The Glen Austin Pan, Bird Sanctuary and Water Courses
The pan is not only home to the endangered African Giant Bullfrog, it also plays witness to a menagerie of animal, bird and plant life.
The pan remains a favourite migration stopover for the Yellow Billed Stork, Spoon Billed Stork, Cormorants, White-faced Ducks, Flamingos, Egrets as well as droves of Egyptian Geese.
In addition Glen Austin is a Green Lung, providing welcome air cleansing properties in a sea of urban development. It is with this in mind that the residents of Glen Austin are working towards the preservation of this status as well as our precious pan, which we believe to hold enormous potential for environmental education and research.
BIRD SANCTUARY
The Bird Sanctuary, reckoned to be about 3,5 million years old, is home to many birds and just a few spotted there have included Crimson Breasted Shrikes, Pied Barbit, Tit Babbler, Black Cuckoo Shrike whilst Crombeck and Bru Bru Shrikes, White and Abdims Storks, Black Headed Herons, Helmeted Guinea Fowl, Rock Pigeon and Black Crows have also been observed. The list of ducks include the White Faced Ducks, various Teals, White Backed Duck, Lesser Moorhen and Cape Shoveller Ducks to name but a few.
Recognising the importance of the Bird Sanctuary, it was proclaimed a nature reserve in 1994.
BIRDS, BIRDS AND MORE BIRDS
We have received feed back from Laurie Kay, Dave Morrison, Rob Davies and Erna Hardy. Laurie tells us that a fish eagle was spotted last year and a secretary bird was a regular visitor until 1995. Also spotted many years ago were Flamingos and Purple Gallinule. Erna Hardy has also had visits from Hamerkop and Herons in the dam at their nursery. Anne Binos spotted a Grey Hornbill in her garden on 13th October 2000 and also, more recently, a paradise fly catcher! Gert & Leowin Janse Van Rensburg from Belvedere Road has had some exciting spottings! They tell us there is a Barn Owl roosting between Belvedere and Van Riebeeck Roads. They also describe a large grey bird with white under its wings.
Our resident ornithologist, Dr Rob Davies suggests this is in all probability a Grey Heron. They also see a Kestral which hunts in the property near them. Dr Rob Davies has seen Secretary Birds in the area as well.
For all our "birders"...............we are privileged to have an EXPERT in our midst so please do let us have details of sightings and also any queries which we could ask Dr Davies for help on.
PLEASE LET US KNOW OF BIRDS SPOTTED IN AND ABOUT GLEN AUSTIN.
Write to [email protected]
The pan remains a favourite migration stopover for the Yellow Billed Stork, Spoon Billed Stork, Cormorants, White-faced Ducks, Flamingos, Egrets as well as droves of Egyptian Geese.
In addition Glen Austin is a Green Lung, providing welcome air cleansing properties in a sea of urban development. It is with this in mind that the residents of Glen Austin are working towards the preservation of this status as well as our precious pan, which we believe to hold enormous potential for environmental education and research.
BIRD SANCTUARY
The Bird Sanctuary, reckoned to be about 3,5 million years old, is home to many birds and just a few spotted there have included Crimson Breasted Shrikes, Pied Barbit, Tit Babbler, Black Cuckoo Shrike whilst Crombeck and Bru Bru Shrikes, White and Abdims Storks, Black Headed Herons, Helmeted Guinea Fowl, Rock Pigeon and Black Crows have also been observed. The list of ducks include the White Faced Ducks, various Teals, White Backed Duck, Lesser Moorhen and Cape Shoveller Ducks to name but a few.
Recognising the importance of the Bird Sanctuary, it was proclaimed a nature reserve in 1994.
BIRDS, BIRDS AND MORE BIRDS
We have received feed back from Laurie Kay, Dave Morrison, Rob Davies and Erna Hardy. Laurie tells us that a fish eagle was spotted last year and a secretary bird was a regular visitor until 1995. Also spotted many years ago were Flamingos and Purple Gallinule. Erna Hardy has also had visits from Hamerkop and Herons in the dam at their nursery. Anne Binos spotted a Grey Hornbill in her garden on 13th October 2000 and also, more recently, a paradise fly catcher! Gert & Leowin Janse Van Rensburg from Belvedere Road has had some exciting spottings! They tell us there is a Barn Owl roosting between Belvedere and Van Riebeeck Roads. They also describe a large grey bird with white under its wings.
Our resident ornithologist, Dr Rob Davies suggests this is in all probability a Grey Heron. They also see a Kestral which hunts in the property near them. Dr Rob Davies has seen Secretary Birds in the area as well.
For all our "birders"...............we are privileged to have an EXPERT in our midst so please do let us have details of sightings and also any queries which we could ask Dr Davies for help on.
PLEASE LET US KNOW OF BIRDS SPOTTED IN AND ABOUT GLEN AUSTIN.
Write to [email protected]
