Parks, trails and places – Page 5

Swamp on the Highway

Sometimes we find interesting places where we least expect that. This happened on our way via Port River Expressway. We saw a brown sign, that suppose to mark something interesting, so we decided to check that.

At the entrance to the Barker Inlet Wetlands we met this beauty, nothing special, but it’s a good start, we thought. However the territory was fenced and locked for restoration or something like that. All we could do just wander along the fence.

I was expecting that this will be something interesting, but it’s just a wild feral duck.

Great Egret was fishing on the shore.

No good.

You can’t walk along the fence a lot, so we went to one of our favorite places – St.Kilda. It was nearly a sunset.

A couple rabbits were grazing in the field…

… and some hens.

But they were really shy, as always.

Urimbirra Wildlife Experience

Once we found an advertisement in some news paper, that you can see crocodiles being fed. That would be interesting, we thought, and remembered the place. Then we looked for more information online, what else do they have, and were amazed. Local Australian predator – Quoll. Like all animals here, this one marsupial as well. Not all animals here are vegetarians 🙂 We had to see it.

Everyone coming in is observed by the big sad eyes.

All bags are checked by the security Emus.

Kangaroos, like always, funny. It’s a leg in the photo on the right.

Flying foxes are asleep at day time.

An here he is – the scary quoll, who is capable to kill a pray 4 times bigger than the animal itself. No wonder he is behind the fence. But a little bit of Photoshop magic and the creature is free.

Crocodile is getting warm in the sun.

White-plumed Honeyeater sharpening his bill.

Wombat is looking for something.

A couple of exotic birds (lat. Gallus gallus).

They have something in common…

The Crow and the starling are not exhibits, but still nice to see.

Glossy and Sacred ibises.

And his majesty the Peacock.

After a walk in the park we wen home by some byways. It was steep.

Very steep.

Still steep.

Some kind of desktop.

And some sheep in the fields.

Hindmarsh island

Our guide offered us to come to the Hindmarsh Island, take a boat to the Younghusband peninsula and walk an incredible trail. However, we did not find any port, just some little private docks. There were no people around, just some sheds, swamp and crows.

Someone had a couple of Black-tailed Native-hens pecking in their yard. They were very shy, but we were able to catch them on film, well, on memory card to be more exact 🙂

All the coast was fenced, but we found our way closer to the jetty.

Back again…

Caspian Tern observing the surroundings.

Crested Tern ready for take off.

Little Black Cormorant.

It’s probably about the terns 🙂

On the other side of the island the view is a bit different.

Somewhere far away SUV’s on the beach.

And a few more.

Footprints of some little crab.

Few Banded Stilt browsing on the coast.

And a Red-necked Avocet among them.

Later we went to the other side, where the SUV’s were. This sign I guess is for them. Poor plovers.

Sunset on the beach – looks nice, but actually it was windy, nearly a sand storm, and terribly cold.

One more photo and we went home.

The black swamp isn’t black

It was the same day when we found some cars on the road. We came to an old vinery. Old gentlemen parked their old Jaguars and went for some lunch and wine with their old ladies.

It was dry even after the rain season. Laurius and the wolf didn’t get wet feet. The wolf is possing with African (!) plants.

Mr. Eagle is looking for his prey.

Tree martin on a dead tree.

Welcome swallow. Hello swallow, nice to meet you swallow.

A swamp doesn’t look black.

Flowers and the vineyard.

Before the walk we had to register in a journal. Then they know how many tourists sank in the swamp or something. A lady here told us to beware of snakes. They enjoy first warm day after the winter, doesn’t matter that it’s windy.

Some historical railway bridge. We heard the train comming, so waited for it for about 10 minutes. Then realised that is was just the wind in pine trees.

Almost lithuanian view – a little forest. The only difference – a pine needles are very long.

Another wolf.

Some strange plants.

Picnic together with a bug.

Perfect calmness in a vinery with velvet chocolate cake, singing birds and sleeping lamas.

Willie wagtail is showing off. As always.

Our picnic place with a view of swamp.

Lama or alpaca. I’ll learn what’s the difference between them later.

After the lunch we left to the seaside.

Deep Creek bushwalking

At the entrance to Deep Creek conservation park we met Scarlet Robin.

And a lovely couple o Superb Fairy Wrens. Male is bright.

His wife – modest and shy. They were jumping like those tin birds – toys.

As they call walking in forest or at the river bushwalking too, this trail was a real bushwalking. At the beginning we were going surrounded by dense bushes, just a little bit too tall so we couldn’t see anything around.

The tack began to go down and we saw a wide landscape. We have seen photos of this trail before and it showed some kangaroos on the cliff edge. There was nothing like a cliff. Just a steep slippery stony surface under your feet. Those, who didn’t look under their feet got many bruises (of course it was Laurius).

Sadly, it was windy day, it means – no birds. We didn’t know where we were going. Just down. And the sea looked so far away, and we – so high on the hill.

Instead of kangaroo.

The end of the trail was very near, but we had to turn and run up, because sun was going down so fast. And it took an hour to get down.

Some flowers.

The last point where you can see something before getting in the bushes.

Finally we made it – we came to our car. After that it got dark in minutes. A night butterfly hiding in the toilet.

On the way back we met kangaroos and a rabbit on the road! A little bit extreme ridding in twilight on gravel roads.