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Visited: winter
Recommendation: This tiny strip of conservation park is not easily found but is full of great wildlife. Visit if you are in the area.
The Nixon-Skinner Conservation Park was named in honor of the grandfathers of Mrs. Lucy Eleanor Page, the woman who donated the land for the park. Her grandfathers were Thomas Skinner and William Millington Nixon. The area showcases two major plant communities:
Messmate Stringybark woodland: This covers a larger portion of the park and consists of Eucalyptus obliqua (Messmate Stringybark), Eucalyptus leucoxylon (South Australian Blue Gum), and Eucalyptus fasciculosa (Coast White Mallee) trees.
Woodland with E. leucoxylon: Found in the southern part of the park, this area features Eucalyptus leucoxylon trees along with Silver Banksia (Banksia marginata), Cross-leaved Honey-myrtle (Melaleuca decussata), and Silky Tea-tree (Leptospermum myrsinoides).
The park also boasts a diverse mid-dense understory composed of various sclerophyllous shrubs, including Erect Guinea-flower (Hibbertia stricta), Heath Tea-tree (Leptospermum myrsinoides), Myrtle Wattle (Acacia myrtifolia) and Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha).
Although it is a relatively small slice of land running adjacent to the South Australia Water manged Myponga Reservoir, it is very pleasant and a good birding spot.
I started by walking along the track that follows the fenced off area of the reservoir. It ran for less than a kilometre and I heard fairywren, saw rosella but it was generally very quiet. The weather was cool and the skies cloudy. On my return, I had nearly reached the entrance when the sun peaked out and the area was flooded with warmth. Suddenly I heard the Crescent Honeyeater, which I had been looking for since I reached its range. While searching for that, a female Scarlet Robin appeared hunting for food. It was a very attractive distraction.
Scarlet Robin (Petroica boodang)
With the ongoing presence of the sun, the area lit up with birds and lots of species appeared, feeding in the gum trees, searching for bugs on the ground and bathing in the small patches of water. As the robin took off, a treecreeper flew in and for once I was right place, right time and carried on snapping.
This treecreeper is only found in southern and eastern parts of Australia and is usually located by its long, piping call. Spotting one might be tricky as they blend in well with trees. But look for a dark greyish-brown bird with a contrasting white throat and chest. Their flanks are also barred with white and black streaks, and the females even have a touch of orange on their cheeks.
White-throated Treecreeper (Cormobates leucophae)
Crescent Honeyeater (Phylidonyris pyrrhopterus)
Next up, to my absolute delight was the Crescent Honeyeater. It landed right in front of me and had a good shake after a bath. While this unusual honeyeater is a fairly common sight in Tasmania, it is much more uncommon in mainland Australia. While widespread in southeastern mainland Australia, their numbers are generally lower.
Another reason for seeing less of the Crescent is that they prefer forests and heathlands with dense shrubs, especially those with flowering plants that provide nectar for them to feed on. Also, in some areas, like Canberra, they exhibit altitudinal migration, moving down from higher elevations in search of food during the colder months. This can make them more or less common depending on the season and so less reliable in specific locations.
Some Adelaide Crimson Rosella were feeding on the ground and in some trees close by and I was struck by how much more red these birds had on them compared to the very orange birds I had been seeing closer to Adelaide centre. I know that they become less common the further south you go and I wonder if the Fleurieu Peninsula is on the edge of their range and that some hybridization with the very red Crimson Rosella occurs here. Anyway, I haven't yet got tired of seeing these very pretty parrots.
Crimson Rosella (Adelaide) - (Platycercus elegans adelaidae)
Also around during this melee of birds were Striated and Brown Thornbill, Grey Fantail, Little Ravens and Galah. It made for quite a noise. And on the ground were a group of non-breeding Superb Fairywren, going about their business looking for food and generally chirping away. No males in colour today but it is always good to see them.
Superb Fairywren (Malurus cyaneus)
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