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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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