Zandvlei Nature Reserve 15th November 2015

The view from the hide at the confluence of the Sand River..

 

The morning was cool with a S wind and partly cloudy skies. A typical spring day. 23 people arrived for the outing. Gavin Lawson was the leader for the outing.

At the picnic table alongside the Sand River canal we saw a pair of Little Bittens fly out of the reeds very close to where we were standing.
We had hoped to seen a Malachite Kingfisher here but no luck today. A Yellow Bishop was seen preening and displaying for everyone to get a good sighting.

From up in the large hide at the Sand River confluence we had a good view of the African Fish Eagle on Little Australia Island.

A strong wind came up with an approaching rain shower, which sent us on our way, it also sent a cap went flying into the very prickly scurpus and had to be retrieved. The oohs and aahs were interesting to hear.

Making our way along the path just past the Scurpus Hide we saw a Cape Otter scat seen along the pathway. Very alarming it had a soft plastic bag in the content, thank goodness it was expelled.

The group gathered at the northern jetty and had sightings of many waterbird species.

Thank you Barry Cleveland .for compiling the bird list.

Roberts No.      Common Name.
56                       Cape Cormorant
58                       Reed Cormoran
60                       Darter
78                       Little Bittern
91                       Sacred Ibis
102                     Egyptian Goose
104                     Yellow billed Duck
126                     Yellow billed Kite
148                     African Fish Eagle
165                     African Marsh Harrier
195                     Cape Francolin
226                     Moorhen
228                     Red knobbed Coot
258                     Blacksmith Plover
295                     Blackwinged Stilt
297                     Spotted Dikkop
312                     Kelp Gull
316                     Hartlaub’s Gull
322                     Caspian Tern
362                     Red eyed Dove
412                     Black Swift
418                     Alpine Swift
425                     White backed Mousebird
426                     Red faced Mousebird
428                     Pied Kingfisher
526                     Greater striped Swallow
533                     Brown throated Martin
548                     Pied Crow
566                     Cape Bulbul
635                     Cape Reed Warbler
638                     African Sedge Warbler
686                     Spotted Prinia
767                     Common Starling
796                     Cape White eye
813                     Cape Weaver
827                     Yellow rumped Widow
846                     Common Waxbill
860                     Pintailed Whydah
–                          Mallard Hybrid

Total                   39.

The feedback was that all enjoyed the morning and we saw 39 species of birds in the 2 hours of walking around along the pathways.
There is still plenty more to see in other parts of the Reserve we did not explore.

A couple who live in the Marina commented that they learnt a lot today about Zandvlei and they have lived here for more than 20 years.

Photographs by Gavin Lawson.

Gavin Lawson.