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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.

On a pelagic out of Cape Town, Africa’s first Grey-backed Storm-petrel Oceanites nereis was photographed on 14 April. Another Cape pelagic on 24 February yielded a Northern Royal Albatross Diomedea (epomophora) sanfordi and a Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinus pacificus. Seabirds seen during a two-week trip 140 - 160 nautical miles south of Cape Agulhas in early February included five Wandering Albatrosses D. exulans, a Northern Royal Albatross, two Sooty Albatrosses Phoebetria fusca, a Grey Petrel Procellaria cinerea, and several Leach’s Oceanodroma leucorhoa and White-bellied Storm-petrels Fregetta grallaria.

The Wedge-tailed Shearwater which has visited Bird Island, Algoa Bay, Eastern Cape, over several seasons was seen again on 17 November. Two vagrant penguins were recorded, both near St Francis Bay, Eastern Cape: a moulting King Penguin Aptenodytes patagonicus came ashore on 22 January and a subadult Macaroni Penguin Eudyptes chrysolophus, also about to moult, on 21 February; both were taken to a rehabilitation centre. It is most likely that they were taken aboard ships and then dumped before docking. A Red-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon rubricauda flew over Aston Bay, Eastern Cape, on 2 December; another, first reported on 11 April from St Francis Bay, Eastern Cape, was seen intermittently for the rest of the month. An unringed Australian Gannet Morus serrator was on Bird Island in Algoa Bay, Eastern Cape, on 17 November; as all previous individuals at the site have been ringed, this was assumed to be a new arrival; another was noted on 19 March. A Greater Frigatebird Fregata minor was soaring over the Umlazi River, near Mtunzini, KwaZulu-Natal, on 10 February.

Single Slaty Egrets Egretta vinaceigula were reported from Marievale Bird Sanctuary, Gauteng, on 2 December, and Zaagkuildrift, Limpopo Province, on 18 February. Southern Africa’s third Little Blue Heron E. caerulea, discovered near Papendorp, near the mouth of the Olifants River, Western Cape, on 10 November 2001, was still present in March. Noteworthy raptors include a Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus at Seekoevlei, Memel, Free State, on 12 November, with another near St Lucia, KwaZulu-Natal, on 10 December, and an adult Sooty Falcon Falco concolor at Madikwe Game Reserve, North-West Province, on 5 December.

In the Western Cape, single Eurasian Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus were seen near De Hoop Nature Reserve on 30 November and near Hermanus on 10 January. A Rock Pratincole Glareola nuchalis was discovered at Albasini Dam, Limpopo Province, on 4 November, where it remained until at least 6th; there are few records for South Africa. The Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva at De Mond Nature Reserve, Western Cape, on 28 October remained until at least 4 January; others were reported from Geelbek, West Coast National Park, Western Cape, on 18 February, St Francis Bay, Eastern Cape, on 8-10 March at least, near Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, on 17-21 March at least. A White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis at Velddrif, Western Cape, on 12 November was the 15th record for South Africa; another two were at Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, on 18 January and still present on 16 March. Pectoral Sandpipers C. melanotos were at De Mond Nature Reserve, Western Cape, on 3 November; at Stanger, north of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, on 16 November; near Mossel Bay, Western Cape, on 25 November; near Bazley Beach, KwaZulu-Natal, on 19 December; at Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, on 18 January (two); north of Polokwane, Limpopo, on 4-11 February; and at Pafuri, Kruger National Park, on 14 February. Five Black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa were near Jan Kempdorp, Northern Cape, on 21 February and three at Velddrif, Western Cape, on 4 April. Common Redshanks Tringa totanus were at Velddrif on 8 December and 17 January (two; Lake Sibaya, KwaZulu-Natal, on 4 January; West Coast National Park, Western Cape, from 9 January until 25 February and from 24 March until at least 8 April. Green Sandpipers T. ochropus were observed at different localities in Kruger National Park on 26 November, 10 December, 4 January, 6 January and 28 January. Five Red-necked Phalaropes Phalaropus lobatus at Velddrif, Western Cape, on 13 November were still present on 17 December, with at least four there on 19 January; one was at Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, on 28 January. Two Red Phalaropes P. fulicarius were seen on a Cape pelagic trip on 27 January; singles were at Wakkerstroom, Mpumalanga, on 15 February, Ruigtehoek dam in Pilanesberg National Park, North-West Province, on 18 February, and Kamfers Dam, Kimberley, Northern Cape, on 16 March.

