Naturally South Australia

Dear Reader….

……Looking further across the field I notice a long dead tree with a small flock of Australian Magpies perched along a skeletal branch. A rather picturesque and haunting image.

I use the GPS for location confirmation when writing notes and taking photographs

Climbing back into my car I scan the GPS for the next intersecting road which happens to be French’s Road. This in turn leads on to Potts Hill Road where there is a green section indicating a park, wetland or other natural feature.

On the way to the junction, I pass a small dam typical of those found on hills’ properties. Using the extreme range of my P900 I recognise Maned Ducks, Eurasian Coots and a single Hoary-headed Grebe on the water.

For the next kilometre the road has wild roses growing on the verge while curious Angus Cattle meander towards the fence-line. I slow to a stop and enjoy their inquisitive company.

Adelaide Rosella a variety of Crimson Rosella

The green outline on the map marks a dip in the road where a creek cuts through the pasture creating a quite different environment characterised by dense scrub and bracken. The sound of wrens and other small birds fills the air and several Adelaide Rosellas land in one of the larger eucalypts.

Farmed Red Deer, they are also an introduced pest species

My final stop on this exploratory drive around the Springton area yields the most interesting images of the day. In a high-fenced paddock, a herd of Red Deer sit quietly in the long grass. Introduced wildlife, they are bred for venison and the velvet on the stags’ antlers.

Family grouping of Western Grey Kangaroos, the male is not necessarily the parent animal

In stark contrast, a trio of Western Grey Kangaroos; male, female and half-grown joey, huddle together as I move within camera range. Large herbivorous grazers they occupy the same Australian ecological niche that deer inhabit in Europe, Asia and North America. A nice biological footnote to end my day around Springton.

Cheers

Baz

Additional notes

Other significant animals seen, heard but not photographed: Kestrel, Brown Snake

The camera used for this post is a Nikon Coolpix P900

This is an easy drive which is quite suitable for families and seniors with public toilets, barbecues, parking and other facilities in Springton. It is dog friendly unless a national or conservation park is signposted.

Please pass on this blog title and or contact information (URL) to any person or organisation with an interest in taking walks and enjoying wildlife in SA.

Click on these links and see more South Australian stories and pictures in my Weekend Notes articles as well as locating similar blogs on Feedspot’s top 20 Australian wildlife blogs

https://www.weekendnotes.com/adelaide/writer/452/

https://blog.feedspot.com/australian_wildlife_blogs/

Tags: adelaide rosella, art, Farmland, Magpie behaviour, photography, Red Deer, springton, travel, wester grey kangaroo, wildlife, wildlife drive, wildlife photography, writing

Comments Leave a Comment
Categories Adelaide Hills, Bird watching, Birds, Family and seniors, Marsupials, Nikon Camera, wildlife photography

Mount Pleasant ….. A Natural Experience ….. Part 1

12 Apr

Dear Reader:

There is a solitary Grey Fantail hunting alongside the bridge. It perches on a branch then makes quick aerial sorties to catch insects in mid-air.

I am at the first bridge in Mount Pleasant, on Talunga Park Road, after entering the town on the B10 from Birdwood in the Adelaide Hills. This delightful little town sits near the source of the River Torrens and reflects colonial history as well as lovely, rural scenery. A Saturday farmers’ market is yet another attraction.

Climbing down a path next to the bridge, I reach a long pool. I sit on the bank and scan several large River Gums. An Adelaide Rosella lands in one and calls to its mate somewhere further down the river. After a few minutes the parrot flies down to a fenced riverside property to feed in some bushes. Close enough for a hurried, shady shot.

I drive a little further along the road and stop by the entrance to a park and follow a dirt pathway. There are tennis courts, a bowling green, club houses and a strange little shed which advertises the Men’s Shed project.

Walking along the track, I spot a small group of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos feeding by a fenceline. They are nervous and I set the camera to Sports Mode, to use my preset shutter speed of 1/1250^th of a second. Birds in flight are always an interesting and challenging target.

The path skirts the facilities then turns right, past a children’s playground, reflection couch ending at another bridge leading to a small park. The cockatoos have flown off and squawked loudly enough to alert all other birds in the area to my presence.

