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Goannas, Shinglebacks and Ringnecks at the Ferries McDonald Conservation Park

30 Oct

Dear Reader:

Two Mallee Ringneck Parrots are perched high in a spindly eucalypt. Bracing the camera against a tree, I focus on the nearer bird to better illustrate its glorious colours.

Malle Ringneck Parrot

First sighting of Parrots

The Ferries McDonald Conservation Park is in the Monarto area about an hour’s drive from Adelaide’s CBD. It is a ‘dryland’ park dominated by Mallee trees and typical of the area before European settlement.

David entering the park

In the spring there is an abundance of blossoming shrubs and understory wildflowers, including numerous orchid species.

Eremophila Species

Peaflower species

 

We move along the narrow track slowly and listen carefully for a tell-tale rustle in the undergrowth or bird call. It is the former that announces my next encounter as a Shingleback Lizard heads for cover, abandoning the open, sunny area where it is basking.

Shingleback in cover

I’d prefer not to have my photograph taken

The occasional raptor, and small groups of cockatoos fly overhead. However, it is a diminutive, female Spotted Spotted Pardalote that catches my eye.

Spotted Pardalote

During the next hour of gentle walking we encounter a lone Western Grey Kangaroo near a fence-line which separates the park from nearby pastureland and numerous bird species. Most are tiny birds such as Silvereyes and honeyeater species which are feeding high in the canopy. In addition, there are Little Ravens, wattlebird species and Black-faced Cuckoo Shrikes in the area.

Western Grey with joey

The day is quite warm and the trek has taken a couple of hours which includes numerous stops to stand, watch and listen for wildlife. It is time for a leisurely drive home while still scanning for wildlife as we negotiate the initial section of unsealed road. However, it is a very rare sighting of a monitor lizard crossing the sealed road that really excites us.

Goannna crossing the road

I slow the car and cut the engine, gliding to a stop where the Goanna (the general term for all Australian monitors) pauses on a slight embankment. I power the windows down and we manage a few close ups before the lizard heads back into the scrub. An extraordinary way to round off our day.

Sand Goanna or Sand Monitor

Cheers

Baz

Additional notes

The camera used for this post is a Nikon P900

This is an easy walk/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

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The Grampians…Around Halls Gap 1

25 Aug

Halls Gap Grampians

A preliminary note:

When I am not enjoying the natural wonders of South Australia I sometimes cross state borders and enjoy the wildlife of our close neighbours, Victoria and Tasmania. This post is about one of my favourite Victorian destinations.

Dear Reader:

There is an old fencepost on the edge of the creek trail. The weathered wood is in stark contrast to the red and black colours of a Red Jewel Beetle  crawling across it.

Red Jewel Beetle

I am staying at Halls Gap in the heart of the Grampians National Park. Because I am here for a wedding, there is not the usual time available for exploring the natural environment. My observations will only cover those animals which are casually encountered.

Classic Grampians scrub with rocky outcrop in the distance

I take the Mt Victory Road from Halls Gap to meet some friends at Zumsteins. On the way I am surprised by a large Eastern Grey Kangaroo which decides to make its way down a steep bank to cross the road in front of us.

Eastern Grey Kangaroo descending sloping hillside

Further along the road, a small group of Emus are feeding amongst a patch of grass and thistles. These adaptable birds forage for a wide variety of foods including: tubers, grasses, fruits, insects, centipedes and other arthropods.

Emus foraging

We reach the camping ground at the Zumsteins Historic area on the MacKenzie River. Apparently there are Platypuses in the river but my only sighting of a monotreme (egg laying mammal) is a lone Echidna.

Echidna foraging

Grey Currawong

Taking a more circuitous track back to Halls gap we have a few more interesting wildlife encounters along the way.  I photograph a Long-billed Corella perched high in the canopy, numerous Eastern Greys by the roadside and a  Grey Currawong in the trees where we stop for a snack.

Eastern Grey Kangaroos alert to a disturbance

Long-billed Corella

However, the sun is getting low in the sky and we have one more place to visit, an orchard with a lovely view of some rocky outcrops. The site of tomorrow’s wedding.

