Another rare visitor to the southern Free State

Earlier this year I have seen European Rollers (Coracias garrulus) on three occasions in the vicinity of Aliwal North – twice in the southern Free State and once in the northern extremes of the Eastern Cape (see post in archive). It was quite surprising to observe these birds in our area after being living here for nearly 17 years without once seeing them – and then suddenly three sightings within three weeks.

This weekend I had been surprised by another rarity for our region – a Lilac-breasted Roller (Coracias caudata). Saturday afternoon while travelling to Zastron we spotted this Roller for the first time. Unfortunately we had to pass and could not stop to take a closer look. The wind was blowing strongly, but the long tail rectrices were conspicuous as the wind blew the bird from its perch on the telephone post.

Early this morning I went out to atlas the pentad for SABAP2. It was quite chilly and the mist on the river made for a wonderful scene. At first I passed the location where we spotted the Roller on Saturday. I atlased some other habitats in the pentad. On my return along the route I scanned the high trees and bushes in the hope to find the Roller again. After a visit to the farm dam where we counted a few waterbird species, I spotted a bird perching on the power line. It allowed us to come nearer and I frantically took photos from a distance in the fear it may fly off. Eventually I could stop right beneath the perch on the power line and could take a few close up shots. The bird seemed quite at ease and it seems as if it were settled in to stay in this area. It did not even look uncomfortable with the car right under the power line and the people watching it through their binoculars.

This one is a rarity for our region and definitely a first record for the bird atlas for the southern Free State.

Rollers out of range

In three weeks I had observed no less than three European Rollers (Coracias garrulus) in close proximity of my home town, Aliwal North. I have been staying here for more than 16 years and this is the first time I have spotted them. I know of one other sighting in the vicinity in the past.

The first sighting was on 16.01.2009 on the N6 just north of Rouxville (at S30.34382 E26.74455). Unfortunately I did not have my camera with me as we were not birding but on our way to Bloemfontein, but the single bird perched on the telephone line allowed us good views for more than five minutes.

Just a week later, on Friday 23.01.2009, I was fortunate enough to have another sighting. This time the camera had been ready for anything that might pop up along the road. Once again the bird had been perching on the telephone line next to the road. It was as if posing in the late afternoon sun. The co-ordinates are: S30.79603 E26.45507 – a mere 26 km from Aliwal North and I had been busy atlasing - so the sighting will be recorded in the new bird atlas (SABAP2) we are working on now.

Nine days later, while en route to Goedemoed, I had the third sighting of this beautiful migrant. It perched on the farm fence – S30.56220 E26.46702. Sadly enough I had not learned the lesson to take my camera with me – especially when I'm not birding, because then one can expect the unexpected. So nowadays the camera is put next to my binoculars – lesson learned!