This is a voluntary working relationship with the City of Cape Town and the Cape Bird Club since 1978.
The weather was sunny and cloudless except for around the mountain tops, with a cool wind blowing from the SE. An interesting note is that the pavement and open area daisies have only started to open in the last few days all the way from Plumstead down to Muizenberg. This is nearly 2 months later than most years when they would be flowering towards the end of July. See the flowers near Thesens bridge. The estuary mouth was open with the water level very low between bends 1 and 2. The nearby pond is still quite full and the marker stick indicates the level has dropped about 20cm since last month.
The two scout yachts were having fun in the wind zipping across the main water body all afternoon.
There were very few birds to be seen over the main waterbody. We did see a free flying all white parakeet above our heads, initially wondering what we were seeing. A total of 17 species were seen with the Swift Tern being the highlight.
Bert and I continued where we left off where we found a squatter in a very tidy shelter behind some Port Jacksons. Bert told him he was about to chop them down. He got up with his things and left without saying a word. This is the first time in my experience I have seen a nest with no litter in or in the surrounding area. The pathway to this site did not exist last month. We found another nearby similar smaller in style with no litter as well.
We continued with cutting down Rooikrans and Brazilian Pepper trees, which kept us busy all our afternoon. We did go and start on some Brazilian Peppers nearer to the waters edge which we will finish next month.
The flowers are starting to bloom and the insect life is reappearing. We saw a Heady Maiden (Syntomis cerbera) moth which has 4 red bands on its body. Also Burnished Opal (Chrysoritis chrysar) a copper coloured butterfly which is not that common here. We also saw a Silver bottom Brown butterfly. No dragonflies yet. There were some Horse flies about too.
In our time while hacking, 4 railway trains passed in both directions so the souther suburbs line seems to be operating consistently again, and it was well patronised.
See this link for the past reports of what we have done.
Photographs by Gavin Lawson.
Gavin Lawson.
