SARBN rare bird news Wednesday 31 December 2025

[Garret Skead]

Dear SARBN subscribers

Before I leave this too long and lose track of it completely, I thought I would put together a summary of the rarity news, dating back roughly to Tuesday 23 December. For these reports, I'm assimilating information gleaned from a number of groups, emails, direct messages etc, so if something slips the net and you feel it's worthy of a mention, please let me know and I will include it in the next report.

And onwards to the rarity news:

Western Cape:

WILSON'S PHALAROPE: the bird was still present yesterday afternoon at West Coast NP, viewed from the first Geelbek hide. It was seen yesterday at nearly 7 hours after high tide, on exposed mudflats. I speculate that the bird forages on the lagoon most of the time and only comes to the mudflats late in the tide cycle. For prospective twitchers, note that the bird is usually far away from the hide and a scope will be very helpful. Watch for the distinctive feeding style, likened to 'head down and dash', which is unlike any other waders in the area. The yellow legs are (of course) quite noticeable too ;-)

ICTERINE WARBLER: this provincial mega was found recently, and confirmed with photographs yesterday, at a private location near Pringle Bay. No public access is granted to the site unfortunately.

EURASIAN OYSTERCATCHER: still present today at Seeberg Hide, West Coast NP.

BAIRD'S SANDPIPER: still present at Macassar WTP, reported yesterday.

RED-NECKED PHALAROPE: at least two present at Kliphoek salt pans, Velddrif today, with one in breeding plumage.

CASPIAN PLOVER: still present at Kliphoek salt pans today.

BAILLON'S CRAKE: seen again today at the Broekhuyse hide, Rondevlei, Cape Town.

GREY WAGTAIL: present yesterday afternoon at Harold Porter Botanical Gardens below the upper bridge in Disa kloof.

GREATER SAND PLOVER: three birds reported on the beach, approximately 2km east of Keurbooms estuary on Monday, and another seen near Infanta at -34.405, 20.829 on Saturday.

AUSTRALASIAN GANNET: continuing at Bird Island, Lambert's Bay, reported on Tuesday.

AFRICAN GREEN PIGEON: was still present at Kwendalo, Plett, on Saturday (no reports, positive or negative, since then).

BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATER: a single bird was present in the vicinity of Geelbek hide at West Coast NP on Sunday. 10 birds were also reported along the railway track at Groot Brak on Tuesday.

BLACK-CHESTED SNAKE EAGLE: an immature bird was photographed over Pringle Bay on Monday.

LONG-CRESTED EAGLE: seen today near Swellendam, at -33.919, 20.192, and another seen in Stellenbosch along the Helshoogte Rd on Thursday.

BROWN SNAKE EAGLE: seen over Heatherlands, George, yesterday morning.

YELLOW-BILLED STORK: still present near Sedgefield on Wednesday.

WESTERN YELLOW WAGTAIL: last reported at Platboom beach, Cape Point NR on Wednesday.

RED-BILLED OXPECKER: seen yesterday in a garden in Jacobsbaai, at -32.967, 17.888.

EUROPEAN ROLLER: there seem to be good numbers moving into the province at the moment. For details, see the Cape Rare Bird Alert group on Telegram.

EURASIAN GOLDEN ORIOLES: a few birds reported in various locations. For details, see the Cape Rare Bird Alert Group on Telegram.

Eastern Cape:

AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER: the bird was still showing well at St Francis Bay sewage works today.

COMMON WHITETHROAT: a bird was seen and photographed at the St Francis Bay sewage works on Wednesday, but unfortunately proved to be a one-hit wonder.

GREATER SAND PLOVER: seen at Kromme River mouth, St Francis Bay, on Wednesday. Two more individuals were found at Gamtoos river mouth on Friday, along with a large flock of BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATERS and five RED KNOTS.

TIBETAN SAND PLOVER: seen at the same location above, on Thursday.

LAPPET-FACED VULTURE: there was a second-hand report of a bird seen between Kinkelbos and Colchester on Tuesday (I've received no further information about this bird).

LESSER GREY SHRIKE: seen today near Alexandria at -33.637, 26.418.

Kwazulu-Natal:

EURASIAN OYSTERCATCHER: found at Umdloti river mouth on Wednesday, and also reported on Friday.

GREEN SANDPIPER: reported from Nandi Dam, Manyoni Private GR on Friday, and the Castleburn bird was reported as present yesterday morning.

