Low Water at Harare’s Lake Chivero despite good rainfall

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 Today, with Birdlife Mashonaland Club, we visited the Lake Chivero bird sanctuary. The following birds were observed including:

Hamerkops (loads)

White-faced ducks (loads)

African Fish-eagles (many)

Yellow-billed kites (a couple)

Common Moorhen 

Allen's Galinule

African Jacana (a few)

Red-collared Widowbird 

Red bishops (loads)

Common waxbills

Grey herons (many)

Purple Heron (1)

Squacco Heron (1)

Emerald-spotted wood-doves

Ring-necked doves

Spectacled Weavers

Pied kingfishers 

Grey Hornbill (1)

Scarlet chested sunbirds (a couple)

Orange-breasted Bush-shrike

Flappet Lark

Wire-tailed swallows

Brown throated Martins

Willow warblers

Great reed warblers

Lesser Swamp-warbler 

Village Indigobird

Now back to the subject, Harare has been getting plenty of rain, along with most parts of Zimbabwe. It is easy to assume that there is enough rainfall to fill up our lakes, but that has not been the case. The water levels look receded. Of course, we still have till April with the rains and there is plenty of chance that we will get enough to give the city enough water supply for the year. On the other hand, we really need to be aware that continued development keep threatening the environment as well as the lake. City of Harare has an evident record of dishing out wetland to developers. Driving down to the lake, its very noticeable that there are many neighborhoods which have sprouted around the the city in areas which were specifically left undeveloped for a reason. The city must remain aware that its going to me more costly to reverse the impacts of losing the only water source the city has

The Marimba river which feeds into the lake. This part of the lake is usually inaccessible due to water.

The lake, from the North-Eastern side.


The birding party. 

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