#45 A snake by a swamp

I rarely see a snake when I'm out walking, and when I do, it's usually the tail disappearing into the undergrowth beside my feet. Such a sight usually scares the daylights out of me, so I was thrilled to encounter a snake basking on a wide track adjacent to a swamp recently. "Thrilled" because the reptile was easily noticed from a safe distance so as not to produce the usual initial response of fear.

Swamp Snake at Shortlands Wetland Centre

And it was a snake that I had previously not seen, making the observation even more exciting. The Swamp Snake (or Marsh Snake, or Black-bellied Swamp Snake), Hemiaspis signata, is apparently relatively common in the Hunter region.

Only a small species, it averages 50cm in length, although longer specimens have been recorded. Their preferred habitat is, as their name suggests, marshy country and wet forests. This species will aggregate in large numbers in areas of suitable habitat such as rubbish dumps.

The Swamp Snake is mainly diurnal in habit and principally feeds on frogs and skinks. Mating occurs in late autumn, winter and spring, with live young being produced in late summer. They are found along the east coast of New South Wales and Queensland.

Two colour forms occur: brown to olive-brown, and dark olive-grey to black. A narrow white, cream to yellow streak extends from snout or eye to side of neck. This was the feature that allowed me to identify the snake. It is not regarded as dangerously venomous.

An up-close view of the yellow face streak

My Swamp Snake sighting was at Hunter Wetlands Centre, formerly known as Shortland Wetlands Centre. 45 hectares have been preserved as a wildlife refuge with approximately 250 species of native birds and animals having been recorded.

The project of rehabilitating a degraded wetland was undertaken in 1986 and has progressed into a valuable conservation area with the added aim of increasing understanding of and appreciation for wetlands through communication, education and public awareness.

It really is a fabulous place to take the whole family to enjoy nature up close, and my husband and I have purchased an annual family pass and are making good use of unlimited visitation.

The Swamp Snake disappears into the grass

An unexpected encounter with a snake can be a frightening experience, but if you stand still at a safe distance, you might be rewarded by the chance to observe these beautiful and sleek, but misunderstood, creatures.

#44 A disappointing bird tale

My husband, Grahame, has recently taken up the hobby of bird photography. This has resulted in not only obtaining a close up view of some of Australia's beautiful birds, but an introduction into some of the intricate details of their lives. [Note: all photos in this entry are by Grahame.]

Female Rufous Whistler at Broke in the Hunter Valley

We found a nest of Rufous Whistlers (Pachycephala rufiventris) at a reserve at Broke in the Hunter Valley, and sat back, relaxing, observing these busy little birds raising their family.

The nest was a small, flimsy, cup-shaped construction made from grasses or very fine twigs, sitting in a low fork of a very young eucalypt. I have since read that the nest is secured to the tree fork with spider's webs, and close inspection of photographs shows this ingenious building technique on the right-hand side of the 4th picture here.

A back view of the female Rufous Whistler

There is a marked difference in appearance of sexes of the Rufous Whistler. The male is unlikely to be confused with any other bird with its black face and breast band, white bib, grey wings and back, and rusty brown/orange belly. The female, although more subtle in colour, is definitely not a drab bird with its attractive streaked underparts.

Male and female are both about 17cm long, and rather stocky. Their call is loud and cheery, and once we were accustom to their tuneful song, it was easily recognised.

Distinctive colours of the male Rufous Whistler

With the nest low in the tree, we felt privileged to have an excellent unobstructed view into their lives. Clearly, there were two young in the nest with eyes barely opened. Mum and dad left the chicks unattended while they both flew off hunting for insects, and we were amazed at the array of food they offered the gaping mouths of their offspring.

Mum returns with a large winged insect.....

.....and places it well down the throat of the chick

It is likely that the Rufous Whistler is affected by land clearing, but it appears to be quite capable of adapting, making use of available trees and shrubbery in farmland and residential areas. Now that we have learned to recognise its call, we have heard the Rufous Whistler in several locations.

According to records, the Rufous Whistler is found throughout Australia except in Tasmania and the most arid of environments. I have not seen these active little birds on the ground, other than to bath; and as with most birds, it is an entertaining sight to watch them bathing.

A male Rufous Whistler comes down to bath.....

.....and he really gets down and wet

But this bird tale has a disappointing ending: we returned 6 days later to observe the progress of the Rufous Whistler family only to find the nest empty. Although the chicks apparently do not spend a long time in the nest, we observed the male and female at length without sighting the two youngsters.

I can only presume that the chicks were taken by a cat, goanna or another bird. If they ended up as a feed for a goanna or native bird, that's life in the wild, but too often cats are the cause of native animal loss. Fortunately, the Rufous Whistler's status is secure.

As two broods are often produced in a season, we plan to revisit the nest site. Observing the nesting activities of our native birds from a reasonable distance so as not to disturb or stress them, provides a fabulous opportunity to learn more about our wildlife. Learning about our wildlife increases awareness and respect for the value of preserving or reproducing habitat as human persuits encroach further on the lives of our native birds and animals.