SA Rare Bird News Report - 20 March 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 Monday, 20 March 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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It’s been a busy week indeed, so let’s get started in Kwazulu Natal where the big news was the discovery of Southern Africa’s 2nd ever RED-TAILED SHRIKE found at Manyoni Private Game Reserve on Friday. The bird created a lot of interest and showed well until sunset yesterday, but seemingly disappeared overnight and was not seen today at all, despite a number of birders searching for it. This follows the only other record for the subregion in January 2014 at Sena in Mozambique.
Elsewhere in the province, the ALLEN’S GALLINULES (2 adults and 2 chicks) were still on the north side of the causeway at Muzi Pan this afternoon, a DWARF BITTERN was seen along the Baya Nyala road at -27.779, 32.142 on Saturday, a LESSER MOORHEN was found on the Western Shores of iSimangaliso Wetland Park at -28.257, 32.393 on Thursday, a TEMMINCK’S COURSER was seen at Fig Tree Farm in Hillcrest at -29.759, 30.784 on Thursday, a PURPLE-CRESTED TURACO was reported in Ladysmith on Wednesday and a SOOTY FALCON was seen near the entrance gate to Pongola Game Reserve on Tuesday. | |||||||||
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Red-tailed Shrike at Manyoni Private Game Reserve © Ryan Tyrer | Red-tailed Shrike at Manyoni Private Game Reserve © Charl Senekal | ||||||||
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Red-tailed Shrike at Manyoni Private Game Reserve © Byron Swart | Red-tailed Shrike at Manyoni Private Game Reserve © Keenan Houareau | ||||||||
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Red-tailed Shrike at Manyoni Private Game Reserve © Elton John Bartlett | Red-tailed Shrike at Manyoni Private Game Reserve © Niall Perrins | ||||||||
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Red-tailed Shrike at Manyoni Private Game Reserve © Martin Benadie | Red-tailed Shrike at Manyoni Private Game Reserve © Janine Bayer | ||||||||
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Red-tailed Shrike at Manyoni Private Game Reserve © Cliff Dorse | Red-tailed Shrike at Manyoni Private Game Reserve © Garret Skead | ||||||||
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Red-tailed Shrike at Manyoni Private Game Reserve © Rolf Wiesler | Red-tailed Shrike at Manyoni Private Game Reserve © Paul Josop | ||||||||
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Red-tailed Shrike at Manyoni Private Game Reserve © Ronnie Herr | Red-tailed Shrike at Manyoni Private Game Reserve © Hennie Jordaan | ||||||||
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Red-tailed Shrike at Manyoni Private Game Reserve © Julia Clarence | Dwarf Bittern on the Baya Nyala road © John van de Ruit | ||||||||
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Red-tailed Shrike twitchers at Manyoni Private Game Reserve © Byron Swart | |||||||||
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Sooty Falcon at Pongola Game Reserve © Chris Kelly | Lesser Moorhen on the Western Shores © Ian Ferreira | ||||||||
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Temminck’s Courser at Fig Tree Farm © Liam Yell | Purple-crested Turaco in Ladysmith © Ken Saunders | ||||||||
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Moving down into the Eastern Cape, the mega first for Southern Africa WOODCHAT SHRIKE was still at Kwandwe Private Game Reserve near Grahamstown until at least Thursday while the RED PHALAROPE remained on at Tankatara on Saturday. A GREEN-BACKED (STRIATED) HERON was seen again along the Qinira River in East London at -32.956, 27.959 this morning and the BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATERS were still around Colchester on Wednesday. | |||||||||
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Woodchat Shrike in Kwandwe Private Game Reserve © Doc Ndyawe | Woodchat Shrike in Kwandwe Private Game Reserve © Leon van Zyl | ||||||||
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Red Phalarope at Tankatara © Dean Boshoff | Red Phalarope at Tankatara © Trevor Flugel | ||||||||
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Red Phalarope at Tankatara © Harald Leber | |||||||||
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Down in the Western Cape, a single SAND MARTIN was reported at Strandfontein Sewage Works on Saturday, the DUSKY SUNBIRD was still in Strand today, a couple of RED-NECKED PHALAROPES were still at Kliphoek Salt Pans in Velddrif this afternoon and a BROWN SNAKE EAGLE and EURASIAN GOLDEN ORIOLE were seen at the Moravian Church in Mamre on Thursday. Over on the Garden Route, several BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATERS were near Gouritzmond at -34.365 21.849 yesterday while the BROAD-BILLED ROLLER was also still north-west of Mossel Bay yesterday and 2 WHITE-FRONTED BEE-EATERS were seen flying over Wilderness Heights at -33.954, 22.583 this afternoon. Inland, a BROWN SNAKE EAGLE was seen at Roam Private Game Reserve, south of Beaufort West, on Saturday, a RED-BACKED SHRIKE was reported in Karoo National Park at the turn off to Potlekkertjie Drive on Saturday and a EUROPEAN ROLLER was seen about 20km south-west of Murraysburg along the road to Nelspoort this morning. | |||||||||
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Brown Snake Eagle in Mamre © Otto Schmidt | Brown Snake Eagle in Mamre © Jacque Smit | ||||||||
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Red-necked Phalarope at Kliphoek Salt Pans © Dawie de Villiers | Brown Snake Eagle at Roam Private Game Reserve © Noam Naveh | ||||||||
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Blue-cheeked Bee-eater near Gouritzmond © Louis Heyns | Broad-billed Roller near Mossel Bay © Louis Heyns | ||||||||
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In the Northern Cape, 5 TEMMINCK’S COURSERS were reported at Kalahari Guest House, 50km north of Upington, this morning.
The Free State also held on to 7 TEMMINCK’S COURSERS which were still south of Soetdoring Nature Reserve at -28.932, 26.018 yesterday.
Mpumalanga delivered an AFRICAN SKIMMER at Marloth Park yesterday which was seen again today at the Two Trees view point there.
In Limpopo, a RED-FOOTED FALCON was seen along the Zaagkuildrift road at -25.166, 28.170 this morning.
And finally, in Namibia, the PECTORAL SANDPIPER was still at Birds Paradise Bird Sanctuary in Walvis Bay on Thursday. | |||||||||
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Red-footed Falcon on Zaagkuildrift road © Doug Newman | Pectoral Sandpiper at Birds Paradise © Anton Jooste | ||||||||
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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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