Sunset on the edge of The Grampians

Cheers

Baz

Additional notes

This is an easy drive which is quite suitable for families and seniors. Dogs are not allowed in the National Park

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. Dogs are not allowed in the National Park.

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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The Kapunda Mine Trail…History and Wildlife

17 Jul

Dear Reader:

There is an Adelaide Rosella perched amongst the bare branches of a fruit tree in the garden of the old ‘Mine Manager’s House’.

Adelaide Rosella

I am taking a walk around the Kapunda Mine site situated on the southern edge of the mid north town of the same name. It is an easy, short walk. Despite the rather overcast conditions, I am hoping to get a few good shots of the site and local wildlife.

Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike (credit Debbie Simmonds)

Before my walk I spoke to several people at the Visitor Information Centre and the local hotel. They mentioned a mob of Western Grey Kangaroos in the area and the occasional Echidna encounter. Fingers Crossed!

Classic Aussie pub

From the parking bay by the old house, the marked trail leads up to a lookout and tall Chimney which was connected to the boiler house and steam engine.  This system ran different pieces of mining equipment.

Start of the trail

Leaving the chimney site I make my way down to a playground area with fascinating metal sculptures. As I read the information plaque I notice some movement in the bushes to my right. Kangaroo? No! A bunny which skips away into the bushes.

European Rabbit

Rounding one of the bends at the top of the walk I encounter more information plaques which detail a range of stories about mining processes, the life of miners as well as some anecdotes from the mine’s historic past.

One of many stories

I read some information about ‘Wheal Charles’ an early part of the complex catch a  glimpse of some tiny birds feeding on nearby saltbush plants. Focus is tricky in the poor light and with such speedy little birds I have to take a dozen shots before getting one right. They are Silvereyes, one of our smallest local species.

Silvereye

The views across the ‘minescape’ from here are quite fascinating with the streaks of different coloured minerals standing out from the browner soil and background rock strata.

View across part of the open cut section of the mine

There are sheep in a paddock alongside the mine and some dark coloured birds on the ground near them. Initially, I think they are Ravens but after a closer look through the telephoto lens I spot their red eyes and realise the birds are White-winged Choughs.

Nearby pasture

White-winged Choughs

The Choughs are my final wildlife encounter. However, as I make my way back to the beginning of the looped trail I notice a series of placards telling a story about Sir Sydney Kidman a famous Australian outback figure. A great way to finish my tour of this charming town’s historic mine site.  

A story to end the walk

Cheers

Baz

Additional notes

This is an easy walk and drive which is quite suitable for families and seniors with public toilets, barbecues, parking and other facilities nearby. At the time of writing this post, the trail and facilities were undergoing a major upgrade. 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

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Khaiserstuhl CP, Wildlife in Wine Country

16 Apr

Dear Reader:

The predatory bird circles high in the morning sky then swoops down low to within a hundred metres of me. A Wedge-tailed Eagle, Australia’s largest bird of prey.

Wedge-tailed Eagle hunting

I am heading for the Kaiserstuhl Conservation Park, a twenty minute drive from Nuriootpa in the Barossa Valley and around 90 kms from Adelaide. Kaiser Stuhl was a popular winery, now incorporated into Penfolds, that flourished in the region for over half a century. The name comes from a prominent hill in the Barossa. Indigenous people referred to the area as Patpoori which means little grass tree, a species common to the area.

Beginning of the Wallowa Trail

As I approach the park from Tanunda Creek Road the boundary between native scrub and vineyards is quite obvious; a metaphor for the unique blend of beautiful countryside and rural endeavour that typifies the Barossa Valley.

Scrub and vines on the periphery of the park

I leave the car opposite the entrance to the park and clean my boots in the scrubbers provided which lessens the chance of transferring Phytophthora (root rot) infection. Two Tracks, Stringybark and Wallowa are clearly marked and I choose the latter. Within a few metres I spot a group of Superb Fairy Wrens in the undergrowth; their fluffy plumage suggests that some are juveniles.

A juvenile Superb Fairy Wren is well camouflaged in the leaf litter

Leaf Curling Spider inside leaf and attached to web

To my surprise and delight there are numerous identification plates near the base of some bushes and trees. As I am not a particularly competent botanist, being able to easily name some of the plants I encounter when constructing my posts is a real bonus. I wish more parks would follow this example. I pass some banksias which have been fire blackened, a process which opens up their seed pods helping to rejuvenate fire affected bushland. Further along the trail I notice a Leaf Curling Spider which has built its web, and suspended home, in a Grass Tree.

