SA Rare Bird News Report - 16 February 2023
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 Thursday, 16 February 2023.
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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Starting in the Western Cape, an ELEGANT TERN was found this afternoon at the mouth of the Goukamma River at Buffalo Bay on the Garden Route while the rest of the news was all about lingerers with 7 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES still at Kliphoek Salt Pans in Velddrif today, the PECTORAL SANDPIPER still at Paardevlei today and 5 RED KNOTS still at the Keurbooms River estuary in Plettenberg Bay on Tuesday.
Up in the Northern Cape, 3 BLACK-WINGED STILTS were reported at Moravet waterhole along the Upper Dune Road in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park on Monday.
The Eastern Cape chimed in with a single TEMMINCK’S COURSER found in Camdeboo National Park at -32.177, 24.499 this morning. | |||||||||
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Red-necked Phalarope at Kliphoek Salt Pans © Andre Strydom | Temminck’s Courser in Camdeboo National Park © Christiaan Viljoen | ||||||||
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Elegant Tern at the mouth of the Goukamma River © Albert McLean | |||||||||
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Kwazulu Natal remained fairly busy the past few days with a SLATY EGRET and a pair of ALLEN’S GALLINULES with 2 chicks reported at Muzi Pan this morning, the SOOTY FALCON still at the first traffic circle in Mbazwana today and another SOOTY FALCON reported at Pongola Game Reserve yesterday, Pongola Game Reserve also delivering a single DWARF BITTERN yesterday while no less than 3 DWARF BITTERNS were seen in a flooded pan in Mkuze Game Reserve at -27.589, 32.265 yesterday as well. Elsewhere, the AFRICAN SKIMMERS were still at the St Lucia estuary until at least Tuesday, a HOODED VULTURE was seen at Sungulwane Private Game Lodge on Tuesday and a BLACK HERON was reported south of Mooi River at -29.298, 29.979 yesterday. Perhaps the most interesting record, although totally untwitchable, was a BULWER’S PETREL found alongside the lagoon in Sodwana Bay on Sunday. The bird was in a poor state and taken into care at a rehab centre in Durban and is now doing much better. This would appear to be the first confirmed record of any Bulweria Petrel for the province. | |||||||||
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Bulwer’s Petrel found in Sodwana © Tracy Shaw | Hooded Vulture at Sungulwane Private Game Lodge © Keenan Houareau | ||||||||
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African Skimmers at the St Lucia estuary © Kobus Lubbe | |||||||||
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Gauteng delivered an immature LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL which was hanging out with Grey-headed Gulls on a flooded construction site next door to the Frontline Hyper on Playfair Boulevard in Sharpeville on Tuesday. | |||||||||
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Lesser Black-backed Gull in Sharpeville © Craig Whittington-Jones | Lesser Black-backed Gull in Sharpeville © Hennie Storm | ||||||||
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And finally, Limpopo continued to be front and centre in many twitchers’ minds as it continued to host the mega WHITE-THROATED BEE-EATERS which were still at the Nkulumbeni Bridge north of Shingwedzi in the Kruger National Park today, despite not being obviously on view for the early part of the morning. Now in their 6th day on site, this breaks all previous records for the longest stay of this species anywhere in Southern Africa! | |||||||||
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White-throated Bee-eater at Nkulumbeni bridge © Vince Ward | White-throated Bee-eater at Nkulumbeni bridge © Mario Paul | ||||||||
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White-throated Bee-eater at Nkulumbeni bridge © Johan van Tol | |||||||||
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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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