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    Zandvlei: Lower Estuary (34071828)

    Western Cape
    Card 511521
    Compiler 10691
    Location code 34071828Zandvlei: Lower Estuary (Western Cape)
    Start date 2025-07-19
    Season WWinter
    Start time
    End time
    Shoreline covered 90
    Openwater covered 95
    Total Species 25
    Total Count 671
    Wetland Condition 2Partially full (mid tide for estuaries)
    Wetland Threats 0
    Count Condition 5Ideal
    Count Type 5Mixed
    Nil Count (No birds present) 0There were CWAC species present
    Notes "At about 10h00 the water surface of the main waterbody was still like glass mirror which is very unusual at Zandvlei. We saw a couple in a small rubber boat with a trolling motor and later we saw Darren in his boat having completed counting in the Marina canals and returning up the main waterbody. Soon after Chris spotted a Little Bittern at the Yacht basin. The air was unusually very clear this morning, there is always an on shore breeze which brings saturated air over Zandvlei especially in the Muizenberg village area close to the mountain. Just south of the Yacht basin there was considerable bird and fish action with cormorants, gulls and egrets in hot pursuit. We saw a couple fishing and he said he could not reach that side of the vlei with his line with a grin on his face. The sand spit between turn one and two from the estuary mouth was huge and one would almost be able to walk across from bank to bank in this area. Chris with his long camera lens spotted a Rock Kestrel fly up onto a large house roof on the eastern side of the vlei. The estuary mouth was open and plenty of brown slit laden brown water was flowing under the Royal Road bridge. The Heron and Sacred Ibis roosting and nesting tree had no activity in it today. Thank you to Darren for counting the Marina canals by boat today."
    Survey notes


    Add additional observers
    Observer NumberNameOptions
    0Darren November
     
    0Gigi Laidler
     
    0Katherine Child
     
    0Linda Hibbin
     
    0S Hattas
     

    Current data
    Ref #SpeciesCountBreeding
    Pairs    		Breeding
    indicator
    4Grebe, Great Crested
    (Podiceps cristatus)    		30
    47Cormorant, White-breasted
    (Phalacrocorax lucidus)    		290
    48Cormorant, Cape
    (Phalacrocorax capensis)    		620
    50Cormorant, Reed
    (Microcarbo africanus)    		1300
    52Darter, African
    (Anhinga rufa)    		210
    54Heron, Grey
    (Ardea cinerea)    		10
    59Egret, Little
    (Egretta garzetta)    		290
    67Bittern, Little
    (Ixobrychus minutus)    		10
    69Night Heron, Black-crowned
    (Nycticorax nycticorax)    		20
    81Ibis, African Sacred
    (Threskiornis aethiopicus)    		250
    84Ibis, Hadada
    (Bostrychia hagedash)    		90
    85Spoonbill, African
    (Platalea alba)    		30
    89Goose, Egyptian
    (Alopochen aegyptiaca)    		700
    96Duck, Yellow-billed
    (Anas undulata)    		200
    212Coot, Red-knobbed
    (Fulica cristata)    		490
    245Lapwing, Blacksmith
    (Vanellus armatus)    		20
    274Thick-knee, Water
    (Burhinus vermiculatus)    		40
    287Gull, Kelp
    (Larus dominicanus)    		880
    288Gull, Grey-headed
    (Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus)    		10
    289Gull, Hartlaub's
    (Chroicocephalus hartlaubii)    		1020
    290Tern, Caspian
    (Hydroprogne caspia)    		10
    394Kingfisher, Pied
    (Ceryle rudis)    		90
    397Kingfisher, Malachite
    (Corythornis cristatus)    		10
    686Wagtail, Cape
    (Motacilla capensis)    		30
    10034Duck, Hyrbid Mallard/Yellow-billed
    (Anas platyrhynchos x undulata)    		60


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

    Saturday 30 August 2025 10:02
    FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology
    Department of Biological Sciences - University of Cape Town

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