The Coorong and Adelaide

I'd only been to the Coorong once before when it was a cold and blustery day, but very raw in its natural beauty....very Storm boy!!! This time of year it was extremely hot...reaching into the high 30's, which made it hard to explore without wearing yourself out. Even though it was mid-summer, i didn't see one migratory wader! It was, however, great for the endemic shorebirds, such as the stilts and dotterels. At Policemans Point, a large number of Banded Stilts occupied the shoreline, always making a great spectacle with the patterning of their white and maroon chests as they feed together. Continuing north along the coastline of the Coroong, the only other photo opportunities i got were of Chestnut Teal on the banks of a small creek. Being so hot and birdless, i decided to make a v-line for Adelaide. I made a brief detour to Toderol Game Reserve, which i've heard a lot about. There were no shortage of waders here, and a number of Caspian Terns also use the ponds as a roost. A highlight was a Little Eagle flying over the ponds, but unfortunately it was gone before i could get my lens aimed at it. Continuing north through the Adelaide Hills, my main target species was the Adelaide Rosella, a subspecies of the Crimson Rosella. While reasonably common throughout the Adelaide hills, the heat and flighty nature of these birds, made them difficut to get a good photo of. So i had to make do with a snap i got on my first encounter with them, and continue into the city to feed my malnourished stomach..i hadn't eaten all day! Last stop was Port Adelaide to see what waders were in the estuary. Security conditions around the port made access a lot more difficult that the directions i had suggested, but i eventually found my way to the waters edge. A groups of Sooty Oystercatchers were on the sandbank, but tidal conditions were not condusive for wader spotting, so i continued up the coast and away from the city.