Eucalypt and Grass Tree (Xanthoria) scrub

 

Banksia species showing flower and open seed pods

 

There are smaller birds in the canopy and I use the full extension of my Sony RX10 3 to identify them. However, getting a clear photograph proves impossible. Later examination and a lot of Photoshopping reveals them as: Silvereyes, a pardalote species, Crescent Honeyeaters, New Holland Honeyeaters and a Scarlet Robin.

Crescent Honeyeater (Image from my stock photos)

Time is marching on and I have an appointment in Nuriootpa to learn more about the Khaiserstuhl name and its history; which I will reveal in a later post. As I retrace my way to the entrance I hear the distinctive rustle of a larger animal in the scrub to my left. I freeze and ease the camera around slowly. A pair of Western Grey Kangaroos are standing motionless about fifty metres away. An adult and half grown joey. A lovely way to finish my walk.

Adult Western Grey Kangaroo

Western Grey Kangaroo joey

Cheers

Baz

Additional notes

This is an easy walk and pleasant drive which is quite suitable for families and seniors. There are trail markers as well as panels with maps and other information.

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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Monarto’s Wildlife Roads

30 Mar

Dear Reader:

David notices a pair of brightly coloured Mulga Ringneck parrots landing in a tree by the roadside. I pull the car over and power down the window to allow both of us to capture some images.

Mallee Ringneck

On this initial foray into the bushland around Frahns Farm, in the Monarto area, we are exploring the roads surrounding a fenced off region which is being revegetated. We have travelled north along Frahns Farm Road after leaving the old Princes Highway then headed west along Disher Hill Road before returning south to the highway along Wattle Road.

At the crossroads of Theile, Peach, Frahns Farm and Disher Hill Roads 1

At the crossroads of Theile, Peach, Frahns Farm and Disher Hill Roads 2

We stop several times on Disher Hill Road and walk along the roadside for a few hundred metres scanning the terrain for wildlife. There is a continual background noise from the aptly named babblers (White-browed Babblers). In addition, tiny Silvereyes, Diamond Firetail Finches and wren species flit through the bushes and canopy, adding their tweets and twitters to the avian symphony.

White-browed Babbler

Further along Disher Road we are lucky enough to spot and photograph a solitary Brown Treecreeper and a group of White-winged Choughs engaging in their entirely different feeding strategies. The treecreeper meticulously searches the branches for insects while the gang of omnivorous choughs rake their way through the leaf litter.

White-winged Choughs

Brown Treecreeper

As I turn to get back into the car, a movement in the scrub catches my eye. A pair of Western Grey Kangaroos are moving slowly through the trees on the other side of the road. I catch one in the viewfinder before they bound away.

Western Grey Kangaroo

There were a few insects in the area…..Monarch Butterfly feeding

The drive back along Wattle towards the old Princes Highway provides a mixture of scrub, pasture and crop fields. There are freshly shorn sheep in a holding paddock. Little Ravens and Australian Magpies  perch in the trees and we catch sight of a lone bunny and a few more roos in the distance.

A little chilly without our coats on

As well as the wildlife along these roads there have been some interesting ruins and the more contemporary Mannum to Adelaide pipeline; both of which help provide some additional photographic perspectives to our drive.

The Mannum to Adelaide pipelines snakes through the scrub and rural landscape

Old farmhouse

The final stop on our day exploring Monarto’s backroads is an old service station in Callington, a small township just off the Princes Highway. We top up the car and enjoy a couple locally made pies while sitting on an old couch in front of the station.

Callington service station, post office and general store

Cheers

Baz

Additional notes

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

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Bullock Hill CP….. Kangaroos, Cows and Cockies

19 Mar

Dear Reader:

The scenery on my drive between Meadows and Ashbourne varies between open pasture to Creekside scrubland with both kangaroos and cows enjoying the fertile landscape.

