Wood Ducks in the Wittunga Botanic Gardens
Wood Ducks are common and widespread throughout much of Australia. They are a common sight as the graze near lakes, rivers and dams. They are also very common in parks and gardens where there is a water feature.
Australian Wood Duck (male)
On our visit to the Wittunga Botanic Gardens a few days ago we were approached by quite a few Wood Ducks. I guess they thought that we were going to give them some kind of food handout. They obviously hadn’t seen us eating our lunch before we went on our walk through the park.
Australian Wood Duck (female)
I had seen Wood Ducks on many previous occasions. Not until I started taking these photos did I realise how different the male and female are in this species. They were so accommodating I hardly needed to use the zoom lens on my camera either.
And didn’t they pose beautifully for me?
Laratinga Wetlands Mt Barker
Laratinga Wetlands, Mt Barker, South Australia
Today I visited the Laratinga Wetlands at Mt Barker for the first time. These wetlands are on the eastern edge of the town which is about half way between Murray Bridge and Adelaide in South Australia. I had driven past these wetlands several times in recent months but today was the first time I had the opportunity to stop and have a good look.
Sewage Plant
These wetlands were built by the local Green Corps and opened in 1999. They are next to the town’s sewage ponds. The treated water is circulated through the wetlands before being used for irrigation by nearby farmers. The tree planting around the wetlands has resulted in a beautiful environment. A picnic area complete with public toilets encourage people to use the area. Three environmental walks have been established around the perimeter or through the wetlands, including several board walks. These walks vary in distance from 0.75km to 2.2km. Walking time takes from 15 minutes to 45 minutes – for non-birders, that is. I did the 15 minute walk and it took me 50 minutes! Far too many birds to watch!
Bird List
The birding here is really wonderful with a good range of water birds to be seen in close up. The following is a list of the waterbirds I saw this afternoon:
- White Ibis
- White-faced Heron
- Eurasian Coot
- Dusky Moorhen
- Hoary-headed Grebe
- Australasian Grebe
- Pacific Black Duck
- Hardhead
- Grey Teal
- Australasian Shoveller
Other species recorded were:
- Little Raven
- Galah
- Little Corella
- Red-rumped Parrot
- Adelaide Rosella
- Australian Magpie-lark
- Australian Magpie
- Common Starling
- Common Blackbird
- Welcome Swallow
- New Holland Honeyeater
- White-plumed Honeyeater
- Noisy Miner
- Superb Blue Wren
- Little Grassbird
- Striated Pardalote
Post updated in September 2015 and photos added.
Eurasian Coot, Laratinga Wetlands, Mt Barker
Purple Swamphen, Laratinga Wetlands, Mt Barker, South Australia
Purple Swamphen, Laratinga Wetlands, Mt Barker, South Australia
Australian Shoveler at Clare, South Australia
On Sunday I went for a short walk from my daughter’s home in Clare. At the end of a nearby street I came to an open area surrounding the local sewage treatment plant. I used to visit this area from time to time when we lived in Clare about 25 years ago. I had not visited the area again since.
Sewage Treatment Plant
Sewage treatment plants are very interesting places. They tend to attract quite a variety of birds. These, in turn, attract birders like me. On this occasion I was not disappointed. There were the usual suspects like Masked Lapwings along the edges, Pacific Black Ducks, Grey and Chestnut Teal and several Australasian Grebes. I was not surprised to see about twenty Pink Eared Ducks as well because I have often seen this species on Inchquin Lake a few hundred metres away. I was delighted to see about a dozen Black Swans as I can’t recall having seen them on the lake. Perhaps the lake, with its nearby picnic area on one side and golf course on the other, is too populated and noisy.
Australian Shoveler
One species I hoped to see was the Australian Shoveler. I had not observed this species of duck for over twenty years and only on a handful of occasions at that. I have only ever seen it on one occasion elsewhere so I was very pleased to record it again here. In the past I can only recall seeing up to about five individuals. This time there must have been over thirty present. It made me wonder if this species is a regular visitor, or is it actually a breeding resident species. I must remember to check it out more regularly as I visit my daughter.
