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A Drive Along the Beach

Dear Reader

At the southern tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula the rocky cliffs and granite outcrops of Victor Harbor and Port Elliot subside into a long stretch of pristine sandy beaches. They are the product of aeons of erosion and define the area where Australia’s longest river, the Murray; meets the ocean. The beach is easily accessed from the old river port of Goolwa and the short 5 Km drive along its length is only possible in a 4WD vehicle, Even then, it is best to keep a close eye on the tide and have a little experience driving in soft, sandy conditions.

Four wheel drive entry to Goolwa Beach

Over the last few weeks I have made the trip several times to photograph and observe the wildlife that lives along the tidal zone and in the windswept dunes. Twice, I reached the river mouth and once I had to turn back as the high tide and churned up sand made the going a little too difficult for my SUV.

Goolwa beach near the Murray mouth showing different environments

The surf breaks for several hundred metres out to sea along this beach and sometimes you can be lucky enough to see a dolphin or the dark outline of a whaler shark hunting for Australian salmon or mulloway in the waves. However, most of the time it is the caspian terns that dominate the open ocean as they dive for schools of baitfish or rest on the wet sand ready to set off and hunt again.

You’ve done something different with your hair

In the shallow surf break a dozen different species of waders can be seen each exploiting its own niche with its specialised beak and hunting style. Diminutive sanderlings and dotterels race along the sand in between the wave fronts gleaning tiny invertebrates and worms too small to see. Small groups of oystercatchers use their broadened beaks to dig out cockles and prise them open while avocets use their slightly upturned bills to catch tiny crustaceans and other invertebrates swimming in the shallow water. In fact, what at first glance appears to be an homogenous continuum of beach; is in reality, a collection of micro habitats or niches, each exploited by its own particular species of bird.

I hope you enjoyed this jaunt along the beach and stay tuned for more South Aussie adventures.

Cheers

Baz

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Tags: 4WD on beach, caspian tern, goolwa beach, South Australia, South Australian wildlife, wading birds

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Categories Birds, Fleurieu Peninsula

One ‘Ticked Off ‘ Tiger Snake

16 Feb

Field Notes

Dear reader

Sometimes life gets a little too busy and the pressures of work and family don’t allow me time to sit down, sort through my notes and put together a polished article. So I have simply edited my field notes in the hope that they will stand alone as an enjoyable account of my brush with one of Australia’s deadliest reptiles.

Setting

Late Summer, midday, on the banks of the river Murray near Mannum about 100kms NE of Adelaide. A smallish town, good pub with excellent view of river and great meals. Some nice antique and bric-a-brac shops, historic paddle steamer and houseboats to hire.

Notes

A pleasant drive from the city through the foothills.
Parts of the countryside is still green from good winter rains.
The rain shadowed plains on the other side of the ranges are quite dry and you can see the course of the river from the granite outcrops near Palmer.
Clssical Murray river environment showing billabongs
We crossed the river on the Mannum ferry and drove along the edge of one of the billabongs.
Several small boats and a kayaker cruised past enjoying the sheltered environment away from the main channel.
The river level is high and there is quite a lot of debris along the bank.
There are numerous waterbirds foraging in the shallows and some parrots in the trees and I spotted a water skink on a concrete jetty near a bed of reeds.
Pelicans feeding in the shallows near reeds
I decided to explore a tangle of reeds and driftwood that was caught in the roots of one of the large river gums that grow on the edge of the bank.
As I pushed through some of the reeds I heard the distinct rustle of a fairly large animal moving away from me.
A sizeable tiger snake shot out from under a small log to my right and headed towards the water.
I froze momentarily so as not to alarm it unduly and steady myself to take a picture if it stopped-as opposed to freezing because it scared the .#$%%^&& out of me.
Tiger snakes are one of the top ten most venomous snakes on the planet and can be rather aggressive when threatened. They feed on a variety of small riverside animals ranging from frogs and lizards to mice and birds. A large tiger snake can measure up to 2 metres. There are several varieties and the namesake stripes are not always obvious.
The snake paused after a few seconds and turned to face me.
It was about 3-4 metres away but looked unnervingly close through the telephoto lens.
The reptile had moved into the shadows and a quick review of my shots revealed a mottled and shady image.
I popped up the flash and fired another couple of frames.
The snake did not like that and reared into a strike position as the second burst of light was emitted.
The results were startling, a Tiger Snake, mouth agape and fangs visible.
snake striking
Time to leave and not annoy the tiger anymore
We continued to drive along the river bank track enjoying the scenery and had no more serious reptilian encounters other than a couple more skinks
Skink near the river bank
Stopped at the Pretoria Hotel on the banks of the main river
Great food, plenty of it and a glorious view of the river from the glass fronted dining room
Some pelicans feeding close to the river bank
Crossed back on the ferry then drove along the river towards Walker Flats to take in the views of the cliffs and an interesting stretch of Mallee scrub.
Crossing the Murray at Mannum on the ferry
We have previously observed wombats here, foraging near the road in the late afternoon.