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    Zandvlei: Lower Estuary (34071828)

    Western Cape
    Card 506825
    Compiler 10691
    Location code 34071828Zandvlei: Lower Estuary (Western Cape)
    Start date 2018-01-20
    Season SSummer
    Start time 09:50
    End time 11:30
    Shoreline covered 90
    Openwater covered 95
    Total Species 21
    Total Count 1163
    Wetland Condition 2Partially full (mid tide for estuaries)
    Wetland Threats
    Count Condition 2Poor
    Count Type 5Mixed
    Nil Count (No birds present) 0There were CWAC species present
    Notes "The previous day the wind was blowing at 12 metres a second and gusting from the SE. Today at 06h00 there was little wind and it increased in strength to about 6 metres a second at around 10h30. Hardly weather for birds to be visible on the open water. At times the counters on the western shore gave up shouting at each other to be heard above the wind noise and this was less than half the wind strength yesterday. The day after 21/01/2018 there was little to no wind blowing, with hot and humid conditions during the morning to mid day. A slight breeze from the SW with the approach of a cold front. There were plenty of species of swifts, swallows and martins seen in the air all morning over the broader Zandvlei area and beyond. The water level throughout the main waterbody was low. There were very few birds seen on the main waterbody. They were sheltering elsewhere out of the wind. The southern Marina canals were not counted as the canoeists excused themselves from the count at 06h30. The northern canal canoeists excused themselves from going on the open water. So the Night Heron canals were not counted either. The mouth of the estuary was closed and the water level between the mouth and Thesens bridge was very low with a narrow shallow channel of water and large exposed sand beds. There was no water flow under the railway bridge at the confluence of the Keysers and Westlake Rivers. Plenty of Mexican water lily plants are evident in both rivers now. A very large flock of Spurwing Geese took off from the northern Keysers River area on the southern side of Military Road bridge while we were at the railway bridge. The only insects observed were the odd emperor dragonfly and robberfly along the pathways on the upper western shore."
    Survey notes


    Add additional observers
    Observer NumberNameOptions
    0Andrea von Gunten
     
    0Felicity Ellmore
     
    0Joel Radue
     
    0Leepele Leepele
     
    0Linda Hibbin
     
    0Lorraine McGibbon
     
    0Nontokozo Ngcobo
     

    Current data
    Ref #SpeciesCountBreeding
    Pairs    		Breeding
    indicator
    4Grebe, Great Crested
    (Podiceps cristatus)    		110
    47Cormorant, White-breasted
    (Phalacrocorax lucidus)    		60
    50Cormorant, Reed
    (Microcarbo africanus)    		320
    52Darter, African
    (Anhinga rufa)    		100
    54Heron, Grey
    (Ardea cinerea)    		10
    59Egret, Little
    (Egretta garzetta)    		30
    81Ibis, African Sacred
    (Threskiornis aethiopicus)    		90
    84Ibis, Hadada
    (Bostrychia hagedash)    		30
    85Spoonbill, African
    (Platalea alba)    		40
    89Goose, Egyptian
    (Alopochen aegyptiaca)    		3740
    96Duck, Yellow-billed
    (Anas undulata)    		190
    210Moorhen, Common
    (Gallinula chloropus)    		10
    212Coot, Red-knobbed
    (Fulica cristata)    		4330
    245Lapwing, Blacksmith
    (Vanellus armatus)    		510
    287Gull, Kelp
    (Larus dominicanus)    		360
    288Gull, Grey-headed
    (Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus)    		200
    289Gull, Hartlaub's
    (Chroicocephalus hartlaubii)    		1400
    291Tern, Common
    (Sterna hirundo)    		10
    296Tern, Sandwich
    (Thalasseus sandvicensis)    		30
    394Kingfisher, Pied
    (Ceryle rudis)    		50
    1016, Mallard
    (Anas platyrhynchos)    		10


    FITZ logo Ramsar Wetlands International http://www.sanbi.org/

    Thursday 25 April 2024 03:11
    FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology
    Department of Biological Sciences - University of Cape Town

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