Tag Archives: Australian birds

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/

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Driving the James Track to the Myponga Conservation Park

11 Mar

Dear Reader:

A Short-billed Corella perches in the fork of a gum tree. Its raucous call resonating through the still morning air.

Short-billed Corella

I am driving the largely unsealed road between Myponga and the conservation park of the same name. For a summer’s day, it is refreshingly cool but the dryness of the surrounding countryside tells a different story.

James Track

A few minutes after seeing the corella, I catch a glimpse of a group of Straw-necked Ibises strutting through the pale, yellow grass. They turn to watch me then fly off towards the coast.

Straw-necked Ibises

Further down the road there are dozens of Rose-breasted Cockatoos (Galahs) in a stand of trees. All but one takes to the air as I leave the car to take a shot of them. The plucky little bird drops out of the gum tree and hops onto an old, circular concrete well and starts to drink.

Just taking a little drink

The road takes a sweeping bend and starts to climb. I find a good vantage point and scan the broad expanse of dry pasture with my telephoto lens. What I missed from the vehicle soon becomes apparent. There are Western Grey Kangaroos scattered across the landscape in small groups of two to six animals.

Roos in the landscape
Western Grey Kangaroo (through the telephoto lens)

The terrain changes from lightly wooded pasture to scrub with an overstory of smaller eucalypts. Several kilometres on, I reach a gated entrance to the Myponga Conservation Park alongside a local property.  

Change if terrain near the park

Taking care to close the gate behind me I drive through a combination of rolling hills, farmland, and dense scrub. The track is about two kilometres long and ends in an open space wide enough to turn around.

Inside the park

Two trails; The Echidna and Wren, branch off from the end of the road into the park and alongside some farmland. As a bonus, there is a spectacular view across the hills towards the ocean.

Trails at the end of the park

My goal for today achieved, I drive back along the trail. At the gate I meet a local property owners and chat to him about the area. He tells me that the park is best explored in spring when the plants are in flower providing food for a range of animals.

Myponga Conservation Park gate

I return to Myponga back along The James Track where I enjoy the delights of the local bakery before heading home to review my images and make a note in the diary to return in the spring. 

Bakery delights

Cheers

Baz

Additional notes

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

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: , , , , , , , , , ,

Giles Conservation Park near Norton Summit

15 Feb

Dear Reader:

I can hear small birds in the undergrowth and scan the leaf litter and low bushes with my telephoto. Nothing at first then just a glimpse of a wren but it is a beautiful Milkmaid Lily that Catches my eye.

Milkmaid Lily

The Giles Conservation Park is a twenty-five minute drive up Magill Road from Adelaide’s CBD to Norton Summit; then a further five minutes along Lobethal and Woods Hill Road. I park opposite the park entrance and enjoy the view of green undulating farmland. There are Australian Magpies and a few Ravens in the fields.

Farmland opposite Giles CP

After leaving the wrens and Lilies my next surprise is a rather unusually marked Koala in a tree just a few metres along the clearly marked Ridge Trail.

Koala

Being late Spring, there is a proliferation of blooms along the trail including: eucalypts, wattles, lilies, peaflowers and native primroses. And, there are also an introduced weeds, one of which is quite intriguing the aptly named Rattlesnake Grass.

Red Parrot Peaflower

Forester Moth on Native Primrose

Rattlesnake Grass

Some animals give away their location with a subtle shuffle in the grass, not so the Kookaburra. Midway up a tall Stringybark a Laughing Kookaburra perches and calls to its mate deeper in the scrub.

Laughing Kookaburra

Koalas and kookaburras are relatively easy to spot but there is a myriad of smaller animals that live amongst the foliage, flowers and leaf litter which are much harder to detect. Insects, spiders, skinks and beetles are just a few examples of this lower but critical part of the food chain. Unfortunately the number of these creatures is becoming dangerously low because of pesticides, habitat loss and other human induced threats.

Common Garden Skink

Plague Locust

Having walked several kilometres and taken many photographs, it is time to head back to the city. However, I would never consider leaving the Norton Summit area without enjoying lunch with a view at the Scenic Hotel.   

Scenic Hotel Norton Summit

Cheers

Baz

Additional notes

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 limited parking.

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: , , , , , , , ,

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

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Wildlife Around Chalk’s Campground

16 Dec

Dear Reader:

With the arrival of summer, grasses turn to gold with remnant shadings of green while pale gums add a subtle contrast to the landscape.

As the countryside flashes past on my way to the campground I notice a field of freshly baled hay. A flock of Sulphur Crested Cockatoos forages for any remaining seed heads.

