lirralirra

It was fascinating to look down on this pale Australasian Darter from the riverbank.

I was standing on the bank of the Yarra River at Mt Lofty, tucked away on a winding pathway near a number of wombat burrows, when my youngest daughter spotted this beautiful bird below us. It was a tricky angle, especially as I had to aim the camera between tree branches. I wanted to capture the softness of its pale feathers and the amazing texture and colour of its wings. As I was photographing it I thought it was a female but now I’m thinking its most likely a juvenile bird. Adult males are much darker than females and juveniles, and the white stripe on the faces of adult darters is clearer.

I’ve chosen this shot to share as I like the way it has twisted its long neck around. I also like the way the water looks in the background as it ripples around a fallen log and seems strangely quilt-like.

Australasian Darters are often known as snake birds because of the way they swim with their bodies submerged in the water. They forage by diving and stalking their prey before stabbing it with their spear-like bills. Sometimes they eat underwater, other times they come to the surface and flick the fish into the air and swallow it headfirst. Their feathers aren’t buoyant which enables them to stay underwater for a remarkably long time. It also means that, unlike ducks, they are unable to shake themselves to shed water droplets. Instead they find somewhere to perch and spread their wings to dry in the breeze.

Happy birding, Kim

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