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    Zandvlei: Upper Estuary (34061828)

    Western Cape
    Card 512258
    Compiler 10691
    Location code 34061828Zandvlei: Upper Estuary (Western Cape)
    Start date 2026-04-18
    Season OOther
    Start time
    End time
    Shoreline covered 90
    Openwater covered 95
    Total Species 28
    Total Count 392
    Wetland Condition 1Full (High tide for estuaries)
    Wetland Threats 0
    Count Condition 2Poor
    Count Type 1On foot
    Nil Count (No birds present) 0There were CWAC species present
    Notes First thing this morning just after sun rise at the Sand River litter trap area see the photos of the Sacred Ibis (30) and Little Egrets (12) in the debris of the first rains present to Zandvlei via the stormwater canals. Lounge sofa, chairs, car tyres, plastic car bumpers, packaging and house hold waste from the mainly backyard dwellers in the Retreat area. The boy and girl scout troupes of Cape Town were having their annual Kontiki raft weekend at Zandvlei. There were about 30 troupes each represented with a raft built to float and accommodate a team, to overnight on the water. It was estimated that there were a few hundred busy people in and around the scout bases. The weather forecast looked threatening for the whole weekend with the first winter cold front arriving yesterday and more heavy rain coming. So all the rafts were secured to the banks for safety reasons, instead of being anchored out in the bay. The high water level was to accommodate this event. The water level was very high with the pathways on the northern shore flooded and ankle deep due to the high water level. It was a new moon tide on 17 April 2026 and the estuary mouth was partially opened in case a large volume of water arrived from the catchment. All of the above influenced the bird count today. The clouds were low level and squalls were coming through from the west and south west and changed back to north west while were were busy counting. The air temperature was down at least 10 degrees C compared to during week. We saw one lonely paddler in a canoe making his way around the scout basin.
    Survey notes


    Add additional observers
    Observer NumberNameOptions
    0Catherin Child
     
    0Colleen Brian
     
    0Damian and Anne Gibbs
     
    0Darren November
     
    0David Walker
     
    0Gigi Laidler
     
    0Heather Davis
     
    0J Herman
     
    0Jenny Whittal
     
    0K Jacobs
     
    0K Knight
     
    0Kalvin Gibbs
     
    0Kate Gray
     
    0Linda Hibbin
     
    0Mitzi Ellemers
     
    1899Felicity Ellmore
     

    Current data
    Ref #SpeciesCountBreeding
    Pairs    		Breeding
    indicator
    4Grebe, Great Crested
    (Podiceps cristatus)    		20
    47Cormorant, White-breasted
    (Phalacrocorax lucidus)    		180
    48Cormorant, Cape
    (Phalacrocorax capensis)    		10
    50Cormorant, Reed
    (Microcarbo africanus)    		1120
    52Darter, African
    (Anhinga rufa)    		470
    54Heron, Grey
    (Ardea cinerea)    		30
    57Heron, Purple
    (Ardea purpurea)    		60
    59Egret, Little
    (Egretta garzetta)    		110
    69Night Heron, Black-crowned
    (Nycticorax nycticorax)    		20
    81Ibis, African Sacred
    (Threskiornis aethiopicus)    		160
    84Ibis, Hadada
    (Bostrychia hagedash)    		10
    89Goose, Egyptian
    (Alopochen aegyptiaca)    		250
    96Duck, Yellow-billed
    (Anas undulata)    		260
    98Teal, Cape
    (Anas capensis)    		120
    203Crake, Black
    (Zaporina flavirostra)    		10
    210Moorhen, Common
    (Gallinula chloropus)    		60
    212Coot, Red-knobbed
    (Fulica cristata)    		430
    238Plover, Three-banded
    (Charadrius tricollaris)    		30
    245Lapwing, Blacksmith
    (Vanellus armatus)    		100
    287Gull, Kelp
    (Larus dominicanus)    		160
    289Gull, Hartlaub's
    (Chroicocephalus hartlaubii)    		90
    290Tern, Caspian
    (Hydroprogne caspia)    		20
    394Kingfisher, Pied
    (Ceryle rudis)    		80
    397Kingfisher, Malachite
    (Corythornis cristatus)    		40
    686Wagtail, Cape
    (Motacilla capensis)    		10
    1016, Mallard
    (Anas platyrhynchos)    		10
    10005Duck, Hybrid
    (Anas hybrid)    		50
    10034Duck, Hyrbid Mallard/Yellow-billed
    (Anas platyrhynchos x undulata)    		10


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

    Thursday 04 June 2026 09:11
    FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology
    Department of Biological Sciences - University of Cape Town

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