Grey Teal, Monarto Zoo, South Australia

Monarto Zoological Park is just a few minutes’ drive from my home in Murray Bridge. We try to visit several times a year because I have a membership card which allows free entry. One of the interesting things about this open range zoo is the waterhole in the giraffe enclosure. This is actually an artificial dam which fills during and after good rains. The creek which runs into this area is an ephemeral water course. When there is water, there is always a small collection of water birds attracted by the water.

On our visit late last year observed a few Grey Teal (see photo above) and some Black-winged Stilts (photo below). The Black-winged Stilts are found over most of Australia where there is suitable habitat, including swamps, lakes, shallow river edges, dams, salt-fields, estuaries and mudflats. Their nest is often made of weeds or other plant materials on the ground or raised up a little off the ground or can even be a plain depression on the ground with little or no lining.

Grey Teal are one of the most abundant and widespread of the waterfowl species in Australia. Their preferred habitat includes rivers, lakes, swamps, reservoirs, estuaries, waterholes and even small farm dams - in fact, where ever there is some water.

Not far from this waterhole I photographed a Masked Lapwing sitting on eggs right next to one of the tracks taken many times every day by the visitor buses. You can read about that and see a photo by clicking here.

Black-winged Stilt, Monarto Zoo, South Australia

Grey Teal and Black-winged Stilts, Monarto Zoo, South Australia

Black-tailed Native-hen, Monarto Zoo, South Australia

Over recent days I have been sharing photos of some of the birds I saw during a visit late last year to the Monarto Zoo which is about a ten minute drive from our home in Murray Bridge.

During one of the bus trips through the park visitors are taken past a large lagoon. This is filled from Rocky Gully creek which flows through the zoo. I use the word “flows” loosely; it only runs after good rains and is quite often a dry creek bed for much of the year.

The zoo management has dammed this creek at one point to provide a semi-permanent water hole for the giraffes and zebra. When it contains water it attracts small numbers of water birds, including this one Black-tailed Native-hen shown in the photo above. Native-hens are widespread throughout Australia except the far northern coastline, the eastern seaboard, drier inland areas and it is also absent from Tasmania. (The similar species the Tasmanian Native-hen is endemic to Tasmania.)

It is quite unusual to see just one of this species. They are more often seen in small flocks and, when conditions are right, they can erupt into an area and breed rapidly, and can then number in the hundreds or even thousands.

Giraffes near the waterhole, Monarto Zoo, South Australia

Giraffes near the waterhole at Monarto Zoo, South Australia

Ostrich, Monarto Zoo, South Australia

One of the interesting birds you can see at the Monarto Zoo near my home town of Murray Bridge is the Ostrich. The zoo boasts a large flock of this species and they breed readily in captivity.

Ostriches are native to Africa but there have been some feral populations in different parts of South Australia over the last century and a half. Originally they were imported and farmed for their feathers. These were used for decorations, usually in ladies’ hats. When this fashion quickly faded the industry declined and some birds were released and formed feral breeding populations, especially along the Coorong south east of Adelaide, and north east of Port Augusta. From time to time there are reports of small flocks still living in that area.

More recently there has been short lived resurgence in the farming of this species, this time as a meat bird.

Ostrich, Monarto Zoo, South Australia

Ostrich, Monarto Zoo, South Australia

Whistling Kite, Monarto Zoo, South Australia

Yesterday I wrote about the Black Kite I saw on a visit to Monarto Zoo last year. Just before that sighting I took the above photo of a Whistling Kite. This was soaring quite a bit higher than the Black Kite, so the photo is nowhere near as good. Clicking on the photo will enlarge it slightly.

Whistling Kites are widespread throughout most of Australia. Their preferred habitats include open forest, hilly areas, timbered watercourses and around lakes, swamps, estuaries and mudflats. I have usually seen this species as a single bird, though along the nearby River Murray I have occasionally seen two or three near each other.

The name comes from the distinctive shrill whistling call. When breeding they make a large platform of sticks high in a eucalypt tree (or other convenient tree). This nest can be re-used and added to over many years until it is quite large.

Black Kite, Monarto Zoo, South Australia

Last spring my son and his family came over to South Australia for a short holiday. During that time we all went to the local open range Monarto Zoo. This zoo is a part of the Adelaide Zoological Gardens and we like visiting on a regular basis, especially seeing it is a ten minute drive from home here in Murray Bridge. Being Life Members we also like to get value from our tickets.

On this visit last year the weather was beautiful with plenty of sunshine and a pleasant breeze. The bird life was also very cooperative.

I took the above photo of a Black Kite soaring low overhead as we went on one of the walking trails in the zoo. It came low and also slowly enough to get a reasonable photo.

Black Kites are widespread and common in the Murraylands region. Quite often - almost daily - we have one or two glide quietly over our house. In other parts of the town I have also seen small flocks of up to about five soaring near each other. Several years ago I saw about fifty on the ground or gliding low overhead near a small abattoirs on the eastern edge of town.

