SA Rare Bird News Report - 25 November 2021
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, 25 November 2021.
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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As usual, let’s start with a few scarcity reports first…
EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARD:
· One in Kommetjie (Western Cape) at -34.143, 18.334 today. · One in Reitz (Free State) at -27.789, 28.426 today · One over Sonheuwel in Nelspruit (Mpumalanga) yesterday. · One in Kgaswane Nature Reserve (North-west Province) yesterday. · One at Vlaklaagte (North-west Province) at -25.407, 26.934 on Tuesday. · One over Krugersdorp Golf Course (Gauteng) on Saturday.
GREEN SANDPIPER:
· One near Letaba (Limpopo) in the Kruger National Park at -23.864, 31.598 today.
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European Honey Buzzard in Kommetjie © John Williams | Green Sandpiper near Letaba © Errol de Beer | ||||||||
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On to the rest of the news and, starting in the Western Cape, the most interesting news was of a potential adult RED-NECKED BUZZARD seen over the Imhoff Waldorf school parking area in Kommetjie yesterday. Unfortunately, no photos were obtained of the bird, but it was seen by a highly experienced birder who knows the species well, so locals should definitely keep their eyes peeled when in the area. Also of interest, the PINK-BACKED PELICAN was still present on Pan P1 at Strandfontein Sewage Works yesterday. A PECTORAL SANDPIPER was discovered at Fisherhaven at -34.36, 19.112 yesterday, possibly the same individual that has recently been reported across the lagoon at Rooisand Nature Reserve while there was also some local excitement when a group of 14 FULVOUS WHISTLING DUCKS were found at Paardevlei late on Monday afternoon. The group swelled, with the highest count being 20, and a number were still there this afternoon. Elsewhere, the popular EURASIAN OYSTERCATCHER was still at the Klein River Lagoon near Hermanus today, the GREATER SAND PLOVER was still present at the Uilenkraals River, east of Gansbaai, yesterday and a single COMMON SCIMITARBILL was seen at the restcamp in Bontebok National Park on Tuesday.
Up in the Northern Cape, a rather out of place DWARF BITTERN was seen at Tswalu Kalahari Reserve at -27.226, 22.521 on Tuesday. | |||||||||
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Fulvous Whistling Ducks at Paardevlei © Stanislav Novotny | Fulvous Whistling Ducks at Paardevlei © Willem Botes | ||||||||
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Fulvous Whistling Ducks at Paardevlei © Dana Goldberg | |||||||||
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Fulvous Whistling Ducks at Paardevlei © Jill Shapland-Smit | Fulvous Whistling Ducks at Paardevlei © Hernus Langeveldt | ||||||||
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Fulvous Whistling Ducks at Paardevlei © Robert Cooper | Pectoral Sandpiper at Fisherhaven © Johan van der Westhuizen | ||||||||
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Greater Sand Plover at the Uilenkraals River © Stanislav Novotny | Dwarf Bittern at Tswalu Kalahari Reserve © Charles Gates | ||||||||
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In the Eastern Cape, the EURASIAN OYSTERCATCHER remained on at the Kariega River mouth at Kenton-on-Sea until at least Tuesday while a male LONG-TAILED PARADISE WHYDAH was reported in Mountain Zebra National Park earlier today.
Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, a MADAGASCAN CUCKOO was reported in Hluhluwe-Mfolozi Game Reserve at -28.193, 32.002 yesterday, possibly the same individual that spent some time in the area last season while as many as 3 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS were found at Mpempe Pan at -27.722, 32.487 this afternoon and a ALLEN’S GALLINULE was reported at Muzi Pan. Another good record concerned a MONOTONOUS LARK seen south-east of Winterton at -28.875, 29.71 on Tuesday. Elsewhere, popular lingerers included the mega GOLDEN PIPIT still near Albert Falls at -29.494, 30.386 today (a LESSER SPOTTED EAGLE was seen this morning at the same site), the SLATY EGRET still present at Bell Park Dam on Tuesday, the SOUTHERN WHITE-FACED OWL still in Gilford Place in Durban North yesterday and the ALLEN’S GALLINULE still on the private farm dam in Port Edward yesterday as well. | |||||||||
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Golden Pipit near Albert Falls © Wayne Johnston | Golden Pipit near Albert Falls © Gareth Preiss | ||||||||
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Golden Pipit near Albert Falls © David Weaver | Golden Pipit near Albert Falls © David Hoddinott | ||||||||
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Golden Pipit near Albert Falls © Peter Divall | Golden Pipit near Albert Falls © Steve Davis | ||||||||
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Monotonous Lark near Winterton © Julia Clarence | Allen’s Gallinule in Port Edward © Stan Culley | ||||||||
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Across in Mpumalanga, at least 6 CASPIAN PLOVERS and a COLLARED PRATINCOLE were still present at Mkhombo Dam yesterday.
Into the Free State where the popular MADAGASCAN CUCKOO was still at Soetdoring Nature Reserve at -28.832, 26.047 today while a GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO was also seen just east of Virginia at -28.168, 26.900 on Tuesday. | |||||||||
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Madagascan Cuckoo at Soetdoring Nature Reserve © Johan van Tol | Great Spotted Cuckoo near Virginia © Janet du Plooy | ||||||||
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And finally, in Namibia, an exhausted and rather out of place ARCTIC TERN was found at NamibRand Nature Reserve yesterday, a CASPIAN PLOVER was seen in Mahango National Park on the way to the waterhole near the entrance yesterday and the YELLOW-THROATED LEAFLOVES were back in the gardens of Caprivi Houseboat Safari Lodge in Katima Mulilo this morning and were actually feeding a chick there. | |||||||||
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Arctic Tern at NamibRand Nature Reserve © Murray Tindall | Yellow-throated Leaflove chick at Caprivi Houseboat Safari Lodge © Curt Sagell | ||||||||
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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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