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
Birds of Encounter Bay
1 Comment »18th March, 2006; Category: Birds, Camera, Ducks Geese and Swans, General, Lapwings, Parrots and Lorikeets, Photos, Seabirds, Swallows, Waterbirds, Wrens
Rain
We are staying in the caravan park next to Encounter Bay, Victor Harbor. This is just over an hour’s drive south of Adelaide, South Australia. During the night our sleep was disturbed by frequent showers. Rain on the roof of a caravan can be quite disturbing. By breakfast time the rain was quite steady.
A Walk becomes a Sit
My friend Keith and I had intended going for a walk this morning, probably around Granite Island. There is a causeway to the island and from the caravan park it takes several hours. The views are quite spectacular on the seaward side. The large waves crashing over the granite rocks would have made for some great photography. The rain did not ease until late in the morning. Instead of a walk, Keith and I sat in the van talking, having cuppas, eating chocolate cake and hot cross buns and reading the paper.
Afternoon Nap
After lunch Keith and I were so exhausted from the morning’s frenetic activities that we both had to have a nap. Life’s so hard. Later we sat around talking with some of the others we knew who were staying in the same caravan park.
A Bird Walk
Late in the afternoon I went for a birdwatching walk to the beach and along the nearby river. I took my camera with me and was able to take some good shots of several species of birds and also some good shots of several yachts at anchor in the bay. Just a few metres from our van there was a small lagoon, perhaps the size of several tennis courts. This lagoon was well populated with birds feeding in, on or above it.
Lagoon
The most prominent species was Chestnut Teal. There were some 30-40 of them. This was a species I hadn’t managed to get photos of as yet. One photo shows three of these ducks all diving for food simultaneously; all you can see is their tails sticking up in the air. They were accompanied by about 30 Silver Gulls swimming around on the surface of the water. Hawking for insects above the water were numerous Welcome Swallows. Several Magpie Larks and a solitary White Faced Heron patrolled the water’s edge for whatever they could find to eat.
Chestnut Teal
Also on the water’s edge was a single bird I couldn’t positively identify. I wouldn’t let me get close enough for a photo or a good look through my binoculars. By its shape, colour, size and habits it could possibly have been a Sharp Tailed Sandpiper.
River
The Inman River forms the south west boundary of the caravan park and often provides some good bird watching. Several Masked Lapwings, a few more Silver Gulls and two Wood Ducks were seen immediately. Waiting quietly near some bushes on the bank revealed some Pacific Black Ducks, Silvereyes in the bushes and I heard some Superb Blue Wrens in the nearby bushes. A Caspian Tern patrolled up and down the river while a Willie Wagtail flitted around on the lawn nearby.
Masked Lapwing