Wittunga Botanic Gardens Part 4
On our recent visit to the Wittunga Botanic Gardens in the Adelaide Hills, I was torn between photographing flowers and watching out for the birdlife. My wife is more interested in the plants because that is where her interests are strongest. She has a small nursery growing plants native to Australia.
My attention was diverted from taking a few shots of the Anigoznathos family (common name Kangaroo Paw) when I heard a disturbance in a nearby eucalypt tree. Looking up I could see an Australian Magpie being quite upset with the presence of a koala in the branches of the same tree. Despite much raucous calling, a a few dive bombing attempts by a Noisy Miner (a honeyeater), the koala just kept on snoozing. For more details, and a photo, go to my birding blog (click here)
Wittunga Botanic Gardens
Despite being in the middle of a very dry winter, we were delighted with the variety of plants that were flowering. This garden, like so many South Australian parks and gardens, will become a kaleidoscope of colour come spring time.
Wittunga Botanic Gardens Part 2
On our recent visit to Wittunga Botanic Gardens in the Adelaide Hills I was on the lookout for both birds and flowers. The bird sightings I have dealt with on my birding blog. Since buying my digital camera last year I have had a renewed interest in photography and have recently added many photos on the family photo gallery. I attended a photography course at the Gluepot Bird Reserve soon after purchasing the camera.
Flowers in the Wittunga Botanic Gardens
The course I attended gave me many valuable hints about looking at subjects in a different light. The facilitator, professional photographer Craig Ingram, described photography as “painting with light”. Just this little snippet gave me a whole new way of looking at the subjects I try to photograph. I now see my subjects in an entirely new light – pun intended.
Photos of plants like the one above can be enhanced many times by shifting one’s perspective, angle of shooting and the angle of the sunlight falling on the flowers. The trunks of trees fascinate me, with their myriads of colours, textures, shapes and forms. Putting all these elements together can result in some pleasing shots.
Wittunga Botanic Gardens Part 1
Last week we had to travel to our capital city Adelaide, about an hour’s drive from home. On our way home we took a slight detour and visited the Wittunga Botanic Gardens near Blackwood in the Adelaide Hills. It had been quite a few yars since our last visit.
Wittunga Botanic Gardens
While this garden is set in the Adelaide Hills, it is now surrounded by suburbia, with houses on two sides, a transport corridor on another (complete with passenger trains every few minutes) and a large school on the other side. The main access is by means of a busy four lane highway. Despite being hemmed in on all sides, the park is surprisingly peaceful. The gardens have been established for many years and have been planted around existing old growth eucalypts. In the middle an artificial lake provides a beautiful water feature.
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Gluepot Bird Reserve part 3
Bush scene at Gluepot Bird Reserve.
Gluepot Bird Reserve in South Australia has been set aside for the protection of a significant number of endangered and threatened species of birds. The habitat consists mainly of mallee scrubland, but there are many species of flora present other than the various forms of mallee trees. (Mallee trees are a form of eucalypt tree.)
Wildflowers at Gluepot Reserve
There are many different types of smaller plants from ground creepers through to large bushes, including acacias (commonly called wattles) and eremophilas (emu bushes). One can also find a range of daisies and many other types of plants. When I was there last year the area had received above average rain in autumn and winter. The bushland was like a natural garden, with flowers everywhere. This, of course, is wonderful for the birdlife. Honeyeaters in particular thrive in such conditions.
Flowers at Gluepot Bird Reserve
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Pangarinda Arboretum – more photos
Red Capped Robin
One of favourite picnic spots is the Pangarinda Arboretum at Wellington, South Australia. Not only do we enjoy wandering around admiring the vast range of flowering Australian native plants, the bird life is also quite wonderful. Birds like the stunning Red Capped Robin shown above and the noisy New Holland Honeyeaters zipping around everywhere from flower to flower. I have seen beautiful Superb Blue Wrens, dainty and quite cheeky Zebra Finches and a male Golden Whistler lighting up the green-grey foliage of the bushes with his bright golden breast feathers.
Eucalyptus flowers
The arboretum is a very peaceful place to wander around, have a picnic or just sit quietly listening to and watching the passing parade of birds. The River Murray is only a few hundred metres away, complete with a new marina and housing estate, and there are many dairy farms in the nearby vacinity. Pelicans and Ibis are sometimes seen flying overhead, adding to the beauty of this special place.
Eucalyptus macrocarpa