Easter in Whyalla

We spent Easter in Whyalla this year.  Whyalla hosts the Australian Snapper Fishing Competition every Easter.  There were plenty of people fishing.  The trailer park was full to overflowing and boats were in and out of the marina all day.

There were some other "fishers" on the scene as well, but they were after smaller prey.

I managed to get out into the arid land NW of Whyalla, but the birds weren't at all co-operative. I managed shots of Singing Honeyeater and Southern Whiteface, but both are heavily cropped.

At least this Shingleback couldn't fly away when I got my camera out!

Whyalla - Lighthouse and Storm

We were in Whyalla this weekend spending time with family. On Saturday morning we dodged showers and managed a couple of hours at Point Lowly, walking on the beach and admiring the Lighthouse. I spotted this Pacific Gull flying down the beach, only to return a couple of minutes later carrying a Blue Swimmer Crab. The evening was spent having a barbecue in the back yard, until we spotted this approaching storm cell. The sky became amazingly dark and then erupted with thunder, lightning and a massive hail storm. The road flooded completely as drains were overwhelmed, and hailstones up to 7cm (3 inches) across.

Whyalla Conservation Park

This weekend was the last public holiday before Christmas, and we went across to Whyalla to spend it with family. On Sunday I spent some time at Whyalla Conservation Park. On the way I noticed a bird silhouetted against the sky. As I approached, he began to sing. Unfortunately there was no cover between him and me so I couldn't get any closer.

At the base of Wild Dog Hill I heard the quiet trill of a grasswren, and after sitting still for a few minutes a Thick-billed Grasswren popped up for a second.

As I walked the track to the top of the hill, I saw Singing Honeyeater. This pretty flower was all over the top, which is mainly rock. It appeared to be growing out of crevices. Also looking at crevices was this small lizard.

On the way out of the park I noticed this Australian Pipit by the side of the track. Further along I stopped for this young Shingleback to cross. On a whim, I followed one of the tracks along a line of pylons. There were hundreds of small blue butterflies here, along with at least three Rufous Whistlers. Just before I got to the exit, a flash of green crossed, Mulga Parrot!, but try as I could, the brightly coloured male eluded me. I managed a couple of shots of the female

Snappers, Diggers and Wild Dogs

Easter is the time of the Australian Snapper Fishing Championship in Whyalla. Hundreds of fishermen try their luck to bag the elusive big Red Snapper. The competition is based at the marina, and there were rows of empty boat trailers there. As the boats come in, the local pod of dolphins greets each one, and many reward them with a fish or two. Whilst everyone is out fishing, there is not much to do other than watch the birds and any ships in the gulf. Pelicans are always good value. I love watching them as they transform from ungainly to graceful, and back to ungainly as they land again. This is the 12000 Tonne self-unloading barge Barngala, used to transfer iron ore to and from ships that are too large to dock at Whyalla. Gulls also float by, so I quickly snapped this sub-adult Pacific Gull, followed by this silver Gull. As the final weighing time approached, all of the boats converged on the marina causing a bit of a traffic jam!! Monday was ANZAC day, so we went to the parade and service at the war memorial. Soldiers young and old were proudly displaying their medals, and the Australian Army badge of the rising sun. Finally, on Tuesday morning I took a trip out to Whyalla Conservation Park and Wild Dog Hill, looking for Grasswrens. I saw a few, but not close enough to photograph. I did stop for this train taking iron ore from the mine at Iron Knob to the steelworks. At one stop, I was watching an Australian Pipit when I heard a whirl of wings, and a group of about six Mulga Parrots landed on the fence behind me. I managed a shot of a male and female before they moved further along the road. At Wild dog Hill, this male Variegated Fairywren posed for a few shots, and a Southern Slider was hunting ants and spiders in the early morning sun.

Dawning of a new era

Saturday saw the dawning of a new era in my life as Maryann and I exchanged our wedding vows in front of family and friends in Whyalla.

Wedding photos courtesy of Rebecca Scharber.

Walking the Sandbar

Saturday was a lovely early summers day, with clear blue skies and a warm breeze. When the tide is particularly low, a sandbar shows off the main beach at Whyalla. Saturday was such a day so I took a walk out onto the sandbar for a couple of hours to see what I could find. I was hoping to see some waders (shorebirds) and maybe some Blue Swimmer Crabs. The walk out varies from dry sand to water to mid calf level, and always includes shoals of small fish darting here and there. I stood still and scanned back and forth until I finally saw one before it had seen me!! I think they may be a fish called Flathead. As i got onto the sandbar, I saw a small group of gulls and terns. Unfortunately there is nowhere to hide out there so it was impossible to get very close. This Caspian Tern kept moving away, so this cropped image is the best of a bad lot!! These courting Crested Terns were a little less timid (or maybe just more pre-occupied?) so I could get a little closer to them. There were also a few terns flying in and out all of the time. The beach is also popular with kiteboarders due to the vast expanse of shallow water. No Waders or crabs, but on the walk back to the beach, an immature Pacific Gull.