16 February 2025

On Sunday 16 February the summer waterbird count (CWAC) took place with members of BirdLife eThekwini KZN at the Umgeni River estuary and Durban Bayhead Natural Heritage Site. The Umgeni count was relatively quiet, with virtually nothing on the sea-side sand banks, no waders and no terns, just a couple of distant African Oystercatcher. Along the river bank were the usual wagtails and Common Sandpiper, but most of the activity was inland of the Athlone bridge.

We found Water Thick-knee sitting on the old bridge piers and got some good views, but most of the birds were roosting on the sandbank next to the Windsor Park Golf Course, which meant we needed our telescopes to properly count. Here there was a mixture of Sacred Ibis, African Woolly-necked Stork, Egyptian Goose, Great (White-breasted) Cormorant, Common Greenshank, about 100 Blacksmith Lapwing and an estimated 50 or so Common Ringed Plover, which were hard to see as they were sitting down on the sand. 

There were also some good views of White-throated Swallow that sat on a branch close to us, as well as one Western Osprey and two African Fish Eagle, one adult and one juvenile. After we exhausted this area, we drove around to the Connaught bridge, where we added Malachite and Pied Kingfisher, and some more cormorant. In the end we got a total waterbird count of 297 with 26 species, well down on the usual summer counts. Noticeably absent (negatively) were terns of any species and noticeably absent (positively) were House Crows, only Pied Crows being present.

After the lists were compiled, a few of us headed to the Bayhead site, where we arrived to find hot weather and a low tide. Here, though, the birding was better with many waders spread out over the sandbanks. The telescopes were essential to scan and count the small waders, which were pleasingly plentiful. In the end we found 190 Common Ringed Plover, 57 Curlew Sandpiper  (some starting to change into reddish breeding plumage), 26 Common Greenshank, 16 Common Whimbrel and most pleasingly 2 Terek Sandpiper and 5 Lesser Crested Tern. A small group of Pink-backed Pelican was fishing in the distance while an African Fish Eagle kept watch from a convenient log. The usual Goliath Heron were seen and there was a special appearance by a Palm-nut Vulture and a Booted Eagle towards the end of the count.

We waited by the mangrove trees as the tide came in and pushed the waders ever closer to us, allowing some good photo opportunities until the sandbanks were covered. The count here was good, with 337 waterbirds of 19 species, one of the better summer counts at Bayhead in recent years (Figure 1) and pleasing to see the Palearctic migrant waders in reasonable numbers.

Thanks to all the bird club members who came along to help – greatly appreciated.

Text by Steve Davis and photos by Anneli Mynhardt