Rural setting with old farmhouse ruin, stock and bush background

My destinations are the town of Ashbourne and the nearby Bullock Hill Conservation Park. I have driven along several of the roads I am about to explore during the cooler months when the weather was not as conducive to photography and I promised myself a summer visit and a meal at the Green Man Hotel.

Track into the park

Green Man Hotel in Ashbourne SA

Three roads skirt the Bullock Hill Conservation Park; Signal Flat Road to the west, Wattle Flat Road to the east and Haines Road to the south. There are walking trails leading into the park off these roads. The country town of Ashbourne with its folksy Green Man Hotel lies a kilometre or two north west of the park, on the intersection of Bull Creek and Signal Flat Roads.

Wattle Flat Road on my previous trip

I enter the park off Haines Road. There are honeyeaters, Grey Fantails, rosellas, lorikeets and Galahs. The birds are wary and move quickly in the canopy. Eventually I spot a Welcome Swallow resting between aerial sorties in search of insects.

Welcome Swallow taking a break

Galah or Cockie or Rose-breasted Cockatoo

Along Wattle Flat Road, I notice a pair of roos near a fenceline and stop to take a picture. Not a successful venture as one bounds over the fence while the other scoots under it. Both animals are unhurt and I get the feeling they have done this on more than one occasion.

One under one over….Western Grey Kangaroos

On this trip I have not driven back along Signal flat Road which skirts the eastern side of the park. However, on my last drive I was quite taken by a whimsical piece of ‘Auto-art’; if such a genre exists. On the same drive I encountered significant flocks of Galahs.  

A little whimsical, rural art off Wattle Flat Road

Back in Ashbourne and alongside the Green Man Hotel, there is an enclosure with a couple of unusual sheep which seem to be shedding their fleece rather than it being shorn. I believe they are White Dorpers a variation bred specifically for this particular characteristic.

Shearing the easy way….White Dorper variety of sheep

Leaving the car in the shade, I order a seafood platter and share an outside table with a curious and food oriented Australian Magpie. It has been a worthwhile day in the field and I will certainly return during spring to further explore the park and surrounding areas.

Seafood plate with Oysters, Calamari, Scallops and fish

Australian Magpie

Cheers

Baz

Additional notes

This is an easy walk and drive which is quite suitable for families and seniors with public toilets, barbecues, 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/profile/651267

https://blog.feedspot.com/australian_wildlife_blogs

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South Para Reservoir’s Water, Wine and Wildlife

13 Feb

Dear Reader:

There’s a small mob of Western Grey Kangaroos feeding close to the path where I am starting my walk. Leaning against a tree, I steady the camera. The roos detect either sound or scent and bound away into the thicker scrub.

Up Up and Away

I am taking a walk around the South Para Reservoir near Williamstown about an hour’s drive from Adelaide’s CBD. The road winds through the Adelaide hills and encompasses a range of environments from rural to wilderness. Unfortunately, it is a bit of a grey day. Not brilliant for photography.  

South Para Reservoir

The track leads down to the water where a kayaker is bringing the craft back to dry land. This reservoir is open for fishing, kayaking, cycling and walking unlike many of our other reservoirs.

A recreational paddle

There are numerous butterflies in the area but it is hard to spot them until they take flight. Eventually I get a reasonably clear shot and identify the species as a Common Brown.

Common Brown

On the water’s edge I can just make out some large birds. I suspect they are either Cormorants or Snake Birds (Anhingas). I approach warily, lie down in the grass and focus. There are two distinct species; a Pied Cormorant and a Great Cormorant.

Pied Cormorant

Working my way around the water’s edge I discover a dry creek bed and another track heading back towards the main road. I follow the creek bed up a gentle slope towards a rocky outcrop. A large male kangaroo watches me from the scrub as I walk. He seems relaxed and stays still enough for a long-range shot.

Just watching

Continuing along the cross track I suddenly freeze and hold my breath. Three adult Emus are walking towards me and have, either not registered my presence, or are not unduly phased by humans. I raise the camera slowly and wait as they approach to within thirty metres. I take a series of shots before they veer away pecking for seeds, insects and whatever else they might find in the dry scrub.

The Emus gang

Emus close by me

As I traverse move up the trail, I notice a variety of wildlife including; musk Lorikeets Sulphur Crested and Rose Breasted Cockatoos, more butterflies, a few native bees as well as ant nests and termite mounds. I turn over a couple of rocks and dead branches (replacing them carefully afterwards), uncovering a snakelike Three-toed Earless Skink and Pie-dish Beetle.

