Common Bronzewing Pigeon near Murray Bridge
Bronzewing pigeons are flighty birds. As such they are easily disturbed and fly away rapidly at any human interference. I was therefore rather surprised to find that this bird stayed on the stones on the roadside long enough for several quick photos. The one above is the best of them.
This photo was taken about 20km SW of Murray Bridge on a Sunday drive out bush a few weeks ago.
Eucalyptus flower
Christmas greetings to all of my readers.
I hope you have a wonderful time gathering to celebrate with family and friends.
I’m having a very different Christmas this year – but you’ll have to wait until next year to hear all about it.
Keep safe – and happy birding.
Red Capped Robin
Eastern Rosella in our garden
King Parrot
Cape Barren Geese near Murray Bridge
Earlier this year we went for a drive to Wellington on the River Murray. This small town is about a half hour drive from our home. After visiting the Pangarinda Arboretum we drove to Monarto Conservation Park. On the way I stopped to take a few photos of the local population of Cape Barren Geese near the shores of Lake Alexandrina. The geese feed on the pastures of local dairies in the area.
Cape Barren Geese near Murray Bridge
Willie Wagtail, Pangarinda Arboretum, South Australia
Earlier this year we visited the Pangarinda Arboretum at Wellington here in South Australia. While photographing the many wildflowers on show I took this portrait of a Willie Wagtail.
The arboretum is about a half hour drive from home and just over a hour’s drive from Adelaide. From a small hill in the reserve one can get a good view of the River Murray a few hundred metres to the west. The arboretum is a collection of hundreds of Australian native plants. I really enjoy visiting this reserve as there is always a good range of wildflowers to photograph. I’ve included several below. This arboretum has been established and is maintained by an enthusiastic group of local plant lovers. It is always open to the public and entry is free.
The birding in this native plant garden can be variable. Sometimes the place is full of a wide variety of birds; at other times I struggle to get more than 20 species on my list. It depends very largely on what is flowering although some species are resident breeding birds, like some of the honeyeaters.
Wildflowers, Pangarinda Arboretum, South Australia
Wildflowers, Pangarinda Arboretum, South Australia
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.