The Birds of Delta Park and the Florence Bloom Bird Sanctuary
I’ve been birding in Delta Park for over 50 years and, in that time, I have recorded over 270 species. Some have since disappeared from the park, and others have been national or regional rarities that are unlikely to be seen here again. There have also been ‘new colonists’ however that appeared in the park and have gone on to become common breeding residents. The first half of 2022 for example has seen three new species – Southern Pochard, Cinnamon-breasted Bunting and Fiery-necked Nightjar being recorded and the checklist keeps growing.
The checklist reflects all the species recorded since 01 January 2002. Most of these records are my own or, in a few cases, those other birders who photographed new or uncommon species in the park and the list is up to date as of mid-July 2022. As the status of any individual species may change dramatically from year to year, I’ve not tried to indicate the status of the species on the list. It will however give a good idea of what is possible.
By Geoff Lockwood