Last Sunday (Feb 22nd,1998) I birdwatched at Swanport Reserve just south of
Murray Bridge. For all of you who have driven from Melbourne to Adelaide
via Murray Bridge the Swanport Bridge is the one you use to cross the River
Murray here; Swanport Reserve is about 1km downstream from the bridge.
The usual birds were seen during my 2 hour stay but I recorded 2 species
that I had not seen there before. The following is my annotated list:
Pacific Black Duck, 4, common
DARTER , 1, never recorded by me at this location, not common here
Little Pied Cormorant, 2, common
Little Black Cormorant, 3, common
Australian Pelican, 2, common in small numbers
Australian White Ibis, 2, very common in district
Straw Necked Ibis, 35 , very common in district
Black Shouldered Kite, 1, common and widespread in the district
Little Eagle, 2, resident (pair?) near the reserve
Purple Swamphen, 3, common
Dusky Moorhen, 6, including 5 immatures, common but not recorded breeding
here during the 2nd Bird Atlas of the Adelaide region 1984-5
Masked Lapwing, 2, common
Silver Gull, 5, common in small flocks (up to 50 at times)
Caspian Tern, 1, uncommon, usually only 1 or 2 seen on any outing
Whiskered Tern, 4, uncommon, small numbers only (up to 5)
CRESTED TERN, 1, first time recorded by me at this location, rarely
observed along this part of the river (the 2nd Bird Atlas of the Adelaide
Region recorded this species as far upstream as near Tailem Bend)
Rock Dove, 1, very common, usually observed in flocks of up to 50 or more
Spotted Turtledove, 1, common in urban areas and spreading to farmland
Crested Pigeon, 8, common
Peaceful Dove, 1, uncommon, small numbers
Galah, 6, very common
Little Corella, 50, uncommon, tend to stay near the river
Superb Fairy-Wren, 4, widespread in small numbers (the Variegated Wren is
the more common species from here and east of the river; both occur here at
Murray Bridge)
Red Wattlebird, 2, very common
White Plumed Honeyeater, 16, very common
New Holland Honeyeater, 1, very common in urban areas nearby
Magpie Lark, 4, very common in town and along river
Willie Wagtail, 4, very common
Black-Faced Cuckoo-Shrike, 1, common
Australian Magpie, 4, very common
Little Raven, 4, very common throughout district
House Sparrow, 10 very common
Welcome Swallow, 70, very common, unusually large number in one location,
probably nest under the bridge
Common Starling, 20, very common, flocks of hundreds after breeding in
early summer
Special Note: despite the name of the reserve, swans are rarely seen here;
I've only ever recorded Swans twice near Murray Bridge in over 15 years.
Trevor Hampel
Murray Bridge
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