Jack Snipe and Standard winged N´Jar at Kleins camp

Hello all Finally there are a few rains coming through to spare the chronic drought. Definitely not broken, but there is a nice green flush up north. The day before yesterday I had a superb time at the bridge in front of Kogatende ranger Post. Common, Wood & Green Sandpiper feeding 'together', Goliath Heron, 2 Common Snipe, a flock of Grey-rumped Swallows and the highlight - JACK SNIPE! The bird flushed from right next to the road and settled, crouching low not 12m away. In this position we could see the distinctive split supercilium and also the short beak. The typical snipe golden stripes down the back were very bold & obvious. In flight a pale belly was evident and also a rather plain tail (no rufous or white) - a very exciting find for me. Quite a few other species were crowded in to th e muddy banks at this crossing - a pity we had to leave to get out of the park. The next highlight was this morning. 2 guides here at Klein's Camp and also 2 guests watched STANDARD-WINGED NIGHTJAR feeding around the carpark at the lodge!! (Patita Maya, Karipoi Nkaseri, Elizabeth Annand & Stella Gartland) I could hardly believe this report, but it seems that they had good views at 6:30am for about 10 minutes. What they noticed initially was 2 small birds chasing a nightjar and it couldn't shake them!!!!! that seems a fair explanation for the standards trailing behind the bird. They also had views of the bird sitting and could see the standards drooping. No white was seen at all eliminating possible confusion with Pennant-winged. I know it is far from its usual range, but perhaps the dry conditions are moving nightjars south as well. This is then the 9th nightjar species recorded at Kleins in the last year. I will be out this evening and early tomorrow to try for a look myself. Any comments on other records of either of these birds would be good to hear. Alastair Kilpin