Sunday, June 24, 2012

Welcome Kobe

This handsome chap is Kobe.  He joined the Crittenden family today from the Animal Welfare League pound in Adelaide.    He is a boxer cross, and is about 18 months old.



He loves playing "fetch", and tosses the ball back to you to throw it again, and again, and again..........




Until he's ready for a rest.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Skywatch Friday


Gum trees over Brookfield Conservation Park

Post no. 250.
Thanks to everyone, both regular visitors and new friends.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Brookfield Conservation Park

This weekend I took a trip to Brookfield Conservation Park in the Murray Mallee with Chris Steeles

At our first stop we saw a female Mistletoebird, and then heard the soft call of Southern Scrub-robin. It didn't take long to track it down. As we got back to the car a large herd of feral goats crossed in front of us.



Next stop was the Bluebush Trail, where some Ground Cuckoo-shrikes had been seen the previous week,  Unknown to me, my camera had been knocked onto the manual setting, so the next lot of photos were all horribly overexposed.  I have managed to resurrect some using Photoshop, but most are beyond hope.  We did not find the Cuckoo-shrikes, but did see some lovely birds like Redthroat and Mulga Parrot,  There were plenty of Kangaroos there as well.



Luckily I spotted the problem with my camera, and carried on shooting this stunning Red-capped Robin .

On the Mallee Trail it was very quiet, but I managed a few shots of this flighty Yellow-plumed
Honeyeater,  Much more co-operative was this large Orb Spider.


Lastly, after dropping Chris at home, I waited to see his local pair of Australian Hobbies.

I was disappointed at losing so many photos, so went back the next day to try again.  On the way into the park I had a close encounter with Crested Bellbird, and then with this Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat, normally a nocturnal animal.


Back on the Bluebush Trail, more Red-capped Robins, including the less colourful female, and on the way out an obliging pair of Hooded Robins.