Management and regulating the water level of the pans.
The importance of dropping water levels was highlighted from a short lived experiment which the Cape Bird Club conducted some years ago. A pan was selected in conjunction with the Management at the Sewage Works and water to the pan was diverted. This resulted in a progressive lowering of the water level.
Montlhy counts were conducted at this experimental pan and an adjacent control pan. The results revealed a dramatic change; both in the number of species and bird numbers.
Over 4 summer months
– Control pan Experimental pan
Mean number of birds 40 544
Number of species 8 30
Morne Carstens has been working at the site from January 2006 and he started lowering a number of pans water levels and is monitoring the bird activity.
photographs by Morne Carstens.
P2 pan just before the level was being dropped in February 2006. S3 pan island visible at the beginning of lowering in March 2006.
