Baby-less storks visit town
Over the past few days the News has received various phone calls from residents who have spotted these majestic beauties around town.
If you have recently been acquainted with a newborn, just know it’s not something in the water, nor is it something contagious. What it might be, is the flock of white storks that have been visiting town for some time.
Over the past few days, the News has received various phone calls from residents who have spotted these majestic beauties around town. Some have seen them at Coronation Dam, while others came across the storks at the local dumping site.
“Either the Krugersdorp population increased dramatically several days ago or the 150 or so white storks that landed baby-less at Coronation Dam were just catching a breather between deliveries,” local resident Gien Elsas said.
“There was some excitement among ornithologists when the birds were seen circling overhead. They then started landing. People stopped counting at 100, and still they arrived.”
She went on to say that those interested spent several hours at the Johan Jonker Drive side of the dam, among the cattle, sacred ibises and egrets.
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By the next morning, she added, they were gone.
“Maybe to greener pastures or maybe with new deliveries?”
The White Stork’s preferred habitats are riverbanks, marshes, swamps, ditches, grasslands and meadows, which explains why they decided to land at the well-known Coronation Dam.
According to expert Stuart Bartman from the non-profit membership-based organisation, People for Wildlife, these birds tend to migrate to and fro between South Africa and Eastern and Central Europe.
“They are simply migrating back to Europe for the warmth of summer – as South Africa is slowly but surely entering winter again,” he said.
“It’s not unusual, as they like to stop and rest in their preferred habitat. Sometimes for up to a week. Soon they will continue with their journey. Thus local residents should get a glimpse of them while they can.”
Even though the White Stork is classed as of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), their brief visit was still a treat for residents and bird-lovers all over town.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at krugersdorpnews@caxton.co.za or phone us on 011 955 1130.I
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