On the final day of the City Nature Challenge we stopped in at Brodie Road Wetlands along Christie Creek. An easy suburban walk around a manmade wetland guaranteed to add a few Birds to my CNC species list.
The usual water Bird species were present, Australasian Swamphens (Porphyrio melanotus), Dusky Moorhens (Gallinula tenebrosa), and Eurasian Coots (Fulica atra). The larger Northern pond is a favourite with the Grey Teals (Anas gracilis), Wood Ducks (Chenonetta jubata Australian) and Pacific Black Ducks. Although at this location, and many other suburban waterways across SA, the Pacific Black Ducks are in fact hybrids with Mallards. One particular individual Pacific Black Duck × Mallard Hybrid (Anas superciliosa × platyrhynchos) showing much brighter feather colours.
Many of the Bird species here will follow you around, suggesting they are regularly fed. Not just the waterfowl, but the Crested Pigeons (Ocyphaps lophotes) which are in abundance. Where the actual creek runs through the wetlands, there are exposed muddy sections where Black-fronted Dotterels (Elseyornis melanops) can be found, and the occasional Pied Stilt (Himantopus leucocephalus).
Chance encounters that were both additional species for the CNC were a pair of feeding Eastern Rosellas (Platycercus eximius), and a couple of Australian Pelicans (Pelecanus conspicillatus).
Brodie Road Wetland
Manmade wetlands along Christie Creek as part of the City of Onkaparinga’s Water Proofing the South project. Home to many water Birds, visiting Black-fronted Dotterels and Pied Stilts.
iNaturalist Projects
NATUREhoodz Brodie Road Wetland
See the full list of 27 observations covering 18 species on iNaturalist
Epistemic Curiosity 