Dear Reader:
I climb over the entrance style into the park. There is a light drizzle but I have a waterproof cover for the Sony RX10 camera if needed. I can hear the twittering of wrens and the camera is poised to shoot.
However, it is not wildlife which first catch my eye but wildflowers. Being the very end of winter, I was not expecting flora to be on my photographic menu. Nevertheless, a delicate Shrub Violet surrounded by native grasses is the first image I capture.
There is a short path leading down to a creek bed and a quick scan of the scrub on both sides reveals sufficient flowers to change the emphasis of my afternoon to plants rather than animals.
Apart from the bright yellow wattles which typically bloom this time of year, there are bright red heaths, subtle pink bell-shaped blossoms and delicate candle shaped plants.
When I search for animals in the bush, I am always drawn to predators as they seem to lead the most interesting lives. However, plants can also be predatory and the delicate, little sundews (Drosera) have sticky centres to trap insects which they then absorb for their nutrient value.
As I walk through the bush, with its dense understory and towering Stringybarks, I can hear a variety of birdsong. I catch glimpses of wrens, finches and honeyeaters in the trees and bushes but they are too quick to photograph and today it is overcast making the job doubly difficult.
It is starting to drizzle and time to seek shelter and a coffee at Verte Kitchen in Mylor. However, I shall definitely return another day to try and capture some animal images in this lovely, little conservation park……….to be continued
Cheers
Baz
Additional notes
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
