Cosy Galahs in the morning sun

Galahs in the early morning sun

I took the photo above one very cold, frosty morning at the Laratinga Wetlands in Mt Barker, South Australia. The two parrots - presumably a breeding pair - were taking advantage of the early morning sunshine to warm up. They certainly look a cosy pair.

Earlier on I had seen them - I assume it was the same two - at a nearby hollow in the same tree. I wrote about that sighting and showed two other photos here.

The Australian parrot we know as the Galah is sometimes known as the Rose-breasted Cockatoo. It's commonly called a "cocky" and is often kept as a much loved pet, frequently living in people's homes and learning to mimic a range of human words, especially greetings. "Hello, Cocky" greets visitors to such a home, for example.

This species is also a frequent visitor to our home garden here in Murray Bridge.  On occasions we have seen flocks numbering in the many hundreds flying overhead. With their raucous screeching it is hard to miss them.

Why not take a look over at Trevor's Birding, my other site about Australian birds?

Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo

Art work depicting a Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo

One of the interesting aspects of a visit to the Laratinga Wetlands in Mt Barker, South Australia is the new art installation in the picnic area. On my recent visit I saw these art works - four of them - for the first time. The one below depicts an Aboriginal Elder, reflecting the importance of these lands to the traditional owners.

The art work shown above depicts one of the significant bird species of this area, the large and noisy Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo. These birds are frequently seen flying overhead in this part of the Adelaide Hills, often in small groups up to a half dozen, and occasionally in larger flocks from a dozen or so through to a hundred of more. Elsewhere, in the south east of the state, I once saw a flock I estimated to be over 300; the noise they made was deafening as they flew overhead.

I invite readers to check out my other site about Australian birds - Trevor's Birding.

Art work depicting an Aboriginal Elder

Australian Magpie, Laratinga Wetlands

Male Australian Magpie, Laratinga Wetlands

The Laratinga Wetlands do not just make a good environment for a large number of waterbirds. The habitat surrounding the various ponds is very suitable for a range of other species, including many honeyeaters, pigeons, parrots, fairy-wrens, corvids (eg ravens), swallows, woodswallows and the ubiquitous Australian Magpie as shown in today's photos.

The area around the ponds has a natural creek bed with associated eucalypt forest trees as well as a range of smaller shrubs such as acacias (wattles). The walking tracks around the ponds have been planted up with many other local native plants species as well, making the whole area very attractive.

The Australian Magpie, one of the bird species commonly encountered in such environments, is right at home in such a habitat. The vegetation provides an ample food supply, a ready supply of nesting materials and plenty of places to build their nests. The photo above shows a male in full breeding plumage, while the one below shows one with something in its beak - perhaps a worm or a caterpillar.

The final photo shows the picnic area next to the wetlands. Laratinga Wetlands are near Mt Barker in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia, about a half hour drive from Adelaide.

For more photos of and articles about Australian birds, visit my other site Trevor's Birding.

Australian Magpie (male)

Barbecue and picnic area, Laratinga Wetlands

Superb Fairy-wren Laratinga Wetlands

Male Superb Fairy-wren

On my visit to the Laratinga Wetlands a few weeks ago I saw many Superb Fairy-wrens. They were hopping around on the paths around the ponds and in and out of the many bushes, over the lawned picnic areas and along the edges of the water.

Trouble is, they rarely sit still for more than a fraction of a second. Getting a camera to lock on a good focus within good range would seem easy, considering the numbers of these beautiful little birds - but it's harder than you think. Frustratingly hard, in fact.

After many failed attempts - and blank, or blurred - images I managed two reasonable shots of one, sort of, obliging coloured male, albeit rather briefly. I'll just have to go back a few more times and have another attempt - or two, or three...

Laratinga Wetlands is on the eastern edge of Mt Barker in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia.

You can see more of my bird photos on Trevor's Birding, another site I write for.

Male Superb Fairy-wren

Southern Shoveller

Southern Shoveller, Laratinga Wetlands

Australia has quite a good variety of water fowl, including several species of shoveller ducks. The Southern Shoveller - also called the Australasian Shoveller - is just one of them. I have only seen this species on a handful of occasions. This photo was taken at the Laratinga Wetlands near Mt Barker in the Adelaide Hills, about a half hour drive from my home in Murray Bridge.

The Southern Shoveller is found throughout the eastern half of Australia where there is suitable habitat. They are also present in Tasmania and the south western parts of Western Australia. Their preferred habitat includes lakes, swamps, wetlands, sewage ponds, coastal inlets and other bodies of water.

For more detailed information about Australian birds, and to see more photos of them, I invite you to visit my other site Trevor's Birding.