CWAC at Zandvlei Nature Reserve – 18 January 2025.

This is a working relationship with the City of Cape Town and the Cape Bird Club.

Alan Morris started the co-ordinated bird counts in December 1974 and they still continue at Zandvlei.


Zandvlei Upper.

A note that on Thursday 16 January a cold front came through and dropped the night and day temperatures down to a day time high of 20 degrees C. I suspect this was a contributing factor for the low counts today. There were very few bush birds along the routes we take today. The weather was clear, skies sunny and warm to hot temperatures, with a slight breeze from the SE.
It was good to note that David’s group saw Greater Flamingo in the upper region pans. Soon after we started on the west shore it was apparent we could not get through the pathway we usually take as it has become very overgrown near the first small pond. We took another route and found the pond to have about 30cm of water in the dried out base with no bird or fish life. We saw a large organised group of recreational canoeists paddling towards the railway bridge some were looking at the birds. There were also 2 anglers spooning for Leervis in the bay of the Scouts and Naval Cadets.

Zandvlei Lower.

We did not see the usual Cape Cormorants flying in and out of the estuary. Only one was recorded flying back towards the estuary mouth.
The water in the lower reaches of the estuary was very clear and clean with various size fish pods in the varying depths. We saw a human canopy glider pilot soaring along the mountain ridge above Muizenberg, a non motorized version.
The estuary mouth was closed as we saw from the Royal Road bridge when we finished up there.
A trend is developing in the last 3 to 5 years or so. More and more bush birds and water bird species have left the Zandvlei Nature Reserve areas. The waders are almost non existent and many of the remaining species we encounter, their numbers are decreasing. It is probably due to the weather pattern change or climate change as the popular term used. Some of the species have moved to the Strandfontein Birding Area when cross checking the count list. Thank you to Kyran who counted the Marina canals by boat. He saw an African Black Duck which was a good record. He also noted a Muscovy Duck. It seems many of the bird specie numbers were sheltering in the Marina canals.

 

Zandvlei Westlake Wetlands and Rutter Road Pond.

There was no water flow under the railway bridge today. The surface water was being blown back into the confluence of the 2 rivers. We found the estuary mouth was closed later when we arrived at the estuary mouth. The water was clear and there were small fish fingerlings sparkling in the bright sunlight.
While we at the bridge we saw the Reserve staff members in the reeds at the confluence.
Four species were a highlight the Black Crake, Black crowned Night Herons, Little Grebe and an African Swamphen.

Thank you to all the people who came to help count today including the Nature Reserve staff, you do make a difference for the data collection.

 

photographs by Gavin Lawson.

Gavin Lawson.

 

 

Below are the count datas for 18 January 2025.

Zandvlei upper count.

Zandvlei lower count.

Zandvlei Westlake Wetlands and Rutter Road Pond.

 

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