Tony's Photo Blog

Birding around Adelaide

2012-01-29T09:08:00.011+10:30

Some good friends of mine have been staying for a few days, so I've been showing them some of the birding spots around Adelaide. We took another trip down to Goolwa, where we birded along the barrage road, on the beach and from the bird hide. Most of the birds were the same as on my last visit, but we did see Red-Avocet and Pink-eared Duck which were both new birds for my friends. Lunch, as usual in Goolwa, was fish and chips by the river. This time we watched the Milang to Goolwa boat race, and were kept company by a flock of Little Corellas. There were Plenty of birds on the river, and I snapped a Whiskered Tern, a Great Cormorant (with a fishing weight tangled on it, and the ever present Australian Pelican. Next day we went up through the Adelaide Hills to Laratinga Wetlands at Mount Barker. We had lunch on the way at a small park in Nairne. There were lots of pale blue dragonflies here, and an interesting rock with a snake carved onto it. There was also a Coot family with some very late chicks. When we got to Laratinga, it was in great shape with lots of mud for waders and crakes. We saw Black-fronted Plovers, Yellow-billed Spoonbills, Australian White Ibis and this very inquisitive young Superb Fairywren. In a couple of hours here we counted over twenty Spotted Crakes and a single Baillons Crake.

Skywatch Friday

2012-01-26T22:13:00.003+10:30

A fine crescent, just a couple og days before the new moon.

St Kilda Saltfields

2012-01-21T22:12:00.009+10:30

This morning I had a couple of hours in the Saltfields. There were thousands of stilts there, both White-headed and Banded.

Other waders (shorebirds) included Red-necked Stint and Sharp-tailed Sandpiper.

There were also good numbers of fairywrens there, but this female White-winged was the only one I photographed. Fours species of Cormorant were seen, and only Little Pied was snapped.

I caught this Whiskered Tern plucking insects from the bushes, and also got long range shots of Red-kneed Dotterel and Sacred Kingfisher.

Paiwalla Wetlands

2012-01-18T17:13:00.013+10:30

At the weekend I went to Paiwalla Wetlands in the Murraylands with Birds SA. This privately owned wetlands is being restored from a cattle station, and consists of flooded pools alongside the River Murray. Before we met up, I went down to the river. There were a number of Mallee Ringnecks feeding here. While we were planning the route, there were Tree Martins and Welcome Swallows flying around. I managed this shot of a young swallow, and also another when some Little Black Cormorants flew over. As we walked around the wetland, a couple of Purple Swamphens crossed the path. There are lots of nestboxes put up, and some have been commandeered by Possums. The thistles are all just coming into full flower. The most common wader here is Red-kneed Dotterel, but they moved away from any disturbance. Welcome Swallows were using the perches, and Tree Martins perching in the bushes. Further along the river, three Yellow-billed Spoonbills were perched until they were flushed by a Swamp Harrier. Heading back to the car, we spotted this young Fan-tailed Cuckoo, and a fully occupied Willie Wagtail nest right over the path. We took lunch in another section of the reserve where this Soldier Wasp was busy burying its prey. In a small area of swamp, there were up to 4 Spotted and 4 Baillon's Crakes, giving good opportunities to compare the two, picking up on the definitive field marks. The barred undertail of the Baillons and White undertail of the Spotted. Finally, a Little Eagle kept us company as we ate lunch.

Goolwa

2012-01-03T07:16:00.010+10:30

Yesterday we took a trip to Goolwa on the Fleurieu Peninsular, just south of Adelaide. We took the car onto the beach and drove towards the mouth of the Murray River. I stopped a couple of times. First for a some Sooty Oystercatchers, and then a small group of Banded Stilts. The stilts were all sub-adult, with some just beginning to show the chest band. Lunch was Fish and Chips by the River, and as usual a group of Silver Gulls turned up to share, but there was an interloper in this group. He's pretty easy to spot A Little Corella We then headed down the coast road towards Coorong National Park. I saw some Sharp=tailed Sandpipers, a Little Raven, ever present Australian Pelicans and Great Egrets, and a group of terns. Highlight for me was watching this young Royal Spoonbill chasing after Mum for a feed, which he eventually got. Finally, it was really windy on the beach, with sand and seedheads blowing everywhere. I new some debris was blowing across while I was photographing the oystercatchers, but didn't realise I had got this shot until I got home.

Happy New Year - Adelaide fireworks

2012-01-01T10:21:00.008+10:30

This year we headed up to Light's Vision on Montefiore Hill, to watch the new year fireworks. This monument to Colonel William Light, South Australia's first Surveyor General has a view across the city he began surveying in 1836. There is a lovely park here, and every new year hundreds of people come with their families to watch the fireworks. At midnight, 2012 was ushered in with a spectacular fireworks display

Pengilly Scrub

2011-12-30T21:20:00.010+10:30

I had a couple of hours free the other morning so I decided to go to Pengilly Scrub near Gawler. A fellow blogger has visited this spot a number of times and it looked very interesting.

I was only 2 minutes from home when I spotted this Great Egret. There were also a couple of Grey Teal at the pool.

On the way, I also saw this lone Galah. Always difficult to resist against a blue sky. There were lots of Red Wattlebirds chasing each other around.

At Pengilly, I heard an Owlet Nightjar from the gate, but couldn't find it. There were lots of birds calling. Rainbow Bee-eaters were plentiful, and whilst I was watching some, this Singing Honeyeater came so close I struggled to focus on him. There were White-browed Woodswallows everywhere, always lovely to see.

This flower was plentiful, but remains unidentified.

Finally, I noticed this White-plumed Honeyeater catching what looked like caterpillars, and banging them in a branch.

Mount Lofty Botanical Garden

2011-12-29T15:48:00.008+10:30

In the week, we popped up to Mount Lofty Botanical Gardens for a post Christmas walk and a picnic(Turkey sandwiches of course!). We walked around the lake and saw the usual ducks, including Pacific Blacks and Hardheads. On the walk we also passed this unusual sculpture, a memorial to the Canadian Armed Forces. There was an amazing array of Lillies around a small pond, and this bright red flower on a shrub near the carpark. Any help in identifying it would be appreciated

Skywatch Friday

2011-12-23T03:31:00.001+10:30

Storm approaching, Point Lowly, South Australia

Lobethal - Christmas lights and the Christmas story

2011-12-22T09:11:00.009+10:30

Last night we took Mum to Lobethal, in the Adelaide Hills, to see the Christmas lights. There as also a living Nativity that is performed each evening. Lobethal is well known for it's Christmas lights. Many of the houses are decorated with lights. Lobethal is only a small town and the roads quickly become deadlocked! Some houses are decorated completely, whilst other just have a few lights in the garden.Thanks for visiting my blog. Merry Christmas everybody.