Three-toed Earless Skink

Pie-dish Beetle

With my walk at an end, I drive on towards Williamstown for lunch at the little bakery across from the creek. However, I do make one more stop on the way at Linfield Road Winery which has a charming bed and breakfast attached. An ideal place to stay when I make my next foray into the wonderful north-eastern region of the Adelaide Hills.

B&B for next time

Linfield Road Winery vines

Cheers

Baz

Additional notes

This is an easy walk/drive which is quite suitable for families and seniors with public toilets, barbecues, 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

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Mount Barker’s Laratinga Wetland………Crakes and Warblers

16 Jan

Dear Reader:

A small bird with vivid spots and dashes paddles out from the reed bed. A Spotted Crake, the first one I have ever seen.

Spotted Crake feeding

 

For the next ten minutes I watch several of the striking birds as they dip into the water in search of aquatic plants and animals such as worms, crustaceans, molluscs, spiders and even small fish and tadpoles.

Spotted Crake habitat

Leaving the crakes I walk a further hundred metres to another pool before I hear the melodic call of a reed warbler. There are reeds, small bushes and a variety of grasses bordering the water. I can still hear a bird calling and scan the reeds for movement. Deep in the tangle of stems I locate the source of the call; an Australian Reed-warbler.

Australian Reed-warbler calling

Reed warbler habitat

My hunting ground is the Laratinga Wetlands near Mount Barker about a Forty five minute drive from the city. In the local ‘Peramangk’ language it approximates to “Flooding Land Creek.” This wetland serves numerous purposes including filtering waste water, providing habitats for a range of animals and the establishment of walking, running, and cycling trails.

Wetland entrance

Having achieved my primary goal of photographing Spotted Crakes and Australian Reed-warblers, I continue my stroll around these fascinating wetlands keeping an eye open for more interesting plant and animal life.

Channel between larger pools

Because my Nikon P900 with its 83X magnification doubles as a spotting scope, I am able to search the opposite bank of a broad pool. I notice several Grey Teal perched on a branch overhanging the water. But it is the Short-necked or Macquarie Turtle in the background that is my main focus.

Grey Teal, Eurasian Coot and Short-necked Turtle

The day has been overcast and the light is fading. I have encountered numerous bird species in addition to the crakes and reed warblers as well as two reptiles; the turtle and a gecko. Another animal group would complete my day’s excursion. I turn my attention to invertebrates searching the foliage and leaf litter.

Marbled Gecko……showing camouflage

I am in luck. Perfectly suspended in the branches of a Christmas Bush is a Leaf-curling spider. These little arachnids create a home by spinning their silk around a dead leaf slowly curving it until they form a cylindrical shelter to hide in.

Leaf-curling Spider in Christmas Bush

Leaf-curling spider…Image shot at another location to show the spider

Now it is time to leave this amazing wetland but I will return in the near future to search for more wildlife in its maze of waterways, reed beds and bushland.

Cheers

Baz

Additional notes

This is an easy walk and drive which is quite suitable for families and seniors with public toilets, 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 SA wildlife.

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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Glacier Rock….Good food, Geology and Wildlife

30 Nov

A pair of New Holland Honeyeaters

Dear Reader:

There is white water swirling around the boulders in the river and a family of Pacific Black Ducks are huddling to one side where the water is calmer. Perched amongst the branches of an overhanging eucalyptus tree I make out the shape of several New Holland Honeyeaters and hear the distinctive call of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos as they fly overhead.

Breakfast at the Tearooms

I am sitting on the back decking of the Glacier Rock Tea Rooms  having just devoured a serve of the delicious waffles topped with berries, cream and ice cream; with a little maple syrup for good measure. The weather is overcast and not great for photography but I shall make the best of it.

Typical rural countryside along the Inman Valley

On the drive along the Inman Valley Road we spotted a mob of roos feeding just outside the little township of the same name. There were also  black headed sheep and numerous herds of dairy cattle grazing on the fertile grassland. Some really pleasant rural scenes to photograph.

