KWAZULU-NATAL RECORDER'S REPORT – FEBRUARY 2009

Hello fellow birders. Here, for our first KZN Birds edition for 2009, is a collection of the rare and unusual bird sightings from around KZN, and there is a good list as people have been very busy birding over the holidays. The most special (and spectacular) are undoubtedly the Golden Pipit from Mkuze and the Lesser Yellowlegs from Sappi Stanger, while the Pennant- winged Nightjar found dead by Malcolm Gemmell in Creighton is also remarkable. It is clear that many more records are being received now that people are out atlassing, and it just goes to show that the more people are out birding, the more unusual birds are seen!

RARITIES: HARLEQUIN QUAIL Coturnix delegorguei KZN Rarity One male found dead in Kingsmead Office Park, Durban, 10 January 2009, Tim Dubery (Rarity form submitted).

KNYSNA WOODPECKER Campethera notata KZN Rarity Reported from Umdoni Park, Pennington, 28 November 2008, Mike Buckham.

THICK-BILLED CUCKOO Pachycoccyx audeberti KZN Rarity Three juveniles being fed by Retz’s Helmet-Shrikes, Ndumo Game Reserve, last weekend of November 2008, reported by Crispin Hemson.

BLACK COUCAL Centropus grillii KZN Rarity One, Mt Moreland reed beds, 15 November 2008, Andrew Pickles.

PENNANT-WINGED NIGHTJAR Macrodipteryx vexillarius KZN Rarity One female found dead, Creighton, 11 January 2009, Malcolm Gemmell.

LESSER MOORHEN Gallinula angulata KZN Rarity Four, Weenen Game Reserve, 8 February 2009, Mrs Victor Roberts.

LESSER YELLOWLEGS Tringa flavipes National Rarity One, Mbozambo, Sappi Stanger, 24 December 2008, Richard Hurt, Athol Marchant and many others.

GREEN SANDPIPER Tringa ochropus National Rarity One, Northern Wastewater Treatment Works, Durban, 15 December 2008, Mike O’Donaghue.

PECTORAL SANDPIPER Calidris melanotis National Rarity One, Mbozambo, Sappi Stanger, 29 November 2008, Chris Macdonald, Bing Comrie and others (Rarity form submitted).

WILSON’S PHALAROPE Steganopus tricolor National Rarity One, Mbozambo, Sappi Stanger, 29 November 2008, Chris Macdonald, Bing Comrie and others (Rarity form submitted).

RED PHALAROPE Phalaropus fulicaria KZN Rarity Two, near foot of Sani Pass, 7 January 2009, (SA Rare Bird News Report). One, between Richmond and Ixopo, 17 January 2009, Trish Strachan (Rarity form submitted).

EURASIAN OYSTERCATCHER Haematopus ostralegus National Rarity One, Umfolozi River mouth, St Lucia, 12 November 2008, (SA Rare Bird News Report). One, Umfolozi River mouth, St Lucia, 11 December 2008, Themba Mthembu and Francois Rossouw. One, north of Umfolozi River mouth, St Lucia, 17 January 2009 and 12 February, (SA Rare Bird News Report).

PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER Pluvialis fulva National Rarity One, Muzi Pan, near Mkhuze, 21 December 2008, Dominic Rollison, Lucky Ngubane and others; 6 January 2009, Niall Perrins and others.

CRAB PLOVER Dromas ardeola National Rarity One, Umgeni River estuary, 20 December 2008, Joe Gillatt. One, Richards Bay harbour, 31 December 2008, Michael Blose. Two adults and one immature, Southern Sanctuary, Richards Bay, 8 January 2009, Sakhamuzi Mhlongo and Michael Blose; 31 January 2009, Peter Sharland.

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL Larus fuscus National Rarity One, Umgeni River mouth, 9 November 2008, Garth Aiston.

