Crested Tern, Sturt Reserve, Murray Bridge
Crested Tern, Sturt Reserve, Murray Bridge
As regular readers of this site would know, I live in the rural city of Murray Bridge in South Australia. Our city straddles Australia’s largest waterway, the Murray River. Last week I took an hour out of my busy schedule to take a few photos of birds at Sturt Reserve, named after the early explorer, Charles Sturt who sailed past this spot in 1830.
One of the birds I photographed on the small jetty in the reserve was a Crested Tern. This part of the river is probably about 100km upstream from the river mouth (I’m guessing) but we have several bird species more common along the coast venture upstream this far, including the Crested Terns and the Caspian Terns.
Sturt Reserve, Murray Bridge, South Australia
Crested Tern, Sturt Reserve, Murray Bridge
Crested Tern, Sturt Reserve, Murray Bridge
Crested Tern, Sturt Reserve, Murray Bridge
Birding around Mannum, South Australia part 4
Murray River at Mannum, South Australia
Over recent days I have been sharing some photos and my experiences on a birding trip to Mannum a few weeks ago. This river town is about 20 minutes by car from my home. The afternoon was a classically beautiful Sunday afternoon in spring. To add to the wonderful weather the birding was also good.
I know that Silver Gulls are a very common bird here in Australia, but I do enjoy photographing them. The bird in the photo below was particularly photogenic, but I had to be quick with the camera as it was on the move. I’ve also included a few other photos taken on the same day.
Silver Gull, Murray River, Mannum, South Australia
Silver Gulls, Murray River, Mannum, South Australia
Silver Gulls, Mannum, South Australia
Silver Gulls, Murray River, Mannum, South Australia
Birding Port Clinton Conservation Park, Yorke Peninsula
Little Egret, Pt Clinton Conservation Park
On our way home from our recent holiday on Yorke Peninsula we stopped for a lunch break at Port Clinton Conservation Park, just north of Ardrossan.This conservation park stretches along the eastern part of the peninsula, between the main road south and the waterline.
The wind was still cold and we were experiencing occasional showers. Once again we decided to eat our picnic lunch in the car. This was followed by a warming cup of tea. As we sat there, windscreen wipers activated every minute or so, I did a bird list of species present, either on the tidal mudflats, in the nearby mangrove trees or in the bushland nearby.
Many of the birds I saw appeared to be resting in a position where they minimised the wind. Very few of the water birds were actually flying or swimming. Once again the list of species is not great, but you have days like that. Pity, though, I’d had 4 days in a row like that!
- Little Egret
- Little Pied Cormorant
- Pied Cormorant
- Crested Tern
- Caspian Tern
- Red-capped Plover
- Silver Gull
- Pacific Gull
- Nankeen Kestrel
- Tree Martin
- Singing Honeyeater
- Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater
- Grey Shrike-thrush
- Welcome Swallow
- Willie Wagtail
- Little Raven
- Common Starling
Little Pied Cormorants, Silver Gulls, Pt Clinton Conservation Park
Mangroves and tidal flats, Pt Clinton Conservation Park
Birding at Coobowie, Yorke Peninsula
On our short holiday on the Yorke Peninsula a few weeks ago we left Edithburgh mid-morning on the last day of our four day visit. We travelled the short distance to Coobowie, another popular holiday destination on the southern end of the peninsula, especially in the summer months. We found a suitable parking spot overlooking the bay and had a cuppa and a few nibbles.
The wind was still very chilly and so we stayed in the car. Birding from inside a car has its disadvantages, but it was far too cold out. This part of the coast can produce a good variety of birds, especially out in the bay at low tide. On previous visits I’ve timed my birding to coincide with low tide. The exposed sandbars can reveal a good variety of shorebirds, especially when all the summer migrants are in town.
No such luck today.
The tide was high, the strong wind pushing the water even higher. Few wading birds were visible and so I had to look to the bush birds in the roadside vegetation and in the paddocks to bolster my list:
- Silver Gull
- Pacific Gull
- White-faced Heron
- Little Pied Cormorant
- Pied Oystercatcher
- Australian Shelduck
- Red-rumped Parrot
- Australian Magpie
- Magpie Lark
- Little Raven
- Singing Honeyeater
- Red Wattlebird
- New Holland Honeyeater
- House Sparrow
- Common Starling
Not a huge list but satisfying considering the poor weather conditions.
Silver Gulls
Birding at Corny Point, Yorke Peninsula
Corny Point, Yorke Peninsula
We reached Corny Point on the Yorke Peninsula late on the third day of our holiday. The conditions continued to be wild: gale force wind, freezing cold and light showers skimming across the water. Not at all good for birding!
I parked near the lighthouse as shown in the photo above. The passenger side door was facing the full force of the wind and my wife could hardly open her door! Eventually, with a great effort, she did manage to emerge. Standing erect in the gale was another matter, and holding the camera steady yet another challenge.
It was a very disappointing from a birding point of view; I saw only 5 species:
- Singing Honeyeater
- Australian Magpie
- Little Pied Cormorant
- Crested Tern
- Nankeen Kestrel
The kestrel was the only one I managed to photograph – but you’ll have to wait until tomorrow to see that. Meanwhile, a few photos to show the wild conditions.
Corny Point, Yorke Peninsula
Corny Point, Yorke Peninsula
Corny Point, Yorke Peninsula