Whyalla - Lighthouse and Storm

2011-12-18T21:04:00.008+10:30

We were in Whyalla this weekend spending time with family. On Saturday morning we dodged showers and managed a couple of hours at Point Lowly, walking on the beach and admiring the Lighthouse. I spotted this Pacific Gull flying down the beach, only to return a couple of minutes later carrying a Blue Swimmer Crab. The evening was spent having a barbecue in the back yard, until we spotted this approaching storm cell. The sky became amazingly dark and then erupted with thunder, lightning and a massive hail storm. The road flooded completely as drains were overwhelmed, and hailstones up to 7cm (3 inches) across.

Skywatch Friday

2011-12-17T06:26:00.004+10:30

Cranes at the site of the new Rundle Place Shopping Mall in Adelaide CBD

Skywatch Friday

2011-12-09T05:10:00.000+10:30

Summer in Adelaide = Jacaranda

Skywatch Friday

2011-11-18T05:21:00.001+10:30

First attempt at photographing stars - Jupiter and moons

Skywatch Friday

2011-11-11T05:52:00.001+10:30

I love Airobatics

Barossa Air Show

2011-11-06T22:22:00.011+10:30

We went to the Barossa Airshow today. It was held on a small private grass airstrip at Rowland Flat in the Barossa Valley, 50 Km north-east of Adelaide.

This Robinson R44 was giving joyflights, and also being used by photographers to get a birds-eye view of the crowd.

Highlight of the show was undoubtedly the Roulettes, the RAAF display team in their Pilatus PC-9/As. Once they finished their display, they were ferried in from the local RAAF base at Edinburgh on their Sikorsky S76 support helicopter to sign posters.

Next up were a variety of displays including gliders, the "Chipettes" in their DHC-1 Chipmunks, a 0.8 scale Spitfire and Yak 52.

These were followed by two impressive displays from a Eurofighter and F-16 Fighting Falcon

What was really impressive is that they were 1/15th scale radio controlled models!! WOW - real boys toys!!

Next up (or rather down) were a couple of parachutists from the local club.

As usual, former Australian aerobatic champion Chris Sperou put on an amazing display in his Pitts Super Stinker

The show closed with a display from the SAIA Marchetti S211 jet trainer and the T6 Harvard.

Firefighting - First Burn

2011-11-05T19:48:00.007+10:30

This week I attended my first controlled burn as a volunteer firefighter. The burn was planned to take place in Bullock Hill Conservation Park near Ashbourne on the Fleurieu Peninsular, South of Adelaide. These burns are performed to reduce the fuel load, and therefore the likelyhood of a damaging bushfire in the summer. While waiting in the staging area, 11 Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos flew over and some briefly perched close enough to take a pic with my point and shoot. Our first job was to head off to nearby Scott Conservation Park to assist in mopping up after a burn the previous day. We were in a Quick Response Vehicle (QRV) which is a 4WD ute with a 400 litre tank, pump and hose reel onboard. This burn was very successful as can be seen from the photo. This bracket fungus was covered in ash but otherwise undamaged. Early afternoon saw us back at Buffalo Hill, where the larger appliances, (this one is "Cleland 34" carrying 3000 litres of water on a 4WD truck chassis), were waiting along with a Eurocopter AS350 Squirrel helicopter. The helicopter was used to ignite the fire as two previous attempts had been unsuccessful. Our attempt fared little better and the fire was all but out within a hour.

Skywatch Friday

2011-11-04T05:14:00.001+10:30

The moonfrom my front yard.

Belair National Park

2011-11-01T12:37:00.006+10:30

On Sunday I went up to Belair National Park. I took my mountain bike a went for a cycle around some trails I had not been on before. I didn't see anything unusual, but did see lots of parrots. This Adelaide Rosella kept it's distance, so not the best of shots. I also saw Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, lots of Rainbow Lorikeets and this Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. There were a lot of pink eucalyptus blooms, and the Rainbow Lorikeets found them irresistible. On the "Koala track" I did see a couple of koalas, but they were way too high up to make an interesting photo. I did spot some New Holland Honeyeaters and this Grey Fantail. Other interesting things were some Yellow Flag Irises, Scarlet Pimpernel, some lovely grasses and lots of yellow daisy-type flowers full of busy bees.

Barossa Birding

2011-10-24T20:37:00.007+10:30

Sunday morning I headed up to the Barossa Valley to do some birding. First stop was Tanunda water treatment works. This series of ponds usually holds a good selection of ducks, often with some less common ducks mixed in. Straight away I noticed a small group of Pink-eared Ducks. There were also Blue-billed Ducks there, but true to form with Oxyura ducks, they spent the whole time asleep on the far side of the pond so no photos. On the way out there was a Masked Lapwing by the track. The back road from Tanunda to the Barossa resort is a favourite of mine, and it didn't disappoint. Lots of Yellow-rumped Thornbills (colloquially known as "Butter Bum") and a pair of Cockatiels were the highlights. Also a single male Red-rumped Parrot. Last stop was the Landcare Reserve at Altona. By this time it was warming up, so the birds were not so easy to photograph. This female Hooded Robin was inquisitive enough to investigate my poor imitation! There were quite few flowers out, including some huge Artichoke Thistles (they will bloom purple in a few weeks), some Black Anther Flax-Lily, Tall Yellow-eye, and Tangier Pea.

Spotted Marsh Frog

2011-10-22T21:52:00.002+10:30

I heard frogs callong from my yard this evening, and armed with flashlight and camera found a couple of Spotted Marsh Frogs.

Short visit to Greenfields Wetlands

2011-10-16T21:48:00.007+10:30

This morning I made a quick visit to Greenfields Wetlands to check out any migrants. There were a few Whiskered Terns around, but I didn't manage any decent photos. The rest of the birds there were all pretty common. As usual, Black Swan, Purple Swamphen and Coot were everywhere.