I decide to focus on smaller animals and search the leaf litter and fallen branches for insects, skinks and spiders. I am not disappointed as I photograph three butterflies belonging to different families: a Cabbage White, small blue grey of unknown species and a Painted Lady.

I decide to cross the little footbridge and continue to investigate the town and river from the other side…to be continued in my next post…….

Cheers

Baz

Additional notes

Other animals seen, heard but not photographed: Superb Fairy Wren, Silvereyes, dragonflies

The camera used for this post is a Nikon Coolpix P900

This is an easy walk and drive which is quite suitable for families and seniors with public toilets, barbecues, parking and other facilities nearby. It is dog friendly.

Please pass on this blog title and or contact information (URL) to any person or organisation with an interest in taking walks and enjoying wildlife in SA.

Click on these links and see more South Australian stories and pictures in my Weekend Notes articles as well as locating similar blogs on Feedspot’s top 20 Australian wildlife blogs

https://www.weekendnotes.com/adelaide/writer/452/

https://blog.feedspot.com/australian_wildlife_blogs/

Tags: Adelaide Hills, art, Australian parrots, books, cockatoo, fantail, Mount Pleasant, Painted Lady Butterfly, photography, South Australian birds, South Australian wildlife, travel, wildlife, wildlife photography, Wildlife Walk

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Categories Adelaide Hills, Bird watching, Creeks and wetlands, Inverterbrates, Nikon Camera

Springton’s Wildlife Wonders

10 Mar

Dear Reader:

Bearded Dragon taking a look around, probably sussing out his territory (Credit Sandra Gray)

Springton Hotel one of the state’s earliest pubs

As I drive into Springton my passenger shouts, “Stop and back up.” To my surprise, she points out a lovely Bearded Dragon perched on an old fence post. We pull into the old pub for a refreshing drink before motoring on.

Local dam with Eurasian Coots and Maned Ducks around the edges

In the northern region of the Mount Lofty Ranges, the area around Springton is a spider’s web of unsealed roads. They pass by small properties and cut through open pasture, forest and scrub. A wonderful place to explore by car with frequent stops to take in the rural scenery and search for wildlife.

Rose-breasted Cockatoo or Galah near vines

Driving along the well graded unsealed road I stop to photograph a flock of sheep sheltering in the shade of massive Red Gum while a flatbed truck passes with sheep in the back and a dog in the passengers seat. To my left a pair of Galahs are feeding next to a vineyard. The scene is quintessential rural SA ……to be continued.

Cheers

Baz

Additional notes

Other significant animals seen, heard but not photographed Kestrel, Brown Snake, Adelaide Rosellas

The camera used for this post is a Nikon Coolpix P900

Please pass on this blog title and or contact information (URL) to any person or organisation with an interest in taking walks and enjoying wildlife in SA.

Click on these links and see more South Australian stories and pictures in my Weekend Notes articles as well as locating similar blogs on Feedspot’s top 20 Australian wildlife blogs

https://www.weekendnotes.com/adelaide/writer/452/

https://blog.feedspot.com/australian_wildlife_blogs/

Tags: Backroads, nature, rural scenery, South Australian wildlife, Springton SA, wildlife, wildlife drive

Comments Leave a Comment
Categories Adelaide Hills, Family and seniors, Nature and Wildlife, Nikon Camera, Reptiles, wildlife photography

Williamstown to Springton SA……. a Nature Drive

18 Feb

I’m in the right lane. What’s your problem

Dear Reader:

Coming off a bend at around 100 KPH, in a predominantly rural area, the last thing I expect to see is a Koala casually strolling down the road. Brakes on. I leave the vehicle and usher it off the road.

I am driving between Williamstown and Springton in the northern part of the Mount Lofty Ranges. This lovely stretch of road passes through open pasture for grazing, vineyards, native scrub as well as olive and pine plantations.

A little further along the road I sop to watch a herd of beef cattle in a paddock where Rose Breasted Cockatoos are pulling up roots and tubers from the well irrigated pasture.

Early farmers and rural pioneers have left their mark in many ways. The Portuguese Bridge spans the South Para River and an old, abandoned cottage marks the passing of families and dreams long gone.

