KWAZULU-NATAL RECORDER’S REPORT - MARCH 2003

Greetings birders, and here is the first report for 2003. As a result of the large number of sightings that are being reported, I have abbreviated the format of the reports slightly to conserve space - so I hope I don’t upset the English language purists. The major events have been many Honey Buzzards and a large influx of Corncrakes, which have been popping up all over the province. According to our Branch President, Prof Steven Piper, this increase in Corncrake numbers could be due to the poor economic conditions in Russia leading to fields not being ploughed and hence prime breeding conditions for Corncrakes. Did I hear mention of the butterfly wing effect?

Thanks also to Hugh Chittenden for his comments on Delegorgue’s Pigeon as follows. “There is a fairly high population there [Nkandla Forest] (probably greater than Dlinza and Ntumeni put together) and since the Natal Atlas days I have recorded it most months of the year there. In fact, it is one of the easiest places in the country to see this species and certainly not an out of range locality. Interestingly, probably the highest density in Southern Africa is on Mt.Gorongosa.”

RARITIES: 46 BLACK-BELLIED STORM PETREL Fregetta tropica KwaZulu-Natal Rarity One, 20 km to sea off Richards Bay, 28 September 2002, Andrew Sutherland.

75 RUFOUS-BELLIED HERON Butorides rufiventris Kwa-Zulu-Natal Rarity Two, Sileza Nature Reserve, December, Greg Davies.

77 WHITE-BACKED NIGHT HERON Gorsachius leuconotus KwaZulu-Natal Rarity Along Mzinene River, Phinda, December 2002, Ashwell Glasson.

80 BITTERN Botaurus stellaris Kwa-Zulu-Natal Rarity One heard, Blood River Vlei, 1 March 2003, David Hoddinott.

130 HONEY BUZZARD Pernis apivorus National Rarity One pale phase, Ndumo Game Reserve, December, Greg Davies. One normal phase, Mt Moreland, Durban, December 2002, Greg Davies and Hamish Campbell. One adult, one juvenile, Summerveld, Assagay, 6 December 2003 - 2nd February 2003, Peter Wragg. One, Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve, 26 January 2003, Murray Christian. One, Mpofini Game Lodge, Vryheid, 1 March 2003, Duncan McKenzie and others.

134 LESSER SPOTTED EAGLE Aquila pomarina Kwa-Zulu-Natal Rarity One adult, one juvenile, Ndumo Game Reserve, December, Greg Davies.

136 BOOTED EAGLE Hieraaetus pennatus KwaZulu-Natal Rarity One pale phase, Summerveld, Assagay, 29 January 2003, Peter Wragg and Andrew Kruger. One, Glenwood, Durban, March 2003, Wilma Boon.

166 MONTAGU’S HARRIER Circus pygargus Kwa-Zulu-Natal Rarity Present at Phinda Resources Reserve, December 2002 to February 2003, Ashwell Glasson. One, Nibela Peninsula, Lake St Lucia, 22/23 February 2003, Andrew Sutherland and Alastair Kilpin. One female, Mt Moreland, end of February 2003, Erik Forsyth and Mike O’Donoghue.

167 PALLID HARRIER Circus macrourus Kwa-Zulu-Natal Rarity One, La Mercy, 22 December 2002, Geoff Nichols. Two males, Ozabeni, Maputaland, 22/23 February 2003, Andrew Sutherland and Alastair Kilpin.

171 PEREGRINE FALCON Falco peregrinus Kwa-Zulu-Natal Rarity One, Red Cliffs, Ndumo Game Reserve, 12 December 2002, Derek Spencer, Margie Hoile, Joe and Heather Mulraney. One, Red Cliffs, Ndumo Game Reserve, December 2002, Greg Davies. One seen on a few occasions, Phinda Game Reserve, mid-February, Alastair Kilpin, Ashwell Glasson and others. One, Nibela Peninsula, Lake St Lucia, 22/23 February 2003, Andrew Sutherland and Alastair Kilpin. Two, Sterkspruit Quarry, between Shongweni and Hammarsdale, 27 February 2003, Peter Wragg, Jenny Dean and Guido van Besouw.

201 HARLEQUIN QUAIL Coturnix delegorguei Kwa-Zulu-Natal Rarity A pair, farmland near Blood River Vlei, 2 March 2003, Steve Davis, Roy Cowgill, Duncan Pritchard, Pat Brenchley, Aldo Berruti and Karen Marx.