Further reading:

• A visit to Monarto Zoo
• A visit to Monarto Zoo - with comments on the birds
• Ostriches in South Australia
• Birds of Monarto Zoological Park
  

Wittunga Botanic Gardens, Adelaide Hills

Late last year I had a brief visit to the Wittunga Botanic Gardens in the Adelaide Hills. I had a medical appointment nearby and when that was out of the way I drove the short distance to the gardens and found a shady spot to have lunch. This was in the spring last year, but it turned out to be quite a warm day.

These gardens used to be a part of a large private collection of plants, mainly exotic with a nice mix of Australian native trees and shrubs. In the spring time to exotics can put on quite a colourful show. After lunch I took the camera and strolled around the gardens trying to get a few bird shots. This is usually an excellent spot for birding but on this occasion the birdlife was a little quiet. Like me, the birds were probably feeling the first heat of the coming summer.

Little Pied Cormorant, Wittunga Botanic Gardens, Adelaide Hills

The gardens feature some dense plantings of both native and exotic species. It also boasts some beautiful sweeping grassed areas ideal for picnics as well as several water features. Somehow the usual ducks, coots and swamp hens weren’t to be seen during this visit - except for the two Australian Wood Ducks shown feeding in the photo below.

Australian Wood Duck, Wittunga Botanic Gardens, Adelaide Hills

Wittunga Botanic Gardens, Adelaide Hills

Related articles:

• Wittunga Botanic Gardens
• Wittunga Botanic Gardens part 1
• Wittunga Botanic Gardens part 2
• Wittunga Botanic Gardens part 3
• Wittunga Botanic Gardens part 4

This brought to mind an article about Emus swimming I wrote several years ago. As a result I have completely updated that post, now with photos and links to more articles about Emus.

You can read the article here: Do Emus Swim?

Pacific Black Duck, Adelaide Botanic Gardens

A few moths ago my wife and I attended a special food fair at Norwood. The emphasis was on South East Asian food and Chinese food in particular. Some Chinese friends of ours had especially invited us to attend. The food was magnificent and we introduced our palates to many new dishes.

After the festivities we decided to spend an hour or so in the nearby Adelaide Botanic Gardens. I had my camera at the ready because I knew from past visits that this was an excellent venue to obtain some great bird photos. This time, however, I was a little disappointed. I had a frustrating time; not many birds, my batteries ran flat and the spares were also flat. You have days like that.

I did manage to get a few photos of some of the trees and flowers shown on this page, plus a rather nice shot of a Pacific Black Duck. I guess the birds will have to wait for another day.

Adelaide Botanic Gardens

Adelaide Botanic Gardens

Adelaide Botanic Gardens

Crested Pigeon, Botanic Park, Adelaide

Crested Pigeons are one of my favourite birds. We have a number resident in our garden and they have even nested several times within a few metres of our house. When the breeding season has been successful I have seen up to 35 Crested Pigeons sitting on the power lines running past our property. Elsewhere in Murray Bridge I have even seen about 60 in a loose flock sitting on power lines along the road.

Crested Pigeon, Botanic Park, Adelaide

Crested Pigeons are widespread throughout Australia except for the driest parts of the inland, southern Victoria and they are absent from Tasmania. They are also largely absent from the northern most parts of Australia. This distribution is changing and some Crested Pigeons can be found in the Melbourne region, for example, something that was rare as recent as a decade ago.

Crested Pigeon, Botanic Park, Adelaide

Crested Pigeons are ground feeders and can often be seen feeding in parks in loose flocks numbering in the dozens. This is the case in Botanic Park between the Adelaide Botanic Gardens and the Adelaide Zoo where the photos on this post were taken.

Crested Pigeon, Botanic Park, Adelaide

The birds in these photos were busy displaying to one another, more interested in breeding than in my wife and I having afternoon tea in beautiful park on a lovely spring afternoon.

Further reading:

• Crested Pigeon nesting
• Crested Pigeons by the dozens
• Birds in the garden plus one reptile
• A panic of pigeons
• Crested Pigeons as pet birds (one of my most popular articles)
• A crested Pigeon caught by surprise

Botanic Park, Adelaide

Dusky Moorhen

Dusky Moorhens are found throughout the eastern half of Australia and in the southern tip of Western Australia. They are predominantly a waterbird and are common where suitable habitat is found.

Their preferred habitats include wetlands, lakes, parks, farm dams, rivers and irrigation areas. They breed during the warmer months, roughly from August through to about March. The nest is an untidy platform of sticks, reeds, grass or bark and is often built in reeds in or near water. They can lay from 7 to 10 eggs.

At a distance they can easily be mistaken for Eurasian Coots, with which they often associate. The red bill and skin on the forehead distinguishes it from the Coots which have white bills and foreheads.

Further reading:

• Birds of Mannum South Australia
• Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney
• Jerrabomberra Wetlands, Canberra
  

Dusky Moorhen

Dusky Moorhen

Dusky Moorhen