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    Zandvlei: Westlake Wetlands (34071827)

    Western Cape
    Card 510959
    Compiler 10631
    Location code 34071827Zandvlei: Westlake Wetlands (Western Cape)
    Start date 2024-10-19
    Season OOther
    Start time 08:45
    End time 09:15
    Shoreline covered 60
    Openwater covered 65
    Total Species 14
    Total Count 139
    Wetland Condition 1Full (High tide for estuaries)
    Wetland Threats 0
    Count Condition 4Good
    Count Type 1On foot
    Nil Count (No birds present) 0There were CWAC species present
    Notes While counting a Jackal Buzzard arrived from the south and landed on the overhead train powerlines. The water flow under the bridge was 1 metre per 10 seconds flowing against the wind from the S.E. direction. What was initially baffling was the height of the water level flowing into the main water body under the bridge. There has been no rain to date in the catchment this month although it appears there was localised showers early this morning as in some places the ground was damp. The water level in the main vlei was very full, giving us the impression the estuary mouth was closed. We established it was open later on when we arrived at the mouth and it was low tide at approximately 10h00. There is a very high 2 metre tide in October at full moon which was on 17 October 2024. So the deduction is that the tide pushed the water back under the railway bridge and into the Keysers and Westlake Rivers and was now starting to flow back into the main waterbody. (see the water speed for the lower section under the Thesens footbridge). There were very few birds recorded this count. The preceding week days weather was not adverse for the birds so they have gone else where. The Brown throated Martin nesting hole is still visible and they were not present when we were there.
    Survey notes


    Add additional observers
    Observer NumberNameOptions
    0Chris Laidler
     
    0Gigi Laidler
     
    0Linda Hibbin
     
    0Ricardo Peterson
     
    0S Qomfo
     
    0V Sithelo
     

    Current data
    Ref #SpeciesCountBreeding
    Pairs    		Breeding
    indicator
    47Cormorant, White-breasted
    (Phalacrocorax lucidus)    		40
    50Cormorant, Reed
    (Microcarbo africanus)    		80
    52Darter, African
    (Anhinga rufa)    		70
    54Heron, Grey
    (Ardea cinerea)    		10
    81Ibis, African Sacred
    (Threskiornis aethiopicus)    		140
    84Ibis, Hadada
    (Bostrychia hagedash)    		150
    89Goose, Egyptian
    (Alopochen aegyptiaca)    		40
    96Duck, Yellow-billed
    (Anas undulata)    		350
    210Moorhen, Common
    (Gallinula chloropus)    		50
    212Coot, Red-knobbed
    (Fulica cristata)    		130
    269Avocet, Pied
    (Recurvirostra avosetta)    		10
    287Gull, Kelp
    (Larus dominicanus)    		250
    394Kingfisher, Pied
    (Ceryle rudis)    		60
    686Wagtail, Cape
    (Motacilla capensis)    		10


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

    Thursday 21 November 2024 06:32
    FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology
    Department of Biological Sciences - University of Cape Town

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