SA Rare Bird News Report - 18 October 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 Monday, 18 October 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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Let’s get back to starting with the list of scarcities at the beginning of each report…
EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARD:
· One at Kavinga Safari Camp in Mana Pools National Park (Zimbabwe) yesterday. · One at Pretoriuskloof in Bethlehem (Free State) at -28.239 28.314 on Saturday. · One at the Lookout Restaurant over the gorge at Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) on Thursday. | |||||||||
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European Honey Buzzard at Kavinga Safari Camp © Roger MacDonald | European Honey Buzzard at Victoria Falls © Beks Masugu | ||||||||
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On to the rest of the news and, starting in the Western Cape, at least one PINK-BACKED PELICAN was still on Pan P2 at Strandfontein Sewage Works yesterday while AFRICAN PALM SWIFTS were reported at Dolphin Beach Pans (2 birds) this afternoon and at Rietvlei Wetland Reserve yesterday. A rather bizarre record was that of a single AFRICAN EMERALD CUCKOO reported at Algeria campsite in the Cederberg on Saturday, well out of range for this species and, also of interest, a group of at least 6 KNOB-BILLED DUCKS were reported about 15km south of Bredasdorp at -34.649, 20.074 this afternoon. Over on the Garden Route, the AFRICAN JACANA was still at Hartenbos Sewage Works at -34.11, 22.105 yesterday, a SQUACCO HERON was found at Island Lake in Wilderness at -33.992, 22.635 yesterday and a GOLIATH HERON was reported in Sedgefield at -34.017, 22.787 on Saturday.
Up in the Northern Cape, the single CASPIAN PLOVER remained on at New Holme Guest Farm near Hanover until at least Friday. | |||||||||
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Pink-backed Pelican at Strandfontein Sewage Works © Jenny Wentzel | African Jacana at Hartenbos Sewage Works © Estelle Smalberger | ||||||||
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Knob-billed Ducks south of Bredasdorp © Dean Boshoff | |||||||||
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Squacco Heron at Island Lake © Adrius Rabie | Caspian Plover at New Holme Guest Farm © Pieter Bester | ||||||||
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In the Eastern Cape, there was some local excitement when two BLACK HERONS were found at Tide Waters picnic site at Gonubie yesterday while other records of interest in the province included a WHITE-BACKED VULTURE seen at Amakhala Game Reserve again yesterday and a HOUSE CROW still at Cape Recife on Friday. | |||||||||
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Black Herons at Gonubie © Ian Field | Black Heron at Gonubie © Maree Marques | ||||||||
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Moving up the coast into Kwazulu Natal, pelagic trips out of Durban produced the goods with a trip on Friday turning up at least 4 BARAU’S PETRELS, a GREAT SHEARWATER and 6 SOOTY TERNS along with a possible GREY-FACED PETREL which, unfortunately, was seen while still on the way out, so no photos were obtained (should this species ever be confirmed, it would be a new record for the entire African continent), while a trip on Saturday managed another BARAU’S PETREL and GREAT SHEARWATER again with the other new addition being a TROPICAL SHEARWATER. Elsewhere in the province, a GREAT SNIPE was found at Lake Sibaya at -27.384, 32.685 yesterday, possibly the same returning individual that has been reported there in previous seasons, while a GREATER SAND PLOVER was found at the Umgeni River mouth in Durban this morning, the RUFOUS-BELLIED HERON was still at Amazibu hide on the Eastern Shores of iSimangaliso Wetland Park at -28.317, 32.437 this afternoon and a male MONTAGU’S HARRIER was seen over The Plain at Kube Yini Private Game Reserve on Friday. | |||||||||
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Barau’s Petrel on pelagic trip © Niall Perrins | Barau’s Petrel on pelagic trip © Don MacGillivray | ||||||||
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Great Shearwater on pelagic trip © Niall Perrins | Greater Sand Plover at Umgeni River estuary © Mike O’Donaghue | ||||||||
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Across in Mpumalanga, there was some local surprize when a BROAD-BILLED ROLLER was found in Kaapschehoop yesterday while the 2 AFRICAN SKIMMERS were still at Malelane bridge over the Crocodile River until at least Friday. Other notable records included no fewer than 5 COLLARED PRATINCOLES, 2 WHITE-FRONTED PLOVERS and a RUDDY TURNSTONE seen at Mkhombo Dam on Saturday while the GREAT WHITE PELICAN was still south of Leandra at -26.526, 28.856 on Saturday as well. | |||||||||
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Broad-billed Roller at Kaapschehoop © Johan Gouws | Ruddy Turnstone at Mkhombo Dam © Keanu Canto | ||||||||
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Collared Pratincole at Mkhombo Dam © Keanu Canto | White-fronted Plover at Mkhombo Dam © Keanu Canto | ||||||||
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Gauteng held on to the SLATY EGRET which was still at Walkhaven Dog Park in Muldersdrift yesterday.
Limpopo chimed in with a PECTORAL SANDPIPER found at Rooibosrant Dam in the Kruger National Park on Saturday. | |||||||||
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Slaty Egret at Walkhaven Dog Park © Philip Yiannakou | Pectoral Sandpiper at Rooibosrant Dam © Andre Botha | ||||||||
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Up in Namibia, a rather out of range WHITE-HEADED VULTURE was reported east of Windhoek at -22.602, 17.142 yesterday while the long-staying BLACK SPARROWHAWK was seen again in the blue gums at the water treatment facility at Rossmund golf course in Swakopmund on Friday.
Over in Botswana, it was all happening at Gaborone Dam yesterday where a EURASIAN WHIMBREL, a SANDERLING and a WHITE-FRONTED PLOVER were all enjoyed at the site. | |||||||||
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Black Sparrowhawk in Swakopmund © Dayne Braine | Eurasian Whimbrel at Gaborone Dam © Ian White | ||||||||
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Sanderling at Gaborone Dam © Ian White | White-fronted Plover at Gaborone Dam © Ian White | ||||||||
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And finally, in Mozambique, a pair of GREAT FRIGATEBIRDS were seen soaring over Barra lighthouse yesterday afternoon while there was also a rather unusual report of a RED-FOOTED FALCON seen at Lagoa Poelela, south of Inhambane, at -24.496, 35.012 yesterday. | |||||||||
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Great Frigatebird at Barra lighthouse © Etienne Marais | Great Frigatebird at Barra lighthouse © Michael Mandy | ||||||||
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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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