An open estuary, with some reedbeds and other emergent vegetation. Holds a good variety of birds, including Purple Heron, Little Bittern and Purple Gallinule. Cormorant counts peak in winter; numbers of Darter, Cape Teal, Redknobbed Coot, Blackwinged Stilt and Hartlaub's Gull show no definite seasonal peak. There were unusually large counts of Blacksmith Plover in summer 1993, of Cape Shoveller in the 1994-1996 summers, of Sacred Ibis in summer 1994, and of Egyptian Goose in winter 1997. Numbers of Darter show some overall increase but Cape Teal appear to be declining. Severe threats are posed by invasive alien plants (Paspalum grass and Eichhornia); important threats include eutrophication, and pollution by solid waste. Hunting, fishing, domestic dogs and cats, and residential development, are also problems. Mallard pose some hybridization threat. |