Page 30 - Landscape SA 96

ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE

African Purple Swamphen, a rare visitor White-faced (Whistling) Duck

portions of reedbeds and Coetzee calls it breeding in the shallow water in future.
an illusive bird, although fairly common, The White-faced (Whistling) Duck feeds at
feeding on aquatic insects and fish; it is night and at first light on aquatic insects
resident on the island in the dam. The tall and aquatic vegetation. The pair breeds
Grey Heron nests on a platform of sticks in on the island in the dam in a well-hidden
tall trees on the course, sometimes in small nest in the long grass or dense aquatic
colonies. It feeds off reptiles, amphibians vegetation on the ground at the water’s
and fish. It sometimes has black plumes edge. The nest comprises branches, sticks
on its white head during breeding, a pale and leaves.
grey body and darker grey underwings as
its regular colouring. Its habitat is areas of The (African) Sacred Ibis is highly social,
shallow water and it often nests in colonies sometimes gathering in very large flocks.
in trees or reedbeds. Coetzee says it favours shallow, wet areas
on the course, such as standing water
Coetzee remarks that the African Purple after rain and margins of water bodies. The
Swamphen is an uncommon visitor to the birds nest in trees and sometimes on the
course and that he has only seen the bird ground, feeding off frogs, reptiles, fish and
a couple of times. A pile of sticks has been refuse. LSA
Grey Heron placed on the water’s edge to encourage

Sacred Ibis in the early morning mist on the course

28 Landscape SA • Issue 96 2020