Onkaparinga

Today I spent the day birding in the Area around Old Noarlunga and the Onkaparinga River with local birder and fellow Pom Tony Bainbridge.

We met up in Old Noarlunga, at a local reserve that holds a well known roost of Rufous Night-herons. There were around half a dozen roosting there and some of them were quite cooperative.

There was also a White-faced Heron there, and some Feral Rock Doves.

A walk along the Onkaparinga brought the usual cormorants, with Little Black Cormorant and Little Pied Cormorant both sitting still and in the open. The Great Egret was a bit further away.

Australian Pelicans were always in view, and always make a photogenic subject.

At the wetlands, we saw a pair of Blue-billed Ducks in amongst their more common cousins, as well as Blackbirds and plenty of Eastern Rosellas. 

Onkaparinga River, Port Noarlunga

Last weekend we went for a walk at the mouth of the Onkaparinga River at Port Noarlunga, to the south of Adelaide. This lovely walk combines sand dunes and a wetland area, so can provide a good mix of birds. This is the view looking North from the river mouth. The birds are fairly distant for the first part, but still give good views across the river. There was nothing unusual along the river. Australian White Ibis and White-headed Stilt Masked Lapwings and Silver Gull The return gets you a bit closer to the birds. I love herons, so cannot resist this White-faced Heron. Stilts are always great value as well, especially with a good reflection. The river is also used for other pastimes, like fishing and canoeing. This Mud Crab managed to scurry away to cover, and these Paddle-boarders were heading up river towards the Onkaparinga River National Park. The birds seem used to human activity and were not even spooked by this powered paraglider. On the way home we called into Old Noarlunga to look at the Rufous Night-heron roost. There used to be up to ten Night-herons here, but since the Little Corellas have started roosting here their numbers have dwindled. While searching through the trees, I spotted this Long-billed Corella, before spotting one unphotographable adult and this juvenile Night-heron.