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    Zandvlei: Upper Estuary (34061828)

    Western Cape
    Card 509623
    Compiler 10691
    Location code 34061828Zandvlei: Upper Estuary (Western Cape)
    Start date 2022-07-16
    Season WWinter
    Start time 08:00
    End time 10:00
    Shoreline covered 95
    Openwater covered 100
    Total Species 34
    Total Count 762
    Wetland Condition 2Partially full (mid tide for estuaries)
    Wetland Threats 0
    Count Condition 5Ideal
    Count Type 5Mixed
    Nil Count (No birds present) 0There were CWAC species present
    Notes Before sunrise it was cold to start with at the flood plain near the Zandvlei Main gate with mist hanging low above the ground, (see the photo). The forecast was for a warm winters day and it became so. The main waterbody was like a mirror (see Gerald Starkes photo), there are very few windless days at Zandvlei. Thank you to Barry and Val Cleveland going out in their canoe to count the northern canals of the Marina and the night heron roost area. See the Barry Cleveland photo of the Cape Cormorants in a Marina canal following fish shoals. There were many funnel web spider nests shining like jewelled nets in the early morning sunlight along the pathways we followed. The Naval Cadets were out training in their long boats too. We met up with the Village Heights volunteers in their green T shirts (see the photo) who were planting a local indigenous plant garden following the BOSSIES (Biodiversity On Suburban Sidewalks [for] Indigenous Ecosystem Sanctuaries) programme, reintroduced at Zandvlei recently.
    Survey notes


    Add additional observers
    Observer NumberNameOptions
    0Barry and Val Cleveland
     
    0christine Armstrong
     
    0Felicity Ellmore
     
    0Gerald Starke
     
    0Gigi Laidler
     
    0Linda Hibbin
     

    Current data
    Ref #SpeciesCountBreeding
    Pairs    		Breeding
    indicator
    4Grebe, Great Crested
    (Podiceps cristatus)    		90Probably Breeding
    6Grebe, Little
    (Tachybaptus ruficollis)    		100
    47Cormorant, White-breasted
    (Phalacrocorax lucidus)    		120
    48Cormorant, Cape
    (Phalacrocorax capensis)    		570
    50Cormorant, Reed
    (Microcarbo africanus)    		490
    52Darter, African
    (Anhinga rufa)    		230
    54Heron, Grey
    (Ardea cinerea)    		20
    57Heron, Purple
    (Ardea purpurea)    		20
    59Egret, Little
    (Egretta garzetta)    		140
    69Night Heron, Black-crowned
    (Nycticorax nycticorax)    		100Confirmed Breeding
    81Ibis, African Sacred
    (Threskiornis aethiopicus)    		80
    84Ibis, Hadada
    (Bostrychia hagedash)    		60
    85Spoonbill, African
    (Platalea alba)    		10
    88Goose, Spur-winged
    (Plectropterus gambensis)    		80
    89Goose, Egyptian
    (Alopochen aegyptiaca)    		1030
    94Shoveler, Cape
    (Anas smithii)    		160
    96Duck, Yellow-billed
    (Anas undulata)    		560
    98Teal, Cape
    (Anas capensis)    		160
    210Moorhen, Common
    (Gallinula chloropus)    		130
    212Coot, Red-knobbed
    (Fulica cristata)    		390
    238Plover, Three-banded
    (Charadrius tricollaris)    		50
    245Lapwing, Blacksmith
    (Vanellus armatus)    		130
    269Avocet, Pied
    (Recurvirostra avosetta)    		140
    274Thick-knee, Water
    (Burhinus vermiculatus)    		20
    287Gull, Kelp
    (Larus dominicanus)    		520
    288Gull, Grey-headed
    (Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus)    		30
    289Gull, Hartlaub's
    (Chroicocephalus hartlaubii)    		1940
    291Tern, Common
    (Sterna hirundo)    		10
    394Kingfisher, Pied
    (Ceryle rudis)    		40
    395Kingfisher, Giant
    (Megaceryle maxima)    		10
    397Kingfisher, Malachite
    (Corythornis cristatus)    		50
    686Wagtail, Cape
    (Motacilla capensis)    		50
    1016, Mallard
    (Anas platyrhynchos)    		50
    10034Duck, Hyrbid Mallard/Yellow-billed
    (Anas platyrhynchos x undulata)    		40


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

    Friday 30 January 2026 12:23
    FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology
    Department of Biological Sciences - University of Cape Town

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