Sulphur Crested Cockatoos

My destination is Chalk’s Campground, just past the Warren Reservoir on the road between Williamstown and Gumeracha. I am not intending to camp here; however, the interface between human habitation, rural zones and wilderness areas is an excellent place to encounter wildlife.

Although the campsite is closed between December and March, due to the danger of bushfires, it is still accessible for walking and is a destination along the famed Heysen Trail. I drove through the area a few weeks ago on a sunny day and spotted a Shingleback lizard in the undergrowth.

Although it is summer, the weather is overcast and photography a little more challenging than on my previous visit. I use the powerful lens of my Sony RX10 to scan the trees, bushes and ground in search of wildlife.  Common Brown butterflies are the most common animals. They are flitting between the grass and leaf litter where their excellent camouflage is most apparent.

As I walk around the campsite zone, I notice a group of Adelaide Rosellas perched in a pine tree. The birds are wary and I only manage to fire off a couple of long range shots before they take flight.

Bark is peeling off many large River Gums and I probe under it in search of millipedes, spiders, roaches and other bugs. Spiders are not my favourite creatures and I have often come across multiple Huntsman species under the bark. However, today’s arachnid is a jet-black spider which resembles the common Black House Spider.

It is time to wind up this excursion and I backtrack along a little creek towards the car park. On my drive home I will take a break at the Gumeracha Bakery and enjoy a tasty chicken pie and an indulgent custard tart.

In a final attempt to find some different animals, I decide to turn over a few flattish rocks (which I carefully replace in their original position) in the hope of finding one of the elongated skinks that commonly shelter under them. To my surprise, it is a large and very and active Garden Centipede that I unearth. And, on that note, I bid Chalk’s Campground farewell.

Until our next adventure

Cheers

Baz

 Additional notes

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

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/

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Port Vincent….. an afternoon walk

30 Oct

Australian Pelican and Silver Gulls

Dear Reader:

It has been a comfortable two and a half hour drive from Adelaide to Port Vincent. Although, with low cloud cover, I am not anticipating any worthwhile photography until tomorrow. How wrong can I be? As I pull up in the car park, an Australian Pelican lands on the grass verge near the cabins. And, no more than a hundred metres away, I can see a group of Pied Cormorants on the nearby breakwater.

Pied Cormorants

Cabins along the beach front

Apologetically leaving the others to unpack, I grab my Sony RX10 and wander down to the beach. To my surprise, two Bottlenose Dolphins are hunting in the shallows along with another Pelican; much to the consternation of a pair of fishermen who are trying to catch an evening meal themselves.

Pelican hunting solo

Dolphin taking a vertical dive

The dolphins are fascinating; turning, accelerating and diving constantly as they herd the school of fish they are feeding on. Not an easy animal to photograph from the beach as all you see are half a back and the occasional fin. Nevertheless, I continue to track them with the camera. Suddenly, one dives vertically with its tail held high. A nice moment.

Red-necked Stints

Crested Terns

Along the shoreline, where the waves lap against piled up seaweed, a mixed group of tiny waders; Red-capped Plovers and Red-necked stints, are foraging for tiny worms and crustaceans. Nearby, a Crested Tern is resting on the beach when a second bird flies down to join it, possibly a nesting pair.

Red-capped Plover with eggs

One of the plovers is meandering higher up the beach and doesn’t move far as I approach. I watch it carefully and search the seaweed for a nest. Sure enough, there amongst the brown tangle of weed are two perfectly camouflaged eggs. I back off a dozen metres and wait. After a few minutes the bird returns to its eggs and sits carefully on them eyeing me defiantly. 

Port Jackson Shark egg casing. The spiral shape wedges under rocks.

Remains of a sponge showing silica skeleton

I move away from the little plover and hunt for any other life in the accumulated drifts of weed. My search is fruitful and I turn up a spiral shark egg. Probably from a Port Jackson Shark one of the oviparous (egg laying) species around our coast. Further along the beach I come across the skeletal remains of a sponge. Sponges, unlike nearly all life on earth, have a skeleton made of silica and the fine network of spicules is fascinating and easy to see.

My walk along the shorefront, right in front of our cabin, is coming to an end it is getting cool. Time to head on back and decide on lunch. Probably local seafood at a rather colourful shop on the shore closer to the town. It is easy walking distance and highly recommended by a local I met on my initial Port Vincent 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. 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: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Aldinga’s Temperance Precinct

13 Oct

Dear Reader:

There is a sizeable group of Short-billed Corellas in the eucalyptus trees flanking the street. They exhibit a range of behaviours ranging from preening each other to nibbling branches and feeding on gum nuts. Some of the cars parked under the trees or nearby have also suffered some paintwork indignities due to the sheer number of birds.

