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    Zandvlei: Westlake Wetlands (34071827)

    Western Cape
    Card 508109
    Compiler 10691
    Location code 34071827Zandvlei: Westlake Wetlands (Western Cape)
    Start date 2019-10-26
    Season OOther
    Start time 08:15
    End time 09:45
    Shoreline covered 60
    Openwater covered 65
    Total Species 23
    Total Count 589
    Wetland Condition 2Partially full (mid tide for estuaries)
    Wetland Threats
    Count Condition 5Ideal
    Count Type 1On foot
    Nil Count (No birds present) 0There were CWAC species present
    Notes "Yesterday it rained the equivalent of August and September's total monthly rainfall. Today the sky is clear, the sun hot and the air temperature warm. There was no wind to even keep the kites in the air at the Muizenberg Kite Festival. The litter trap in the Sand River was blocked and its causeway was overflowing with some of debris from the catchment canals caught in the bollards and spikes. Blankets carpets, shopping trolleys, lounge suites, full black garbage bags, car tyres, plastic and roof sheeting, polystyrene packaging material and more... The power of the stormwater waterflow has to be seen to be believed. In many places it over flowed its banks and even caught out a City manager who drove into the Sand River canal trying to take photographs of the waterflow. So one written off brand new bakkie. There was a baby Bulbul corpse hanging on the fence near the gate, with a Common Fiscal in close attendance. There were contributing factors for the general absence of bird numbers and some species; The previous days heavy rainfall. The silt laden waters (from the vineyards of the upper slopes of the Constantia valley) in the catchment rivers including the huge amount of litter, refuse and discarded household items. The main water body was brown in colour to the edges of the shore. During the week there was another sewerage spill into the Sand River system which caused the upper part of the vlei to be closed for recreational use. It was quite warm by time time we were counting about 2 1/2 hours after sunrise. The estuary mouth was open. It was low tide and the inflow of water under the railway bridge was 1 metre per 5 seconds. The Keysers River was distinctly brown at the confluence at the railway bridge, and the Westlake River almost clear by comparison. A grandmother and her grandson were in a canoe at the confluence having fun. We also noted a wood and canvas covered classic canoe being paddled about the upper vlei too. The activity at the annual Muizenberg Kite Festival had no effect on the bird activity, as the photo indicates a very relaxed Grey Heron, opposite the festival area 30 metres away. Thank you to all who came to help count today and Barry and Val Cleveland for counting the northern section of Zandvlei in their canoe. There were plenty of darters and cormorants, this count and possibly the highlight would be seeing the two African Marsh Harriers interacting with each other over the Westlake Wetlands." 7 Moorhen Chicks confirmed.
    Survey notes


    Add additional observers
    Observer NumberNameOptions
    0Dennis and Gigi Laidler
     
    0Linda Hibbin
     
    0Mark Arendse
     
    0Mark Isaacs
     

    Current data
    Ref #SpeciesCountBreeding
    Pairs    		Breeding
    indicator
    4Grebe, Great Crested
    (Podiceps cristatus)    		30
    5Grebe, Black-necked
    (Podiceps nigricollis)    		10
    47Cormorant, White-breasted
    (Phalacrocorax lucidus)    		10
    48Cormorant, Cape
    (Phalacrocorax capensis)    		150
    50Cormorant, Reed
    (Microcarbo africanus)    		110
    52Darter, African
    (Anhinga rufa)    		130
    61Egret, Western Cattle
    (Bubulcus ibis)    		40
    83Ibis, Glossy
    (Plegadis falcinellus)    		20
    84Ibis, Hadada
    (Bostrychia hagedash)    		30
    89Goose, Egyptian
    (Alopochen aegyptiaca)    		1540
    96Duck, Yellow-billed
    (Anas undulata)    		140
    167Harrier, African Marsh
    (Circus ranivorus)    		20
    208Swamphen, African
    (Porphyrio madagascariensis)    		10
    210Moorhen, Common
    (Gallinula chloropus)    		3070
    245Lapwing, Blacksmith
    (Vanellus armatus)    		90
    287Gull, Kelp
    (Larus dominicanus)    		20
    289Gull, Hartlaub's
    (Chroicocephalus hartlaubii)    		280
    290Tern, Caspian
    (Hydroprogne caspia)    		30
    394Kingfisher, Pied
    (Ceryle rudis)    		10
    397Kingfisher, Malachite
    (Corythornis cristatus)    		10
    1016, Mallard
    (Anas platyrhynchos)    		50
    10005Duck, Hybrid
    (Anas hybrid)    		50
    10015Mallard, Hybrid
    (Anas hybrid)    		40


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

    Friday 30 January 2026 10:52
    FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology
    Department of Biological Sciences - University of Cape Town

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