There were also a few Great Egrets there, but as usual they were pretty flighty. I did manage a couple of shots of this one. When I zoomed back a bit it made an interesting shot with the Australian Ibis.

Then a small flock of White-headed Stilts flew in, and just as quickly flew off again. But they had disturbed this Australian Spotted Crake.

As usual, pelicans were flying around, and as usual I couldn't resist firing off a few shots!

Little Grassbirds ans Australian Reed Warblers were singing from every suitable spot, and with patience I managed a few shots of each, though from a distance.

Grebes were in evidence, with plenty of Hoary-headed and Australian Little Grebes feeding busily in the deeper channels.

Finally, this little fellow was happily munching on the verge.

Whyalla Conservation Park

2011-10-04T20:16:00.007+10:30

This weekend was the last public holiday before Christmas, and we went across to Whyalla to spend it with family. On Sunday I spent some time at Whyalla Conservation Park. On the way I noticed a bird silhouetted against the sky. As I approached, he began to sing. Unfortunately there was no cover between him and me so I couldn't get any closer.

At the base of Wild Dog Hill I heard the quiet trill of a grasswren, and after sitting still for a few minutes a Thick-billed Grasswren popped up for a second.

As I walked the track to the top of the hill, I saw Singing Honeyeater. This pretty flower was all over the top, which is mainly rock. It appeared to be growing out of crevices. Also looking at crevices was this small lizard.

On the way out of the park I noticed this Australian Pipit by the side of the track. Further along I stopped for this young Shingleback to cross. On a whim, I followed one of the tracks along a line of pylons. There were hundreds of small blue butterflies here, along with at least three Rufous Whistlers. Just before I got to the exit, a flash of green crossed, Mulga Parrot!, but try as I could, the brightly coloured male eluded me. I managed a couple of shots of the female

More from Belair National Park

2011-09-28T19:56:00.008+09:30

On Monday I was up at Belair National Park, so had a look around for some more Orchids. The first thing I noticed was that there were a lot more Spider Orchids about. Lots of Purple Cockatoo Orchids as well. One new one for me was Common Pink Sun-orchid, that just seemed to be starting to flower. Whilst photographing flowers, I flushed this Laughing Kookaburra. I only had my 135mm on the camera, so started to stalk it. It didn't know whether to watch me, or look at the ground for prey. I managed a couple of decent shots, but oh I wish I had my 400mm lens with me! Back to the flowers, I also saw Rabbit Ears (another orchid), Milkmaids, Bulldogs (same family as donkey Orchid) and Finger Flower. There were lots of Cape Tulip, and I watched this busy bee collecting pollen from one. As usual, there were others that I am yet to identify.

Odds and Ends

2011-09-25T20:53:00.009+09:30

This post is a mixed bag of photos from the last couple of weeks. I went to the hills to check out the Square-tailed Kite nest from last year. A bird was on the nest, but there was no sign of the other one. Fingers crossed for another successful breeding event this year. A couple of nice flowers there too, Twining Fringed Lily and one that I cannot identify even with my new plant book! Another day we went to Parra Wirra Recreation Park where this Emu (and a couple of mates) wandered through the picnic area. We also spotted this Shingleback, our first lizard of the summer. The same day, I spotted this small mantid in the garden, I am not sure, but I think it may be a Brown Mantis. It was quite difficult to get close as it stayed between some netting and the fence. I love the shadow on the third photo. Lastly, we took a walk this morning at Henley Beach where this White-faced Heron was very confiding.

More spring orchids

2011-09-11T20:45:00.010+09:30

Armed with better directions and a new flower book, I headed back to Belair National Park to search out some more orchids. It was showery, and in between the rain I was particularly looking for some green-hooded orchids. I found a couple, firstly a Nodding Green-hood, and then a small group of Dwarf Green-hoods. Close by was a single King Spider Orchid, the first I have seen this season. I also saw Lavender Grevillea and Red Parrot-pea in the same area. Next, I checked out the same spot as last week. There were many more Cowslip Orchids, and also some Purple Cockatoo Orchids, as well as many more Common Donkey Orchids, all looking at their best in the showers. I bumped into a couple also looking at orchids, and they showed me some tiny Gnat Orchids. A little further along the track was some Fumitory with its tiny purple-tipped flowers. The last photo is a caterpillar I spotted whilst photographing an orchid.

Spring Orchids

2011-09-04T16:11:00.002+09:30

On Sunday we headed up to Belair National Park, in the Adelaide Hills, to enjoy the flowers. I wanted to try and photograph some of the green-hooded orchids. Unfortunately I didn't find any, but there were plenty of other flowers to look at and photograph. Blue Squill Early Nancy Common Donkey Orchid

Yellow Donkey Orchid

Cape Tulip (a weed!) Fringed Lily Three-cornered Garlic (another weed) Blue Periwinkle (Yes, another weed) and finally a single Sun Orchid I'll go back in a few weeks to see what else is about.

Skywatch Friday

2011-09-02T05:00:00.000+09:30

Spring cleaning Adelaide style!!

Skywatch Friday

2011-08-26T03:45:00.002+09:30

Riverland Sunrise, South Australia

Gluepot Reserve - Scarlet-chested Parrots

2011-08-22T20:50:00.009+09:30

Every now and again an amazing bird turns up. Gluepot is renowned for them, and this winter a number of Scarlet-chested Parrots have returned to Birds Australia's Gluepot Reserve. It was an early start to get to Gluepot early. I walked down the track, and stopped and scanned. No sign. then a flash of colour as one then another flew across the track. A little further on one perched distantly, but always into the low sun. I think I counted 5 in the end. A flash here, a glimpse there. Quite a few different birds around, so the walk back was interesting. Here are two crops one of my photos, heavily photoshopped!! Not my greatest photography moment. For a brilliant photo of the same birds taken a few days earlier, see Chris Steele's blog here. A quick stop on the River Murray near Waikerie gave a few more photo opportunities.

