Kelly's Swamp now and then

One of the best birding spots in Canberra - at least in drier times - is Kellys Swamp in Fushwick.  A map of this  this spot isprovided by COG.

As the current period is not dry, or even drier, anywhere East of the Nullabor Plain there are not so many birds around now.  However a visit yeserday did provide a couple of nice images.
Here we have a Sacred Kingfisher perched on a fishing spot, being viewed with great suspicion by one of the largest Eastern Long-necked Tortoises I have ever seen.  Although Sacred Kingfishers are generally regarded as a woodland species this one seemed to having great success catching prey from the water.  Whether it was catching small fish or dragonflies I don't know.

Closer to the hide I was in (yclept Cygnus) an adult and chick Purple Swamphen were grazing around the grass.

That is now.  For a view of "then" I found this article rather interesting.

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