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    Zandvlei: Lower Estuary (34071828)

    Western Cape
    Card 508107
    Compiler 10691
    Location code 34071828Zandvlei: Lower Estuary (Western Cape)
    Start date 2019-10-26
    Season OOther
    Start time 09:45
    End time 11:45
    Shoreline covered 100
    Openwater covered 95
    Total Species 26
    Total Count 583
    Wetland Condition 2Partially full (mid tide for estuaries)
    Wetland Threats
    Count Condition 5Ideal
    Count Type 1On foot
    Nil Count (No birds present) 0There were CWAC species present
    Notes "Yesterday it rained the equivalent of August and September's total monthly rainfall. Today the sky is clear, the sun hot and the air temperature warm. There was no wind to even keep the kites in the air at the Muizenberg Kite Festival. The litter trap in the Sand River was blocked and its causeway was overflowing with some of debris from the catchment canals caught in the bollards and spikes. Blankets carpets, shopping trolleys, lounge suites, full black garbage bags, car tyres, plastic and roof sheeting, polystyrene packaging material and more... The power of the stormwater waterflow has to be seen to be believed. In many places it over flowed its banks and even caught out a City manager who drove into the Sand River canal trying to take photographs of the waterflow. So one written off brand new bakkie. There was a baby Bulbul corpse hanging on the fence near the gate, with a Common Fiscal in close attendance. There were contributing factors for the general absence of bird numbers and some species; The previous days heavy rainfall. The silt laden waters (from the vineyards of the upper slopes of the Constantia valley) in the catchment rivers including the huge amount of litter, refuse and discarded household items. The main water body was brown in colour to the edges of the shore. During the week there was another sewerage spill into the Sand River system which caused the upper part of the vlei to be closed for recreational use. It was quite warm by time time we were counting about 2 1/2 hours after sunrise. The estuary mouth was open. It was low tide and the inflow of water under the railway bridge was 1 metre per 5 seconds. The Keysers River was distinctly brown at the confluence at the railway bridge, and the Westlake River almost clear by comparison. A grandmother and her grandson were in a canoe at the confluence having fun. We also noted a wood and canvas covered classic canoe being paddled about the upper vlei too. The activity at the annual Muizenberg Kite Festival had no effect on the bird activity, as the photo indicates a very relaxed Grey Heron, opposite the festival area 30 metres away. Thank you to all who came to help count today and Barry and Val Cleveland for counting the northern section of Zandvlei in their canoe. There were plenty of darters and cormorants, this count and possibly the highlight would be seeing the two African Marsh Harriers interacting with each other over the Westlake Wetlands."
    Survey notes


    Add additional observers
    Observer NumberNameOptions
    0Andrea von Gunten
     
    0Dennis and Gigi Laidler
     
    0Kyran Wright
     
    0Linda Hibbin
     

    Current data
    Ref #SpeciesCountBreeding
    Pairs    		Breeding
    indicator
    4Grebe, Great Crested
    (Podiceps cristatus)    		10
    6Grebe, Little
    (Tachybaptus ruficollis)    		10
    47Cormorant, White-breasted
    (Phalacrocorax lucidus)    		30
    48Cormorant, Cape
    (Phalacrocorax capensis)    		20
    50Cormorant, Reed
    (Microcarbo africanus)    		60
    52Darter, African
    (Anhinga rufa)    		150
    54Heron, Grey
    (Ardea cinerea)    		30
    55Heron, Black-headed
    (Ardea melanocephala)    		10
    57Heron, Purple
    (Ardea purpurea)    		10
    59Egret, Little
    (Egretta garzetta)    		40
    81Ibis, African Sacred
    (Threskiornis aethiopicus)    		10
    85Spoonbill, African
    (Platalea alba)    		20
    89Goose, Egyptian
    (Alopochen aegyptiaca)    		2540
    96Duck, Yellow-billed
    (Anas undulata)    		40
    149Eagle, African Fish
    (Haliaeetus vocifer)    		10
    210Moorhen, Common
    (Gallinula chloropus)    		30
    212Coot, Red-knobbed
    (Fulica cristata)    		680
    245Lapwing, Blacksmith
    (Vanellus armatus)    		130Confirmed Breeding
    287Gull, Kelp
    (Larus dominicanus)    		360
    289Gull, Hartlaub's
    (Chroicocephalus hartlaubii)    		1370
    290Tern, Caspian
    (Hydroprogne caspia)    		40
    298Tern, Greater Crested
    (Thalasseus bergii)    		10
    394Kingfisher, Pied
    (Ceryle rudis)    		30
    686Wagtail, Cape
    (Motacilla capensis)    		30
    1016, Mallard
    (Anas platyrhynchos)    		60
    10015, Hybrid Mallard
    (Anas hybrid)    		100


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

    Tuesday 16 April 2024 07:39
    FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology
    Department of Biological Sciences - University of Cape Town

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