Adelaide Botanic Gardens

2011-08-16T20:44:00.007+09:30

This post has a few odds and ends from the last couple of weeks. A couple of weeks a go we popped up to the hills to see if the Square-tailed Kites had returned. On the way I spotted a Musk Lorikeet sitting by the side of the road. A quick u-turn, and I took a couple of photos before getting out of the car. I took a closer look and it seemed OK, so I assume it was stunned after being hit by a car. It eventually flew off to a tree in the next field. At the Square-tailed Kite site, there was no sign of the birds, but the Sundews were already in flower. Last Sunday was a beautiful spring day, and as were in the city, we decided on a quick walk at the Botanic Gardens. First stop was the water lily and orchid house. Followed by a slow walk, stopping when anything caught our eye. Butterflies, flowers and even graffiti! Roll on Summer!!

Benalla and the snow

2011-08-04T21:29:00.008+09:30

Maryann and I have been wanting to go "to the snow" for a while now, and as I had the chance of some time off, it was time to go. We flew to Melbourne and then drove the two hours to Benalla in North East Victoria, our base for three days. On Sunday we headed to Mount Buffalo National Park. The weather was pretty poor, with low cloud covering the mountains. We had fun tobogganing, but missed out on the lovely views. Mondays forecast was much better, so we went to Mount Buller, a world class ski resort. We took a chairlift up to the Spur for lunch, then walked across to another lift for the ride down. This area was full of Kookaburras, more than I have ever seen in my time in Australia. This one was in one of the picnic areas in the park. Benalla has an interesting ceramic mural, which has many seats overlooking Benalla Lake built in to it. I have also included shots of some of the detail in the mural.

Skywatch Friday

2011-07-29T03:46:00.001+09:30

Sunrise over Gawler, South Australia

South Australia's Riverland

2011-07-24T08:27:00.010+09:30

This weekend I had a chance to get out for a whole day, so I decided to head east, to the Riverland, and visit a couple of parks I had not been to before. First stop was Moorook Game Reserve, part of the River Murray flood plain. Almost immediately I spotted some Tree Martins, very busy around some holes in a dead gum tree branch. They kept nervously looking up, and above was a Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike. There was not much else going on, so I continued on to Murray River National Park. Many of the tracks in the park were closed due to flood damage, but on one I heard lots of birds calling, so I went to investigate. I found a group of about twelve Brown Treecreepers. After waiting a while they came closer allowing some good shots. There were lots of parrots in the park, Yellow Rosellas were everywhere. There were also Red-rumped Parrots, and closely related, Mulga Parrots. The immature/female types can be difficult to tell, but I'm pretty sure the 2nd pic is a Red-rumped due to the white undertail coverts. On the way back, I spotted a Pacific Heron, but it flew before I could get too close, so I only managed to grab a shaky flight shot. Much more helpful was this Hobby, perched on a power line.

Skywatch Friday

2011-07-21T18:54:00.004+09:30

Dead gum tree, Kaurna Wetlands Park, Adelaide, South Australia.

Kaurna Park in winter

2011-07-20T21:01:00.007+09:30

Last Saturday was one of those perfect winter days. Chilly, but clear blue skies and little wind. I took a slow stroll around the park, and these are some of the photos. I live right on the southern edge of the park, and usually walk around the park in an anti-clockwise direction. The park is part of the storm water reclaiming process so water levels vary greatly from full to overflowing (as they are now) to completely dry (as they had been for the past two years) The Pacific Black Duck is probably the most common duck. It is closely related to the Mallard, and is very susceptible to interbreeding with feral ducks. There was family of Australian Little Grebes which came close. Then took turns to dive for food, leaving one then none! As I walked back down the western edge I heard the unmistakable call of Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike. The grassy bank was a blaze of yellow - Soursob - an invasive weed in the garden. All over the park you could hear the wonderful, evocative carolling of the Australian Magpie.

Going, Going, Gone!!

2011-07-04T19:16:00.010+09:30

Harris Scarfe's flagship Adelaide store in Rundle Mall is having a major makeover, So major that it is being demolished, and will be replaced by an ultra modern shopping centre and office complex. We have a birds-eye view from our lunchroom at work. First photos show how it used to look, followed by a sequence taken over the cast couple of months. 19th April 6th May 23rd May 30th May - Much of the demolition was done at night to minimise disruption to the CBD. 10th June 15th June 16th June 24th June 29th June 1st July 4th July I'll post on the costruction of the new centre as it starts.

Local Birdwatching

2011-07-03T21:01:00.007+09:30

This morning I took a short drive around the local wetlands. There is so much standing water around that the birds are spread far and wide. This Little Pied Cormorant was happy to pose, whilst the Pacific Black Duck was making sure it's feathers were in top condition. This male Maned Duck was keeping company with the Pacific Blacks.

Everywhere was bright with the gaudy yellow of Soursob, and a variety of Eucalypts were in blossom.

Walking around "my" wetlands at Kaurna Park I heard the double tone of a Spotted Pardalote. My imitation paid dividends, and soon two were hopping around the tree in front of me. By far the most common bird on the walk was Red Wattlebird, with good numbers of adults (with wattles) and juveniles (without) present.

I was almost home before I spotted Crested Pigeon, and finally one of the many feral European Rabbits that reside in the park.

Skywatch Friday

2011-06-24T04:06:00.002+09:30

Sacred Kingfisher, waiting for supper.

Local birds

2011-06-19T14:17:00.010+09:30

This morning I took a short drive around my local area. First stop was a local ornamental lake. Nothing much there apart from the usual "mixed up Mallards" and Muscovy Ducks. I turned back towards the car, and spooked a Great Egret, before trying to stalk a White-faced Heron. Next lake held an Australian Pelican, a pair of Maned Duck and some Purple Swamphen. En-route to the agricultural area, I spotted a couple of Masked Lapwings by the side of the road. These birds are normally very timid, and fly off at the earliest opportunity. I stopped a short distance along the road, and they continued approaching. For the first time I saw the wing spurs which gave them their original name of Spur-winged Plover. The agricultural land was very quiet, but I spotted a female fairywren, so pulled over and was rewarded with this stunning male White-winged Fairywren. Last bird of the morning was a Wedge-tailed Eagle fighting against the wind.

