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.

Grey Teal, Laratinga Wetlands

Grey Teal

Grey Teal are one of the more numerous ducks found in Australia. They can sometimes number in the thousands on a lake, swamp or reservoir. They are often seen in close association with Pacific Black Ducks, another very common Australian duck.

The photos I am sharing today were taken recently in the Laratinga Wetlands near Mt Barker in the Mt Lofty Ranges of South Australia. These wetlands are about a half hour drive from my home in Murray Bridge, and also a half hour drive from our capital city Adelaide.

The walking tracks around the wetlands are popular with both locals and visitors. Many people visit daily for picnics, walking, running, cycling, photography, birding or just plain relaxing.

For more articles about Australian birds, as well as many more photos of birds, check out my other site, Trevor's Birding.

Grey Teal

Australian Wood Ducks

Australian Wood Duck

On my recent visit to the Laratinga Wetlands in Mt Barker, South Australia I took these photos of several Australian Wood Ducks. In the photo above the male is perched nicely on a tree stump in the water, the stump framing the photo in a pleasant way. On this particular visit I did not see all that many of this species. On other occasions it can be present in large numbers. In some places throughout its distribution one can see this species in large, loose flocks sometimes numbering in the hundreds. They not only frequent wetlands like Laratinga, but can be found in pastures, paddocks, ovals, playing fields and around lakes and dams.

Please note that this is not the same as the Wood Duck found in America, which is quite a different species.

To read more about Australian birds, and to see more photos of them, I invite you to go to my other site Trevor's Birding.

Male Australian Wood Duck

Female Australian Wood Duck (left) and male (right)

Pacific Black Duck

Pacific Black Duck, near Mannum, South Australia

Earlier this year my wife and I went for a drive from our home in Murray Bridge to Mannum in South Australia. Both of these towns are situated on the Murray River, Australia's largest river. After a delicious picnic lunch - bought from a local bakery - we drove along the river towards the town of Bow Hill.

Along the way we stopped at a locality called Younghusband, a small community of houses - many of them holiday homes - and a small general store and caravan park. While having afternoon tea in a picnic area next to the river I photographed the Pacific Black Duck (see above) and the Australian Pelican soaring above the river (see below).

It was lovely day and we saw some wonderful birds.

For more photos and information about Australian birds visit my other site called Trevor's Birding here. Or you might want to read about my travels in Australia and overseas on Trevor's Travels here.

Australian Pelican soaring over the Murray River in South Australia

Mallard Ducks

Mallard Ducks at Victoria Park, Peterborough, South Australia

My wife and I recently visited family in Peterborough in the mid-north of South Australia. During our stay I drove around town taking a few photos. I always try to find time to visit Victoria Park which is an artificial lake and park next to the swimming pool and caravan park.

This park, and the lake in particular, always has some resident birds including a collection of ducks and other water birds. There is currently a loose flock of about 30 ducks of varying breeds, mostly non-native, including the Mallards shown in today's photo. This species is an introduced species in Australia and is common in parks and gardens where there is water. They often interbreed with our native species such as the Pacific Black Duck.

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

Chestnut Teal

Chestnut Teal

Of all the Australian ducks, the Chestnut Teal (above) is one of our more colourful members. The male is shown in the photo; the female is a duller brown colour.

Chestnut Teal can be found in suitable habitat throughout south eastern Australia. Although I have seen this species in many places, I have not recorded it in large numbers anywhere. That could just mean I'm not looking in the right places, or I'm not going birding enough.

For more about Australian Birds, check out Trevor's Birding.

Australian Wood Ducks

Australian Wood Ducks

Despite being a relatively dry continent throughout most of the country, we do have a good range of ducks and many wetlands where suitable habitat exists to maintain good numbers of waterbirds.

One of the more common species is the Australian Wood Duck shown in today's photo. Don't confuse this with the Wood Duck of North America; quite a different species.

Australian Wood Ducks are found along waterways, lakes, rivers, swamps and also in parks, gardens, ovals and any grassy areas where they can graze on the grass. They are often found in close association with people and are a common sight in picnic grounds.

For more information about Australian Birds, check out my other site, Trevor's Birding.

Pacific Black Duck

Pacific Black Duck

The Pacific Black Duck is one of the most common ducks in Australia. They are widespread throughout the country in suitable habitat. They can be seen small numbers - from one or two to about a dozen or so - through to loose flocks of many hundreds in one place. They are highly mobile and respond quickly to ideal conditions after heavy rain or flooding in different parts of the country.

For more reading about Australian Birds, check out my other site, Trevor's Birding.

Pacific Black Duck

Pacific Black Ducks are very common throughout most of Australia where there is suitable habitat. While they often prefer artificial lakes and ponds in parks and gardens, they can also be found in many rivers, dams, reservoirs, swamps, wetlands, estuaries and lakes. Numbers can vary from a pair to many hundreds in loose flocks.
To read more about Australian birds go to Trevor's Birding.

Everything is quite ducky

As I awoke this morning I was aware of quacking noises outside.

Now, although we live in Murray Bridge which is situated on the Murray River, Australia's longest river, our property is a good five kilometres from the river.

The quacking persisted. Those ducks are here again, I thought. Pacific Black Ducks are common in this area and are not restricted to just the river itself. It is not usual to find them in parks and gardens. Two, sometimes three, are regular visitors to our own garden.

Pacific Black Duck

"Our" ducks have taken a liking to our in-ground swimming pool (affectionately known as "the swamp" - look at the photos and you will know why). Almost daily they visit for a swim or just to laze by the poolside. They don't seem to mind how frosty it gets here in winter, poolside is the place to be.


Last year they slipped a surprise under our radar. Before we knew it, we were the adopted "grandparents" of six ducklings. Sadly, their parents abandoned them. We quickly discovered that raising little ducklings is not a skill one acquires overnight. They were far too weak, cold, wet and hungry when we took over as substitute parents.