Email:  CS/ADU no:  Password:   
  Forgot/Reset password

    Zandvlei: Upper Estuary (34061828)

    Western Cape
    Card 510147
    Compiler 10691
    Location code 34061828Zandvlei: Upper Estuary (Western Cape)
    Start date 2023-07-15
    Season WWinter
    Start time 08:00
    End time 10:15
    Shoreline covered 95
    Openwater covered 100
    Total Species 30
    Total Count 983
    Wetland Condition 2Partially full (mid tide for estuaries)
    Wetland Threats 0
    Count Condition 4Good
    Count Type 5Mixed
    Nil Count (No birds present) 0There were CWAC species present
    Notes This morning it was not cold before the start, the weather was forecast to become cooler with wind and clouds from the north west. The Reserve has a new fence and entrance gate. On the west shore the first bird seen on the overhead railway lines was a Jackal Buzzard and then an imm African Harrier-Hawk came low over us and then a Black shouldered Kite landed on the railway overhead wires. Probably to warm up in the sun coming through the clouds just after sun rise. At the railway bridge there was a Giant Kingfisher perched on the wires above the canal flowing into the main waterbody. What an interesting start for us on the west shore. In the main reserve area there were Greater and Lesser Flamingos present which is always exciting to see. We observed a fast moving feeding frenzy with Hartlaub Gulls, Cape and Reed Cormorants chasing fish in the upper main waterbody too distant for us to count. By 08h45 a cold wind had started to blow which was the beginning of the cold front approaching with rain forecast for the afternoon. Thank you to the staff and Manager of the Reserve for assisting today, Kyran had a large footprint to count in the rubber duck as there was no one to help with the Marina canals. The Night Heron roost was patrolled by student Jarrad who came back very excited having seen a Malachite Kingfisher fly across very near his canoe. so Felicity reported. Kyran noted a Green backed Heron which is unusual and has been in the Marina canals for a month.
    Survey notes


    Add additional observers
    Observer NumberNameOptions
    0Catlin Melidonis
     
    0Felicity Ellmore
     
    0Gigi Laidler
     
    0Gill Ainslie
     
    0Jarred (Student)
     
    0Kyran Wright
     
    0Linda Hibbin
     
    0Zandile Kulati
     

    Current data
    Ref #SpeciesCountBreeding
    Pairs    		Breeding
    indicator
    4Grebe, Great Crested
    (Podiceps cristatus)    		10
    47Cormorant, White-breasted
    (Phalacrocorax lucidus)    		60
    48Cormorant, Cape
    (Phalacrocorax capensis)    		2050
    50Cormorant, Reed
    (Microcarbo africanus)    		1500
    52Darter, African
    (Anhinga rufa)    		380
    54Heron, Grey
    (Ardea cinerea)    		10
    55Heron, Black-headed
    (Ardea melanocephala)    		60
    59Egret, Little
    (Egretta garzetta)    		390
    63Heron, Striated
    (Butorides striata)    		10
    81Ibis, African Sacred
    (Threskiornis aethiopicus)    		310
    84Ibis, Hadada
    (Bostrychia hagedash)    		40
    86Flamingo, Greater
    (Phoenicopterus roseus)    		30
    87Flamingo, Lesser
    (Phoeniconaias minor)    		270
    89Goose, Egyptian
    (Alopochen aegyptiaca)    		100
    94Shoveler, Cape
    (Anas smithii)    		120
    96Duck, Yellow-billed
    (Anas undulata)    		330
    98Teal, Cape
    (Anas capensis)    		370
    210Moorhen, Common
    (Gallinula chloropus)    		40
    212Coot, Red-knobbed
    (Fulica cristata)    		570
    238Plover, Three-banded
    (Charadrius tricollaris)    		10
    245Lapwing, Blacksmith
    (Vanellus armatus)    		70
    269Avocet, Pied
    (Recurvirostra avosetta)    		770
    287Gull, Kelp
    (Larus dominicanus)    		480
    288Gull, Grey-headed
    (Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus)    		20
    289Gull, Hartlaub's
    (Chroicocephalus hartlaubii)    		1690
    290Tern, Caspian
    (Hydroprogne caspia)    		10
    394Kingfisher, Pied
    (Ceryle rudis)    		30
    395Kingfisher, Giant
    (Megaceryle maxima)    		10
    397Kingfisher, Malachite
    (Corythornis cristatus)    		40
    686Wagtail, Cape
    (Motacilla capensis)    		50


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

    Friday 30 January 2026 12:15
    FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology
    Department of Biological Sciences - University of Cape Town

    Creative Commons License
    This work is licensed under a
    Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License