Lifers

Not only one lifer, but two lifers.  How about that!!! (as Mish would say).

The Rower and I took a day off today.  My spice grinder has ground its last piece of cinnamon; my food processor has given up processing (almost); and I needed a stick blender so badly, I couldn't live another day without one.  So we went shopping.  It was great fun.

Then we went to Mt. Barker for a shirt for Rower, and of course stopped off at Laratinga.  This lovely Red Rumped Parrot is lifer # 1.  Not actually in Laratinga but on the lawn opposite.

Once in Laratinga itself we saw a Freckled Duck - only Australia's rarest duck, that's all!  That's lifer # 2 - and it's in extras because the Rower has it as his main, and another view of Rumpy in his extras.

Here's the info on the Duck

Australia’s rarest waterfowl, the Freckled Duck breeds in swamps in inland Australia. When these wetlands dry out in the summer months, the Freckled Ducks are forced to disperse towards coastal and subcoastal wetlands, usually swamps where there is much fallen timber that they can loaf amongst. Sometimes, if there is a drought, there may be few of these wetlands available for them, so they may congregate into flocks on whatever wetlands are available, sometimes giving the impression that they are more common than they really are.


And Here's the info on the parrot - which really was the prettiest little thing.

The Red-rumped Parrot feeds in pairs or small flocks on the ground, preferring seeds and leaves of grasses. It also will feed on seeds, fruits and flowers in trees. Often seen feeding in suburban parks around Melbourne. They will feed with other parrots, including Eastern Rosellas and Galahs.
Breeding: 
Red-rumped Parrots mate for life. The female chooses and prepares the nesting site, usually a hollow in a eucalypt tree (but will sometimes use a nest-box or other artificial site). Eggs are laid on a decayed wood bed and the female incubates the eggs while the male regularly feeds her. The young can be fed for a while after they fledge.