoya Lodge.
And finally, in Mozambique, a EURASIAN OYSTERCATCHER and 3 RED KNOTS were reported again at The Sanctuary on the San Sebastian Peninsula near Vilanculous on Tuesday. | |||||||||
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African Skimmer at Malelane © Tertius Gous | Ross’s Turaco at Taranga Safari Lodge © Timothy Smith | ||||||||
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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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