There are significant patches of native scrub alongside the road and I briefly stop to explore them. Grasstrees, Teatree bushes, stunted eucalypts (possibly Mallee) and a variety of flowering groundcovers make for a diverse short walk.

There are numerous birds and insects in the scrub alongside the road. The birds are small and hard to photograph as they flit around in the dense bushes and trees. At a glance, there are Silvereyes, Grey Fantails and an unknown honeyeater species.

After numerous stops, I reach Springton and stop at the old-fashioned General store where I grab a bite to eat, a drink and fill up the car with petrol. Suitably refreshed and with the rest of the day ahead I decide to head back to the city by way of the many unsealed roads indicated on my navigation system……..to be continued.

Cheers

BAZ

Additional notes

Other animals seen, heard but not photographed: Ravens, Grey Kangaroos, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos

The camera used for this post is a Nikon Coolpix P900

This is an easy drive which is quite suitable for families and seniors .

Please pass on this blog title and or contact information (URL) to any person or organisation with an interest in taking walks and enjoying wildlife in SA.

Click on these links and see more South Australian stories and pictures in my Weekend Notes articles as well as locating similar blogs on Feedspot’s top 20 Australian wildlife blogs

https://www.weekendnotes.com/adelaide/writer/452/

https://blog.feedspot.com/australian_wildlife_blogs/

Tags: animals, koala, monarch butterfly, Mount Lofty ranges, photography, Rural landscape, South Australian wildlife, springton, travel, wildlife drive, Williamstown

Comments Leave a Comment
Categories Adelaide Hills, Inverterbrates, Nikon Camera

Victor Harbor…..A Foreshore Walk

29 Jan

A lone Hooded Plover chick ventures close to the water

Dear Reader:

The small shore bird leads its chicks across the sand towards the water. They peck at the sand mimicking the parent as she forages for food. Rare and lovely birds, Hooded Plovers nest in a protected zone on the beach.

Adult Hooded Plover with quite mature chicks

I am walking from the Bert Puxley Reserve near the boat ramp back along the foreshore towards Muwerang-Kent Reserve at the mouth of the Inman River. The tide is out and a variety of waterbirds are feeding in the shallow rock pools that characterise this stretch of water.

Whalers Inn and the boat ramp with the Bluff in the background

Cormorant, Silver Gull and Australian Pelican resting on granite boulders near the boating channel

Sooty Oystercatcher (foreground) Australian White Ibis (background) foraging in rock pools for different prey which suits their beak types

Tall Norfolk Island Pines line the pathway and a group of Rose-breasted Cockatoos (Galahs) are squawking and squabbling in the topmost branches while others feed on the grassy verge.

Much to my surprise, I catch sight of an unusual bird pushing its way through the shallows, beak forward and seaweed strewn across its ornately crowned head. A Great-crested Grebe. A bird I have rarely encountered. Using the full extension of the Nikon P900 telephoto, I take a series of shots to capture this feeding behaviour.

Leaving the path, I walk along the sandy beach scanning the water for other seabirds, dolphins, or fish caught in the shallow rock pools. I don’t have to walk very far before I spot a small group of waterfowl, Grey Teal and Pacific Black Ducks, in the shallows. They are birds I usually associate with fresh water.

I have been walking and observing for over an hour and decide to break for lunch. Approximately halfway between the two parks there is a small group of shops catering for Victor’s summer influx of visitors. Fresh sandwiches, pies, pizzas, yiros and many other Aussie lunch staples are available.

Although my walk has primarily focussed on the birdlife, the variety of coastal vegetation is notable. As well as the wiry grasses that hold sandy areas together there are numerous flowering bushes such as Cushion Fan-flower and Coastal Wattles and Myoporum.

My final destination is Muwerang-Kent Reserve where a range of information plaques provide First Nations and more recent historical and cultural information about the area.

Multi purpose reserve with: shelter, play and exercise equipment and information

Cheers

Baz

Additional notes

Other animals seen, heard but not photographed: Caspian Tern, Silver Gulls,

The camera used for this post is a Nikon Coolpix P900

This is an easy walk and drive which is quite suitable for families and seniors with public toilets, barbecues, parking and other facilities nearby. It is dog friendly but areas of the beach are cordoned off for the plovers meaning dogs should be on leads around these zones.

