Kangaroos – and a few birds
Western Grey Kangaroo, Pondalowie Bay, South Australia
Okay – so this site is supposed to be about Australian Birds. Every now and then, however, I come across something interesting to photograph which doesn’t fall into that narrow field. Here is one example.
On our recent short holiday to Yorke Peninsula we visited the lovely and secluded Pondalowie Bay. The weather was quite unpleasant with light showers and almost gale force winds. The birding was consequently very limited. I did see several Pacific Gulls along with a few Silver Gulls and a solitary Sooty Oystercatcher. Two Pelicans braved the wild conditions in the bay and a small number of Crested Terns kept watch from some rocks. A Nankeen Kestrel used the wind to its advantage, soaring on the rushing air to search out a late afternoon snack.
Leaving the shoreline and driving inland a few hundred metres the wind abated somewhat in the lee of the sand dunes and thick coastal vegetation. Here the birding was a little better and I sighted a small list of species, including
- Masked Lapwings
- Galahs
- Willie Wagtails
- Grey Currawongs
- Silvereyes
- Singing Honeyeater (also seen near the water)
- Rainbow Lorikeets
- Crested Pigeons
And just as we were leaving the camping ground area we sighted a group of five juvenile Western Grey Kangaroos grazing near the road. They are used to vehicles in this area and didn’t stop their grazing as I stopped to take some photos.
Western Grey Kangaroos, Pondalowie Bay, South Australia
Australian Magpie, Pondalowie Bay, South Australia
An efficient mouse catcher
No Comments »2nd June, 2011; Category: Animals, Bird Behaviour, Garden birds, Magpies and Currawongs
Australian Magpie, Victor Harbor, South Australia
A few days ago we were having lunch on our back veranda. When the weather is fine we often do this and we enjoy watching the garden birds going about their daily routines. They bring us great joy and much entertainment.
Things were a little different the other day. I’d just finished coking the BBQ and we’d already sat down to eat. Without any warning or fuss, one of our resident Australian Magpies swooped down from a nearby tree into the grass nearby. (I must get around to mowing it soon.) Next thing it emerges with a House Mouse firmly gripped in its mouth. We cheered. That’s one pest that made it into our home.
Over the next ten minutes while we enjoyed our food, the magpie repeatedly banged the captured mouse on the paving bricks until it was either dead – or very concussed. It then proceeded to use its beak to tear off bits of the mouse to eat. At one point another magpie tried to steal a bit of the tasty lunch but the successful hunter kept guard over his prize.
It made me think. I often observe the diggings of mice in the garden and in our paddock, especially when I’m mowing the grass. I guess many of these mice become magpie delicacies. They are doing us a service by dispatching them. I also know that they must eat an incredible number of bugs, beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers and other garden pests. More power to the magpies, I say.
Good birding.
Emu at Adelaide Zoo
Emu and Tammar Wallaby, Adelaide Zoo
Adelaide Zoo in South Australia is one of my favourite zoos, and it is also my home zoo, being less than an hour’s drive from my home. I am a life member of Zoos SA, mainly because of my love of birds and animals but also because of the zoo’s excellent conservation programmes.
Adelaide Zoo boasts an excellent collection of Australian bird species as well as a few foreign birds. There are several walk through aviaries which I always visit because they provide an excellent opportunity for bird photography. There are numerous other aviaries too, but shooting through the wire of each cage can be challenging. More about that in future articles here.
I didn’t have any such problems taking photos of the Emus in their enclosure. They roam around a large enclosure with only a low fence surrounding it. This provides excellent opportunities for good photos. They also share the enclosure with some Tammar Wallabies. In the last photo you can see a wallaby with a joey poking his head out of the pouch to pose for me.
Further reading:
- Giant Pandas at Adelaide Zoo
- Birds of Adelaide Zoo
- Eclectus Parrots, Adelaide Zoo
- Emus at Monarto Zoo
Emu and Tammar Wallaby, Adelaide Zoo
Tammar Wallaby, Adelaide Zoo
Birds in the Adelaide Zoo
Emu, Adelaide Zoo
I really enjoy visiting zoos. I love seeing the many animals on display but I especially like visiting zoos because of the photographic opportunities they present.
My home zoo is Adelaide Zoo here in South Australia. It’s about an hour’s drive from my home and I am a life member. I don’t particularly like animals being caged up and not free, but I became a member supporting Zoos SA because of their excellent conservation programmes. They have wonderful breeding programmes and have been very successful in breeding several endangered species and then releasing those animals back into their natural habitats.
One of the strengths of the Adelaide Zoo is their strong bird collection. All the birds are kept in aviaries which mimic their preferred habitats. Several of the aviaries are open to the public to walk through, and these provide excellent photo opportunities. I’ll be sharing some of these photos in the coming days.
Further reading:
- Birds of the Adelaide Zoo
- Straw-necked Ibis, Adelaide Zoo
- Little Penguins at Adelaide Zoo
- Giant Pandas at the Adelaide Zoo
Emu eggs, Adelaide Zoo
Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby, Adelaide Zoo
Red Kangaroo, Adelaide Zoo
What is that bird in that tree?
Red Panda, Adelaide Zoo
Last week on my visit to the Adelaide Zoo I was especially keen to see the Great Panda exhibit. I was not disappointed and I had excellent views of the animals, and also managed some great photos.
Next to their much publicized cousins, the Red Pandas also had a wonderful new enclosure. Now I know a lot of fuss has been made of the Great Pandas in the zoo, but I think that the Red Pandas are far nicer. Much smaller grant you, but very attractive.
I was amused that the keepers had placed some bamboo high in a tree planted in their enclosure and one of the Red Pandas had climbed up to have a snack, only to fall asleep while doing so. They are just as cute asleep too.
Sorry if you came here today expecting something about birds – more about birds in coming days. I promise.
Red Panda, Adelaide Zoo