SA Rare Bird News Report - 28 November 2016

[Trevor Hardaker‏]

 

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This is the Southern African Rare Bird News Report issued at 20h10 on Monday, 28 November 2016. 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
I am finally back home after a good time away in the bush but must apologise for not being able to get all of the news out as and when it happened. My signal, where I was, was mostly non-existent and, when I was able to receive messages occasionally, it was then not strong enough to send anything out. Even trying to connect to a local wifi setup didn't really help all that much either and, after a rather long frustrating time, I was eventually able to get one short message out via the wifi about those megas, but nothing else would go! Anyway, I am now back in the land of decent connectivity, so on to the news...   Starting in the Western Cape, there was no doubt that the best find of the last few days concerned an ELEGANT TERN at Buffels Bay near Cape Point on Saturday where it was present in a tern roost there. Unfortunately, despite people searching for it yesterday, it could not be relocated there. Elsewhere in the province, a RED-NECKED PHALAROPE located on the northern end of Pan P2 at Strandfontein Sewage Works on Saturday was also a nice find while the AFRICAN JACANA also remained on at Pan P5 on the weekend as well and a single SAND MARTIN was found between Strandfontein and Zeekoevlei yesterday. A EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARD at Paarl Bird Sanctuary on Saturday caused some local excitement while other good local records included a RED-BACKED SHRIKE on a farm near Riversdale on Saturday, a LESSER STRIPED SWALLOW at Nachtwacht farm just outside Bredasdorp on Saturday, a LARK-LIKE BUNTING at Abrahamskraal in the West Coast National Park yesterday while there were also still 2 AUSTRALASIAN GANNETS present at Malgas Island in Saldanha Bay on Wednesday.
Elegant Tern at Buffels Bay © Cliff Dorse		Red-necked Phalarope at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Andrew de Blocq
European Honey Buzzard at Paarl Bird Sanctuary © Nick Fordyce		Lesser Striped Swallow near Bredasdorp © Wim de Klerk
In the Eastern Cape, the WAHLBERG'S EAGLES were still at Table farm near Grahamstown on Saturday while a VERREAUX'S EAGLE OWL was located at Kleinemonde on the same day as well.   Up the coast in Kwazulu Natal, there was a touch of mayhem on Saturday when a male GOLDEN PIPIT, only the subregion's 16th ever record, was located just 50m in from Ntshondwe Gate in Ithala Game Reserve. News of the find, however, only filtered through on Sunday and then it was a major rush for all of those that missed the 2010 Pongola bird to get out there as quickly as possible. Fortunately, the bird remained loyal to the site and was still showing off their today much to the relief of many twitchers who travelled from all over the subregion to see it. Also still of interest, both SOOTY FALCONS remained present at Mbazwana until at least Saturday while Eshlazi Dam in Eshowe still held the RUFOUS-BELLIED HERON, LESSER JACANA and several AFRICAN PYGMY GEESE on Saturday. A EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARD was reported just outside Mtubatuba on Thursday with iSimangaliso Wetland Park also hosting a couple with one on the Eastern Shores near the Pan Loop turn-off on Tuesday and another on the Western Shores near the boardwalk turn-off on Saturday while the WHITE-BROWED SPARROW-WEAVER was also still around about 10km south of Tugela Ferry yesterday. Pelagic trips out of Durban turned up a BLACK-BELLIED STORM PETREL and a EUROPEAN STORM PETREL on Friday, an ATLANTIC YELLOW-NOSED ALBATROSS on Saturday and 2 BARAU'S PETRELS and a NORTHERN GIANT PETREL yesterday, the Barau's Petrels now being the 75th and 76th individuals to be reported in the subregion.
Golden Pipit at Ithala Game Reserve © Russell Warren		Golden Pipit at Ithala Game Reserve © John Kinghorn
Golden Pipit at Ithala Game Reserve © Martie de Wijn		Golden Pipit at Ithala Game Reserve © Jacques van Wyk
Golden Pipit at Ithala Game Reserve © Peter Sharland
Barau’s Petrel on Durban pelagic trip © Niall Perrins		Barau’s Petrel on Durban pelagic trip © Rich Everett
Barau’s Petrel 1 on Durban pelagic trip © David Allan		Barau’s Petrel 2 on Durban pelagic trip © David Allan
Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross on Durban pelagic trip © Niall Perrins		Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross on Durban pelagic trip © Rich Everett
Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross on Durban pelagic trip © David Allan		Black-bellied Storm Petrel on Durban pelagic trip © David Allan
Black-bellied Storm Petrel on Durban pelagic trip © Niall Perrins		Black-bellied Storm Petrel on Durban pelagic trip © Rich Everett
Northern Giant Petrel on Durban pelagic trip © Niall Perrins
Northern Giant Petrel on Durban pelagic trip © David Allan
Across in the Free State, a BROWN SNAKE EAGLE was reported at the foot of the Kloof Road in Willem Pretorius Game Reserve on Friday while there were also 2 EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARDS present in Pretoriuskloof in Bethlehem yesterday. Also of local interest, a flock of 6 BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATERS were located at Ingula on Saturday.   Over in Gauteng, the GREEN SANDPIPER was still along the Jukskei River at Waterfall Estate in Midrand on Saturday.   In Mpumalanga, there was some surprise when the GULL-BILLED TERN was re-located there yesterday after not having being seen for a few days prior to that. Also of local interest, several SANDERLINGS and at least one GREY PLOVER were also still present there at the end of last week while a CASPIAN PLOVER was also still there on Saturday.
European Honey Buzzard in Pretoriuskloof © Martin Potgieter
In the North-west Province, there was some major excitement when a GULL-BILLED TERN was discovered at Borakalalo Nature Reserve on Wednesday, the second record in the north of South Africa in the last week or so. Fortunately, the bird performed well for twitchers and remained in place throughout the weekend as well. With all the eyes at the sight, there was bound to be other good birds found there and a WHIMBREL was located there on Thursday, a GREAT WHITE PELICAN was found on Friday and a GREY PLOVER was found there yesterday. Also creating local excitement, a GREEN SANDPIPER and a GREY PLOVER were located at Rockwall Dam just outside Rustenburg on Saturday while a GREAT WHITE PELICAN was located at the same site yesterday. Another great record was of a BLACK-TAILED GODWIT seen on Thursday at Mankwe Dam in Pilanesburg National Park and still present there on Saturday while the yellow morph CRIMSON-BREASTED SHRIKE near Makapanstad also continued to entertain birders throughout the weekend.
Gull-billed Tern at Borakalalo Nature Reserve © Hugo le Roux		Gull-billed Tern at Borakalalo Nature Reserve © Ian Grant
Great White Pelican at Borakalalo Nature Reserve © Ian Grant
Grey Plover at Rockwall Dam © Shaun Mc Gillewie		Grey Plover at Rockwall Dam © Lukas Niemand
Great White Pelican at Rockwall Dam © Shaun Mc Gillewie		Great White Pelican at Rockwall Dam © Lukas Niemand
Up in Limpopo Province, the RUPPELL'S VULTURE was still at its cliff nesting site in Blouberg Nature Reserve near Vivo on Saturday while the same day also saw a EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARD being reported from Spies Dam in Louis Trichardt and a CAPE LONGCLAW at the top of Entabeni in a small grassland area.   In Mozambique, a EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARD was reported from Gorongosa camp on Friday.   Over in Botswana, a GREEN SANDPIPER was reported in the Xaro Lodge area close to Shakawe on Friday.   And finally, in Namibia, a EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARD was reported from Olympia in Windhoek on Wednesday while there was also excitement on Saturday when a COMMON TERN was located on a sandbank along the Okavango River at the Nunda River Lodge in Bagani. Another noteworthy record was a RUDDY TURNSTONE at Katima Mulilo Sewage Works on Wednesday while, yesterday, both a EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARD and a WOODLAND KINGFISHER were reported from Monte Christo farm about 30km north of Windhoek, this being at least the 8th consecutive season that the Kingfisher has turned up at this site, well outside of its normal range.
Cape Longclaw at Entabeni © Geoff Goetsch		Woodland Kingfisher at Monte Christo farm © Anita Zimny
European Honey Buzzard at Spies Dam © Geoff Goetsch
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 -------------------------------------------------------------