SA Rare Bird News Report - 23 January 2014

[Trevor Hardaker]

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This is the Southern African Rare Bird News Report issued at 20h00 on Thursday, 23 January 2014. 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
Starting in the Western Cape, the popular SEDGE WARBLER at Vermont Pan remained present until at least yesterday morning whilst its co-star, the BAILLON'S CRAKE, was still entertaining visitors this morning. Elsewhere in the province, a EUROPEAN ROLLER was reported near the entrance of PetroSA just outside Mossel Bay on Tuesday whilst, yesterday, the SQUACCO HERON was also still present at Paarl Bird Sanctuary with a supporting cast of at least 8 FULVOUS DUCKS and, on Sunday, a RED-BILLED QUELEA was mistnetted and ringed on a farm just outside of Malmesbury.   In the Eastern Cape, a YELLOW-BILLED STORK was reported from Camdeboo National Park near Graaff-Reinet on Saturday and was still present the following day too. This is now at least the 3rd record for the province in the last few months, possibly the same individual that is wandering around. The weekend also turned up another interesting record at Beacon Bay in the form of a GREEN TWINSPOT, still a very tough bird to connect with in the province.
Up into Kwazulu Natal, Mpempe Pan was attracting some attention on the weekend with several WESTERN YELLOW WAGTAILS present there along with at least 3 CASPIAN PLOVERS (including one apparently still in breeding plumage) as well whilst a DUSKY LARK was located at Phinda Private Game Reserve yesterday afternoon.   An interesting record from the Northern Cape was a dead EUROPEAN NIGHTJAR that was picked up along the road about 20km south of Philipstown.   The North-west Province produced a small surprise earlier today when a male PURPLE INDIGOBIRD was located at Hartbeesfontein just outside of Klerksdorp, a seemingly out of range record for this species.   And finally, in Namibia, a quick sweep of the Walvis Bay sites yesterday confirmed that both the AMERICAN and PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVERS are still present as well as a reasonable number of RED-NECKED PHALAROPES whilst a new addition was the discovery of a EURASIAN OYSTERCATCHER there.
			Red-billed Quelea near Malmesbury © John Fincham
Yellow-billed Stork at Camdeboo National Park © Leonie Fouche			Purple Indigobird at Hartbeesfontein © Tony Archer
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 -------------------------------------------------------------