Bulletin NEWS Thursday August 4 2016 5 Scrub robin continues to draw twitchers KAREN WATKINS confused robin is the third largest twitch ever in southern African Abirding history. Over 735 twitchers have seen the celebrity so far, and counting, some bunk- ing work, others arriving in suits or heels. The rufous-tailed scrub robin was first seen at Zeekoevlei Nature Reserve on Sun- n The spotting of day July 17 by Claremont author Peter a rare bird a Steyn and Constantia doctor André Dem- rufous-tailed scrub blon (“Bird lovers in tizz over confused Robin,” Bulletin July 12). robin,pictured More than two weeks later it continues right,has caused a to be the centre of attention, drawing countrywide twitchers from all over. migration of It’s a fitting celebration for South twitchers to African Rare Bird News (SARBN) eighth Zeekoeivlei. birthday with its first report going out on 31 July 2008. PICTURES:PETER RYAN Trevor Hardaker, who compiles SARBN, is keeping a record of visitors who photos ensued. should head back to its wintering have seen the latest feathered celebrity, Professor Peter Ryan of UCT’s Percy grounds,” he said. saying 594 are from the Western Cape fol- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithol- Asked about diet, he said these birds lowed by 113 from Gauteng. ogy says the rufous-tailed scrub robin is are generalists, taking a mix of inverts and Three twitchers apiece came from most likely a “reverse migrant” – a bird fruits. KwaZulu-Natal and Botswana, and one that gets its heading out by 180 degrees. The first largest twitch goes to a Spot- each from North West, Limpopo and “So instead of heading north from its ted Crake with 1 470 twitchers visiting the Namibia. Eight came from the Eastern wintering grounds in north Africa, it came bird at Waterfall Estate in January 2016, Cape – Stutterheim, Grahamstown, Graaff- south. It probably arrived in May or June, present for 43 days. Reinet and Port Elizabeth – and seven and was simply overlooked until Peter and Second place goes to a Snowy Egret from the Free State with four from Andre stumbled onto it,” he said. with 1 110 twitchers visiting the Black Mpumalanga. Asked what the triggers are for its River in June 2015, present for 24 days. On the SA Rare Birds Facebook page, future plans and if it could possibly mate Another local sighting was the Little Peter Sharland describes embarking on with a local robin, Professor Ryan said Crake, drawing 607 twitchers at Clovelly in the Long Twitch from Punda Maria chances were very slim indeed. March 2012, present for 13 days. (Kruger National Park) for OR Tambo, “The closest relative in the local area is Mr Hardaker thanked everyone who blowing a gasket along the way. Arriving at the Karoo scrub robin, but there are none had provided the information to keep Zeekoevlei, at 10am, they were initially in the immediate vicinity of Zeekoevlei. If SARBN up to date, the photos to illustrate frustrated until later in the day as the bird it isn’t predated, it might hang around the reports and the camaraderie on all the showed really well and cracking views and until September or October, when it various twitches..