Monday, April 21, 2014

A Very Special Landscape

On our very special flight over the bay and beach area Sarah and I asked our pilot Rod if he would make sure to fly over the Patterned Fens that are just south and west of Rainbow Beach. We had both heard and read about this special landscape and wanted to see it for ourselves. These Patterned Fens can only be seen properly from the air so this was a perfect opportunity.
Patterned Fens were first discovered on Fraser Island in 1996 when a group of scientists were flying along Fraser Island after a trip out to Lady Elliot Island. These scientists had been here for a Ramsar conference and included specialists in peat bogs and fens. As they flew along Fraser Island they recognized the patterns of potholes in the fens below them. Over the next couple of days these scientists examined these fens from the ground. Up until this time such landscapes had not been seen or described on Fraser Island. Some time later similar fens were found close to Rainbow Beach and also further south on the Cooloola Coast. These Fens are unique in that they are in the sub-tropics and almost at sea level. On the sea-ward side they merge with mangroves.
When we flew over the area there was not very much water to be seen in the potholes. We had been in drought for months and everything looked like it! However by the end of the month we received 260mm+ in a period of a week. (That is  between 10 and 11 inches.) The distinctive patterns were still able to be seen. From the air it looked a bit like an area of "crazy paving"!
(All photos enlarge when clicked on.)
This first photo shows where the fens are very dry.

This photo shows some water in the potholes.

This is the area of the bay with mangroves growing very close to the fens.

For more detailed information on the Fraser Island Fens there is a very good pdf here.

I have no bird photos to show to go with these Patterned Fens but instead decided to post some photos of Pied Oystercatchers. I tend to ignore them because they are here all year round - or else I am happy with just record shots to show they are still there. (For the technically minded these are Haematopus longirostris.) There has been a pair of Pied Oystercatchers on the airport roost site for as long as I have been here. Mostly I catch distant photos of them at the far end of the beach...

...but sometimes I get close enough for a good photo.

In this area the Pied Oystercatchers seem to keep the same territory. When I arrived here the first ones I saw were on a little rocky island on the way around to the Mullens roost. This pair was here for years but have now disappeared. I photographed them first with my little Kodak 3mp camera.

There was another pair that had a territory just up Mullens Creek in a grassy patch that went underwater on high tides. This pair has disappeared as well and no other pair has taken up this territory. I don't know if the habitat has become less suitable for these birds or if there are just too many people disturbing them now.

For more scenery from around the world visit Our World Tuesday 

and for more birds visit Wild Bird Wednesday.

26 comments:

  1. they're incredibly striking birds! i am hoping the drought situation there will improve!

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    1. Thanks for commenting Therese - and the drought must have broken because I am having to mow my lawn again!

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    2. I have never heard about fens...looks very strange! Love your beautiful bird shots.

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  2. They are beautiful birds indeed, Mick, and great captures as always!! A really interesting post! I'm going to look up Fraser Island fens. Thanks for the info!! Having to mow ones lawn again is definitely a good sign that the drought must be moving on!! Hope it stays away!! Have a great week!

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  3. What interesting patterns they create. When thinking of fenland i think of the UK not Australia. really interesting post.

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  4. Beautiful oyster catchers, and how fun to see that interesting area from the air.

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  5. Quite the place and fascinating history ~ lovely birds and great photos ~ xoxo

    artmusedog and carol (A Creative Harbor)

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  6. Lovely views from the plane.. The Oystercatchers are wonderful birds, great sighting.. Enjoy your week!

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  7. So very lovely! Love those bright red beaks.

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  8. What an interesting landscape! The Oystercatches are handsome birds, and hard to overlook with those dayglow beaks!

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  9. Wonderful scenes you've shared!!! The oystercatcher beaks are so bright!!

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  10. Beautiful serie of photos for Wild Bird Wednesday!

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  11. Is fascinating to discover something new and beautiful photos of the birds.

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  12. The pie eyed oyster catchers are spectacular, beautiful shots.

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  13. Love those orange eyes and matching bills! Beautiful!

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  14. HI Mick The Oystercatcher are always a wonderful bird to photograph and these a great shots.

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  15. The oystercatchers are very beautiful birds.

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  16. I love both the sooty and pied oystercatchers with their vibrant orange beaks. Nice captures.

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  17. That last photo is really special Mick. The oystercatchers look so untroubled ven though you must be quite close. I can't tell your longirostris from our ostralegus!

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  18. really great images of the Pied Oystercatchers. Loved to see them. :)

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  19. That landscape is so different -- how great to get to see it -- something most people would never get to do. And your information so interesting. The oyster-catchers are great -- nice close-ups.

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  20. What a cool looking bird. I've never seen one (probably never will) in real life. Loving the black/red color combo, it's very striking.

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  21. The fens make up an interesting ecosystem.
    The Pied Oystercatcher is beautiful and has such a distinctive red eye!

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  22. Great Oystercatchers - I have some images of Sooty ones from my last trip away.

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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