Please pass on this blog title and or contact information (URL) to any person or organisation with an interest in taking walks and enjoying wildlife in SA.

Click on these links and see more South Australian stories and pictures in my Weekend Notes articles as well as locating similar blogs on Feedspot’s top 20 Australian wildlife blogs

https://www.weekendnotes.com/adelaide/writer/452/

https://blog.feedspot.com/australian_wildlife_blogs/

Tags: birding, Birds, Great-crested Grebe, hooded plover, nature, South Australian tourism, south australian travel, South Australian wildlife, travel, victor harbor, wildlife, wildlife photography, Wildlife Walk

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Categories Bird watching, Birds, Fleurieu Peninsula, Nikon Camera

Around Williamstown 2

7 Jan

A mob of Western Grey Kangaroos near Williamstown

Having explored the backroads around the Williamstown in my previous post ; I am now driving along the main street where I am enchanted by the many colonial buildings that have been repurposed to suit a modern township.

Williamstown Hotel was established just 18 years after the settlement of South Australia

A bridge crosses the Victoria Creek at the T junction where the road from Adelaide intersects the B31/B34. From the bridge, I can see a small lake created by a weir. There are Eurasian Coots and a pair of Maned Ducks paddling near the bank.

New Holland Honeyeaters and Silvereyes are feeding in the foliage of several large gums adjacent to the river.

The weir looking back towards the bridge

The wall alongside the path by the lake is decorated with a mural depicting Williamstown’s unique features such as: buildings, landscape and historical events.

As I walk along the path, the characteristic call of an Australian Reed Warbler rings out from the plants bordering the lake. Unusually, the call is coming from the wall of the weir not the reeds. And, as luck would have it, I spot the little bird foraging on the dam wall.

Williamstown has proved to be an interesting place from both an historical and natural perspective. All that remains is to enjoy a croissant and vanilla slice for lunch.

Cheers

Baz

Additional notes

Other animals seen, heard but not photographed: Adelaide Rosellas, Pottybonk Frogs, Masked Lapwings, corellas and Galahs

The camera used for this post is a Nikon Coolpix P900

This is an easy walk and drive which is quite suitable for families and seniors with public toilets, playgroun, barbecues, parking and other facilities nearby. It is dog friendly.

Please pass on this blog title and or contact information (URL) to any person or organisation with an interest in taking walks and enjoying wildlife in SA.

Click on these links and see more South Australian stories and pictures in my Weekend Notes articles as well as locating similar blogs on Feedspot’s top 20 Australian wildlife blogs

https://www.weekendnotes.com/adelaide/writer/452/

https://blog.feedspot.com/australian_wildlife_blogs/

Tags: art, Australian birds, Australian wildlife, nature-photography, photography, South Australian tourism, south australian travel, South Australian wildlife, travel, wildlife, wildlife photography, Williamstown

Comments Leave a Comment
Categories Adelaide Hills, Bird watching, Birds, Creeks and wetlands, Family and seniors, history, Marsupials, Nature and Wildlife, Nikon Camera

Around Williamstown Part 1

12 Dec

Dear Reader:

The old, rusted plough sits in a field of waving wild oats. In one of the massive eucalypts on the edge of the field a Galah watches me as I frame my image. A lovely start to my drive around Williamstown in the Adelaide Hills.

I am exploring the backroads around Williamstown then finishing up in the main street for coffee and cake at one of two equally fine bakeries. Although my focus is on the natural features of the area there is a printed heritage trail available from some of the shops.

Australian Raven and Crested Pigeon on an old building’s roof

Driving into the main road, Queen Street, I turn right into Margaret Street which skirts the town on its northern aspect. I pass a farmer ploughing a hayfield and an old, dilapidated dwelling. Australian Ravens and Magpies are foraging alongside the road and Welcome swallows hawk for insects disturbed by the tractor.

There are vines and a sizeable dam to my left and a pair of Masked Lapwings are strutting along the fence loudly proclaiming their territory with their Kek Kek call.

The road takes a sharp bend and its name changes to Fromm Street. A dairy farm sits on the corner and curious cows move up to the fence as I stop the car to take in this charming rural image. Fromm leads back onto the Lyndoch Road and into Queens Street where there are many old, colonial era buildings………to be continued.

