The trip started with us all walking to the ornamental lake, spotting a little wattlebird feeding on some lavender and a common blackbird hiding in a bush. When we got to the lake, I spotted some very tame purple swamphens, Eurasian coots and dusky moorhens on a green, grassy lawn. On a dead branch was a little black cormorant, and far across the lake on a small island were 3 nankeen night herons.
The little black cormorant
One of the nankeen night herons
As we walked further on, we saw more of the same birds. The ringing calls of bell miners filled the air and we saw some in the tall eucalyptus trees. We reached a small pond and spotted what I believe is a hoary-headed grebe, swimming in the water, as an Australian wood duck grazed on a nearby lawn.
The hoary-headed grebe
An Australian wood duck
We came to a cafe overlooking the lake, and ordered something to eat, namely scones with cream and jam. In the part of the lake the cafe was next to, I spotted chestnut teals, Eurasian coots, Pacific black ducks, dusky moorhens and a single black swan.
A black swan
A male chestnut teal. Females are dull grey-brown, with an orangish-brown breast
After exploring the lake, we walked over to a site named 'Gulliver's Volcano', where there were lots of cool-looking arid area plants, mostly being cacti, but with a few other plants. I saw two pied currawongs fly into a tree.
All in all, it was a wonderful family outing, though not so wonderful in birds.
A Sturt's Desert Pea, the national plant of South Australia, at Gulliver's Volcano
A pied currawong perched into a tree
After that, we went off to the kids garden. In a tree, I spotted a lot of rainbow lorikeets as a little raven walked on the grassy lawns of the ground. Then, we went to the gift shop and I brought a book about birding in Victoria.All in all, it was a wonderful family outing, though not so wonderful in birds.
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