Einbunpin Lagoon Park, Sandgate.
In order to enjoy a walk around the Einbunpin Lagoon Park, in Sandgate, Queensland, Australia I need to drive across the Ted Smout Memorial Bridge which separates the Redcliffe Peninsula with this attractive area in North Brisbane which just so happens to be Australia's longest bridge. I chose the late afternoon to take in the beauty of Einbunpin Lagoon Park. This place has a wonderful selection of interesting flora and fauna, and this is a view from one of the rotundas which overlooks the observation bridge.
Purple swamp hens gather on the grass to feed off the seeds and insects found there. The observation bridge was opened in 1999 by Jim Sorley who was the Brisbane Lord Mayor at the time and the shaded octagonal rotunda has bench seats circling the inner part of it for the convenience of nature lovers as they enjoy the scenery. This area is available for weddings and special functions which guarantees the perfect backdrop for photographic opportunities.
There are many patches of swamp grasses around the lagoon where swamp hens nest and forage. I try and visit during springtime as I love seeing the little chicks mimicking their parents and they learn necessary survival techniques. But this is mid winter and all I could see were adult Swamp Hens.
Purple Swamphens (Porphyrio Porphyrio) are common throughout eastern and northern Australia. They are a large rail with mainly dusky black above with a broad, dark, blue colour. The belly feathers are dark blue/purple in colour. Their bills are robust and are red, as are their eyes and their legs and feet are orange/red in colour. They have the habit of flicking their tails when walking which reveals gleaming white rumps.
They are accomplished fliers despite their bulk. When flying, their long legs and elongated toes trail beneath them. Purple swamp hens are proficient swimmers but prefer to wander at the edge of the water amongst the reeds and floating vegetation. Their diet consists of soft shoots of reeds, snails and frogs but they have the reputation for stealing duckling eggs.
Ducks share the lagoon with freshwater turtles, long finned eels, Australian White Ibis, Darter birds and Cormorants. The parkland takes up an area of 1.73 hectares which is also home to galahs, seagulls, white cockatoos and lorikeets.
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Mr. and Mrs. McDuck enjoy a few quiet moments at the edge of the lagoon before they make plans to retire for the evening.
There weren't too many people around but there were plenty of seagulls catching the last warm rays from the sun for another day.
There were a heap of ibis in the trees but I have a lot of ibis photos, so I tried to focus on a couple of herons on an island in the middle of the lagoon instead. They were a bit out of focus so I applied a textural digital edit to the next two photos as I felt they were a beautiful addition to my walk. Can you see the white feather in the beak of the heron? I love the shape of herons and the green background made a nice contrast to their stark white feathers.
The Eastern Great Egret is the largest of the Australian egrets. They are white in colour but their bill and facial skin is yellow when not breeding. The changes which take place during the breeding season is the bill turns mostly black and long hair like feathers which are called nuptial plumes hang below their backs and their legs change to a pinkish yellow colour at the top. The young Great Egrets bills are black at the tips so I am assuming this pair are relatively young.
Great Egrets are situated in many parts of the world and are very common in Australia. They are found in shallow waters which include damp grasslands. They enjoy their own company but can be found in small flocks and prefer to roost at night in groups. This couple were in good company with the ibis, darter birds and cormorants settling down for the evening the same group of trees.
This picturesque parkland is a welcome oasis in the heart of Sandgate. It is beautifully maintained and has access for the disabled and is situated a short walk from the rail station. The area is open 24/7 and has free wifi which will please many visitors and the main shopping centre with its cafes and restaurants are available just across the road from the park. The beach is also a short distance from here.
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I will leave you with this beautiful splash of colour. A lone rainbow lorikeet sat in the trees admiring his view and the ambience of a peaceful evening. The peace was noticeable in the absence of the rowdy cockatoos which I normally find at this time of the day. Perhaps they will arrive as I get in the car and head for home. I will just have to make another appointment with the lovely Einbunpin Lagoon Park, to see if they will grace us with their appearance next time.
Australian Rainbow Lorikeets are one of my favourite birds. They are from the parrot family and very common along the coastal areas of Queensland all the way down to South Australia. They love rainforests, coastal bush areas and woodlands. It is difficult to determine the sex of rainbow lorikeets but the difference between a young and a mature lorikeet is the colour of their beak. Juveniles have black beaks whereas, the colour of an adults beak is orange. After checking the colour of this lorikeets beak, I guess it is ok for him to be out and about at this time of the day unescorted.
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THANK YOU FOR VIEWING. HAVE A GREAT DAY.
Wonderful walk! It's all so new and awesome for me, thanks for going into detail about the animals especially the purple swamp hens!
I adore this photo, the expression on the duck's face in the background...soooo cute :)
Many thanks for the lovely response to this blog @lyndsaybowes It’s great seeing the different animals, birds and landscapes from other parts of the world isn’t it? 😊
It sure is Trudee, I'm grateful for the internet every day... <3 And Steemit!
Me too Lyndsay. When the internet is used to enhance our lives, its a good thing.
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Thanks for joining Wednesday Walk and what a beautiful area and such cool sights on your walk am glad you took me along with you
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Oh.....that’s very generous of you @tattoodjay Thanks very much indeed. I’m glad you enjoyed your walk around the Sandgate Lagoon.
Hm, something went wrong with the comment, but I think I`ve managed to send the tip ;)
The tip has been gratefully received. Thank you @tipu
@trudeehuncter so beautiful is this bird century or national park?
Thank you @jannatehimachal The area is not a Bird sanctuary or a national park. Its a fairly small area of land and I think the lagoon might be man made but the wildlife have found safety there.
@trudeehunter Thanks for this information :)
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This park is as beautiful as it;s name.......I really like the sound of the word Lagoon. And those birds are magnificent especially the last one. I find very interesting the fact about their beak 🌸💖🌸
Thanks so much @lensveganliving I believe its an aboriginal name but couldn't find the meaning in my research. I only just discovered the detail about the lorikeets beak when I prepared this blog.
It's interesting how we learn new things not only by reading blogs, but also writing them 💖😊💖
That's so true Lena and I find the research part of blogging very enjoyable.