Skywatch Friday

2011-06-17T04:20:00.001+09:30

A cold front approaching

Franklin Harbour

2011-06-13T07:52:00.007+09:30

This weekend is a long weekend in Australia, so we went up to Whyalla to spend it with family. On the Sunday I went out for the day to explore the area around Franklin Harbour and Cowell in the North-East Eyre Peninsular. Not far out of Whyalla, I spotted a bird on a Km post by the side of the road. As soon as I stopped, it hopped onto the bonnet (hood) of my car and tried to eat the dead insects. It was a juvenile Grey Butcherbird. Next stop was at a small quarry, where I had noticed a few birds flying down to a small pool. I couldn't get close enough for any shots, but in the bushes were a White-eared Honeyeater and Singing Honeyeater. Further down the road, there was a large black lump in the middle of the road. I slowed down and saw it was a dead bird. It think it is a Southern Giant Petrel, which would have been "beach-wrecked" that night as it was very fresh. We are currently enjoying a mouse plague in South Australia, so there are plenty of raptors around. Most common were Australian Kestrel and Australian Black-shouldered Kite. Whilst watching the kestrel and kites I heard a few twitterings behind me, and saw a group of White-fronted Chats enjoying a bath in a puddle in the road. Eyre Peninsular is mainly an agricultural area, and there are many sheep farms. This is a typical Australian breed, the Merino, bred mainly for its wool. When I eventually got to Franklin Harbour, it was very quiet with just a few Pied Cormorants feeding in the channel. Last birds before heading home were a pair of Sacred Kingfishers.

Autumn Colours

2011-05-22T18:13:00.005+09:30

Maryann and I always try to get up into the hills for the autumn colours. So we headed to Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens and took a quick walk before Lunch. As usual the colours were superb. Lovely views over the lake, and a couple of closeups The Sulphur-crested Cockatoos were out in force making the most of the various nuts to be found. First they landed with raucous call, then carefully select the right nut before flying up into the tree, while this young Australian Magpie watched on in amusement.

Birds SA walk at Hardy Scrub

2011-05-14T17:57:00.008+09:30

Today I went on a morning walk with some other Birds SA members to Hardy Scrub in the Onkaparinga River National Park. The park is in the Adelaide Hills between Adelaide and McLaren Vale. The autumn view over McLaren Vale was lovely, as was this Purple-crowned Lorikeet perched on a wire at a nearby farm. The light was horrible, I had to keep the ISO setting pretty high which means the quality of the images is diminished. Early on in the walk we saw Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo, and nearby Fan-tailed Cuckoo. We had been hearing Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos since the start of the walk, and soon 7 flew over followed by more, In the end we probably saw around 100. Other birds seen included Eastern Rosella, Grey Fantail and Eastern Spinebill.

Cleland Wildlife Park - Working Bee

2011-05-08T16:41:00.001+09:30

This weekend it was time for another working bee at Cleland Wildlife Park. Around 100volunteers turned up on a beautiful autumn morning. First we all listened carefully to the safety briefing (including this Welcome Swallow perched above the visitor centre), then split into our work groups. On the way to our site, I noticed these interesting fungi This time, some groups were planting trees, others were weeding and pruning the wombat enclosure or the swamp aviary..... but for everyone there was mulch!! tonnes of it to be shovelled, barrowed and raked. Some piles of mulch even had supervisors!! (Black Swan and Superb Fairywren) This Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat watched carefully, but the Tawny Frogmouth and the Kangaroos hardly noticed what was happening. The Red-browed Finches didn't mind all the activity close to their feeder, and this one even sat still in the sun for me. If you are ever in the Adelaide area, Cleland Wildlife Park shouldn't be missed, it's a great day out for all of the family.

Snappers, Diggers and Wild Dogs

2011-04-30T18:50:00.009+09:30

Easter is the time of the Australian Snapper Fishing Championship in Whyalla. Hundreds of fishermen try their luck to bag the elusive big Red Snapper. The competition is based at the marina, and there were rows of empty boat trailers there. As the boats come in, the local pod of dolphins greets each one, and many reward them with a fish or two. Whilst everyone is out fishing, there is not much to do other than watch the birds and any ships in the gulf. Pelicans are always good value. I love watching them as they transform from ungainly to graceful, and back to ungainly as they land again. This is the 12000 Tonne self-unloading barge Barngala, used to transfer iron ore to and from ships that are too large to dock at Whyalla. Gulls also float by, so I quickly snapped this sub-adult Pacific Gull, followed by this silver Gull. As the final weighing time approached, all of the boats converged on the marina causing a bit of a traffic jam!! Monday was ANZAC day, so we went to the parade and service at the war memorial. Soldiers young and old were proudly displaying their medals, and the Australian Army badge of the rising sun. Finally, on Tuesday morning I took a trip out to Whyalla Conservation Park and Wild Dog Hill, looking for Grasswrens. I saw a few, but not close enough to photograph. I did stop for this train taking iron ore from the mine at Iron Knob to the steelworks. At one stop, I was watching an Australian Pipit when I heard a whirl of wings, and a group of about six Mulga Parrots landed on the fence behind me. I managed a shot of a male and female before they moved further along the road. At Wild dog Hill, this male Variegated Fairywren posed for a few shots, and a Southern Slider was hunting ants and spiders in the early morning sun.

Skywatch Friday

2011-04-29T04:56:00.002+09:30

A room with a view......

More Easter in Arid SA

2011-04-28T19:23:00.007+09:30

On Good Friday we drove up to Lyndhurst and onto the Strzlecki Track. Within a couple of hundred metres we spotted a few Cinnamon Quail-thrushes, but they were camera shy and kept their distance. A little further along the track I stopped first for a Brown Falcon, and then Black Kites. Jokingly, some people call the Strzlecki Track the Strzlecki Highway, and I can see why!! For lunch, we headed back to Lyndhurst and up the Oodnadata Track to Farina, a town started by a group of wheat farmers who thought they could make it the wheat capital of SA. Eventually it failed, for the same reasons as Kanyaka in my earlier post. An Australian Kestrel was perched on a post, and a couple of Galahs kept us company at the old Post Office. Finally, just before we headed home, I noticed this Harrier quartering a paddock. It stayed directly into the sun, so identification was tough, but I reckon it is a young Spotted Harrier. Next morning we popped back to Aroona Dam, before heading to the Flinders Ranges. Here I noticed this small blue butterfly on a succulent like flower, and then a couple of Wedge-tailed Eagles Next stop, Whyalla and the Australian Snapper Competition......

