Innes National Park

At the end of last week, I went to Innes National Park as the South-western tip of the Yorke Peninsula. I drove the eastern then southern coastal roads, birding as I went.

First stop was Clinton Conservation Park. There were 9 Caspian Terns here, along with a lone Crested Tern, some Little Black Cormorants and about 150 Red-necked Avocets on the pool. A great start!

As I headed further south, a lone Little Egret was feeding close to a bridge and Welcome Swallows were busy collecting mud for their nests.

In Edithburgh, there were some Galahs feeding amongst bright yellow flowers, and nearby some Silver Gulls doing the same. (Or is this a new species - Yellow-breasted Gull???) 

The southern coast is very rugged and ideal for wind farms as it faces the prevailing wind.

As it warmed up lots of Shingleback Lizards started moving, and the Kestrels were about, alternating between soaring and perching.

Innes is stunning at the moment - full of amazing red Cockies Tongue (Templetonia retusa ), Emu's with stripey chicks, and Kangaroos. This Western Grey Kangaroo had this season's joey in the pouch, and last season's still tagging along behind.

One interesting spot is Ethel Beach near Cape Spencer where the wreck of the iron barque Ethel can still be seen on the beach. It ran aground in 1904.

The birdwatching is great here, with a good population of Malleefowl and the easternmost population of Western Whipbird (unfortunately I saw neither of these on this trip).  I found this pair of Sooty Oystercatcher with a nest at Cable Bay.  The park is overrun with Silvereyes at the moment, as well as White-browed Scrubwrens.

One bird I haven't seen in ages is Tawny-crowned Honeyeater, and a pair were very happy to pose for a few photos, as was this inquisitive Striated Pardalote.

On the way back, another stop at Clinton produced first one, then eventually 9 Great Egrets roosting in a small mangrove tree.

The last couple of pics were from a visit to Murray Mouth yesterday.  Pied Oystercatcher and Red-capped Plover - tagged on here as there is not enough for a post in its own right.

Cobbler Creek Recreation Park

A combination of work, weather and illness has kept me from posting recently, but this morning I managed to get out for a couple of hours. The rail line into the city has been closed for a few weeks so I am taking the bus into work. The bus passes Cobbler Creek Recreation Park, a place I had never been to. It is only ten minutes from home, in the foothills of the Mount Lofty Ranges. It was a lovely crisp, frosty morning, and as I parked the car I was greeted by a pair of Australian Magpies "caroling". As I walked through the park, I noticed a local landmark popping up through the trees. Hollywood Plaza is my local shopping mall. It really shows off how much greenery there is in Adelaide. There were lots of parrots around the park, and many were prospecting nest holes. I didn't get shots of them all, but the Musk Lorikeets and Red-rumped Parrots allowed me close enough for some nice shots. On the way back to the car I heard some Striated Pardalotes calling so headed off the path and finally caught up with them in a eucalypt with a huge Ravens nest in it. Pardalotes are always confiding, and I got a good selection of shots. I couldn't decide between these two so I am including them both in the post. Finally a Monarch butterfly. This migrant is only common here in the winter, and always brightens up a winters day.