Cheers

Baz

Additional notes

Other animals seen, heard but not photographed, Sulphur Created Cockatoos, Brown Snake, Raptor species probably a kite.

The camera used for this post is a Nikon Coolpix P900

This is an easy drive which is quite suitable for families and seniors with public toilets, caffes, parking and other facilities nearby.

Please pass on this blog title and or contact information (URL) to any person or organisation with an interest in taking walks and enjoying wildlife in SA.

Click on these links and see more South Australian stories and pictures in my Weekend Notes articles as well as locating similar blogs on Feedspot’s top 20 Australian wildlife blogs

https://www.weekendnotes.com/adelaide/writer/452/

https://blog.feedspot.com/australian_wildlife_blogs/

Tags: Adelaide Hills, farming, galah, Masked-lapwing, photography, South Australian tourism, Williamstown

Comments Leave a Comment
Categories Adelaide Hills, Bird watching, history, Nikon Camera

Williamstown’s Wildlife…..The Drive

11 Nov

Dear Reader:

A Koala suddenly appears on the edge of the road then runs across both lanes. I check my mirrors and pull off into a small recess. Walking back along the edge of the road, I scan the trees until I spot the Koala high in the branches looking down on me.

Classic grazing area with remnant eucalypts

Further along the road, I stop again to photograph classic open pasture dotted with sizeable eucalypts. A nearby fenced off paddock is home to a small herd of Angora Goats. As I stop to photograph them a lone Emu pops its head up from a ditch by the side of the road.

I am driving to Williamstown to explore this historic little town and document the wildlife around the area. However, I am more than a little surprised to have encountered so many interesting photo-subjects before I even reach my destination.

Crossing the bridge over the South Para Reservoir, I notice the water level is quite high, a good sign for the approaching summer. Nearby, the extensive vines, which are a more recent feature of this landscape, contrast starkly with the adjacent scrub-draped hillsides. Clearing bushland for vines is always a contentious issue in South Australia.

I am on the outskirts of Williamstown and decide it is time for a break at the local bakery before traversing some of the backroads and exploring other features of this historic township………..to be continued.

Cheers

Baz

Additional notes

Other animals seen/heard but not photographed: Western grey Kangarooos, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Australian Magpie, Blackbirds, House Sparrows, Rabbits

The camera used for this post is a Nikon P900

This is an easy drive which is quite suitable for families and seniors with public toilets, barbecues, parking and other facilities in Williamstown. It is dog friendly.

Please pass on this blog title and or contact information (URL) to any person or organisation with an interest in taking walks and enjoying wildlife in SA.

Click on these links and see more South Australian stories and pictures in my Weekend Notes articles as well as locating similar blogs on Feedspot’s top 20 Australian wildlife blogs

https://www.weekendnotes.com/adelaide/writer/452/

https://blog.feedspot.com/australian_wildlife_blogs/

Tags: Emu, koala, Roadside wildlife, south australian travel, South Australian wildlife, wildlife drive

Comments Leave a Comment
Categories Adelaide Hills, Marsupials, wildlife photography

Monarto Conservation Park….Wildlife and Wildflowers

24 Oct

Dear Reader:

A small group of medium sized, black, birds are foraging near the track which leads deeper into the Monarto Conservation Park. I zoom in on them using the full range of the Sony lens. Bright red eyes and white flashes on the wings identify them as White-winged Choughs.

As I walk further into the park, it is hard not to notice the variety of flowering shrubs and wildflowers blooming in the understory. The blossoms are supporting a wide variety of wildlife including: native bees, honeyeaters, lizards and possums.

The birds in this area seem to be quite wary. I find myself shooting at long range and having to use a ‘sit quietly and wait’ approach. My first reasonable result is an image of a White-browed Babbler perched on a branch; a species not often seen around the Adelaide area.

There are eucalyptus blossoms high in the canopy and with a little careful stalking and patience I photograph a Red Wattlebird as well as the outline and faint detail of a Thornbill; both perched amongst the leaves.

I am unable to spot any reptiles so I try to diversify my day’s captures by searching for some unusual insects. Flies, mosquitoes, hoverflies and some wasps are abundant. However, it is a rather unusual White-tipped Brown Bee Fly that catches my eye as it lands on a sandy clearing amongst the matt of twigs and leaves.

