This is a voluntary working relationship with the City of Cape Town and the Cape Bird Club since 1978.
A great contrast from last month in weather conditions today. There was some good rain this morning and the expected forecast suggested it was to rain this afternoon. When we started the cloud ceiling had lifted and it was fairly bright through the cloud cover which was still coming from the NW. There was very little wind at ground level. The water level of the main waterbody was very full as the estuary mouth was closed. This was surprising when I past the Royal Road bridge and could see the water level and estuary mouth closed.It is also full moon tonight which was surprising. Then when I arrived at our work area it was evident why, the Scouts were having their annual Zandvlei Kontiki Craft weekend festivity. All the local Scout troops have a raft numbered and decorated which they have to construct and they have to sleep onboard overnight with many tests of their individual and collective skills being assessed.
When we arrived at the work site it had become quite gloomy and dark overhead. The birds were very active this afternoon with Spoonbills, herons, gulls, terns, egrets and ducks flying about.We saw 18 species with the Spoonbills and the Yellow billed Egret the highlight.
Robin brought along a new volunteer Jacob who has been active in the area for a while and is very enthusiastic about clearing the invasives. He understands the need as well. Good to have him along. We cleared Port Jackson and Brazilian pepper tress mainly. There is plenty more to be found in this block. Bert found the pathways flooded with the high water level in the main waterbody, it looked like middle of winter conditions after plenty of rain. Last week we had what was minor flooding in the Cape Town area due to some heavy thunder storm rains.
The only insects as such were the Cape Autumn Widow Butterflies flittering about low over the grasses. Robin identified Trichlochin bulbosa which was flowering near the waters edge.
It is in the JUNCAGINACEAE family. There was water letuce washed down the catchment and lodging in little bays in the reedbeds along the western shore. It appeared that the salinity had affected the leaves as they were almost bleached in colour. When we left it was in the soft rain and the air temperature was dropping.
It always rains when the Scouts have their Kontiki weekend.
We do need some younger volunteers for this job, so if any of you out there are interested in helping you are assisting the Nature Reserve staff who cant cover all the bases they are responsible for. Contact me if you are interested.
See this link for the past reports of what we have done.
photographs by Gavin Lawson.
Gavin Lawson.
