Yes, you read that right ... turtle spotting. In fact, Murray River turtles. There's quite a large and thriving colony of them in Playford Lake at Belair NP; and when the sun shines ... and when that sun is at just the right angle to strike into the water --
Sometimes you see them, sometimes you don't. They might be right there, but the sun's at the wrong angle; they also might be down deep, in which case all you see is a stream of bubbles. When they surface, sometimes they come up for a split second -- especially if they're very close to humans and catch a glimpse of you, in which case they're gone in a flash. Other times, they bask on the surface, but only way out in the lake, where you need a loooong lens to reach them.
Of course, turtles aren't the only critters around:
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| Talk about luck! Capture a dragonfly in flight ... suuure, I planned this (ahem!) |
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| A Little Raven, with bright blue eyes |
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| A White Faced Heron ... fisherman on the lake. |
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| A Darter, drying off in one of the big trees overhanging Playford Lake. |
There are always birds galore, and when the sun shines it's a birder's and photographer's playground. It's also a lovely walk, and you meet some interesting people, usually walking an assortment of dogs, everything from the cattle dog and border collie to the huskies and malamutes...
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| Golden wattle |
At this time of the year it's golden wattle season ... in other words, sneezin' season. Take a box of kleenex along: chances are, you'll need them! But the "enchanted forest effect" is well worth the sneezing:
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| On the Wood Duck Walk in spring, Playford Lake, Belair NP. |
We'd packed a picnic, and after this hike and photo op we headed over to the Echo Tunnel area -- an old, rather creepy tunnel through the hillside, right under the main Belair rail line -- for a picnic before the mandatory walk through the tunnel. I'll blog that part of the story next time!
