Brookfield Conservation Park

Today I took a trip into the riverland to Brookfield Conservation Park. I wanted to see what difference the good winter had made to the park. The park is just beginning to dry out, but many of the bushes are still green. Most of the wild flowers are over. For most of the time I was there it was drizzling, which makes the photographs very washed out. One of the first birds I saw was Red-capped Robin. I couldn't decide which of these photos I like best, so here they both are. Whilst looking for the robin, I spotted this White-winged Chough nest. It is about 30 cm (1 foot) across. In the same area were hundreds of these small brown grasshoppers. A little further along was a busy little group of Inland Thornbills gleaning insects from the bushes. These bushes had small (2cm/1 inch) tubular flowers on them. When I got back to the car, I noticed this fly on the bonnet (hood). On the way back to Adelaide, I followed the River Murray southwards and called in at a small Wetland just outside Murray Bridge. I was hoping to see Latham's Snipe here, but despite conditions and habitat looking perfect, I couldn't find any. There were lots of Purple Swamphens, White-faced Herons and this very noisy and protective White-headed Stilt.