Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve
In
and around the Reserve – 2004
02/12/2004 – An update of the Juvenile Fish Eagle. Ann Koeslag reports all appears to be going well.
photograph by Ann Koeslag
20/11/2004 – Opening of the Fish Eagle Bird Hide on Park Island.
Hettie Gets and Mike Bosazza (WWF – SA and
Syfrets ) cutting
the ribbon.
See more about the proceedings.
11/11/2004 – First sightings of the young "Zandvlei" African Fish Eagle. This photograph is the first of the fledged youngster, exercising his/her wings early in the morning. No sooner had he/she landed on the top of the tree, when two Yellowbilled Kites swooped down and repeatedly buzzed it. Pied Crows were also nearby venting there disapproval as well.
photograph by Ann Koeslag
16/10/2004 – The National Pelican Census Day. Two White Pelicans were counted at the Reserve. We certainly do have many more at times. Information from all over the country will be forwarded to the ADU who in turn will use the information to estimate how many pelicans we still have in the country.
16/10/2004 – The ZIMP (Zandvlei Inventory and Monitoring Programme) Botany group and the Reserve staff went to Pelican Park, Zeekoevlei where we did a search and rescue of several Cape Flats Strandveld plant species for ZNR and other nearby Reserves. The area at Pelican Park is been developed for residential building. Erika would like to thank all the ZIMP members for making this operation the success it was, in spite of losing this natural area for the several hundred bulbs rescued.
12/10/2004 – A rare and special visitor to the Reserve. Charles Oertel photographed this Cheetah which he thought may be a porcupine rustling in the bushes, while out walking in the Nature Reserve today.
photograph by Charles Oertel
Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)
photograph by Charles Oertel
Charles relates "I thought I was hallucinating, when I was ready with my camera to photograph the porcupine and this is what I captured". What an amazing experience!!
23/09/2004 – This juvenile Cape Cobra about 30cm long was released on Park Island.
Cape Cobra
(Naja nivea)
16/09/2004 – Four Cape
Hare and a Cape Gerbil released on Park Island.
Zandvlei Nature Reserve and other City of Cape Town Conservation staff were
hard at work on Thursday morning (01h30) capturing and releasing the animals,
below. They were removed from areas under human and other threats, in various
parts of the Cape Flats and brought to Park Island, as the habitat is suitable
and sustainable for populations of these animals.
photograph by Clifford Dorse
Cape Gerbil (Tatera afra)
photograph by Clifford Dorse
One of the Cape Hares (Lepus capensis) before
settting off on Park Island.
15/09/2004 – The Fish Eagles seem to have a chick in their nest. There is evidence of feeding near the nest sight. There are a pair of Black Sparrowhawks with a nest nearby and they are very curious about the Fish Eagles nest often coming closeby to look at the nest.
photograph by Ann Koeslag
22/08/2004 – Leopard Toads, also called August and Snoring Toads in the
Keysers River. They have become a Red Data species, as their habitat is fast
diminishing due to 'Mans needs' to develop the remaining areas for houses,
industries and roads. The short season for the annual mating of the Leopard
toads has begun. The males call from the water bodies for about 2 weeks, which
attracts the females to the water so that the eggs can be fertilised and left to
hatch in the water. The adults then leave the water bodies and head back to the
foraging areas for the rest of the year.
05/07/2004 – Exciting
news!
The Zandvlei Fish Eagles are believed to be nesting. They have been
monitored with these photos been taken recently. It is believed that the female
is sitting on eggs so the location will not be disclosed.
The pair
mating. The nest.
Erika and Kareemah reported that a pair of Spotted Eagle Owls have
been at the Nature Reserve for the past week 01/06/2004 – 04/06/2004.
They have been in the trees of the Nature Reserve facing Wildwood Island.
Marina da Gama Garden Club workshop
Erika ran a workshop for the Garden Club on 02/06/2004, explaining the
vegetation of the Strandveld and which plants would be best for local gardens,
also some on medicinal plant properties.
A raffle for the members, saw lucky numbers take home proteas and the grand
prize of a Milkwood tree.
Els Dorrat (a Zandvlei Trust member) has managed to
raise enough money to have a sign made for the entrance to the Nature Reserve, 
through a donation from the Rotary, Claremont
Branch.
On behalf of The Zandvlei Trust and the City we would like to acknowledge and
thank her for this.
Els has secured previous donations from Rotary, Claremont Branch which
paid for the bird charts at the Environmental Education Centre.
See below.
In April 2004 a fish trek netting was done to remove the exotic fish such as Barbel and Tilapia from 'Die Oog' in Bergvliet.
The team pulling the nets up at Die Oog.
In March 2004 a night count for Cape
Hares (Lepus capensis).
Glendon, Howard, Nolan, Astrado, Leslie-Ann and Kareemah who helped
with the flushing of the Cape Hares.
Kareemah is studying the Cape Hares as her project this year and has found some
very interesting information. See the article below in August 2003.
We were collecting pellets to try and find out what these hares actually feed on in Strandveld habitat and to our surprise we found sourfig seeds in the pellets. Kareemah planted the seeds to see if the hares help in the distribution of seeds, within a week of planting these seeds we have a few hundred sourfig seedlings coming up already almost a millimetre above the ground. Kareemah will now collect some sourfig seeds and plant them to see whether they will grow so fast as well. We never knew that hares
feed on sourfig nor that they can possibly aid with seed dispersal.
Kareemah counting sourfig seeds in the Cape hare pellets.
These are a few of the March lilies - Amaryllis belladona blooming on
19/03/2004. There seem to be fewer this year, maybe due to the dry winter last
year.
The April fool flowers - Haemanthus rotundifolius are flowering too.
In and around the Reserve in 2003.
In and around the Reserve in 2002.
