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    Zandvlei: Westlake Wetlands (34071827)

    Western Cape
    Card 504650
    Compiler 10691
    Location code 34071827Zandvlei: Westlake Wetlands (Western Cape)
    Start date 2014-10-18
    Season OOther
    Start time 08:30
    End time 09:30
    Shoreline covered 65
    Openwater covered 65
    Total Species 20
    Total Count 110
    Wetland Condition 2Partially full (mid tide for estuaries)
    Wetland Threats
    Count Condition 5Ideal
    Count Type 5Mixed
    Nil Count (No birds present) 0There were CWAC species present
    Notes Clear blue sky, initailly the morning was cool, from a clear sky night with no wind. Little to no wind till about 10h00. Slight SE breeze for duration of the count. It is felt that Thursday and early Friday morning which had an almost gale force SE wind blowing continuously, was the contributing factor to so few birds present at Zandvlei. By 11h00 it was probably 25 degees C with slight SE breeze. The estauary mouth was closed. Note that no count took place in the Marina da Gama channels. The water inflow under the railway bridge was 1 metre per 20 seconds. The water was still very turbid at the confluence at the railway bridge. In the vlei main body the visiblity was very good. The preceding days SE wind may have influenced the clarity of the water from the wave action generated. The most observed birds in the air were the African Darters. There were very few birds on the water and in the air as per the photos. A Black Sparrowhawk was seen carrying a part catch of something and was flying west across the Westlake Wetlands at about 25 metres high, with an adult Fish Eagle as an escort keeping pace and an even distance towards Pollsmoor area. Unusual behaviour not seen before.
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    Current data
    Ref #SpeciesCountBreeding
    Pairs    		Breeding
    indicator
    6Grebe, Little
    (Tachybaptus ruficollis)    		10
    47Cormorant, White-breasted
    (Phalacrocorax lucidus)    		20
    50Cormorant, Reed
    (Microcarbo africanus)    		10
    52Darter, African
    (Anhinga rufa)    		120
    57Heron, Purple
    (Ardea purpurea)    		10
    67Bittern, Little
    (Ixobrychus minutus)    		10
    81Ibis, African Sacred
    (Threskiornis aethiopicus)    		20
    88Goose, Spur-winged
    (Plectropterus gambensis)    		10
    89Goose, Egyptian
    (Alopochen aegyptiaca)    		110
    96Duck, Yellow-billed
    (Anas undulata)    		310
    98Teal, Cape
    (Anas capensis)    		120
    149Eagle, African Fish
    (Haliaeetus vocifer)    		10
    210Moorhen, Common
    (Gallinula chloropus)    		180
    212Coot, Red-knobbed
    (Fulica cristata)    		50
    235Plover, White-fronted
    (Charadrius marginatus)    		10
    270Stilt, Black-winged
    (Himantopus himantopus)    		20
    287Gull, Kelp
    (Larus dominicanus)    		20
    288Gull, Grey-headed
    (Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus)    		40
    290Tern, Caspian
    (Hydroprogne caspia)    		10
    394Kingfisher, Pied
    (Ceryle rudis)    		10


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

    Saturday 27 April 2024 10:16
    FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology
    Department of Biological Sciences - University of Cape Town

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