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
Lorikeets, Parrots and Wattlebirds
No Comments »13th December, 2005; Category: Birds, Camera, General, Honeyeaters, Murray Bridge, Parrots and Lorikeets, Photos
This evening I was attracted by some birds calling outside. I went to investigate, thinking that they were probably Rainbow Lorikeets. I didn’t take my camera with me.
Sure enough, I had some good views of two Rainbow Lorikeets in the tree next to our driveway. The seeting sun was lighting up the brilliant colours of one of them. I needed my camera. It was still inside.
I casually walked inside trying not to scare the birds away by sudden movements. On emerging with the camera the lorikeets had disappeared – of course! Instead, I was content to get some very good shots of a Red Wattlebird in the setting sun in the same tree. It almost seemed like he was posing for me.
Red Wattlebird
Perhaps the lorikeets had persuaded him to pose for them, because as I walked inside, they emerged from a nearby tree and flew a sortie overhead, screeching their taunts at me. One day, one day I’ll get a good shot of them.
Rainbow Lorikeets are quite common throughout the urban areas of Murray Bridge but we only occasionally see them on our home block on the outskirts of the city. In recent weeks they have been daily visitors. This indicates that there has to be enough plants flowering around here to attract these beautiful, but noisy, birds.
On this morning’s walk a had good views of two Elegant Parrots. This beautiful species is widespread in this area but they are not common anywhere. I also saw a single Adelaide Rosella. These are common in the Adelaide region and this is the eastern extent of their range and are uncommon in Murray Bridge. If I’d had my camera with me I would have been able to get an excellent photograph of a Rainbow Bee-eater sitting on a gate in the early morning sun.
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow – I’ll take my camera on my walk.
Going Botanical
Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens
Yesterday my wife and I visited the Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens. These gardens in the Mt Lofty Ranges are part of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens and are about 15-20 minutes drive from the CBD.
It was a glorious day and just right for a walk through this delightful spot in South Australia. It was about 25 degrees Celcius, clear azure blue sky with a gentle cooling breeze just right for the exertion of walking uphill. These gardens are a feature of the eastern slopes of Mt Lofty, the highest point dominating the Adelaide skyline.
Rhondodendrons
The section we walked through is dominated by extensive planting of Rhondodendrons. These magnificent plants were mostly out in flower and made a dazzling display in the Australian bushland surrounding them.
The forest we walked through was dominated by an introduced bird unfortunately. I love the call of the Common Blackbird, but when it drowns out the calls of our lovely native species it is disappointing. I must have seen and heard over 50 of this species in the hour and a half walk.
Other species included a small flock of Yellow-Tailed Black-Cockatoos, several Grey Fantails, a single Eastern Spinebill and many Crimson Rosella parrots. In the upper section of the park the only bird I managed to photograph was a Grey Currawong, too busy searching for his afternoon snack under the bark of the nearby trees to worry about my camera clicking away.
Grey Currawong
After our walk we drove down to the lower section to have afternoon tea in the lakeside picnic grounds. Here I was able to get many good shots of a Black Swan,
Black Swan
a single Magpie Lark,
Australian Magpie Lark
several Eurasian Coot, Pacific Black Duck and many Wood Ducks.
Australian Wood Duck
The Hoary Headed Grebes out in the middle of the lake were too far away to get good photos.
Mt. Lofty Botanic Gardens