Jamestown Airshow

Last weekend I headed 2 1/2 hours north of Adelaide to the triennial airshow at Jamestown.  For a small country town, they put on a really good airshow.

The runway has recently been sealed, and this allowed for jets to be based her for the first time.   The show was opened by a fast pass of the L-39 Albatross.

This was followed by a pair of AT-6 Harvards and the inimitable Chris Sperou in his Pitts Special.

Another jet on display was the SIAI Marchetti S-211.  A big change in speed followed, with the DHC-1 Chipmunks of the "chipettes" doing their formation display.

Jamestown is really known for its warbirds, and this year was exceptional with two Curtis P-40s, a model F Warhawk, and a model P Kittyhawk, a Vultee B-13, the last airworthy Lockheed Hudson in the world, and two Aussie classics in the CA-18 Mustang and the CA-13 Boomerang.

The show was closed by the RAAF Roulettes, with their exhilarating display of close formation flying.

Adelaide Hills - a few birds

I managed a short trip into the Adelaide Hills the other day.  I just drove some country roads, and finally ended up at Sandy Creek Conservation Park near Lyndoch, close to the Barossa Wine Area.

First stop was at a dry creek crossing, and in the old River Red Gums were some Musk Lorikeets, busy looking for a home for the breeding season.

Another 100 metres along the road an I noticed some small birds on the grass verge.   Yellow-rumped Thornbills are always busy, but this one decided to hop up into a tree, and I managed a couple of shots.

Another 100 metres, and an Australian Kestrel is perched, patiently waiting for a meal to show itself.  In the same tree, but horribly silhouetted, were a couple of Adelaide Rosellas.

When I  got to Sandy Creek there were not many birds about.  After walking a couple of tracks, I noticed a couple of Weebills in a tree.

There were a few White-winged Choughs, one  was feeding close to the edge of the scrub, and after getting a couple of shots, he flew, showing his white wing patches. Then, a few minutes later I spotted their nest above me in a gum tree.

Some old trees had a bright red bracket fungus on them, and I also spotted a couple of kangaroos, both with joeys in the pouch. 

Ist day of Spring - Wattle Day

The first day of spring is just around the corner.  In Australia it is celebrated with Wattle Day on September 1st.  Wattle is a generic name for a number of Acacia species with small spherical yellow flowers.

Since we've had Kobe, we've been out more, but out with the camera less. Recently on a walk at Belair National Park, there was a lot of Wattle around, with both Golden Wattle and Round-leaved Wattle in full bloom.

As always, there were a few Koalas around as well.

I also went to a spot where there are a few native orchids, where there were lots of Sundews, and a few early Dwarf Green-hood Orchids.

The other morning, I remembered to put my "point and shoot" in my pocket while walking Kobe around Kaurna Wetlands Park.    At the moment the water is as high as I've ever seen it.

The Lavender Grevillea's are in full flower. Usually pink, there are also a few yellow forms around the park.   The pale yellow flowered gum trees are just coming into full bloom, whilst the pink flowered gum trees are just about over.

Kobe loves his walks around the wetlands, and waits quietly while I take my photos.

Skywatch Friday

The winter moon slowly sinking behind the gum trees at

Kaurna Watlands Park, Burton, South australia 

Birding North of Adelaide

Who would have thought that having a new dog would take up so much time.  I have been out everyday with him, but not with my camera!!

I did manage to get out twice in the last week, and got some photos to show for it.   An early morning winter walk around the wetlands, with no wind and a beautiful sunrise is a real joy.

Common birds were out an about, with New Holland Honeyeater, Red Wattlebird and Grey Shrike-thrush all singing.

Surprisingly, the local ants are all busy, and there are lots of new ant mounds on the ground.

The RAAF were also taking advantage of the calm weather with one of their Orions doing circuits at nearby Edinburgh Airbase.

Sunday morning was cloudy with showers, but I decided to dodge the rain and headed through the agricultural land between home and the coast.  Starting at St. Kilda, this female White-winged Fairy-wren hopped up for a portrait shot.  There was also a group of about twenty or so Black-tailed Native-hens on the foreshore, and a similar number of Australian Ibis in the yellow Soursobs behind the beach.

St Kilda is home to the Tramway Museum, and one of their trams was en-route from the village back to the museum.

Heading north, I passed a paddock full of inquisitive Alpacas.

There were birds all along the road.  A pair of Black-fronted Dotterels looked like they might be breeding.  Galahs were prospecting  nestholes, and there seemed to be Adelaide Rosellas at every farm.   Last birds seen were a couple of Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes. 

There were plenty of raptors around.  Australian Black-shouldered Kites, Australian Kestrels and Brown Falcon all seen well.