Palm Cockatoo in Adelaide Zoo
Palm Cockatoo, Adelaide Zoo
I delight in visiting my local zoo in Adelaide. I am a long term member and try to visit several times a year, mainly to hone my photography skills. The Adelaide Zoo has an excellent collection of birds in addition to the animals and reptiles, so birds feature prominently in my photos during these visits.
A few months ago I spent several hours there with my wife. We’d been to see a movie and decided to fill in some extra time at the zoo before travelling home. The zoo is an easy walk from the CBD. Besides, my wife hadn’t been to the zoo for a while, so she was eager to also spend time there.
Over coming days I will feature a few of the birds seen on this visit, as well as another visit a week later. Today’s photo shows a Palm Cockatoo, one species I have not yet seen in the wild. In its natural state it inhabits the far northern tip of Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, an area I have yet to visit.
Woodswallows overhead
Dusky Woodswallow, Cleland Wildlife Park, Adelaide Hills
Over many weeks during November I’ve been outside quite a bit of each day. I have been trying to tame the garden and the rest of our 5 acre block of land. The Estate has been neglected over the last few years but I am finally getting on top of things.
While outside I tend to be more aware of the birds around the house and in the surrounding scrub. During my weeding, cleaning and mowing I’ve been aware on many occasions of small flocks of 10 – 20 woodswallows hawking for insects while on the wing on high. I wouldn’t have noticed them but for their calls which are quite distinctive and tend to carry far.
All those I saw were far too high for a photo; I could barely see them without binoculars, but I think they were Dusky Woodswallows. Besides, I didn’t have my camera at the ready. Instead, I have shown a photo above of one taken back in October when we took my grandson to Cleland Wildlife Park in the Mt Lofty Ranges near Adelaide. As the photo shows, this was of a captive bird in a walk through aviary.
Beware – the hazards of birding
Inland Taipan, Cleland Wildlife Park
I went for my morning walk before breakfast today. I generally follow the same route along a side road next to our property. The birding was quite good, despite the cool, overcast conditions. It was threatening to rain and I actually felt a few drops as I walked along.
Near the end of my route where I turn around and retrace my steps home I saw a dead Brown Snake on the road. It had been reasonably warm the day before, so I guessed that was when it came to grief. Although it’s not a busy road, large trucks come long it several times a day so it’s possible that one of them ran over it.
Although it is only a few weeks into spring, the snakes are on the move – and probably hungry after their winter hibernation. Brown Snakes are relatively common around here but they tend to keep out of our way by choice, so we only ever see one or two every year, usually dead specimens like the one I saw this morning.
The photo above is of an Inland Taipan (I think I read the label correctly) taken yesterday on our family visit to the Cleland Wildlife Park near Adelaide. The Brown Snake found around here is somewhat similar in appearance. Both are quite venomous so I treat any encounter with caution.
More than once I’ve almost stepped on a snake while birding, and on one infamous occasion actually had one slither over my boot. Now that’s observing our wildlife just a little too closely.
Just so my loyal readers are not disappointed, I’ve included a photo of some birds taken yesterday.
Royal Spoonbill and White Ibis, Cleland Wildlife Park
I’m in the wrong birding business
Ostrich, Monarto Zoo, South Australia
I’m in the wrong business – I shouldn’t be writing about birds I see in their natural environment, or in zoos. I should be breeding and selling Ostriches. Yesterday I had another request for the purchase of Ostriches, something which happens every few weeks. I could be making my fortune out of selling these interesting birds, mostly to buyers in India and Pakistan.
The reason I get so many requests of this nature is because I once wrote an article here about the Ostriches living near my home – in the nearby Monarto Zoo which is part of Adelaide Zoo. As a result – and despite having a disclaimer on the page – I still keep on getting orders for either eggs or chicks. I’ve even closed comments on the article – but they still keep on sending me orders via my contact page. Sigh.
One of the problems is that this web site is so popular, and searching online will bring the article up in the first few links. The curse of being popular, I guess.
Links:
- Ostriches in Australia – and near my home – the article causing me so much trouble.
- Monarto Zoo
- Adelaide Zoo
Buy Ostriches here:
I bet I still get plenty of orders!
Happy birding.
Flamingos, Adelaide Zoo
No Comments »31st March, 2011; Category: Adelaide Zoo, Birds, Non-Australian birds, Waterbirds, Zoos
Chilean Flamingo, Adelaide Zoo
Adelaide Zoo has only two flamingos, a Chilean Flamingo and a Greater Flamingo. They occupy the flamingo grotto built in in 1885, a specially made quiet corner of the zoo. Only a low fence separates them from the admiring public. They usually make excellent photo opportunities as they feed in their small pond.
You can read further information about these birds from the Adelaide Zoo website, including details of distribution, diet and other interesting facts. The pages include short videos of the birds:
Greater Flamingo, Adelaide Zoo