Easter in arid South Australia

2011-04-27T22:01:00.005+09:30

Maryann and I headed north this Easter. As we drove towards the Strzlecki track, we stopped en-route at Old Kanyaka Homestead. This sheep station was built in 1851, but the owner drowned in floods here in 1852. The new owners quickly grew the station to over 50,000 sheep, but then lost almost half of them in the drought in 1864. This flood/drought cycle continued until the homestead was abandoned in 1888. At it's height, it employed over 70 men and their families. We stayed overnight in Leigh Creek and made a quick visit to Aroona Dam before sunset. On the way home we spotted this Common Wallaroo (Euro) grazing by the side of the road.

Warrawong

2011-04-19T21:16:00.004+09:30

We have been very busy in the last couple of weeks so blogging has taken a back seat. A couple of weeks ago we went for a quick walk at Warrawong Sanctuary. These are a selection of the things we saw. This Dusky Moorhen was wandering around close to the restaurant.

As we entered the woodland, I spotted this Grey Fantail. Red-necked Wallabies were all over the place. This one was nibbling on a native flower. A bit further on, a small party of Yellow-rumped Thornbills were busy in the trees. At the lake were a couple of Little Pied Cormorants, lots of turtles, and some Little Grebes. Over Easter, we are heading up the Strzlecki Track, and then back across to Whyalla, so I hope to have some shots to share!!

Happy Easter!!

Skywatch Friday

2011-04-01T04:52:00.003+10:30

A colourful kite contrasts the beautiful autumn sky in South Australia

Adelaide International Kite Festival 2011

2011-03-27T20:38:00.010+10:30

This weekend was the Adelaide International Kite Festival at Semaphore. This event sees kite flyers from all over Australia and some from overseas get together for a weekend of kite flying. The event is held at Semaphore Beach and draws a regular flow of visitors throughout the two days. Firstly a couple of general views and then some close-ups of the frilled lizard, one of my favourites. While we were there, the Nanchang CJ6 from Adelaide Warbirds at Parafield gave a couple of flypasts. As well as the unusually shaped kites, there were also a lot of more standard shaped kites. Next we were treated to the 15000 Tonne Car Carrier Canopus Leader departing from Outer Harbour en-route to Fremantle in Western Australia, and a flyby by the Westpac Rescue helicopter. Back to the kites, this stunt kite put on a great show, and the dayglow octopus is another favourite. Finally, we headed back to Semaphore for a well earned ice cream, passing the 1875 Semaphore Timeball Tower on the way. The timeball was hoisted at 12:57 , and then dropped at 1:00 as an aid to ships moored offshore to set their chronometers. It was last used in 1932. Finally, it was difficult to resist the Australian Flag, proudly flown outside the RSL (Retired Servicemens League) Club.

Skywatch Friday

2011-03-25T05:04:00.001+10:30

Sunrise over the Barossa Valley

Brookfield and Morgan

2011-03-20T09:25:00.011+10:30

No, its not a firm of lawyers, but two conservation parks in the Riverland north east of Adelaide. As I had a free day yesterday, I decided to go and try and photograph the Owlet-nightjar again. On the way was a lovely sunrise looking across the Barossa Valley. This time I fared worse than last time. There was no sign of it anywhere, despite searching for two hours. The only birds were a couple of Galahs that looked like they were laughing at me. There were a lot of nests around, including one that looked like it had almost fallen out of the tree, but the birds kept building it up. As I headed back to the car I heard a group of Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters squabbling in a tree. This one posed for a couple of photos. I love the Mallee habitat. It needs fire to promote regeneration and there is always a mix of dead and regenerating trees. This dead one strikes a beautiful silhouette against the blue sky. This is a typical Mallee tree, with multiple trunks coming from the same bole, which would have been burnt in the past. A little further on I spotted a couple of small birds flitting around. A quick twist of the Audubon Squeaker and this Willie Wagtail came almost too close to focus on. This shot has not been cropped. He was followed by the original birds I had seen. A Yellow-rumped Thornbill (also known as butter bum (butt)) and a Chestnut-rumped Thornbill. The thornbills are the ultimate LBJs! Nearby was a young male Splendid Fairywren. This chap will be totally blue in a couple of months time. I also wanted to see what impact the water flow in the Murray had had in Morgan Conservation Park. This shot shows a bend in the river taken from the Blanchetown to Morgan road. I have used this park to practice my four-wheel driving as it is usually a dust bowl. How it had changed!! Firstly a shot on the back road to Cadell, then the entry to the park. Hmmm don't think my trusty Subaru forester will make it down there. Lastly, a couple of Dragonflies, doing what dragonflies do!!

Skywatch Friday

2011-03-18T05:06:00.003+10:30

The other evening I noticed a beautiful pink glow coming through our front door, but by the time I got my camera out, it had almost gone.

Skywatch Friday

2011-03-11T05:30:00.001+10:30

A little bit of paradise only 1 hour from home

The mighty Murray

2011-03-03T13:44:00.010+10:30

Yesterday I had a day off,and we decided to head to the Riverland and take a look at the River Murray. This is the longest river in Australia, and starts its journey way up in Queensland, flowing through New South Wales and Victoria before it gets to the Southern Ocean near Goolwa in South Australia. With a succession of floods and cyclones, the Murray is now in flood in SA too. First stop was Brookfield Conservation Park, where I had been tipped off about a very photogenic Owlet-Nightjar. (Thanks Chris) Armed with directions, I soon found the tree, and as I approached, whoosh!! the bird flew out, did a 180 degree turn and disappeared over the next bush. I searched for an hour or so, but never found it again!! I did manage a couple of shots of Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Chestnut-crowned Babblers, and a Mallee Ringneck. At Blanchetown we got our first view of the river. I have never seen the river as full as this. Next was Banrock Station, a winery and wetland nature reserve. The visitor centre has a lovely restaurant, and also a wine tasting area. The view shows the extent of the flooding as usually the water is way off in the distance (if you can see any at all!). The loop trail and bird hides are under a metre (3 feet) of water at the moment, but there is a short walk down to the waters edge where they have erected a couple of temporary viewing platforms. There are plenty of black Swans on the water. I spotted this White-winged Chough in a tree, and was surprised when he didn't fly off, only to find his partner sitting on a nest on the next branch. I recently had the opportunity to hold one of these impressive nests. They are about 600mm (2 feet) across and weigh about 2Kg (4.5 lb). Further along I found a group of Rainbow Bee-eaters and finally a young Black-faced Cuckooshrike.

