Athlone Bird Count April 2016

Water Thick-knee.

photograph by Dick Bos.

If this were a competition for the highest number of birds for any species on a count, the winner today would be unusual in that we counted 174 Red-knobbed Coots. Usually there are (much) higher numbers for Hartlaub’s Gull, Greater Flamingos, Yellow-billed Ducks and even Pied Avocet. But not today. Other species that were counted in triple digits were Yellow-billed Duck (100), Hartlaub’s Gull (135) and Red-billed Teal (121). Zero Pied Avocet today, isnt’ that what makes birding and counting birds so interesting?!

Noteworthy also were the group of 50 White-faced Duck, and the first record during a count this year of (2) Water Thick-knee.
We also were able to record the ‘resident’ Black Sparrowhawk.

All in all 45 species were reported for MyBirdPatch and 1089 birds from 29 species for CWAC.
Many thanks to Andrew de Blocq, Ian Cranna, Gillian Ford and Fay Linder for joining today.
Many thanks also to Mr Fred Cupido, Manager of Athlone WWTW, for permission to conduct these valuable bird surveys and to Mr Moegamat Fakier-Abdol for his support.

This data is submitted to the Animal Demography Unit’s CWAC and MyBirdpatch, projects.

Counts take place on the third Thursday of every month and start at 13:00.
Anyone wanting to assist should contact;
Dick Bos on 021 423 2546 or dick@bosfoto.nl alternative bosfoto@outlook.com