Reserve’s water bird population looks healthy
The perfect weather meant the teams had no difficulty in counting the birds.
Birders from Johannesburg and the East Rand, with the Friends of Marievale Nature Reserve, did the Co-Ordinated Waterbird Counts (CWAC).
The reserve, just outside Nigel, is a well-known bird-watching spot and home to a diverse range of species.
During the CWAC, they counted over 2 700 water birds at the reserve.
The CWAC is a collaborative effort to monitor and conserve water bird populations across various SA wetlands.
By doing regular counts, researchers and conservationists gather valuable data on bird species, population trends and habitat health.
The count was particularly significant because of the many water birds recorded and was hosted by the Springs/Nigel Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa branch.
Started in 1992, the CWAC counts happen at registered wetlands throughout SA and Kenya twice annually and the results are forwarded to the Animal Demography Unit at the University of Cape Town, which analyses the movement of birds and the conditions of wetlands for scientific and conservation purposes.
The perfect weather meant the teams had no difficulty in counting the birds.
Not included in the count were grassland birds like weavers, sparrows and doves.
