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 1/1250th 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
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