Chestnut Teal males have a wonderfully, almost fluorescent green head, set-off by some very red eyes. They are a truly handsome bird. Their green comes alive when the light hits it properly giving it a shimmering effect like the finest dress satin. They are also a species of duck that tolerates high salinity, which means they are often seen in estuaries and bays. So I was not that surprised when I saw their magnificent green heads on a rainy, wet Saturday in Huskisson at the Jervis Bay Maritime Museum. As the saying goes on a rainy day, it was good weather for ducks. Although those teals were wild, they were accustomed to the presence of humans walking around making them easy to approach. While one male eyed me warily I was able to take the photograph above, catching its wary stare back at me. I was happy to get a shot showing the shimmering green, even if the light was not great due to the grey rain clouds. I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.
We once again visited the coast to have some warmer weather than Canberra. Unfortunately, there was rain on the coast but we still enjoyed a walk around the getaway destination of Huskisson, which is small town situated on the shores of the picturesque Jervis Bay. Although, with sporadic rain showers blowing in throughout the day, it was very hard to see the famous scenic bay in front of us. Wandering down to the public park at the mouth of Currambene Creek, I could see there were a group of birds on the natural sandspit jutting out from the other side of the creek. The birds were a mix of cormorants and terns, no doubt content with less human activity on that wet day.
Birds on a sandspit at the mouth of Currambene Creek
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 500, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
We walked east around the point at Huskisson to the beach below the town. We watched while the rain showers swept in across the bay reducing visibility. In the photograph below a Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) was perched on a buoy rising and falling with the waves while behind the clouds have covered the prominent Point Perpendicular and one of the largest ships in the Royal Australian Navy.
Great Cormorant on a buoy off the shore from Huskisson
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 320, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/800 SEC])
Eventually the rain drove us from the beach, so we retreated under cover in a cafe until the skies cleared again. When there was a break in the weather we drove to the Jervis Bay Maritime Museum that had a mangrove boardwalk within its grounds. Walking along the wood path it held us above the slowly incoming tide that had already inundated most of the ground around the wide mangrove forest. Nearing where the path terminated at a platform with a two-rung fence we started seeing a number of Common Toadfish (Tetractenos hamiltoni) swimming in the slowly incoming waters. The toadfish either did not care about being close to the surface or assumed their camouflage would keep them safe because they were swimming in an obvious group just below the surface. I photographed one of the fish and I was surprised at the reasonable clarity I was able to achieve.
Common Toadfish seen from above the surface
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1250, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
A patch of lichen growing on a mangrove tree caught my attention. It reminded me of a Spanish Moss dripping down from a tree in a Hollywood movie set in the US’s southern swamps or bayous. The drops of rain in the background emphasised the damp nature of the day but probably bought welcome moisture to the lichen.
Lichen on a mangrove tree while the rain falls
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1250, 255mm, f/7.1 and 1/400 SEC])
Close to the shore, almost into the salt marsh a Spotted Smooth Shore Crab (Paragrapsus laevis) appeared to be half-buried in sand. Initially, it looked like it had come off badly in a fight with a predator and was missing limbs. However, it may have also been scavenging food from within the sand and its limbs were only buried. Being a burrow-living crab maybe it was in the process of conducting much need repairs to its home. Looking from above it did seem to be slowly moving but that could have been the water rippling over its top.
Spotted Smooth Shore Crab searching in the sand
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1250, 400mm, f/7.1 and 1/400 SEC])
After the mangrove boardwalk we took a stroll around the substantial fish pen that also doubles as the exhibit displaying how local workers used to build boats at Huskisson. Some of those boats were displayed at the behind the maritime museum. I was happy to see a number of duck species using the water including Chestnut Teals and Pacific Black Ducks.
Wharf in the old boat harbour at the Jervis Bay Maritime Museum
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1250, 100mm, f/7.1 and 1/400 SEC])
A few of the Chestnut Teals (Anas castanea) were out of the water including the one at the top of this post. I was also able to take a photograph of one of the males swimming in the pond. The males have wonderful colours while the females are more subdued, resembling both sexes of the Grey Teal. While males will help defend the nest and care for the young once they are hatched only the female incubates the eggs in the nest. The need for the female to remain hidden on the next is probably why she has evolved better camouflage so that she can sit quietly on the nest, which may be in a tree or on the ground.
Chestnut Teal male swimming in the rain
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1250, 255mm, f/7.1 and 1/400 SEC])
That Saturday was another quick trip to the coast in less than ideal weather but I was glad that I took my camera with me. I was particularly happy that I was able to photograph the gorgeous male Chestnut Teals and make an effort to show their wonderful colours. I have photographed them previously but their colours make them such a wonderful subject, even on a rainy coastal day.
Thanks for reading this post and thanks also for looking at my photos. I hope you come back again to read more about some of the wonderful natural things that the south coast of New South Wales has on offer. All the best until the next post.