Oriental small-clawed otters in the Adelaide Zoo
Oriental small-clawed otter, Adelaide Zoo
On several recent visits to Adelaide Zoo I haven’t been able to get a good photo of these otters. They’ve either been sleeping somewhere in their enclosure and out of view, or they’ve been cavorting around in their pool. Either way it has made photography difficult. You get that with nature photography.
The above shot is not ideal, what with their backs to my camera, but they were fast asleep and not moving anywhere in a hurry, so I have to be happy with this photo until my next visit. Hopefully I will get a better shot someday.
I must admit that I don’t know a great deal about otters, and this species in particular. That’s why the information boards such as the one below are so important in the education of the general public visiting zoos (click on the image to enlarge). I’ve also discovered that this is the smallest otter species in the world.
They eat a variety of mussels, snails, crabs and fish; that’s quite an interesting diet.
For more information about the oriental small-clawed otters, go to the Adelaide Zoo website here.
Oriental small-clawed otter, Adelaide Zoo
Hippopotamus at the Adelaide Zoo
Hippopotamus, Adelaide Zoo
I love going to the Adelaide Zoo. It’s only about an hour’s drive from home and being a Life Member I can go any time I have an hour or two free when I am in the city. On one visit last year I managed several good photos of the hippopotamus.On other occasions this animal hasn’t been easy to photograph, especially when it stays under water for an extended period of time.
Hippopotamus, Adelaide Zoo
Hippopotamus, Adelaide Zoo
Birds of Burra Gorge, South Australia
Galah at Burra Gorge, mid north of South Australia
Burra Gorge in the mid north of South Australia is an interesting location for birding. This gorge marks the boundary between the hills further west and the dry plains to the east. It is therefore a transitional zone between the birds of the wetter parts to the west, especially around the Clare Valley about 40km away, and flora and fauna of the saltbush plains immediately to the east.
On my most recent visit last spring, the bird life was not very prominent because it was midday on a rather warm day. It would be good to camp here for several days because I believe I’d get quite a good list of birds, especially first thing in the morning. Several Galahs looked like they were preparing to breed because they were investigating hollows in some of the trees in the picnic ground.
Nearby an Australian Magpie was already sitting on a nest and others were feeding recently fledged young begging to be fed.
Magpie on nest at Burra Gorge, mid north of South Australia
Burra Gorge, mid north of South Australia
Burra Gorge, mid north of South Australia
Burra Gorge, South Australia
Burra Gorge, South Australia
Late last year we travelled to Peterborough in the mid-north of South Australia. We were visiting family and on the way we stopped at the beautiful Burra Gorge for lunch. This gorge cuts through the hills to the south east of the old mining town of Burra. It is a popular picnic area with picnic tables and toilets but no other facilities.
It is also a popular camping area, as shown in the photo above. Our visit was during school holidays as so there were quite a few campers and caravans in the camping area. All campers have to be self sufficient as far as food and water is concerned. The nearest shops are in Burra, some 30km away. There are also no powered sites.
Burra Gorge, South Australia
Birding while having lunch
Yellow Rosella, Balranald, NSW
Whenever we travel, we try to pick suitable places for meal breaks. For us, suitable places are not shopping malls, places with crowds of people and busy locations. We prefer quiet, natural spots where I can do some birding while we have lunch or a cuppa.
On our way home from Sydney last year we stopped for lunch on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River in Balranald, far south western New South Wales. While we ate I managed a few photos of the local birds, including the Yellow Rosella shown above. This rosella is a sub species of the common Crimson Rosella usually seen much further east. For a better photo click here.
A Laughing Kookaburra also came near for a look at what we were doing, but I was unable to get a close shot before he flew off downstream. For better photos click here.
Laughing Kookaburra, Balranald, NSW