SA Rare Bird News Report - 03 December 2012
Trevor Hardaker
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This is the Southern African Rare Bird News Report issued at 20h25 on Monday, 03 December 2012. 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 | ||
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As some of you will know, I will be heading off to Colombia in a couple of weeks time for 3 weeks of intensive birding in the country and, as usual, I would hate for the news flow via SARBN to "dry up" while I am away. Once again, I have been able to call on Robert Wienand and Andre Marx to continue to circulate the news in my absence (like they so ably did last year while I was away) and, thankfully, they have both agreed to take on this task again. So, a very special thank you to both of them for agreeing to do this and keep you all informed while I am away hopefully enjoying some different avifauna. Of course, they are under strict instructions that no megas that I still need may be found and reported on while I am away…J
I will be out of the country from 17 December 2012 and only returning some time on 8 January 2013, so during that period, you are please to pass on any and all information about rarities through to one or both of them (and you are welcome to cc me in as well, just so that I have the information on record for when I get back). Please save the contact details below in a safe place so that you know who to contact if you do find something good.
Robert Wienand: 083 299 2484
Andre Marx: 083 411 7674
And now on to some news.
Mpumalanga continues to stay in the headlines with the MADAGASCAR CUCKOO in the southern Kruger National Park which performed well to a good number of people over the weekend with yesterday's twitch attracting over 30 people to the site at once while the bird sat unperturbed and continued to call incessantly. Literally just down the road, there was an added bonus when an adult SOOTY FALCON was located and many twitchers moved straight from the cuckoo on to the falcon and managed to add another unexpected tick. Just a little further south, the SOUTHERN BROWN-THROATED WEAVER also remained at Crocodile Bridge. | ||
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Madagascar Cuckoo in the southern Kruger National Park © Robert Wienand | Madagascar Cuckoo in the southern Kruger National Park © Brian Phelps | |
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Madagascar Cuckoo in the southern Kruger National Park © Juan Pinto | Madagascar Cuckoo in the southern Kruger National Park © Johan de Beer | |
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Madagascar Cuckoo in the southern Kruger National Park © Louis Heyns | Madagascar Cuckoo in the southern Kruger National Park © Peter Sharland | |
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Madagascar Cuckoo in the southern Kruger National Park © Diego Pitzalis | Madagascar Cuckoo in the southern Kruger National Park © Jan Niemandt | |
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Madagascar Cuckoo in the southern Kruger National Park © Hugo le Roux | Southern Brown-throated Weaver at Crocodile Bridge © Graham Acheson | |
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Sooty Falcon in the southern Kruger National Park © Diego Pitzalis | Sooty Falcon in the southern Kruger National Park © Robert Wienand | |
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Although there were no reports received over the weekend, I’ve also included below a few shots taken on Thursday at Mkhombo Dam just for completeness sake and because it is also part of what Mpumalanga currently has on offer. | ||
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Pectoral Sandpiper at Mkhombo Dam © Niel Cillie | Pectoral Sandpiper at Mkhombo Dam © Justin Nicolau | |
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Chestnut-banded Plover at Mkhombo Dam © Justin Nicolau | Whimbrel at Mkhombo Dam © Justin Nicolau | |
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Into Limpopo Province where the best report was of a GREY WAGTAIL seen at Magoebaskloof on Thursday. It is not at the traditional site at Debegeni Falls but was at a different waterfall about 3,5km from the start of the Woodbush Forest Drive where it was associating with Mountain Wagtails. Back into the Kruger National Park where a group of 5 CAPE TEALS were reported from Rhidonda windmill about 20km from Letaba on Saturday, seemingly a very good record for the park.
Moving into Gauteng, the GREEN SANDPIPER along the Jukskei River at Waterfall Estate in Midrand was still present earlier today whilst a EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARD was reported from Centurion on Saturday.
In Kwazulu Natal, there has also been a GREEN SANDPIPER reported from Ndumo Game Reserve last week at the following co-ordinates: 25 deg 53,17S 32 deg 18,44 E | ||
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Cape Teals at Rhidonda windmill © Juan Pinto | European Honey Buzzard in Centurion © Peter Giesler | |
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Green Sandpiper in Midrand © Justin Nicolau | Green Sandpiper at Ndumo Game Reserve © Dave Rimmer | |
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Heading down into the Eastern Cape, there was some excitement on Friday when a PECTORAL SANDPIPER was discovered at the Tankatara Salt Pans in Port Elizabeth. The bird remained in the area until at least lunch time on Saturday when the last report came through.
And finally, into the Western Cape, where the most exciting find concerned a TEMMINCK’S COURSER that was discovered at Olifantsbos near Cape Point on Saturday but, despite extensive searching for it on Sunday by a number of locals, it could not be relocated. Also of interest was a SQUACCO HERON located at Paarl Bird Sanctuary on Friday. | ||
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Pectoral Sandpiper at Tankatara © Tony Knott | Pectoral Sandpiper at Tankatara © Gerrie Horn | |
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Temminck’s Courser at Olifantsbos © Charlie Sharfetter | Squacco Heron at Paarl Bird Sanctuary © Schalk du Toit | |
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Please remember to send through your details to be included on the various listing clubs that are hosted at www.zestforbirds.co.za. This website also has an extensive rarities gallery that has many additional photos of a number of rarities that are mentioned in these reports. | ||
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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. | ||
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Kind regards Trevor | ||
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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:
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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 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | ||
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