SA Rare Bird News Report - 06 November 2025

[Trevor Hardaker]

 

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
This is the Southern African Rare Bird News Report issued at 18h00 on Thursday, 06 November 2025.   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 https://groups.google.com/g/sa-rarebirdnews									SARBN is proud to be associated with the following brands:
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Starting in the Western Cape, the mega BAIRD’S SANDPIPER was still at Macassar Sewage Works earlier today. I forgot to mention this previously, but this is only Southern Africa’s 20th record of this species which was originally added to the subregion list based on a specimen collected in Walvis Bay in Namibia in October 1863! There was then a wait of more than 100 years before the next one was found in October 1984 at Olifantsbos near Cape Point. Subsequent records have been in October 1985 on the Berg River in Veldrif, December 1992 in Mkhuze Game Reserve, September 1997 in Matusadona National Park in Zimbabwe, May 1998 at Geelbek in the West Coast National Park, September 1998 in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, December 1999 at Strandfontein Sewage Works, September 2000 in Sossusvlei in Namibia, December 2000 in the Kruger National Park, December 2001 at Marievale Bird Sanctuary (this bird returned for several seasons), September 2002 at Kenhardt Sewage Works, October 2004 on the Berg River at Veldrif, December 2008 at Wadrif Salt Pan, October 2018 at Van Stadens Resort near Port Elizabeth, November 2020 at Strandfontein Sewage Works, November 2021 at Bronkhorstspruit Dam Nature Reserve, December 2021 at Macassar Sewage Works (this record was of 2 individuals and they moved between there and close by Paardevlei over the course of 4 months) and, most recently, in January 2023 at Olifantsbos near Cape Point.   Elsewhere in the province, there were up to 4 GREATER SAND PLOVERS and a TIBETAN (LESSER) SAND PLOVER at De Mond Nature Reserve near Arniston on Tuesday with at least 3 GREATER SAND PLOVERS still there this morning.   Up in the Northern Cape, a SQUACCO HERON was seen about 300m south of the Gemsbokplein Waterhole in the Kgalagadi National Park at -26.157, 20.532 late on Monday afternoon.
Baird’s Sandpiper at Macassar Sewage Works © Andrew Stainthorpe					Squacco Heron near Gemsbokplein waterhole © Ryan Bennewith
Baird’s Sandpiper at Macassar Sewage Works © Conrad Strauss
Greater Sand Plover at De Mond Nature Reserve © Dean Boshoff					Tibetan (Lesser) Sand Plover at De Mond Nature Reserve © Dean Boshoff
Into Kwazulu Natal where a GREEN SANDPIPER was found at Castleburn, north-west of Underberg, at -29.741, 29.299 on Tuesday and was still there yesterday.
Green Sandpiper at Castleburn © Dylan Weyer					Green Sandpiper at Castleburn © Stuart McLean
Over in Mpumalanga, it was all about lingerers with at least one BLUE SWALLOW was still near God’s Window at -24.856, 30.884 yesterday, the GOLDEN PIPIT still on Timbavati Private Game Reserve yesterday and the Kruger National Park holding on to the GREEN SANDPIPER still along the S3 at -24.989, 31.467 this afternoon and at least one CASPIAN PLOVER still along the S25 in the Kruger National Park at -25.348, 31.879 on Tuesday.
Caspian Plover along the S25 road © Keegan Steward					Blue Swallow near God’s Window © Sarel Snyman
Gauteng held on to the long-staying SLATY EGRET which was still present this afternoon at Walkhaven Dog Park at -25.997, 27.865.   In Limpopo, the COLLARED PALM THRUSH was still present at Crooks Corner near Pafuri in the Kruger National Park at -22.427, 31.307 yesterday.   Up in Namibia, the mega NORTHERN CARMINE BEE-EATER was still in the Southern Carmine Bee-eater colony just upstream of Zambezi Mubala Lodge at -17.535, 24.542 late yesterday and seems to be becoming quite reliable in the late afternoons now in the same area of this rather immense colony while at least 2 PALE-THROATED GREENBULS (aka YELLOW-THROATED LEAFLOVES) were still around the gardens of Caprivi River Lodge in Katima Mulilo this morning and appear to be building a nest at the moment.   And finally, in Botswana, a group of 4 SANDERLINGS were found near Samochima Bush Camp in the Okavango Delta yesterday.
Collared Palm Thrush at Crooks Corner © Samson Mulaudzi					Sanderlings near Samochima Bush Camp © Deon Engelbrecht
Northern Carmine Bee-eater (left) near Zambezi Mubala Lodge © Cheni Langley
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