Other birds seen
Other birds heard or seen nearby include Australian Magpie, Magpie-lark, Musk Lorikeet, Galah, Crimson Rosella, Willie Wagtail, Noisy Miner, Red Wattlebird, White Plumed Honeyeater and New Holland Honeyeater. On the nearby Inchquin Lake I observed Blue Billed Ducks, Wood Ducks and four Black Fronted Dotterels.
Rocky Gully Wetlands, Murray Bridge
1 Comment »23rd March, 2006; Category: Birds, Camera, Ducks Geese and Swans, Eagles Hawks and Kites, General, Gulls and Terns, Murray Bridge, Photos, Waterbirds
Thursday 23rd March 2006
Today I visited a local wetlands area about one kilometre north west of the CBD of Murray Bridge, South Australia. Rocky Gully Creek drains from the nearby hills into the River Murray at this point. The wetlands area is only a short distance from the river.
When I was still teaching I would often drive pass this lagoon on my way to work and again on my way home to check out what birds were to be seen. Occasionally I would stop and walk around the perimeter for twenty minutes or so. I would also stop in the bird hide for a while.
This morning I spent about 40 minutes in the area. I took my camera with to see what I could photograph. The temperature by late morning had reached about 30 degrees C and the warm breeze from the north was strengthening.
Spoonbills
On my way to a meeting the previous evening I thought I had seen some Royal Spoonbills as I drove past. This is a widespread species in this area without being present in large numbers anywhere. Spoonbills are always a delight for me to see as it was a Yellow Billed Spoonbill in outback South Australia many years ago that gave me a life long interest in birds. This time it was the equally delightful Royal Spoonbill present at the lagoon. I managed to get some photos from a distance.
This was the first time I had recorded this species in this location. The bird lists in the bird hide indicate that other observers had also recorded it here too; I just hadn’t seen it when it was present. Both species are widespread throughout the eastern half of Australia as well as large parts of western and northern Australia.
Pelicans
Almost every time I drive past the Rocky Gully Wetlands I see at least 10 Australian Pelicans. Sometimes I estimate there would be about 30 present, usually resting on the artificial island in the middle of the lagoon. There must be a plentiful supply of fish in the lagoon and in the river nearby.
Australian White Ibis
There are hundreds of Ibis resident in the Murray Bridge district. I have observed loose flocks of over 300 flying overhead. Without them the area would have a massive snail problem. It is my observation that the Australian White Ibis is vastly outnumbered by the Straw Necked Ibis in this area. Today however, I saw only the White Ibis. Another relatively common species, the Glossy Ibis, still manages to elude me. I’ve never seen one in the wild.
Other birds
The other species present included:
White Faced Heron, Great Egret, Little Black Cormorant, Darter, Black Winged Stilt, Grey Teal, Eurasian Coot, Black Fronted Dotterel, Masked Lapwing, Silver Gull, Caspian Tern and Whistling Kite.
Sturt Reserve, Murray Bridge
No Comments »22nd March, 2006; Category: Birds, Ducks Geese and Swans, General, Gulls and Terns, Lapwings, Murray Bridge, Waterbirds
Today my wife and I needed to go shopping for a new washing machine. While doing the washing yesterday I killed our old twin tub machine. It was 22 years old, so I guess it was a little tired and needed a rest. It obviously needed a long, long rest. Now it will get a permanent rest.
When we were finished it was lunch time so we visited our favourite local bakery. We bought some lunch and headed down to Sturt Reserve and parked in the shade of a tree where we could overlook the River Murray. By then the temperature must have been about 30 degrees so the birding was very quiet.
The following is the small list of species seen:
Masked Lapwing, Australian Magpie, House Sparrow, Magpie Lark, Pacific Black Duck, Grey Teal, Welcome Swallow, Silver Gull, Willie Wagtail, Superb Blue Wren, Noisy Miner, Little Black Cormorant and Black Tailed Native Hen.
Proud Mary at Sturt Reserve