SA Rare Bird News Report - 24 October 2011
Trevor Hardaker
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This is the Southern African Rare Bird News Report issued at 21h00 on Monday, 24 October 2011. 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 | ||
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As usual, we start in the Western Cape where the EURASIAN OYSTERCATCHER at Seeberg in the West Coast National Park continues to aggravate twitchers by only showing erratically. It was present for just a short period yesterday morning before being observed flying off to the north. Elsewhere in the province, the GOLIATH HERON at Rondevlei Nature Reserve was still on view yesterday whilst last week also produced some interesting records with a NAMAQUA WARBLER reported along the dirt road between Bredasdorp and De Hoop Nature Reserve (well south for this species) and a CINNAMON-BREASTED BUNTING seen at Bergsig Wine Estate at the base of the Bain’s Kloof Pass near Wolseley.
Into the Northern Cape where Spitskop Dam turned up a BLACK-TAILED GODWIT and a RUDDY TURNSTONE yesterday whilst other records of interest from the province in the last few days include a PEARL-SPOTTED OWLET near Kimberley and a pair of BLACK-COLLARED BARBETS at Warrenton. Also slightly delayed from about 2 weeks ago, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park produced a PALLID HARRIER near the Kalahari Tented Camp and an AFRICAN CUCKOO at Craig Lockhart waterhole. |
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Cinnamon-breasted Bunting at Bergsig Wine Estate © Phillip Lennon | ||
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In Kwazulu Natal, an AFRICAN BARRED OWLET was reported from near Kumasinga hide in Mkhuze Game Reserve on the weekend whilst the long-staying male ARNOT’S CHAT at Zinkwazi seems to be on the move south and was reported yesterday at Blythedale.
Moving into Mpumalanga, the Komatipoort area is once again delivering good regional records with up to 30 YELLOW WEAVERS now present in the area at a “new” colony and no fewer than 4 YELLOW WAGTAILS being picked up in the area in the last few days. Elsewhere in the province, there are several GREATER FLAMINGOS being reported from Lower Sabie in the Kruger National Park (apparently viewable from the main restaurant deck looking down over the river) whilst a pair of BLACK SAW-WINGS were located yesterday at Orpen Dam.
The North-west Province also delivered some interesting regional records with 2 RUFOUS-EARED WARBLERS reported about 16km north-west of Carltonville (and about 1,3km away from the spot where one was reported earlier in the month) on Saturday whilst a pair of YELLOW-BELLIED GREENBULS were located at Borakalalo Nature Reserve on Thursday. | ||
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African Cuckoo at Craig Lockhart waterhole in the KTP © Mike Bridgeford | ||
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Yellow Wagtail at Komatipoort © Brian Phelps | Yellow Weaver at Komatipoort © Brian Phelps | |
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Please remember to send through your details to be included on the various listing clubs that are hosted at www.zestforbirds.co.za. This website also has an extensive rarities gallery that has many additional photos of a number of rarities that are mentioned in these reports. | ||
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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. | ||
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Kind regards Trevor | ||
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TREVOR HARDAKER Cape Town, South Africa
Follow our local exploits in the field at: http://hardakerwildlife.wordpress.com/
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SOUTHERN AFRICAN RARITIES Online database of all SA rarities ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | ||
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