Kaurna Wetlands Park

2011-03-01T21:39:00.007+10:30

As you know, Kaurna Wetlands Park is (almost literally) right on our doorstep, and we tend to see it as an extension to our garden! In a bid to get fit, we have begun a regular walking program. This means that we get to see the changes on an almost daily basis. We recently had a huge downpour of 91mm (over 3 1/2 inches) of rain in about 4 hours, and the wetlands immediately began filling with the stormwater. Soon, all of the channels were full and next day I got these shots. The water has prompted an influx of birds, with various ducks and herons, and even Little Grebes back again within days of the pools filling. I have also noticed a few of these large spiders, with their huge webs. Finally a couple of dragonflies. It is really great to have the wetlands alive again!!

Sturt's Desert Pea

2011-02-22T11:53:00.006+10:30

Things have been very quiet here, so I have nothing current to post so I thought I'd show you one of our gardening exploits. Over the summer, we tried to grow some Sturt's Desert Peas. The state flower of South Australia, this stunning flower grows in the desert, but only if conditions are right. It is very short lived, and grows, flowers, goes to seed and then dies in just a few days, with the seeds then staying dormant until the right conditions happen again. this may be a month later, a year later or in extreme times maybe a decade later! Ours flowered over a weekend, and not expecting things to happen quite so quickly, I missed the buds only photo!! On the Sunday morning, the first red started showing. By Sunday evening the flowers were opening And on Monday morning the flowers were fully open

Kaurna Wetlands Park

2011-02-12T12:30:00.003+10:30

This morning Maryann and I took our regular walk around "our" wetlands. It has been drying out quickly, but a few heavy showers yesterday have really filled it up again. Passing one partly hidden pool, we spotted some Australian White Ibis and Royal Spoonbills. These are the first Spoonbills I have seen here this summer.

Skywatch Friday

2011-02-11T05:30:00.004+10:30

I have flown a lot, but have never seen a raindow from above, until we were enroute from Sydney to Hobart.

Tasmania part 5

2011-02-05T06:33:00.001+10:30

First port of call in Hobart was Mount Wellington. At 1280m (4200 ft) it was only 10C (50F) on the summit. The view over Hobart is second to none! There are some interesting sculptures at the dock including these penguins, but I think this sign was aimed at some other boids!! The brig Lady Nelson is based in Hobart, and is another sail training ship. We rested under these lovely old oak trees in Salamanca Place, before passing the main Post Office on our way back to the hotel. Final birding was a walk around the Domain and the Botanical Gardens, where I saw the local race of Noisy Miner, and also some very tame Eastern Rosellas (that I have chased time and time again in Adelaide but to no avail!! Then it was off to the airport to board some different birds altogether for the trip home. Thanks for enjoying our holiday with us.

Tasmania part 4 and Skywatch Friday

2011-02-04T05:26:00.003+10:30

Whilst in Hobart, we spotted the Adelaide based sail training ship the One and All berthed perfectly in front of a rainbow

Tasmania part 3

2011-02-03T05:32:00.000+10:30

We started the day at Strahan, on the west coast. It was a bit showery, but we decided to risk the walk to Hogarth Falls. The falls were lovely, and the rocks near them were covered in tiny soft ferns. Of course, we did get caught in a shower, and by the time we got back to the car we looked like a pair of drowned rats!!

Tasmania has twelve species of birds that are endemic, and on my first trip in 2003/4 I saw eleven of them, and heard the twelfth. The one I missed seeing was Scrubtit. I had been tipped off (by my guide from 2003/4, Tonia Cochran at Inala) that Nelson Falls in Franklin Gordon Wild Rivers National Park was a good spot to look for them this time. Well, the falls were spectacular, AND I saw Scrubtit. Thank you Tonia!

On the way north, we had noticed this hydro-electric power station on the River Nive, but it was too late to photograph it. So we stopped on the return journey. After dinner, I wandered around the village, but the only thing of interest was this old Massey Ferguson Tractor left in the middle of a field.

Next morning we headed to Hobart via Mount field National Park. On the way we passed by the delightfully named Meadowbank Lake. Once in the park, it was off to another waterfall, Russell Falls, before heading up to Lake Dobson. At an altitude of over 1000m ( 3250 ft) it was very chilly! On the way back down, I stopped for this Black Currawong, who was happy to pose for me on a fallen tree.

Tasmania part 2

2011-02-02T05:35:00.004+10:30

After breakfast, we headed down to the Tasman Peninsular with its spectacular coastal scenery. First stop was the Tasman Arch. As we pulled up in the car park, Maryann spotted a male Flame Robin. We walked around from the Arch to the viewpoint with its stunning views of the rugged scenery. Back at the car park, there were Fairy Martins everywhere. This one kept picking up this dry eucalyptus leaf and then dropping it. From the Tasman Peninsular, we headed inland to Richmond, one of the oldest settlements in Tasmania. Richmond is the home of the oldest bridge and the oldest Catholic Church in Australia. By the bridge there was a small group of Tasmanian Native Hens squabbling noisily. Finally it was time to head north-west towards the mountains and lakes, and as we pulled off the main road for a break, we spotted this Echidna, with a burr stuck to it. More from the north-west to follow.......

Tasmania part 1

2011-01-30T15:35:00.007+10:30

Last week, Maryann and I took a short vacation to Tasmania. On the way there were some great cloud formations seen from the plane. 1st night was spent at Eaglehawk Neck on the Tasman Peninsular, and we took a walk before breakfast to see the Tessellated Pavement here. Walking down the path I could hear a scrubwren chattering away to one side, and wattlebirds calling from above. I really had to crank up the ISO setting to get the Tasmanian Scrubwren shot so it is a bit grainy, but the Little Wattlebird was a lot more confiding. Further along I saw a group of Green Rosellas. This is Tasmania's only endemic Parrot. The adults are more yellow and the juveniles much greener. They were in a bush that looked a bit like Hawthorn to me. The Tessellated Pavement was fascinating, and reminded me of limestone pavements back in the UK. There was a Kelp Gull resting just on the edge of the rocks. Heading back up to the hotel for breakfast there were a few Superb Fairywrens in the garden. The male keeping guard whilst a female looked for insects on the Agapanthus. More on the Tasman Peninsular to follow........

