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    Zandvlei: Upper Estuary (34061828)

    Western Cape
    Card 506827
    Compiler 10691
    Location code 34061828Zandvlei: Upper Estuary (Western Cape)
    Start date 2018-01-20
    Season SSummer
    Start time 08:15
    End time 06:45
    Shoreline covered 90
    Openwater covered 95
    Total Species 35
    Total Count 1686
    Wetland Condition 2Partially full (mid tide for estuaries)
    Wetland Threats
    Count Condition 2Poor
    Count Type 5Mixed
    Nil Count (No birds present) 0There were CWAC species present
    Notes "The previous day the wind was blowing at 12 metres a second and gusting from the SE. Today at 06h00 there was little wind and it increased in strength to about 6 metres a second at around 10h30. Hardly weather for birds to be visible on the open water. At times the counters on the western shore gave up shouting at each other to be heard above the wind noise and this was less than half the wind strength yesterday. The day after 21/01/2018 there was little to no wind blowing, with hot and humid conditions during the morning to mid day. A slight breeze from the SW with the approach of a cold front. There were plenty of species of swifts, swallows and martins seen in the air all morning over the broader Zandvlei area and beyond. The water level throughout the main waterbody was low. There were very few birds seen on the main waterbody. They were sheltering elsewhere out of the wind. The southern Marina canals were not counted as the canoeists excused themselves from the count at 06h30. The northern canal canoeists excused themselves from going on the open water. So the Night Heron canals were not counted either. The mouth of the estuary was closed and the water level between the mouth and Thesens bridge was very low with a narrow shallow channel of water and large exposed sand beds. There was no water flow under the railway bridge at the confluence of the Keysers and Westlake Rivers. Plenty of Mexican water lily plants are evident in both rivers now. A very large flock of Spurwing Geese took off from the northern Keysers River area on the southern side of Military Road bridge while we were at the railway bridge. The only insects observed were the odd emperor dragonfly and robberfly along the pathways on the upper western shore."
    Survey notes


    Add additional observers
    Observer NumberNameOptions
    0Barry and Val Cleveland
     
    0Felicity Ellmore
     
    0Joel Radue
     
    0Leepele Leepele
     
    0Linda Hibbin
     
    0Lorraine McGibbon
     

    Current data
    Ref #SpeciesCountBreeding
    Pairs    		Breeding
    indicator
    4Grebe, Great Crested
    (Podiceps cristatus)    		130Probably Breeding
    6Grebe, Little
    (Tachybaptus ruficollis)    		40
    47Cormorant, White-breasted
    (Phalacrocorax lucidus)    		10
    50Cormorant, Reed
    (Microcarbo africanus)    		390
    52Darter, African
    (Anhinga rufa)    		140
    54Heron, Grey
    (Ardea cinerea)    		10
    55Heron, Black-headed
    (Ardea melanocephala)    		20
    57Heron, Purple
    (Ardea purpurea)    		10
    59Egret, Little
    (Egretta garzetta)    		120
    81Ibis, African Sacred
    (Threskiornis aethiopicus)    		10
    84Ibis, Hadada
    (Bostrychia hagedash)    		90
    85Spoonbill, African
    (Platalea alba)    		20
    88Goose, Spur-winged
    (Plectropterus gambensis)    		90
    89Goose, Egyptian
    (Alopochen aegyptiaca)    		370
    94Shoveler, Cape
    (Spatula smithii)    		20
    96Duck, Yellow-billed
    (Anas undulata)    		600
    98Teal, Cape
    (Anas capensis)    		80
    210Moorhen, Common
    (Gallinula chloropus)    		70
    212Coot, Red-knobbed
    (Fulica cristata)    		11120Probably Breeding
    238Plover, Three-banded
    (Charadrius tricollaris)    		20
    245Lapwing, Blacksmith
    (Vanellus armatus)    		100
    263Greenshank, Common
    (Tringa nebularia)    		10
    269Avocet, Pied
    (Recurvirostra avosetta)    		1540
    270Stilt, Black-winged
    (Himantopus himantopus)    		90
    287Gull, Kelp
    (Larus dominicanus)    		110
    288Gull, Grey-headed
    (Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus)    		30
    289Gull, Hartlaub's
    (Chroicocephalus hartlaubii)    		160
    290Tern, Caspian
    (Hydroprogne caspia)    		10
    291Tern, Common
    (Sterna hirundo)    		30
    296Tern, Sandwich
    (Thalasseus sandvicensis)    		10
    394Kingfisher, Pied
    (Ceryle rudis)    		160
    397Kingfisher, Malachite
    (Corythornis cristatus)    		10
    686Wagtail, Cape
    (Motacilla capensis)    		120
    10006Duck, Domestic
    (Anas platyrhynchos)    		40
    10015, Hybrid Mallard
    (Anas hybrid)    		1080


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

    Saturday 27 April 2024 07:38
    FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology
    Department of Biological Sciences - University of Cape Town

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