206 BLACK-RUMPED BUTTONQUAIL Turnix hottentotta KwaZulu-Natal Rarity A couple near Creighton, 23 February 2003, Malcolm Gemmell and members of BirdLife Port Natal.

214 SPOTTED CRAKE Porzana porzana Kwa-Zulu-Natal Rarity One found freshly dead, Sappi Tranquila Hide, Stanger, 27 January 2003, Richard White.

224 LESSER GALLINULE Porphyrula alleni KwaZulu-Natal Rarity One, Shokwe Pan, Ndumo Game Reserve, December 2002, Greg Davies. A few, Sappi Tranquila Hide, Stanger, 26 January 2003, Chris and Rie Mathews. A few, Mzinene River, Phinda Game Reserve, mid-February, Ashwell Glasson. One, Muzi Pan, Maputaland, 22/23 February 2003, Andrew Sutherland and Alastair Kilpin.

227 LESSER MOORHEN Gallinula angulata KwaZulu-Natal Rarity One, Muzi Swamp, Tembe Elephant Park, 11 December 2002, Derek Spencer, Margie Hoile, Joe and Heather Mulraney.

244 AFRICAN BLACK OYSTERCATCHER Haemotopus moquini KwaZulu-Natal Rarity Three, Kosi River mouth, end of December 2002, Duncan Pritchard.

247 CHESTNUT-BANDED PLOVER Charadrius pallidus Kwa-Zulu-Natal Rarity One, Richards Bay Sanctuary, 7 September 2002, Andrew Sutherland.

253 ASIATIC GOLDEN PLOVER Pluvialis fulva National Rarity One, Richards Bay Estuary, 14 December 2002, Colin Valentine.

265 GREEN SANDPIPER Tringa ochropus National Rarity One, Creighton area, 9 December 2002, Malcolm Gemmell and others. One, Banzi Pan, Ndumo Game Reserve, 10 December 2002, Etienne Marais. One, Memorial Gate, Hluhluwe Game Reserve, 14 December 2002, Colin Valentine.

279 PECTORAL SANDPIPER Calidris melanotos National Rarity Two, Blood River Vlei, 1/2 March 2003, David Hoddinott and others.

283 BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER Limicola falcinellus National Rarity One, Richards Bay Estuary, 14 December 2002, Colin Valentine. Four, Richards Bay Sanctuary, 22 December 2002, Andrew Sutherland.

318 SABINE’S GULL Larus sabini KwaZulu-Natal Rarity One, on a pelagic off Richards Bay, 28 September 2002, Andrew Sutherland.

317 FRANKLIN’S GULL Larus pipixcan National Rarity Two, North Beach, Durban, 24 December 2002, reported by David Allan.

332 SOOTY TERN Sterna fuscata National Rarity One, off Kosi Mouth, 31 December 2002, Duncan Pritchard.

388 BLACK COUCAL Centropus bengalensis Kwa-Zulu-Natal Rarity One, Mt Moreland, Durban, December 2002, Geoff Nichols. Four, Malala Lodge, Hluhluwe, early January 2003, James Harvey and Louise Warburton. One, La Mercy, near Ballito, 16 January 2003, Murray Christian and Hamish Campbell. Still present at Mt Moreland/La Mercy, 10 February 2003, Jenny Norman.

398 PEARL-SPOTTED OWL Glaucidium perlatum Kwa-Zulu-Natal Rarity One, Weenen Nature Reserve, 16 December 2002, Tony Clarkson.

402 GIANT EAGLE OWL Bubo lacteus KwaZulu-Natal Rarity One, at Malala Lodge, Zululand, 9 December 2002, James Harvey.

407 NATAL NIGHTJAR Caprimulgus natalensis KwaZulu-Natal Rarity Resident at Amatikulu Nature Reserve, reported by Local Guides.

436 GREY-HOODED KINGFISHER Halcyon leucocephala KwaZulu-Natal Rarity Near Mvubu Dam, Phinda, December 2002 to February 2003, Ashwell Glasson.

505 DUSKY LARK Pinarocorys nigricans KwaZulu-Natal Rarity Several, Phinda Resources Reserve, mid-February 2003, Ashwell Glasson.

640 KNYSNA WARBLER Bradypterus sylvaticus KwaZulu-Natal Rarity One, Ingeli Forest, Harding, 22 February 2003, Mark Caulton and others.

665 DESERT CISTICOLA Cisticola aridula KwaZulu-Natal Rarity One displaying, Cliffdale, near Shongweni, 23 February 2003, Peter Wragg.

