Archive | August, 2025

Kenneth Stirling Conservation Park SA Wotton’s Scrub

28 Aug

Dear Reader:

For once, my first interesting sighting is not an animal but a delicate orchid known as a Parson’s Bands because the two delicate petals resemble a clergyman’s white collar.

Parson’s Bands Orchid

I am walking along Wottons Track from the gate 3 entrance to the Kenneth Stirling series of Conservation Parks near Carey Gully and Uraidla. The drive up Greenhill Road towards the park has taken me through some beautiful hill country adorned by vines, native forest and orchards.

Autumn vines near Uraidla

It is early winter and I am not expecting much wildlife and it is quite a surprise to see an ornate Common Brown Butterfly amongst the leaf litter. With wings folded it is remarkably well camouflaged.

Effective camouflage
Female Common Brown (same animals as above image)

Late blooming flowers seem to be the order of the day and far easier to photograph. Hills Daisies and Common or Pink Heaths dot the lush green undergrowth.

Hills Daisy
Common Heath

There are the twittering calls of wrens in the bushes alongside the path but they are wary and hard to spot. Eventually a pair appear on the trail some fifty metres ahead of me. I steady myself and fire off a couple of frames trying to catch both male and female together. They are a perfect example of sexual dimorphism in birds.

Male and female Superb Fairy Wren
Superb Fairy Wren, Image shot at similar location by author

I have walked around three kilometres and spotted a few Grey Fantails, Adelaide Rosellas and Rainbow Lorikeets, all too far away to photograph.  

BGrey Fantail. Image shot at similar location by author

Near a fork in the trail leading to Fern Gully I can hear the rasping calls of Spotted Grass Frogs and assume there must be a creek or wetland area there. However, as this trail appears to have more steep sections my ‘not so young knees’ suggest it is time to turn back and head for home.

Spotted Marsh (or Grass) frog, Image from my collection

My drive home takes me back through Uraidla where I stop off the local caffe which incorporates a fine bakery and micro-brewery. Always a good way to round off any trip to this part of the Adelaide Hills

A bite to eat and a refreshing brew

Cheers

Baz

Additional notes

The camera used for this post is a Sony RX10 M3

This is a moderate walk with some steep sections

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/

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Mildura’s Billabong Wildlife Part 1

11 Aug

Dear Reader:

A pair of Red-rumped Parrots perch on a dead branch at the edge of King’s Billabong near Mildura.

Male and Female Red-rumped Parrots

For several years I have travelled to Mildura, on the River Murray, for our annual houseboat trip. Mildura is and a sizeable country centre of around 60,000 people and is an hour’s drive from the SA border and four and half from Adelaide.

Parked on the river banks

As the afternoon light begins to fade, I catch sight of a black and white bird perched on a branch. I assume it is a Magpie or Mudlark but closer examination through the telephoto lens reveals a Pied Butcherbird.

Pied Butcherbird… note the hooked beak

Although there is water in the centre of the billabong, channels around the edge are dry due to a long hot summer with little rain.

The edge of the billabong channel

In a patch of scrub by one of these channels I notice a small group of Crimson Rosellas feeding on some grasses and a Whistling Kite high above in the branches.

Crimson Rosella feeding on grass seeds in the dry channel

A walking trail follows one dried out arm of the billabong and the trees along the trail are a haven for spiders and ants. Large Golden Orb spiders are strung between branches and quite large holes lead into Bulldog Ant colonies.

Female Golden Orb spider

Sunset is not far off and it is time to make my way back to the boat which is moored on the Murray. I take a final walk along the banks of the billabong and spot a beautiful Great Egret perched on a branch while it scans for prey.

Great Egret

My final encounter is quite unexpected. Stepping aboard, I can just make out the V shaped ripples indicative of an Australian Water Rat as it swims past the boat with the faint pink glow of a Murray River sunset reflected on the water.

Rakali or Australian Water Rat

Cheers

Baz

Additional notes

Other animals seen, heard but not included: Rainbow Lorikeet, Mudlark, Great Cormorant Skimmer, Little Raven, Black Ducks, Grey Kangaroo, Australian Pelican, Rosella species, Australian Magpie 

The camera used for this post is a Nikon P900

This is an easy flat walk which is quite suitable for families and seniors. However, in wet weather the roads in to the billabong can be difficult for 2WD vehicles.

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/

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