SOOTY TERN Sterna fuscata National Rarity Further to Guy Gibbon’s record from Vetch’s Pier on, 2 November 2008, another juvenile was photographed by Rob Hardstone at Salt Rock on the north coast later the same day, possibly the same bird.

BLACK TERN Chlidonias niger KZN Rarity One immature, Richards Bay harbour, 11 December 2008, (SA Rare Bird News Report). One, Northern Wastewater Treatment Works, Durban, 11 January 2009, Garth Aiston, Martin Taylor and Ismail Vahed (Rarity form submitted); 13 January 2009, Liz Ellis.

EUROPEAN HONEY-BUZZARD Pernis apivorus National Rarity One, Umhlanga Lagoon Nature Reserve, 8 December 2008, Richard Mckibbin. One, near Mtunzini, 22 January 2009, Andre Bernon; 30 January 2009, Rodney Owen.

BAT HAWK Macheiramphus alcinus KZN Rarity One, feeding on swallows over Mt Moreland reed bed, 14 November 2008, Andrew and Ivan Pickles (Rarity form submitted).

LESSER SPOTTED EAGLE Aquila pomarina KZN Rarity One adult, Mkhuze Game Reserve, 2 January 2009, Colin Summersgill (Rarity form submitted).

AYRES’S HAWK-EAGLE Aquila ayresii KZN Rarity One, Meerensee, Richards Bay, early January 2009, Duncan Pritchard. Two or three, Empangeni, 6 February 2009, Patrick Rollinson.

GREATER KESTREL Falco rupicoloides KZN Rarity One adult, near Winterton, 5 December 2008, A Manson (Rarity form submitted). A pair, between Newcastle and Volksrust, 13 January 2009, Roy Cowgill, Steve Davis and Judy Wheeler (Rarity form submitted).

PEREGRINE FALCON Falco peregrinus KZN Rarity One adult, Howick Falls, 23 November 2008, Lisl van Deventer (Rarity form submitted). Two adults, Cumberland Nature Reserve, 26 November 2008, Pam Nicol and others (Rarity form submitted). One adult, Weenen Game Reserve, 29 December 2008, A Manson (Rarity form submitted). One adult, Nsumo Pan, Mkuze, 2 January 2009, Colin Summersgill (Rarity form submitted).

SLATY EGRET Egretta vinaceigula National Rarity Still present at Nyamithi Pan, Ndumo Game Reserve on 29 November 2008, Crispin Hemson.

EURASIAN BITTERN Botaurus stellaris KZN Rarity One, Ntsikeni Vlei, Umzimkulu district, early December 2008, Ken Logan, Malcolm Gemmell, Trish Strachan (Rarity form submitted).

GREATER FRIGATEBIRD Fregata minor National Rarity One, over St Lucia mouth, 14 November 2008, Ricky Taylor. Seen subsequently on a number of occasions during November.

CORY’S SHEARWATER Calonectris diomedea KZN Rarity Eight to ten, offshore from Margate, 3 January 2009, Etienne Marais (Rarity form submitted).

KNYSNA WARBLER Bradypterus sylvaticus KZN Rarity Two heard calling, near Ramsgate, 4 January 2009, Etienne Marais (Rarity form submitted).

EASTERN CLAPPER LARK Mirafra fasciolata KZN Rarity Several displaying, Balelesberg, northern KZN, 7 and 8 November 2008, Trish Strachan and Tim Wood (Rarity forms submitted).

CAPPED WHEATEAR Oenanthe pileata KZN Rarity One immature, Westville, 2 January 2009, Derek and Hylton Spencer (Rarity form submitted).

PLAIN-BACKED SUNBIRD Anthreptes reichenowii National Rarity One, Ndumo Game Reserve, 18 November 2008, Derek Labuschagne and others.

GREY WAGTAIL Motacilla cinerea National Rarity One, at a crocodile farm, St Lucia, 5 January 2009, Johan Bezuidenhout.