My walk is almost over. I stroll down a wide track of Mallee and Native Pine searching for one last image. I’m hoping for a roo or some interesting stock in the adjacent paddocks. However, it is a strange domed flower head set amongst a collar of sharp white petals that intrigues me. Later, at home, I identify it as an Everlasting Daisy, with its central yellow mass of disc flowers about to be unravelled.

Cheers

Baz

Additional notes

Other animals seen, heard but not photographed: Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Striated Pardalote

The camera used for this post is a Sony RX10 Mark 3

This is an easy walk and drive which is quite suitable for families and seniors.

Please pass on this blog title and or contact information (URL) to any person or organisation with an interest in taking walks and enjoying wildlife in SA.

Click on these links and see more South Australian stories and pictures in my Weekend Notes articles as well as locating similar blogs on Feedspot’s top 20 Australian wildlife blogs

https://www.weekendnotes.com/adelaide/writer/452/

https://blog.feedspot.com/australian_wildlife_blogs/

Tags: Monarto Conservation Park, South Australia, south australian travel, Wildflowers, Wildlife Walk

Comments Leave a Comment
Categories Bird watching, Birds, Inverterbrates, National and Conservation Parks, Nature and Wildlife, Sony RX10 Mk 3 camera

One Tree Hill Road Roundabout to Kersbrook Part 1

20 Sep

Dear Reader

After leaving the One Tree Hill Road roundabout for Kersbrook Road, I expect to drive a few kilometres before making my first roadside stop. Two Western Grey Kangaroos and a small herd of cattle put pay to that plan as they appear a mere hundred metres from my starting point.

Western Grey kangaroo and joey amongst the tall grasses

Leaving the roos and cattle behind I start to climb the winding road towards Kersbrook stopping at a convenient roadside layby after 2.3Kms.

After clambering over an old fence, I catch a brief glimpse of a Grey Fantail and some small parrots in the thick scrub which makes them impossible to photograph. Luckily, a decorative, Common Brown Butterfly settles on a fallen branch providing a nice image.

I fossick around in the undergrowth moving fallen branches and bark and unearth a Piedish Beetle and a large Garden Centipede. It seems that invertebrates might be the flavour of the day.

At the 3.7 Km mark Karwin Road leads off to the left with a sign for Minya Sanctuary. I park on the corner where there’s a small patch of scrub and a panoramic view of open farmland as well as an earthen dam for sheep and cattle.

Following a small path through Sheoak sapplings, I am lucky enough to encounter Honeybees feeding on Scabia flowers as well as a native Blue-banded Bee and a Mud-dauber Wasp.

Although I have only covered around 4kms of the 11Km drive to Kersbrook it has been a revealing and fascinating look at this part of the foothills and I am sure that the next 7kms will be equally enthralling.

Cheers

Baz

Additional notes

Other animals seen, heard but not photographed: Mistletoe Bird

The camera used for this post is a Nikon Coolpix P900

This is an easy drive which is quite suitable for families and seniors.

Please pass on this blog title and or contact information (URL) to any person or organisation with an interest in taking walks and enjoying wildlife in SA.

Click on these links and see more South Australian stories and pictures in my Weekend Notes articles as well as locating similar blogs on Feedspot’s top 20 Australian wildlife blogs

https://www.weekendnotes.com/adelaide/writer/452/

https://blog.feedspot.com/australian_wildlife_blogs/

Tags: Adelaide Hills, centipede, grey kangaroo, Kersbrook, Piedish beetle, SAwildlife, South Australia, wildlife drive

Comments Leave a Comment
Categories Adelaide Hills, Inverterbrates, Marsupials, Nikon Camera, Uncategorized, wildlife photography

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Naturally South Australia

Springton’s Wildlife Wonders part 2

Mount Pleasant ….. A Natural Experience ….. Part 1

Springton’s Wildlife Wonders

Williamstown to Springton SA……. a Nature Drive

Victor Harbor…..A Foreshore Walk

Around Williamstown 2

Around Williamstown Part 1

Williamstown’s Wildlife…..The Drive

Monarto Conservation Park….Wildlife and Wildflowers

One Tree Hill Road Roundabout to Kersbrook Part 1

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