Strandfontein Outing, Saturday, 23 July 2022
27 members and visitors gathered at Strandfontein Sewerage Works on a cold, rainy morning to
view, by the end, 69 bird species. Luckily the weather cleared and we were able to enjoy sunny
weather for most of the morning.
Notably we saw both Fulvous Whistling Duck and White-faced Whistling Duck,(the only two species
in Southern Africa), Bev Patterson viewed the Pink-backed Pelican and several over-wintering
Common Terns were seen on Pan T1, where we hoping to see an African Jacana, but no such luck.
Strandfontein is renowned for water birds. The only wader we saw was the Three-banded Plover,
but we were spoilt for choice by the splendid ducks and teals on offer, especially Red Billed Teals,
Cape Teals and Southern Pochard and Maccoa Ducks, plus all the usual suspects.
Raptors were well represented with Peregrine Falcon, Rock Kestrel, Black-winged Kite, Marsh Harrier
and Jackal Buzzard on view.
Brown-throated Martin, Rock Martin and Little Swift represented the SMS’s (Swallows, Martins and
Swifts) and the Grebe family representatives were Little and Black-necked.
We gathered at the “Hub” to relax and enjoy coffee in the glorious sunshine and on the way out
stopped in the forest adjacent to Seekoeivlei searching, unsuccessfully, for the Pink-backed Pelican
but we were lucky to observe a Pied Kingfisher, African Spoonbills feeding and a fly-by of a Caspian
Tern.
A thoroughly enjoyable outing and, if repeated in summer, we should easily top the species number
seen on Saturday.
Regards
Daryl and Lynette de Beer
