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    Zandvlei: Westlake Wetlands (34071827)

    Western Cape
    Card 509368
    Compiler 10691
    Location code 34071827Zandvlei: Westlake Wetlands (Western Cape)
    Start date 2022-01-22
    Season SSummer
    Start time 08:30
    End time 09:50
    Shoreline covered 60
    Openwater covered 50
    Total Species 23
    Total Count 157
    Wetland Condition 2Partially full (mid tide for estuaries)
    Wetland Threats
    Count Condition 4Good
    Count Type 1On foot
    Nil Count (No birds present) 0There were CWAC species present
    Notes "Conditions were not favourable for birding this morning, there was a very strong gusting wind from the NW swinging to the west while at the railway bridge. Showers of rain started to blow from the mountain towards us while there. Something we noted was a single Egyptian Goose with 12 goslings, 5 larger and 7 smaller. Could she/he have adopted part of another brood? A photo shows some of them. The water flow under the railway bridge was 1 metre per 6 seconds and the level was very low indicating a low tide as the estuary mouth was still open. The plan by management is to close the mouth after the full moon this coming week. (update - the whole waterbody has been closed again for recreational use on Friday 22/10/2021 after testing revealed there is a very high ecoli count present)." There was no water flow under the railway bridge, as it has hardly rained this month and the estuary mouth was closed. We were fortunate to see a Little Bittern and a little later an African Marsh Harrier flushed many Yellow billed Ducks, Little Egrets and Cattle Egrets in the reed beds. The Metrorail trains are running again, which is a good sign for those wishing to use this mode of transport
    Survey notes


    Add additional observers
    Observer NumberNameOptions
    0A Rwegana
     
    0Felicity Ellmore
     
    0Heather Davies
     
    0Jamy Muller
     
    0Linda Hibbin
     

    Current data
    Ref #SpeciesCountBreeding
    Pairs    		Breeding
    indicator
    48Cormorant, Cape
    (Phalacrocorax capensis)    		40
    50Cormorant, Reed
    (Microcarbo africanus)    		270
    52Darter, African
    (Anhinga rufa)    		130
    54Heron, Grey
    (Ardea cinerea)    		10
    55Heron, Black-headed
    (Ardea melanocephala)    		20
    57Heron, Purple
    (Ardea purpurea)    		10
    59Egret, Little
    (Egretta garzetta)    		130
    61Egret, Western Cattle
    (Bubulcus ibis)    		70
    67Bittern, Little
    (Ixobrychus minutus)    		10
    81Ibis, African Sacred
    (Threskiornis aethiopicus)    		30
    89Goose, Egyptian
    (Alopochen aegyptiaca)    		50
    96Duck, Yellow-billed
    (Anas undulata)    		320
    167Harrier, African Marsh
    (Circus ranivorus)    		10
    210Moorhen, Common
    (Gallinula chloropus)    		180
    212Coot, Red-knobbed
    (Fulica cristata)    		60
    245Lapwing, Blacksmith
    (Vanellus armatus)    		40
    287Gull, Kelp
    (Larus dominicanus)    		50
    291Tern, Common
    (Sterna hirundo)    		20
    296Tern, Sandwich
    (Thalasseus sandvicensis)    		10
    394Kingfisher, Pied
    (Ceryle rudis)    		20
    397Kingfisher, Malachite
    (Corythornis cristatus)    		10
    686Wagtail, Cape
    (Motacilla capensis)    		30
    893Gallinule, Purple
    (Porphyrio martinica)    		50


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

    Saturday 27 April 2024 08:53
    FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology
    Department of Biological Sciences - University of Cape Town

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