Whyalla
This weekend we are in Whyalla for a combined family birthday and early Christmas celebration.
On the way, I spotted this lovely clump of Scotch Thistles. they can grow to head height, and these were about 1.3m (4ft) tall. The thistle heads are a little bigger than a tennis ball.
This morning, I went for a short walk at the whyalla Wetlands. This is a relatively new, man-made lake with a few small islands. In the 15 minutes I was here I saw around a dozen species including cormorants, gulls, and some waders (shorebirds). I surprised this White-headed Stilt, which flew around calling before settling on the opposite bank.
This pretty flower was on a shrub near the car park. The flower looks similar to bottlebrush (calistemon), but the leaves are very different. Just as I was about to leave, a few ducks arrived. The duck on the left is an eclipse or immature male Chestnut Teal, and the other looks like a Grey Teal, but could be a pale female chestnut.
Final stop was the beach and marina, looking for more waders and dolphins. No waders, but a couple of dolphins were close in at the marina.
As I got back to my step-daughters house, there was a commotion in a tree as a small flock of Galahs arrived.
This morning, I went for a short walk at the whyalla Wetlands. This is a relatively new, man-made lake with a few small islands. In the 15 minutes I was here I saw around a dozen species including cormorants, gulls, and some waders (shorebirds). I surprised this White-headed Stilt, which flew around calling before settling on the opposite bank.
This pretty flower was on a shrub near the car park. The flower looks similar to bottlebrush (calistemon), but the leaves are very different. Just as I was about to leave, a few ducks arrived. The duck on the left is an eclipse or immature male Chestnut Teal, and the other looks like a Grey Teal, but could be a pale female chestnut.
Final stop was the beach and marina, looking for more waders and dolphins. No waders, but a couple of dolphins were close in at the marina.
As I got back to my step-daughters house, there was a commotion in a tree as a small flock of Galahs arrived.
Superb collection Tony,love the White-Headed Stint.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like brilliant sun shine where you are,perhaps you could send some my way.
John.
Nice colourful series from Down Under Tony.
ReplyDeleteLove watching Stilts tottering about on their exceptionally long legs. FAB.
Thank you Tony for both your comments. The rainbow was like a flash flood, I was aware of the shaft of light and the thundering down rain, raced to the back garden and just managed to get two shots in before it was gone.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the help on the birds, I was sure about the great egret and almost so about the white faced heron but up the pole regarding the third. There were a number of grey herons about as well and all kept changing positions. I was a fair way away as Health & Safety had closed the walkway onto the barrages at Goolwa so I had to do some contortionist tricks hanging over the rail and photographing around the corner of the concrete bunker.
With all the wonders you have shown here, next time we go to the west coast we will have to stay a day at Whyalla and investigate the wetlands.
Tony, I have just checked on your bottle brush like flower and am 90 per cent sure it is a Beaufortia.
ReplyDeleteThanks Arija
ReplyDeletereally nice photos- i love stilts! such neat birds. and that dolphin is just awesome!
ReplyDelete