GOLDEN PIPIT Tmetothylacus tenellus National Rarity One, Mkhuze Game Reserve, 28 December 2008, Brian and Gwynne Chedzey (Rarity form submitted).

OUT-OF-RANGE Broad-billed Roller One, Illovo Glen, Amanzimtoti, early December 2008, Rudy Böhmer.

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater One, Eston area, 29 November 2008, Barry Swaddle and Michael Manning.

Greater Painted-snipe One female and two males, Royal Durban Golf Course, Greyville, 11 December 2008, Tony and Roz Humphris and Hamish Campbell; 14 December 2008, Crystelle Wilson; 24 January 2009, Bob Rickards.

Bronze-winged Courser Two separate birds, Hillcrest, 17 and 18 January 2009, Howard Cook. One found dead, Creighton, 21 January 2009, Malcolm Gemmell and Mike Graham.

Palm-nut Vulture One, Brakfontein Game Farm near Vryheid, 16 December 2008, AP Keeve.

African Openbill One, near Liberty Mall, Pietermaritzburg, 14 December 2008, Brian McGrath, Duane Fischer and others.

Marabou Stork One, Midmar Game Reserve, 28 December 2008, John Carlyon.

Red-backed Shrike One, at 1600 m a.s.l. at the foot of Sani Pass, 16 November 2008, Pam Nicol and others.

Blue Swallow One subadult caught and ringed, Newcastle, 31 January 2009, Rina Pretorius.

OTHER SIGHTINGS African Black Oystercatcher Four, Umfolozi River mouth, St Lucia, 12 November 2008, (SA Rare Bird News Report). Six, Umfolozi River mouth, St Lucia, 11 December 2008, Themba Mthembu and Francois Rossouw. Two, San Lameer, early December 2008, (SA Rare Bird News Report). Twelve, between Umkomaas and Isipingo Beach, November 2008, Barry Swaddle and Michael Manning.

Red-footed Falcon One female, Muller’s Pass, between Newcastle and Memel, 5 February 2009, Zephné Bernitz and others.

Bush Blackcap One, in a garden near Palmiet Nature Reserve, 20 January 2009, Warren Friedman.

The following KZN records have been accepted by the KZN Rarities Committee and the National Rarities Committee since the last Honorary Recorder’s Report. These include records forwarded to the Committee for adjudication from SABAP2 field cards.

Species Observer Date Place Peregrine Falcon Liesl van Deventer 23-Nov-07 2925_3010 Flesh-footed Shearwater David Allan 06-Jul-08 Offshore Durban White-browed Sparrow-weaver Francois Furstenburg 24-Oct-08 Ndumo Black-rumped Buttonquail Iain Guthrie 06-Nov-08 2920_3000 Eastern Clapper Lark Tim Wood 07-Nov-08 2745_3020 Eastern Clapper Lark Trish Strachan 08-Nov-08 2735_3000 Booted Eagle MS Lee 09-Nov-08 2910_3125 Great Crested Grebe AP Keeve 15-Nov-08 2755_3055 Peregrine Falcon G Edlman 15-Nov-08 2940_2940 Peregrine Falcon Yvonne Craig 21-Nov-08 3040_3015 Booted Eagle Tim Wood 24-Nov-08 2755_3205 Booted Eagle Andy Ruffle 29-Nov-08 3100_3010 Greater Kestrel A Manson 07-Dec-08 2835_2910 Levaillant's Cuckoo Colin Summersgill 09-Dec-08 2840_2945 European Honey Buzzard Jeff Curnick 07-Jan-08 3015_3035

Caveat: the sightings recorded here have been submitted directly to me or have been posted on the SABirdNet, and have not been vetted by any rarities committee for validation unless otherwise noted. As such, the information presented here should be used with due consideration.

Steve Davis: Honorary Recorder 15 February 2009 Tel: 031 2054459 59 Edmonds Road e-mail: [email protected] Glenwood Fax: 031 2731302 4001