A Franklin’s Gull Larus pipixcan was at Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, on 17 January; one was at Strandfontein sewage works, Western Cape, on 14 February and 20 March. Common Black-headed Gulls L. ridibundus were reported from the Port Elizabeth area, Eastern Cape, on 6 November (from late September; Hermanus, Western Cape, on 19 November (two); Barberspan, North-West Province, on 20 November, Mossel Bay, Western Cape, on 21 November; Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, on 23-26 November; and Roodeplaat Dam Nature Reserve, Gauteng, on 22 April. A Lesser Black-backed Gull L. fuscus was near Nottingham Road, KwaZulu-Natal, on 15 January. A Bridled Tern Sterna anaethetus was in a tern roost on Dassen Island, Western Cape, on 8 January, whilst the individual from Cape Recife returned for its seventh season on 7 March. A Sooty Tern S. fuscata was at Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, on 23 November. Also in KwaZulu-Natal, at Cape Vidal, a young Brown Noddy Anous stolidus was observed on 24 February.

The presence of a Madagascar Cuckoo Cuculus rochii at Phinda, KwaZulu-Natal, was confirmed on 28 January. A female Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis was identified at Augrabies Falls National Park, Northern Cape, on 30 April.

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The following records are from January - November 2006.

On pelagic trips out of Cape Town the following interesting albatrosses were seen: Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans on 21 May, 23 July and 5 August; Southern Royal Albatross D. (epomophora) epomophora, singles on 1 and 16 September; Northern Royal Albatross D. (e.) sanfordi between 13 and 16 April; singles on 21 May, 8 and 29 July, 5 August, 16 September and 15 October, with one over the Agulhas Banks on 9 May; Salvin’s Albatross Thalassarche (cauta) salvini on 2 September (one), with a few probables in September - October and one off the west coast in late May; Chatham Albatross T. (cauta) eremita on 10 July, the third record for southern Africa; Grey-headed Albatross T. chrysostoma on 10 July and 5, 6 and 21 August. Other seabirds included Flesh-footed Shearwater Puffinus carneipes on 14 February, 11 March and 14 and 21 October, and a South Polar Skua Catharacta maccormicki on 8 July.

A White-headed Petrel Pterodroma lessonii was observed over the Agulhas Banks on 9 May; this is a very rare species in southern African waters, with only a few confirmed sightings. A Little Shearwater Puffinus assimilis was spotted from Cape Point on 12 August. A Red-footed Booby Sula sula was found dead in Durban Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, on 26 April and one was seen c.35 nautical miles off Durban on 2 July. Two Brown Boobies S. leucogaster were offshore of Gariep (Orange) River mouth, Northern Cape, on 2 July, and one was near Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal, on 22 July. Also in KwaZulu-Natal, single Greater Frigatebirds Fregata minor were seen at Richards Bay on 5 January and at Kosi Bay on 11 January. A Red-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon rubricauda was at Plettenberg Bay Lagoon, Western Cape, on 8 July.

Two Slaty Egrets Egretta vinaceigula were present at Marievale Bird Sanctuary, Gauteng, from 2 January until at least late February; an immature found near Nieuwoudtville, Northern Cape, on 17 September, was still there a week later. South Africa’s long-staying Little Blue Heron E. caerulea was still present at the Olifants River mouth at Papendorp, Western Cape, in September. The second Western Reef Heron E. gularis for southern Africa stayed at the Rondebult Bird Sanctuary, Gauteng, from 15 April until at least the end of the month; it was of the eastern race schistacea, whereas the first record, from Cape Town, was of the nominate race.