Little or Short-beaked Corella

Corellas in tree

I am enjoying the ambience of the Temperance Precinct. A group of shops, restaurants, a pub, and other organisations situated on Port Road, where it intersects South Road leading into Aldinga. It is an area that has developed significantly over the last few years.

An interesting name

A little footwear style

So many colours to choose from

Perhaps the most iconic of these outlets is Miss Gladys on Sea which specialises in ‘well made’ clothing, shoes and accessories. Next door is a deli with organic foodstuffs and across the road, a bakery. Further down the street, there is an old church and graveyard as well as some fine period homes. Intermingled with the buildings are gardens, trees and bushes and the animals and plants which inhabit them.

A bit of everything

Heading for home

Collecting nectar

I sit on a stone wall, which borders a garden, waiting for a friend to do some shopping and notice a large native wasp fly into a gap in the stonework. In the garden I observe the same species feeding on several different kinds of flowers. With my attention focussed on these small invertebrates, I scan the plants for more species and spot: a diminutive flower spider, several Hoverflies, numerous Honey Bees and a cluster of tiny Aphids.

Not a gardener’s best friend

Shopping completed, it is time for lunch, but first I take a short stroll down to the churchyard where I can see some birds flitting between the branches of a red flowering gum. They are wary and in shadow. However, I recognise both Little Wattlebirds and New Holland Honeyeaters.

New Holland Honeyeater

Little Wattlebird

I finish the day with a wonderful steak and kidney pie washed down with a bottle of local fruit juice. In truth, a very satisfying low-key jaunt to one of my favourite coastal towns and I haven’t even taken the short drive to the beach with its fringing reef. An adventure I will leave for another day.

 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/

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hale Conservation Park

14 Aug

Adelaide Rosella

Dear Reader:

Over the years I have made several major errors as a wildlife photographer. Perhaps the most telling has been the tendency to see a shot at the beginning of a field trip and not take it as I believe there will be a better one later. Not this time! As I climb out of the SUV I notice a pair of Adelaide Rosellas flying into a gum tree about a hundred metres away. I steady my camera against the vehicle and fire off a couple of frames. And yes; they were the only Rosellas I came close to photographing for the rest of the day.

Trailhead

Typical section of the trail showing some fire damage

I am walking the loop trail in the Hale Conservation Park a few kilometres out of Williamstown on Warren Road which leads to Gumeracha. It is a lovely, compact park with a small parking area and a well-defined track with information panels at the head of the trail.

Flame Heath with Goodenia flower growing through

Cryptandra species

The path climbs gently with generous views of the surrounding rural landscape. There is evidence of fire damage in some areas and significant regrowth; especially the Blue Gums. Although it is winter there are still numerous flowering plants along the trail including Flame Heath and Prickly Cryptandra bushes with Goodenia flowers growing through them.

Clever hands

I continually scan both trees and bushes for birdlife, possums and Koalas. On a level section, which gives me an excellent view of trees growing below me on the hillside, I spot a large Koala in the forked branches of a eucalypt. Its grip on the tree provides an excellent example of the prehensile nature of the marsupial’s ‘opposable thumb grip’-a feature more common in primates.

Scarlet Robin and New Holland Honeyeater (ID images only)

Red-browed Finch (ID image only)

With rain clouds gathering, I decide to backtrack rather than continue along the loop trail. Near the parking area there is a noticeable population of smaller birds which are hard to photograph as they flit between branches and leaves. I decide to take a sit and wait approach and capture some images for identification purposes. My results are far from ideal but they do give a true sense of the difficulty inherent in acquiring good clear shots in a natural environment where animals are wary. Nevertheless, I have included my attempts in this post.

Spotted Ctenotus

When I explore a new area I try to find and photograph animals from as many groups or classifications as possible. In the cooler months, cold blooded animals such as invertebrates and reptiles are the most difficult to locate. It is always worth turning over a rocks and dead tree branches or peering under bark to find animals that might take shelter there, (always replace the item or make sure the animal can move back to a safe place). Today, I find a Spotted Ctenotus; a small, stripy, long-tailed skink, hiding under a rock on a north facing incline.

Mouse Spider (Credit Andrew Fitzner)

One of the best things about exploring our parks is encountering like-minded people and today’s walk is no exception. I meet a couple who passed me on the trail earlier and we chat about what we have seen. They show me a picture of a Mouse Spider spotted on the trail and photographed with an I Phone.

My walk completed, including a promise to myself to return in the spring, I drive back to Williamstown and the local bakery to treat myself to a chai latte and one of the best custard tarts I have eaten in ages.  

Cheers

Baz

Additional notes

This is a moderately steep walk with a small parking bay. It is not 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: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

← Older Entries