As I looked into her ruby red eye, and she looked into mine (not ruby red), I found myself wondering what she’s thinking as she dabbles her way through the Azolla.
This female Chestnut Teal is dabbling in a pond of azolla, a native aquatic plant that is either green or reddish-orange depending on the amount of sunlight it gets. It’s difficult to believe that waterbirds can swim on this sea of water-weed. Azolla is a native, aquatic fern that grows in still, or virtually still, waters. It is a remarkable plant that can double its mass in less than a week if the temperature, pH and nutrient levels are consistently good. Its leaves are small and it roots dangle about 40cm into the water. Waterbirds, fish and a range of invertebrates feed on Azolla and, by limiting the amount of sunlight that penetrates the water, it effectively suppresses the development of algal blooms. Azolla can form mats over water than are dense enough to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.
Over the next few weeks I’ll be trying to get some beautiful, hopefully emotive, photographs of native waterbirds – birds that are protected all year until it’s time to be blasted with shotgun pellets during the Victorian duck shooting season. Chestnut Teals mate for life and stay together all year. These small ducks are taken by many predators including reptiles, Australasian Swamphens, Musk Ducks, Peregrine Falcons, Swamp Harriers, cats, foxes and shooters #banduckshooting
I have taken hundreds of photographs over the past few days, some absolute beauties and some interesting behaviours. My desktop can’t cope with the images yet (lots of updates needed) and my laptop is pretty ancient and difficult to use for processing images. I’m hoping that I’ll be up and running with that side of it soon. In the meantime I hope to take heaps more photographs to share with you.
Happy birding, Kim
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I am in NSW at present and every time I see a beautiful duck I hope beyond hope it has flown from Victoria or South Australia and found a safe place to live out its life.
Both Victoria and South Australia have again approved and promoted another season of slaughter and South Australia has extended the season and increased the killing quota.
While there are fewer licensed shooters in South Australia (SA) compared to Victoria (VIC),the length of the season and the number of birds permitted to be killed in the state equates to enormous levels of suffering.
The politicians who again approved,supported and promoted this barbaric and horrific slaughter of gentle, defenceless, beautiful birds are to be condemned and I ask every caring person to send a message and photos to their elected representative; pen a letter to the papers with photos; contact talk back radio. We are the only ones who vote and can speak for these voiceless birds. Keep fighting.
“All creatures are deserving of a life free from fear and pain.” Maura Cummings
To all those incredible people now heading to the killing fields please stay safe. Your courage, commitment and compassion make you all real and amazing wildlife warriors.
It’s unbelievable isn’t it Barbara. It makes no sense to be killing our native wildlife when it’s battling so many issues already. And duck shooting is inherently cruel, especially the way I’ve seen it taking place. I know how you feel when you see ducks in a safe place. I was photographing some in a beaut little wetland the other day, safe from shooters, and very much hoping they’ll stay put.
A beautiful image of a beautiful bird! Really interesting to learn about the azolla too!
Definitely past time to ban duck shooting. Unbelievable that a supposedly progressive government is so behind other states.
I’m 100% with you on that. It’s very strange and disturbing.