Inman river and Tearooms

I take the track from the caffe down to the river passing an information board on the way which explains the geological processes that lead to the rock formations. They involved the scraping of surfaces by rocks embedded in an ancient glacier which carved out the valley millions of years ago.

White-naped Honeyeater

Grey Fantail

From the viewing point alongside the river I watch Welcome Swallows and Grey Fantails hawking for insects above the water. And, to my great delight, spot a bird I have never photographed before: a White-naped Honeyeater.  

Old bridge over the Inman River

Superb Fairy Wren

The Mt Alma Road runs alongside the café. I walk a short distance along the road to get a good view of a dilapidated, old bridge which crosses the river. Thick brush lines the first section of the road and I can hear the twittering of wrens in the thickets. There are both sheep and cattle in the paddock opposite.

Galahs in silhouette

Red Wattlebird

On the other side of the Inman Valley Road, a narrow, sealed track called Parsons Road climbs a small rise. In the field alongside the road, several Galahs are perched at the top a long dead tree. Nearby a group of Red Wattlebirds are feeding on flowering shrubs along the fence line.

Spider predation or devouring its own carapace after shedding????

However, my final wildlife encounter is on a much smaller scale. A little spider (species unknown) appears to have caught another spider in its web and is starting to wrap it in silk ready to devour later.

Sweet indulgence

My walk is over and I shall return to the tearooms and treat myself to a hot chocolate. An appropriate end to a rather successful walk in this lovely part of the Fleurieu Peninsula.  

Cheers

Baz

Additional notes

This is an easy walk and drive which is quite suitable for families and seniors with public toilets, 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/

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Aldgate to Stirling…a short walk

24 Sep

Dear Reader:

It is still early Spring and the sun is out and I have often spotted a small copper headed skinks basking in the sun at this time of year. There are several logs on the northern facing aspect of the path and with a little patience and perseverance I manage to find one of the little lizards. Their correct name is the Common Garden Skink or Sun Skink.

Common Garden Skink

Following up on my previous post, which covered the area around the RSL Hall, on the edge of Aldgate, I am now walking the short path to Stirling. The trail follows the road and creek on one side and is heavily wooded on the other. There are numerous plants both native and introduced along the pathway including: Holly, tall pines, grevilleas, a few eucalyptus and acacia species as well as ferns and bracken.

Holly in the Hills

Grevillea species

After a fifteen-minute stroll along the pathway I reach the outskirts of Stirling. The town has an English country village feel about it with some lovely old homes and many small shops and businesses. Whenever I visit Stirling there always seems to be a welcoming committee of Little Ravens (often mistaken for Crows) in the area. Today is no exception as a group of the shiny black corvids trumpet their characteristic calls from a nearby garden.

Little Raven Stirling

I do not venture far into Stirling as it will be the subject of a later blog. I head back down the path to Aldgate. The dense vegetation, now to my right, is full of movement and the sounds of small birds in the undergrowth; probably wrens and finches. I scan the other side of the road and spot a Koala high in the branches. I take a couple of shots to demonstrate how difficult locating wildlife can be and how training your eyes to notice subtle changes and movement takes continual practice.

Koala at 100 metres

As I approach the outskirts of Aldgate I notice a track on the other side of the road near the township sign. Crossing over, I follow it a short way as it cuts along the hillside and into the scrub. This area is dominated by tall eucalypts and is a more typical hills bushland setting than the pathway.

The track near the entrance to Aldgate

Adelaide Rosella

Koala Aldgate

My detour is well worth the effort. Within a few minutes I have managed to photograph an Adelaide Rosella perched on an old, gnarled branch and a Koala at far closer range than before.

FRED……..Barista at work

FRED….Cosy place to dine

With the walk concluded I drive into Aldgate for lunch at Fred, a wonderful local eatery and another compelling reason to visit Aldgate. Over the years, I have had some wonderful meals in this iconic hills café and I’m sure today will be no exception. The only problem is one of choice with so many interesting dishes to choose from. After some serious deliberating, I end my day in Aldgate with a Croque Monsieur and a Chai Latte, selected from the ‘All Day Breakfast Menu’.    

Cheers Baz

Additional notes

This is an easy walk and drive which is quite suitable for families and seniors with public toilets, 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/

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