A juvenile Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus was observed in the Magaliesberg, Gauteng, on 22 January and an adult near Idutywa in the Transkei on 4 February; the latter record suggests the presence of a relict population there. Western Marsh Harriers Circus aeruginosus were reported from Marievale Bird Sanctuary, Gauteng, from 2 January until late February, with one still there on 1 March; from Krugerdrift Dam near Bloemfontein, Free State, on 3–8 January; from Wakkerstroom, Mpumalanga, on 29 January and 8 March; and from Zeekoeivlei, Memel, Free State, on 19 November.

Sandpipers T. ochropus were at Darvill Bird Sanctuary, KwaZulu-Natal, on 7 January; one was at Maloto, Gauteng, on 11 - 16 January; one at Sunninghill, Gauteng, on 12 January; one at Wolfhuiskraal, north of Pretoria, on 15 January; and one at Marievale Bird Sanctuary, Gauteng, on 30 March. Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus records include one still present at Stiltbaai sewage works, Western Cape, on 3 January and last seen there on 21st; seven at Velddrif, Western Cape, on 9 January, with one there on 21 October; one at Strandfontein on 8 February, still present at the end of April; one in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park on 16 February; five at Velddrif on 13 November, with two still there on 19th. Single Red Phalaropes P. fulicarius were at Spitskop Dam, north of Kimberley, on 31 January, at Darvill Bird Sanctuary, KwaZulu-Natal, on 1 February and at Kgaswane Mountain Reserve, North West Province, on 26 February.

Five or six Franklin’s Gulls Larus pipixcan were found: one at Strandfontein sewage works, Western Cape, on 14 January, subsequently assumed to be two birds, with one last reported on 24 April; one at Lambert’s Bay, Western Cape, on 29 January; one along the Liesbeek River in Mowbray, Cape Town, on 21 March; one at Mseni Lodge in Sodwana, KwaZulu-Natal, on 18 - 19 May; and one at Umdloti Lagoon, Durban, on 5 - 13 July. Records of Common Black-headed Gulls L. ridibundus include one at Durban Bay on 5 January and 14 October, one at the Umgeni River mouth, Durban, on 11 May, one at Welkom, Free State, on 22 August, one at Lambert’s Bay, Western Cape, on 10 September, one in the Port Elizabeth area, Eastern Cape, on 28 September, and two off Hermanus, Western Cape, on 20 November. A Lesser Black-backed Gull L. fuscus was seen at Oranjeville on the Vaal Dam on 20 March. A Heuglin’s Gull L. heuglini in Durban harbour on 30 June and present until at least 29 July may well be the 2005 individual.

The record of a Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica in West Coast National Park, Western Cape, on 21 January is apparently the 23rd for Southern Africa; another was found at Kromme River mouth, St Francis Bay, Eastern Cape, on 20 September, where it remained until at least 26th. An exhausted Sooty Tern S. fuscata was found beside a road in Kruger National Park on 5 January and another at Mtunzini, KwaZulu-Natal, on 4 October. A Bridled Tern S. anaethetus was observed at Lambert’s Bay, Western Cape, on 17 January and another at Sundays River mouth, Eastern Cape, on 2 February. The regularly returning individual at Cape Recife, Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, was back on 25 March; it was seen again on 4 June and remained until at least 4 July. Africa’s first Elegant Tern S. elegans was discovered at Strandfontein sewage works, Western Cape, on 18 January and last seen on 18 February. Towards the end of its stay, a second bird presumed to be another Elegant Tern was found.

At Phinda Private Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, a Madagascar Cuckoo Cuculus rochii stayed from 5 February until at least 15th; what was assumed to be the same bird returned in early November. Southern Africa’s eighth White-throated Bee-eater Merops albicollis was discovered in the East London area, Eastern Cape, on 25 September. Grey Wagtails Motacilla cinerea were found at Hogsback, Eastern Cape, on 21 January, at Constantia, Cape Town, on 20 May and at Strandfontein, Western Cape, on 16 September. A male Irania Irania gutturalis photographed near Williston, Northern Cape, on 15 July, was the first for South Africa and the first record south of the species’ East African wintering grounds; despite intensive searching the bird could not be relocated in the next few days.

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Last page update 17th December 2007