PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - With human return visitors to Plettenberg Bay temporarily on hold in the wake of the pandemic, concerns started to surface that the flamboyant collective of feathered tourists that have made the town their favourite pit stop for years might have also become Plett-shy.
For the past decade or so, these long-legged birds have been spotted feeding in the lagoon during the end of summer and beginning of winter. But observers noted that they were a little late in arriving this year. Flamingo fans can however now breathe a sigh of relief: they're back.
What was initially thought to have been a "fluke" visit has now grown into an annually anticipated event: the return of a flock of greater flamingos to the Poortjies lagoon.
About two or three of these birds, which can stand up to 2m tall, were first spotted in Plettenberg Bay about 10 years ago. As the years rolled by, the birds returned annually and each year the flock grew. Now more than 80 of them can be seen congregating in the area.
"It's been such a beautiful winter in Plett, even during the Covid-19 pandemic, and we are delighted that our yearly flamingo guests have found their way back to our lagoons and river estuaries. Their numbers are up, and there are many chicks alongside their mothers," said Plett Tourism's Patty Butterworth.
She added that birdlife in Plett is prolific, with more than 350 endemic species and many more migratory birds like the flamingo. "The ecosystems of Plett are thriving, and birds in particular are enjoying the wetlands, the estuaries and the lagoons with their protective dunes, fynbos and flora to encourage successful feeding and nesting."
According to a report by Mike Bridgeford from Birdlife Plett, what is strange about their visits is that these pink-feathered birds do not breed much in South Africa. Their breeding grounds are primarily Sua Pan in Botswana and the Etoscha Pan in Namibia.
He added their average life span is about 60 years and when feeding they employ a unique technique by wading with their bills upside down, filtering out small organisms.
Local conservationists said the town is very fortunate to have these birds visiting, a testament to conservation efforts in the Bitou wetlands and surrounding birding areas.
Although encouraged to visit, people are asked not to disturb or disrupt the birds by getting too close or allowing dogs in the area without a lead.
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