Burra and Red Banks
This weekend Maryann and I took a couple of drives out. The first was to the Barossa Wine Region where we dropped in to the Wolf Blass visitor centre. Wolf Blass' logo is the Wedge-tailed Eagle, and there is a lovely sculpture of one at the centre.
Today's trip was to Burra, around 170 Km (100 miles) north east of Adelaide. Burra was one of the first copper mines in south Australia and many tin miners from Cornwall in England migrated here in the late 19th century. We spotted a cute family of Little Grebes in the town lake, also some young Coots
It was a lovely spring day, and we saw lizards for the first time this season. First an Eastern Blue-tongued Lizard, and then a Bearded Dragon. This dragon had a green colour to it, rather than the normal red/brown, a testament to the greenness of the land as they can vary their skin colour for camouflage.
We went to Red Banks Conservation Park for lunch. This park contains open Mallee, and has a seasonal river running through it that has eroded some magnificent red cliffs. The recent rains meant the the river had flowed for the first time in a number of years.
All that was left of the river was a few muddy pools, and some drying mud. some deep and some shallow. This plant also caught my eye, The only plant growing on what was the river bed.
Of course, I was also on the look out for birds. the first we saw was a couple of Variegated Fairywrens. The female was quite happy to come closer, but the brightly coloured male led me on a merry dance from bush to bush. I finally got this shot, but it is heavily cropped.
Overhead, a pair of Striated Pardalotes were prospecting nest holes. I hope they found their "des res". They seemed happy with this one!
Today's trip was to Burra, around 170 Km (100 miles) north east of Adelaide. Burra was one of the first copper mines in south Australia and many tin miners from Cornwall in England migrated here in the late 19th century. We spotted a cute family of Little Grebes in the town lake, also some young Coots
It was a lovely spring day, and we saw lizards for the first time this season. First an Eastern Blue-tongued Lizard, and then a Bearded Dragon. This dragon had a green colour to it, rather than the normal red/brown, a testament to the greenness of the land as they can vary their skin colour for camouflage.
We went to Red Banks Conservation Park for lunch. This park contains open Mallee, and has a seasonal river running through it that has eroded some magnificent red cliffs. The recent rains meant the the river had flowed for the first time in a number of years.
All that was left of the river was a few muddy pools, and some drying mud. some deep and some shallow. This plant also caught my eye, The only plant growing on what was the river bed.
Of course, I was also on the look out for birds. the first we saw was a couple of Variegated Fairywrens. The female was quite happy to come closer, but the brightly coloured male led me on a merry dance from bush to bush. I finally got this shot, but it is heavily cropped.
Overhead, a pair of Striated Pardalotes were prospecting nest holes. I hope they found their "des res". They seemed happy with this one!
Hmmmmm! When I could drink red wine, Wolf Blass Yellow Label was one of my favs! What a lovely trip out you had! I absolutely adore that last photo of the Pardalote happy in it's preferred 'des res'. (-:
ReplyDeleteThe blue-tongued lizzard is a real beauty. Great shots all round, Tony.
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