822 RED-HEADED QUELEA Quelea erythrops KwaZulu-Natal Rarity Several, berm wall, Richards Bay, 14 December 2002, Colin Valentine. A small flock, Sileza Nature Reserve, December 2002, Greg Davies. Small flocks, Thulazihleka Pan, Richards Bay, Christmas 2002, Andrew Sutherland. Several, Phinda Resources Reserve, early February, Ashwell Glasson.

OUT-OF-RANGE SIGHTINGS: 114 PYGMY GOOSE A pair, on a farm dam near Highflats, January 2003, Trish Strachan. One male, Bluff Nature Reserve, 16 February 2003, Tim Dubery. Several, Lynspruit Dam, Vryheid, 1 March 2003, David Hoddinott and others.

135 WAHLBERG’S EAGLE A pair breeding on a farm near Highflats, January 2003, Trish Strachan.

180 EASTERN REDFOOTED KESTREL One male, Summerveld, Assagay, January 2003, Peter Wragg.

241 LESSER JACANA A few at Lynspruit Dam, Vryheid, 1 March 2003, David Hoddinott and others.

599 HEUGLIN’S ROBIN One, on a farm between Richards Bay and Empangeni, 11 February 2003, Duncan Pritchard, Bruce Nicholson, Pete Outhwaite, Ben Baxter and Rynard Kok.

OTHER SIGHTINGS: 88 Saddle-billed Stork A pair, Sileza Nature Reserve, December 2002, Greg Davies.

128 Cuckoo Hawk Two, Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve, 19 January 2003, Francois and Wendy de Sornay. One, Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve, 26 January 2003, Murray Christian.

142 Brown Snake Eagle One, between Ramsgate and South Broome, 10 January, Peter Wragg

144 Southern Banded Snake Eagle One, Shokwe Pan, Ndumo Game Reserve, December, Greg Davies.

173 Hobby Falcon One, over Pigeon Valley, Durban, 4 December 2002, David A?

175 Sooty Falcon One, Shokwe Pan, Ndumo, December 2002, Derek Spencer and Margie Hoile. One, on a farm between Richards Bay and Empangeni, 11 February 2003, Duncan Pritchard, Bruce Nicholson , Pete Outhwaite, Ben Baxter and Rynard Kok.

211 Corncrake One, Inchanga, 8/9 December 2002, Peter and Trish Dinkelmann. Three, Mt Moreland, Durban, December 2002, Greg Davies and Hamish Campbell. One, La Mercy, near Ballito, 12 January 2003, Murray Christian and Alistair McInnes. One, Summerveld, Assagay, 29 January 2003, Peter Wragg and Andrew Kruger. Still present at Mt Moreland/La Mercy, 10 February 2003, Jenny Norman. Two, on a farm between Richards Bay and Empangeni, 11 February 2003, Duncan Pritchard, Bruce Nicholson , Pete Outhwaite, Ben Baxter and Rynard Kok. One, Mt Moreland, end of February 2003, Erik Forsyth and Mike O’Donoghue.

250 Mongolian Plover One, Richards Bay Sanctuary, 15/16 February 2003, Andrew Sutherland.

288 Bar-tailed Godwit One, Ndumo Game Reserve, December 2002, Derek Spencer and Margie Hoile.

351 Delegorgue’s Pigeon Three, Mbona Mountain Estate, Karkloof, January to March 2003, Keith Cooper.

463 Ground Hornbill Two, Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve, 29 December 2002, Hamish Campbell.

532 Sand Martin One, Umhlanga Ponds, 7 February 2003, Andrew Kruger.

543 European Golden Oriole One, Umkomaas, mid January 2003, Gina Baldo.

640 Knysna Warbler One, Inyoni Manor between Ramsgate and South Broome, 10 January 2003, Peter Wragg.

642 Broad-tailed Warbler One, singing, Vryheid Hill Nature Reserve, 28 February 2003, Duncan McKenzie and others.

714 Yellow Wagtail Several of the thunbergi race, Blood River Vlei, 1 March 2003, David Hoddinott, Duncan McKenzie and others.

725 Yellow-breasted Pipit Three pairs, one carrying food, Ntsikeni Nature Reserve near Swartberg, 16 February 2003, Malcolm Gemmell, Roy Cowgill and Steve Davis.

731 Lesser Grey Shrike One, Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve, 29 December 2002, Hamish Campbell.

Steve Davis: Honorary Recorder 9 March 2003 Tel: 031 2054459 59 Edmonds Road e-mail: [email protected] Glenwood Fax: 031 2731302 4001