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    Zandvlei: Lower Estuary (34071828)

    Western Cape
    Card 511799
    Compiler 10691
    Location code 34071828Zandvlei: Lower Estuary (Western Cape)
    Start date 2026-01-17
    Season SSummer
    Start time 09:45
    End time 12:01
    Shoreline covered 90
    Openwater covered 95
    Total Species 21
    Total Count 429
    Wetland Condition 1Full (High tide for estuaries)
    Wetland Threats 0
    Count Condition 4Good
    Count Type 5Mixed
    Nil Count (No birds present) 0There were CWAC species present
    Notes "We noted a few Spekboom plants near the scout base which were flowering, which is not a common sight in suburban gardens. The weather forecast was for showers later this afternoon. These arrived earlier than expected from the south and we finished the count in a localised drizzle close to the mountain which had come from the Simons Town and Fish Hoek direction and it appeared to be quite dark over the Constantia Valley with heavy showers. It was a pleasant cooling from the hot conditions earlier. While trying to count the Swift Terns canoeists kept them moving about on the exposed sand spits in the lower reaches of the estuary. We saw an interaction between a Rock Kestrel and a Black shouldered Kite while at the Royal Road bridge. The estuary mouth was closed. Thank you very much to all the volunteers and Nature Reserve staff helping today."
    Survey notes


    Add additional observers
    Observer NumberNameOptions
    0Gigi Laidler
     
    0J Herman
     
    0K Knight
     
    0Linda Hibbin
     
    0N Her,ann
     
    0S Hattas
     

    Current data
    Ref #SpeciesCountBreeding
    Pairs    		Breeding
    indicator
    4Grebe, Great Crested
    (Podiceps cristatus)    		30
    47Cormorant, White-breasted
    (Phalacrocorax lucidus)    		10
    48Cormorant, Cape
    (Phalacrocorax capensis)    		50
    50Cormorant, Reed
    (Microcarbo africanus)    		350
    52Darter, African
    (Anhinga rufa)    		40
    54Heron, Grey
    (Ardea cinerea)    		30
    59Egret, Little
    (Egretta garzetta)    		40
    81Ibis, African Sacred
    (Threskiornis aethiopicus)    		180
    84Ibis, Hadada
    (Bostrychia hagedash)    		110
    89Goose, Egyptian
    (Alopochen aegyptiaca)    		2170
    96Duck, Yellow-billed
    (Anas undulata)    		60
    212Coot, Red-knobbed
    (Fulica cristata)    		110
    245Lapwing, Blacksmith
    (Vanellus armatus)    		40
    287Gull, Kelp
    (Larus dominicanus)    		100
    289Gull, Hartlaub's
    (Chroicocephalus hartlaubii)    		330
    290Tern, Caspian
    (Hydroprogne caspia)    		10
    298Tern, Greater Crested
    (Thalasseus bergii)    		520
    394Kingfisher, Pied
    (Ceryle rudis)    		20
    686Wagtail, Cape
    (Motacilla capensis)    		30
    10006Duck, Domestic
    (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus)    		30
    10034Duck, Hyrbid Mallard/Yellow-billed
    (Anas platyrhynchos x undulata)    		30


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

    Wednesday 18 February 2026 06:23
    FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology
    Department of Biological Sciences - University of Cape Town

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