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    Zandvlei: Upper Estuary (34061828)

    Western Cape
    Card 512459
    Compiler 10691
    Location code 34061828Zandvlei: Upper Estuary (Western Cape)
    Start date 2026-07-18
    Season WWinter
    Start time 08:20
    End time 10:50
    Shoreline covered 90
    Openwater covered 95
    Total Species 28
    Total Count 689
    Wetland Condition 3Very little standing water (low tide for estuaries
    Wetland Threats 0
    Count Condition 3Moderate
    Count Type 5Mixed
    Nil Count (No birds present) 0There were CWAC species present
    Notes This past week has been foggy most of the days with very little wind to disperse the greyness. This morning the thick overhead cloud level was down to about 80 metres from before sunrise. See the photos of 2 small pinnacles of the Steenberg Mountain seldom seen in bright sunlight. Yesterday we received an official notice that the whole of the Zandvlei waterbody had been closed for all recreation and fishing, due to a serve sewage spill from a rising main line collapse in nearby Military Road and Prince George Drive. The estuary mouth was open and the water level was very low. We observed about 30 Cape Cormorants fishing and herding a school of fish in very low water levels at the Naval Cadet and Scout basin on the western shore for about 20 minutes. We also saw some fishermen who had caught what appeared to be a White Steenbras (see photo). They did put it back.
    Survey notes


    Add additional observers
    Observer NumberNameOptions
    0Darren November
     
    0David Walker
     
    0Felicity Elmore
     
    0Gigi Laidler
     
    0Linda Hibbin
     
    0Safiyyah Hattas
     

    Current data
    Ref #SpeciesCountBreeding
    Pairs    		Breeding
    indicator
    4Grebe, Great Crested
    (Podiceps cristatus)    		50
    47Cormorant, White-breasted
    (Phalacrocorax lucidus)    		490
    48Cormorant, Cape
    (Phalacrocorax capensis)    		420
    50Cormorant, Reed
    (Microcarbo africanus)    		1050
    52Darter, African
    (Anhinga rufa)    		370
    54Heron, Grey
    (Ardea cinerea)    		40
    57Heron, Purple
    (Ardea purpurea)    		30
    59Egret, Little
    (Egretta garzetta)    		100
    69Night Heron, Black-crowned
    (Nycticorax nycticorax)    		10
    81Ibis, African Sacred
    (Threskiornis aethiopicus)    		510
    84Ibis, Hadada
    (Bostrychia hagedash)    		90
    85Spoonbill, African
    (Platalea alba)    		150
    89Goose, Egyptian
    (Alopochen aegyptiaca)    		850
    94Shoveler, Cape
    (Anas smithii)    		20
    96Duck, Yellow-billed
    (Anas undulata)    		590
    98Teal, Cape
    (Anas capensis)    		160
    210Moorhen, Common
    (Gallinula chloropus)    		90
    212Coot, Red-knobbed
    (Fulica cristata)    		760
    245Lapwing, Blacksmith
    (Vanellus armatus)    		140
    287Gull, Kelp
    (Larus dominicanus)    		230
    289Gull, Hartlaub's
    (Chroicocephalus hartlaubii)    		320
    290Tern, Caspian
    (Hydroprogne caspia)    		70
    394Kingfisher, Pied
    (Ceryle rudis)    		50
    395Kingfisher, Giant
    (Megaceryle maxima)    		10
    397Kingfisher, Malachite
    (Corythornis cristatus)    		20
    1016, Mallard
    (Anas platyrhynchos)    		50
    10034Duck, Hyrbid Mallard/Yellow-billed
    (Anas platyrhynchos x undulata)    		190
    14799Egret, Yellow-billed
    (Egretta brachyrhyncha)    		30


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

    Monday 27 July 2026 08:16
    FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology
    Department of Biological Sciences - University of Cape Town

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