Yesterday I made a long overdue return visit to Tolderol Game Reserve, on the edge of Lake Alexandrina.
On the way in, a Kestrel was playing cat and mouse with me, but eventually gave in and sat still to allow me a few photos from the car.
There were a few Black Swans on, and over the Lake.
Small birds were very busy singing and flitting about in the reeds, Superb Fairywren and Golden-headed Cisticola both eventually staying still long enough to get some reasonable shots
There was plenty of raptor activity, mostly Swamp Harriers, but also a Whistling Kite.
Terns were very much in evidence with around 80 Caspian Terns, smaller numbers of Crested and Gull-billed, and probably thousands of Whiskered Terns on the reserve.
I was looking for White-winged Terns in the Whiskered tern roost when they all suddenly flew up. I'm sure there will be one in there somewhere!!
The waders were all pretty distant except for this young White-headed Stilt.
Another sure sign of spring was this Bearded Dragon warming itself on a fence post.
I spent this morning driving the back roads between Lower Light and Hamley Bridge looking for raptors.
Within 200m of Port Wakefield Road I saw the first of many Spotted Harriers. This one came and checked me out and at one point was too close to photograph.
In the same area were a pair of Black Kites, and one shot was photo-bombed by a Black-shouldered Kite which then thermaled with the other birds.
Other common birds were Australian Kestrel and Brown Falcon
Last week, some Letter-winged Kites were reported less than an hours drive away on a property near Port Wakefield. Letter-winged Kites are an irruptive species normally associated with remote outback locations. They are an Elanus kite, similar to the much commoner Black-shouldered Kite. It wasn't until new year's eve that I had a chance to try for them. The property owners were kind enough to allow birders access to look for the birds.
When I arrived at the property, a fox crossed in front of me and ran across a paddock, being soundly scolded by a bold little Willie Wagtail. Willie Wagtail 1 - Fox 0!
On a power pole was a Brown Falcon, and in trees around the homestead were a few Black Kites.
As I followed the instructions through a couple of paddocks, a small kite flew over and hovered in front of me - Black-shouldered.
I scanned the trees again. Another small kite flew in - Black-shouldered again! Then a shadow across the ground. I look up at another Black-shouldered Kite.
By now the raptors are beginning to thermal overhead. Black Kites, Whistling Kites, and another Black-shouldered. Then into my view flies a Letter-winged Kite! Unmistakeable!
Over the next couple of hours I saw 6 of these beauties, perched in various trees and also flying. An amazing birding experience.
Also on the property were a few pairs of Australian Pratincole, another species difficult to tie down, so I had a quick look for them, and found some in a tiny paddock by an old farm building.
Who would have thought that having a new dog would take up so much time. I have been out everyday with him, but not with my camera!!
I did manage to get out twice in the last week, and got some photos to show for it. An early morning winter walk around the wetlands, with no wind and a beautiful sunrise is a real joy.
Common birds were out an about, with New Holland Honeyeater, Red Wattlebird and Grey Shrike-thrush all singing.
Surprisingly, the local ants are all busy, and there are lots of new ant mounds on the ground.
The RAAF were also taking advantage of the calm weather with one of their Orions doing circuits at nearby Edinburgh Airbase.
Sunday morning was cloudy with showers, but I decided to dodge the rain and headed through the agricultural land between home and the coast. Starting at St. Kilda, this female White-winged Fairy-wren hopped up for a portrait shot. There was also a group of about twenty or so Black-tailed Native-hens on the foreshore, and a similar number of Australian Ibis in the yellow Soursobs behind the beach.
St Kilda is home to the Tramway Museum, and one of their trams was en-route from the village back to the museum.
Heading north, I passed a paddock full of inquisitive Alpacas.
There were birds all along the road. A pair of Black-fronted Dotterels looked like they might be breeding. Galahs were prospecting nestholes, and there seemed to be Adelaide Rosellas at every farm. Last birds seen were a couple of Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes.
There were plenty of raptors around. Australian Black-shouldered Kites, Australian Kestrels and Brown Falcon all seen well.
