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    Zandvlei: Upper Estuary (34061828)

    Western Cape
    Card 503016
    Compiler 10691
    Location code 34061828Zandvlei: Upper Estuary (Western Cape)
    Start date 2013-04-20
    Season OOther
    Start time 07:30
    End time 09:45
    Shoreline covered 90
    Openwater covered 95
    Total Species 37
    Total Count 1202
    Wetland Condition 2Partially full (mid tide for estuaries)
    Wetland Threats
    Count Condition 5Ideal
    Count Type 5Mixed
    Nil Count (No birds present) 0There were CWAC species present
    Notes One of those perfect autumn days weather wise. Clear sky, sunny, slight breeze from SE. The water level was not full, possibly 85 to 90%. The estuary management had to open the mouth during the week to let the ingress water from the catchment out, and also had to have the level deep enough for a sponsored canoe race for the Peninsula Canoe Club today. The dates of the opening and closing of the vlei mouth had to be changed this month as the Yacht Club had a National Race 2 weeks ago which also required the water level as high as possible above the waterweed.This co insided with the opening of the mouth at spring tide. Not a simple task with all the inputs for consideration. The observed water movement under the railway bridge indicated almost no flow coming into the main body. The general observation today, there were many more numbers of the various species normally seen at the counts. There were a number of floatillas of kariba weed and water lettuce washed into the main Zandvlei waterbody. Barry and Val Cleveland were in their canoe and counted the northern Marina canals and the Night Heron roost area in the northern section of the waterbody. They reported they were unable to enter the Sand River as it was too shallow (silted up). An observation is that the potamageton waterweed has regrown after concerns it had died back earlier in the year from over harvesting. White backed Ducks were present today.
    Survey notes


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    Observer NumberNameOptions

    Current data
    Ref #SpeciesCountBreeding
    Pairs    		Breeding
    indicator
    4Grebe, Great Crested
    (Podiceps cristatus)    		140
    6Grebe, Little
    (Tachybaptus ruficollis)    		400
    42Pelican, Great White
    (Pelecanus onocrotalus)    		100
    47Cormorant, White-breasted
    (Phalacrocorax lucidus)    		270
    48Cormorant, Cape
    (Phalacrocorax capensis)    		200
    50Cormorant, Reed
    (Microcarbo africanus)    		730
    52Darter, African
    (Anhinga rufa)    		970
    54Heron, Grey
    (Ardea cinerea)    		50
    55Heron, Black-headed
    (Ardea melanocephala)    		10
    57Heron, Purple
    (Ardea purpurea)    		30
    59Egret, Little
    (Egretta garzetta)    		30
    60Egret, Intermediate
    (Ardea intermedia)    		20
    61Egret, Western Cattle
    (Bubulcus ibis)    		40
    69Heron, Black-crowned Night
    (Nycticorax nycticorax)    		250
    81Ibis, African Sacred
    (Threskiornis aethiopicus)    		70
    84Ibis, Hadada
    (Bostrychia hagedash)    		130
    85Spoonbill, African
    (Platalea alba)    		100
    88Goose, Spur-winged
    (Plectropterus gambensis)    		160
    89Goose, Egyptian
    (Alopochen aegyptiaca)    		310
    94Shoveler, Cape
    (Spatula smithii)    		490
    96Duck, Yellow-billed
    (Anas undulata)    		470
    100Duck, White-faced Whistling
    (Dendrocygna viduata)    		160
    167Harrier, African Marsh
    (Circus ranivorus)    		10
    210Moorhen, Common
    (Gallinula chloropus)    		270
    212Coot, Red-knobbed
    (Fulica cristata)    		4764Possibly Breeding
    245Lapwing, Blacksmith
    (Vanellus armatus)    		130
    270Stilt, Black-winged
    (Himantopus himantopus)    		50
    287Gull, Kelp
    (Larus dominicanus)    		240
    289Gull, Hartlaub's
    (Chroicocephalus hartlaubii)    		270
    290Tern, Caspian
    (Hydroprogne caspia)    		70
    291Tern, Common
    (Sterna hirundo)    		20
    394Kingfisher, Pied
    (Ceryle rudis)    		100
    397Kingfisher, Malachite
    (Corythornis cristatus)    		10
    686Wagtail, Cape
    (Motacilla capensis)    		80
    1016, Mallard
    (Anas platyrhynchos)    		310
    10006Duck, Domestic
    (Anas platyrhynchos)    		150
    10015, Hybrid Mallard
    (Anas hybrid)    		420


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    Saturday 27 April 2024 08:52
    FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology
    Department of Biological Sciences - University of Cape Town

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