Skywatch Friday

2011-01-28T05:43:00.002+10:30

Beautiful Skies over Greenfields Wetlands, Adelaide, South Australia

Greenfields Wetlands

2011-01-23T19:56:00.007+10:30

This afternoon I popped over to Greenfields Wetlands for a couple of hours looking for Long-toed Stint. I did see one distantly, but no photos to show. I recently discovered that there is a bird hide (blind) here. this is where the Stints had been seen. I was a lovely afternoon, and the sky was full of whispy clouds. There were plenty of pelicans there, and also White-headed Stilt showing of their well grown youngsters. Outside the hide, many juvenile Welcome Swallows were on the power lines, and Singing Honeyeaters were on almost every bush. As I focused on this Little Grebe (the broken reflections caught my eye, I flushed a Rufous Night Heron, which I caught up with a little further along the bank. Finally, just before I was back at the car a spotted this group of Great Egrets squabbling, with a Little Pied Cormorant wondering what all the fuss was about. Tomorrow, Maryann and I fly to Tasmania for a few days. Internet permitting, I hope to publish a couple of posts while we are on the road.

Skywatch Friday

2011-01-21T05:16:00.003+10:30

Stringybark forest at Deep Creek Conservation Park, South Australia

England 1, Australia 0

2011-01-18T21:36:00.007+10:30

Last week, Maryann and I went to Adelaide Oval for the 1st T20 international between England and Australia. In the afternoon we watched the women's match, and in the evening the men. This was my first attempt at photographing cricket, and here are a selection of the shots. The oval is in the process of being re-developed. The new western stand has just been opened, and the famous scoreboard will be kept. Australia lost the ladies match by 4 wickets The oval is right on the flightpath to Adelaide Airport, This is a Qantas Airbus A330 Australia also lost the men's match but it was close. England won on the last ball of the game.

Skywatch Friday

2011-01-14T05:39:00.001+10:30

Sunset over a packed members stand at Adelaide Oval during the recent T20 match between England and Australia.

Our Garden

2011-01-09T18:58:00.005+10:30

Maryann and I have been working hard on our garden, and have finally finished our raised garden bed. The last plants went in today, so we thought we'd share it with you. We have tried to make it as waterwise as we can, mixing succulents with some hardy annuals. Maryann loves roses, so we have a couple of creeping miniature roses in the bed. Snapdragons remind me of my parents old garden in back in England Here are a couple of close-ups. A rose. Lobelia Snapdragon

Skywatch Friday

2011-01-07T05:43:00.002+10:30

Sunset over Spencer Gulf, Moonta, Yorke Peninsular, South Australia

Moonta

2011-01-03T20:12:00.006+10:30

On the spur of the moment yesterday, Maryann and I decided to go camping at Moonta on the Yorke Peninsular. We arrived late in the day and after putting the tent up we went for a meal at Seagate, one of our favorite restaurants. It has amazing views of the sunset. This morning we walked on the beach. I love the ripples in the sand left by the outgoing tide. There were a few gulls on the beach. This Pacific Gull was quite happy to pose for me until I overstepped the mark! Coming back through the pools I spotted this Blue Swimmer Crab. Finally, when we got home we were excited to find this small Bearded Dragon in our garden. Hopefully it will make a home here (and keep our garden free of slugs and snails).

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T19:26:00.006+10:30

Maryann and I headed into Adelaide, to Montefiore Hill overlooking the city, to celebrate the New Year watching the Fireworks. The new grandstand at Adelaide Oval is in the foreground with the high rises of the CBD in the background. A cool change in the weather meant that by midnight the temperature was a very comfortable 20C (70F) We would like to wish everyone a safe, healthy and prosperous Happy New Year filled with everything you wish for.

Odds and ends.

2010-12-31T21:52:00.002+10:30

Happy New Year!! New Years Eve is forecast to hit 43C (109F) so instead of going out I decided to scour my archives and show some of my photos that never made the blog for various reasons.. This Centipede was in my garden and there was nothing else to make up a posting, so it was left "on the shelf". I spotted these clouds on the way to work, taken through the bus window at approx 50kph (30mph).

These lovey dovey Musk Lorikeets were seen on the Cobbler Creek walk, but I already had a pic of a Musk Lorikeet in the post. Lorikeets and parrots in general are often seen mutually preening.

I liked the way this plane stood out against the clear blue sky.

This shot was taken at Lake Gilles. I was trying to capture the remoteness of the place.

Now a couple of close-ups taken at Cleland Wildlife Park. I had never noticed the blue around the eye on a Pied Cormorant before, and every day is a "bad hair day" if you are an Emu!!

With vast distances to cover, almost everything is hauled by road or rail. On the main interstate routes roadtrains are used. They frequently have 3 trailers, but this one was the first I saw that has 4 trailers. Alpacas are seen more and more frequently, being farmed for their wool, or being kept as pets.

Square-tailed Kite

2010-12-27T18:20:00.007+10:30

A few weeks ago I found out about a pair of Square-tailed Kites nesting in the Adelaide Hills. Square-tailed Kite is a rare breeding bird in South Australia and I was looking forward to seeing a bird I haven't seen for 5 years. I hadn't had a chance to go and see them until today. I was hoping that the chicks hadn't fledged, as that would have made the birds much more difficult to find. When I arrived at the site, there was another birder there. He had seen the kites before, so could show me the nest location. One of the adults was at the nest, and we watched for a while but there was no sign of the chicks. After a while the adult flew off, and I managed a quick shot against the bright sky. When the adult returned, it flew to a tree about 50m (50 yards) away. I headed over to see if I could get a couple of photos, and found her (?) perched next to a fully grown chick! She had some prey in her talons (it looked like a small bird) and was using it to encourage the chick to fly. The chick wasn't at all interested, though it did try a few wing stretches, before resorting to begging for food.

Christmas Lights

2010-12-25T05:22:00.005+10:30

In Adelaide, many people decorate their houses for Christmas. It has also become a tradition to take the kids round in the week before Christmas looking at all the lights. Here are a selection from the neighbourhood around my house. I would like to wish all my blogging friends a very merry Christmas, and a happy and peaceful new year. Please take care and stay safe over the holiday, and I look forward to blogging with you in 2010.

Skywatch Friday

2010-12-24T05:28:00.002+10:30

Sunrise from my back yard, Adelaide, SA