Paarl Bird Sanctuary Counts in 2020.

A working partnership with the Drakenstein Municipality and the Cape Bird Club.

Monthly bird counts take place, on the last Saturday morning in the month.
Anyone interested in helping can contact Gilbert Reinhardt at 079 130 7876 for details of starting time and meeting place.

 

Fluvous Duck.

photograph by John Fincham.

October 2020.

On 26 September 2020 John reported  “We need to sincerely thank Gilbert Rheinhardt for taking over management of the monthly PBS CWAC, assisted by Tony Williams.

Perhaps the pair of White-faced Whistling Duck with 14 ducklings on E3 pan presages happy counts in future. Let’s hope so. There is so much that needs to be done at PBS”.

Report and photographs by John Fincham.

September 2020.

On 26 September 2020 John reported that the site is loosing its colourful jewels – the Red Bischops.

Felicity had been bird ringing earlier in the morning and joined the group for tea. She reports – “There was a wonderful chocolate cake made by Gilbert’s wife, it was really good!” for Yvonne on her 93rd birthday celebration. She had called a meeting, as she wanted to discuss the way forward for the management of the site together with the municipality.

Yvonne has been coordinating the counts since Jan 1993. She is unable to continue and needed to hand over the responsibility to others.
Gilbert will undertake to co-ordinate the counts and Tony and Patsy will attend the municipal management meetings.

Thank you Yvonne for all the years you have worked and dedicated to this gem of a birding site.

Report and photographs by John Fincham and Felicity Ellmore.

February 2020.

Pans E2 & E3 had a lot of water compared to the January count when they were almost dry. E2 in particular was teeming with water-associated birds.
The best photo of the day shows clearly how long and pink the legs of a Black-winged Stilt are. The stilt is standing next to a Glossy Ibis and appears to be interested in what the ibis is feeding on.

Perhaps the next most interesting photo shows how the Kittlitz’s Plovers have changed into non-breeding plumage. The wing feathers of the photographed bird are markedly worn because it is moulting, or replacing the old feathers with new ones. This process has been completed on the head and neck, which is why the features of the breeding plumage have been lost.

Another interesting photo shows how the White-winged Terns are changing from overall white to become mostly black. This is because they are preparing to fly to northern Russia and Europe to breed.

Finally the series of floats is still in pan A, suggesting the presence of a fishing net. The floats are visible from the viewing platform. Please can a member of staff go to the bank opposite to where the floats are and try to pull them in. As mentioned in the previous report, fishing nets can catch birds that dive under water. Several species at PBS do this to catch fish and frogs.

The series of floats in pan A. They may be suspending a fishing net that could also catch birds that dive.

 

photographs and reports by John Fincham.