MARABOU STORK: seen on a private farm near Kamberg on Thursday, and still there on Friday, at -29.326, 29.685.

BLACK HERON: seen on a private dam near Penwarn Lodge, Underberg, on Friday.

ALLEN'S GALLINULE: two birds seen on the iMfolozi Flats near Monzi on Friday (note - private property).

PECTORAL SANDPIPER: still present at the Nibela Peninsula at -27.873, 32.439, on Saturday.

TIBETAN SAND PLOVER: still present at the Tugela mouth on Sunday, at -29.223, 31.5 (remaining coordinates cut off).

DWARF BITTERN: seen on Sunday at Sungulwane GR on Sunday (no public access).

YELLOW-BILLED OXPECKER: seen on Monday on a buffalo at Western Shore, isiMangaliso at -28.337, 32.380.

CORN CRAKE: reported yesterday morning from Illovo, at -30.103, 30.832, and was still present yesterday afternoon.

PURPLE INDIGOBIRD: seen at Mkuze GR on Monday, at -27.660, 32.241, and still present today.

HARLEQUIN QUAIL: two birds seen at the Lembobo lookout tower yesterday, Mkuze GR.

RUFOUS-BELLIED HERON: was still present at Umbogavango NR, Amanzimtoti, on Tuesday.

Dunlin candidate: regarding the bird reported as a possible Dunlin: as per my previous email, the photographs are inconclusive. The photo which allegedly showed a Curlew Sandpiper-like bird in flight was later shown to be most likely a Stint, zoomed in from a wide angle view of a large group of waders in flight, in which size is difficult to judge because the birds are seen at variable distance from the photographer. If any birders saw the bird in question, and would like to claim it as a Dunlin, please submit your record to the SA List and Rarities Committee for further adjudication by a panel of experts, either via BirdLife SA wesbite or SABAP2.

Gauteng:

RUFOUS-BELLIED HERON: seen on Wednesday at Seringveld conservancy, at -25.601, 28.487.

PENNANT-WINGED NIGHTJAR: a female bird was photographed at Groenkloof NR in Pretoria on Monday morning, at -25.784, 28.199. Unfortunately no further updates were received (and I presume there were birders looking for it!).

YELLOW-BELLIED GREENBUL: seen in a private garden in Vaal Marina, yesterday.

Mpumalanga:

BLUE SWALLOWS: still present near God's Window as previously documented, last reported yesterday. The last coordinates I was sent as follows: -24.856, 30.883. Please remember that these birds are showing evidence of nesting, and are endangered. Please do everything possible to minimise disturbance.

PALM-NUT VULTURE: seen flying northeast over KMIA airport on Friday.

LESSER JACANA: one bird at Wonderfontein, reported as present today.

SOOTY FALCON: seen on Saturday morning near Malelane, at -25.371, 31.604.

BLACK COUCAL: a number of reports have come through from Kruger NP for this species (as well as other rain-associated migrants of local interest). Please refer to "Kruger Birding - RARITIES" group on Telegram for details. This might also apply to Limpopo (I haven't specifically plotted all of the locations for each record).

Limpopo:

THRUSH NIGHTINGALE: seen yesterday (and still present today) at Shingwedzi picnic site in Kruger NP

CASPIAN PLOVER: numerous birds reported from Tihongonyeni waterhole yesterday, at -23.438, 31.434.

BATELEUR: immature bird seen at Mabula GR on Friday.

Northern Cape:

LESSER MOORHEN: seen at Kwang waterhole, Kgalagadi, on Tuesday.

GREATER PAINTED-SNIPE: two birds present at the same site

GREAT EGRET: seen at Dalkeith waterhole on Thursday.

Zimbabwe:

GREEN SANDPIPER: one bird seen at Zimunya Sewage works, Mutare, on Saturday.

CASPIAN PLOVER: seen at Fothergill on Wednesday.

Namibia: 

BLACK CUCKOOSHRIKE: a female bird showed up far out of range in Swakopmund this morning.

Botswana:

COMMON REDSHANK: seen and photographed on Sunday, at Moremi GR, at -19.242, 23.350 (but no further updates sent to me).

Mozambique:

PIED WHEATEAR: unfortunately, news of this mega rarity only filtered through to me on Tuesday, of a bird seen on 19 November, near Inhassoro, at -21.269, 35.110. I've had no further updates on it, either positive or negative.

Kind regards

Garret