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These are largely unconfirmed records published in recent Bulletins of the African Bird Club for information only.
The following records are from November 2006 - April 2007. An American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica was at Swakopmund sewage works on 29 November where it remained until at least 6 December; one was at Mile 4 salt works on 18 January, with a second individual subsequently, and both still present on 25 February. Three Pectoral Sandpipers Calidris melanotos were at Mile 4 salt works in Swakopmund on 20 February, two at the nearby sewage works on 14 March and one at Walvis Bay lagoon on 25 February. Common Redshanks Tringa totanus were reported from Mile 4 salt works on 1 November and 7 January, with at least three more there in January; three were also present on 14 March. Red-necked Phalaropes Phalaropus lobatus were at Walvis Bay on 23 November (no fewer than 24) and Mile 4 salt works on 24 January (three) and 14 March (one). At the latter site, a Common Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus was observed on 19 February. Africa’s second Elegant Tern Sterna elegans was discovered at a Sandwich Tern S. sandvicensis roost at Mile 4 salt works on 28 January and remained there until at least 14 March; this may well be the same bird that stayed in the Western Cape, South Africa, in January - February 2006.
The following records are from March–October 2006. Namibia’s first (and southern Africa's third) Western Reef Heron Egretta gularis was discovered near Kalizi Lodge in the Caprivi Strip on 16 June; a bird of the eastern race schistacea was reported from South Luangwa National Park in Zambia in February and also from Rondebult Bird Sanctuary, Gauteng, South Africa, in the second half of April; it is possible that all these sightings involved the same individual. An Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus was seen in Etosha National Park on 8 September. Common Redshanks Tringa totanus were reported from the Kunene River mouth on 22 February, at Mile 4 salt works in Swakopmund on 30 March, 10 April and 20 October, and at Walvis Bay on 10 September. A Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus were still at Mile 4 salt works, Swakopmund, on 30 March. Eleven Red-necked Phalaropes, found at Walvis Bay on 23 July, were still there on 15 August; one was also there on 1 October. At Swakopmund, a Franklin’s Gull Larus pipixcan was observed on 1 June. Two Lesser Black-backed Gulls L. fuscus and 20 Royal Terns Sterna maxima were at the Kunene River mouth on 22 February.
In mid-October 2005, the following were observed off Namibia's coast: Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans, Northern Royal Albatross D. (epomophora) sanfordi, Dark-mantled Sooty Albatross Phoebetria fusca, two Spectacled Petrels Procellaria (aequinoctialis) conspicillata and nine Red (Grey) Phalaropes Phalaropus fulicarius.
At Walvis Bay, a Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus, two Black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa and up to six Red-necked Phalaropes Phalaropus lobatus were seen on 16 December 2005 and last reported on 29 January. A Common Redshank Tringa totanus found at Swakopmund Saltworks on 8 January was still present at the end of February. A Red-necked Phalarope was at Swakopmund Saltworks on 20 January and a Red (Grey) Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius at Walvis Bay the next day.
In April-December 2005 the following were reported. A Little Penguin Eudyptula minor was photographed ashore on Ichaboe Island in mid-April 2005. This puzzling record is the first of this Australasian species for Africa and raises the question how the bird got here; the bird was captured and examined but showed no signs of prior captivity. Two Wandering Albatrosses Diomedea exulans were spotted c.60 nautical miles west of Walvis Bay on 22 July, with a Grey-headed Albatross D. chrysostoma in the same area next day. A European Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus was seen at Kalizo Lodge, east of Katima Mulilo, in the extreme north-east, on 6 December. Single Booted Eagles Hieraaetus pennatus were at Walvis Bay Sewage works on 22 October and 1 November.
Eurasian Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus were seen at Walvis Bay on 22 October 2005 and 1 November. Also at Walvis Bay, an American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica was found on 22 October. Single Common Redshanks Tringa totanus were seen throughout the period at Walvis Bay and / or Swakopmund. A Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus was at Walvis Bay on 30 October. Five Red-necked Phalaropes Phalaropus lobatus were at Walvis Bay on 3 June, with four also there on 14 November, and one at Mile 4, Swakopmund, on 4-5 November. Namibia’s first Lesser Crested Tern Sterna bengalensis was found at Mile 4 Salt Works, Swakopmund, on 5 May; it was last reported on 11 November. Also at Swakopmund, 20,000+ Common Terns S. hirundo were counted on 14 November, c.2,000 Black Terns Chlidonias niger on 24 October, with 4,000+ there on 14 November, and one White-winged Tern Ch. leucopterus on 5-6 and 13 November, with 40+ there on 14 November.
A Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea was found in Halali Camp, Etosha National Park, on 19 October; it remained there for some time and was photographed on 2 November. Also in Etosha, an Olive-tree Warbler Hippolais olivetorum was discovered near Namutoni on 24 November. Shelley’s Sunbird Cinnyris shelleyi was regularly observed and also photographed at Kalizo Lodge, near Katima Mulilo, in September–December.
In January-April 2005 the following were reported. Two Eurasian Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus were at Walvis Bay on 22 January. Thirteen Black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa were counted at Lake Liambezi, Caprivi Strip, on 2 January; at Swakopmund, one was present from on 28 February until 14 March at least. A Common Redshank Tringa totanus, found at Swakopmund on 12 January, remained until at least 14 March; another was at Walvis Bay on 22 January. Also at Walvis Bay on 22 January were four Red-necked Phalaropes Phalaropus lobatus, with one at Swakopmund on 28 February remaining until at least 14 March. A Common Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus was at Swakopmund on 12 January. The second Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica for Namibia was at Sikoma Island, Caprivi Strip, on 26 January.
Records from Walvis Bay on 10–11 November 2004 include a Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus, a Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos, two Black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa, six Red-necked Phalaropes Phalaropus lobatus and, rarest of all, a Wilson's Phalarope P. tricolor. A pair of Shelley's Sunbirds Cinnyris shelleyi was sighted regularly at Kalizo Lodge on the Zambezi, in the Caprivi Strip in September 2004; this species is very rarely observed in southern Africa.
Records in the period July 2003 to April 2004 include the following. A Streaky-breasted Flufftail Sarothrura boehmi was photographed north of Etosha in January. A Striped Crake Aenigmatolimnas marginalis was found in a flooded vlei at Katima in April. Eurasian Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus were reported from Swakopmund Salt Works on 3 July and from Walvis Bay in March and April; an adult has been at the latter site for the last four years at least. Walvis Bay also held a Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos on 15 March and two Black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa on 23 March. There were also two breeding plumaged adult females and an adult male Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus on 3 July; this species is regular at this site in the Austral summer (with up to 28 in 2003 and 2004) but unusual in July. Still at Walvis Bay, a Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica, which stayed from 23 March until 2 May, appears to be the first for Namibia. An Olive-tree Warbler Hippolais olivetorum, observed at length at the entrance to Mahango Game Reserve on 10 November, represents one of very few records in Namibia. At the same location, Northern Grey-headed Sparrows Passer griseus were recorded on 12 July and 10 November; this seems to be a westward range expansion for this species.
In February 2003, a Sooty Falcon Falco concolor was seen hunting for insects at dusk at Halali, Etosha National Park, on 13th. A Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva was observed at Swakopmund, at the mouth of the river, on 22nd. Also in 2003, on the Okavango River on the border of Namibia and Botswana, three large breeding colonies of African Skimmers Rynchops flavirostris were located in Mahango National Park and c50 chicks were ringed to mid October.
Records from November 2001 to March 2002 include the following. Southern Africa's third Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea was found at Walvis Bay on 14 March. An Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus was reported from Etosha National Park on 4 November. Single Eurasian Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus and Black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa were regularly seen at Walvis Bay throughout the period. Two Eurasian Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus were also found at Sandwich harbour, together with a Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus, on 22 January. Reports from the same site included two Broad-billed Sandpipers Limicola falcinellus on 14 April and a Hudsonian Godwit Limosa haemastica on 29 December, 6 to 9 February and 9 April. A Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus was observed at Rendu Sewage Works, in the north, on 31 January. Common Redshanks T. totanus were seen at Walvis Bay on 29 November (one), 12 January (four), 22 February (one) and 6 March (one), and at Swakopmund from 3 December to 3 January (two) and 2 March (two). Throughout the period, Red-necked Phalaropes Phalaropus lobatus were regularly found at Walvis Bay (highest number: five on 12 January) and Swakopmund (with up to four in December and three in March). Four Red Phalaropes P. fulicarius were at Walvis Bay Saltworks on 12 January and a flock of 81 was seen offshore on 11 March. A Franklin's Gull Larus pipixcan was discovered at the Swakop River mouth on 29 November and another at Walvis Bay on 7/8 February.
Last page update 10th December 2007
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