Archive for April, 2007

Most people would be able to identify a pelican if shown a photo of one. In fact, most people really love pelicans and enjoy watching them on rivers, lakes, ponds and the ocean. Many would count them as one of their favourite birds. In Australia they would be instantly recognisable to most people because they are so common in many parts of the country where there is suitable habitat.

So what has this to do with writing?

Samela Harris is a regular columnist for South Australia’s daily newspaper, The Advertiser. She also writes for the literary pages of the paper. Samela has compiled a lovely little site as a photographic tribute to the pelicans of Victor Harbor, the coastal town just south of Adelaide where she lives. She has included many beautiful photos as well as links to this popular coastal town and holiday destination.

Australian Pelican

The literary connection does not end there. Samela is the daughter of well known poet and former bookseller, Max Harris. Furthermore, her father was a contemporary writer of another great South Australian poet, teacher and children’s author, Colin Thiele. Colin’s best known work is “Storm Boy”, the fictional story of a boy who has a pet pelican. The ever popular movie of the book was filmed in the Coorong National Park and at Goolwa, only a short distance from Victor Harbor.

Links:

• Aussie Pelicans – with photos by Samela Harris
• Victor Harbor Tourism – plenty of information for the visitor.
• Granite Island Recreation Park – at Victor Harbor you can walk across a long causeway to Granite Island about one kilometre off the coast. Walking trails cover the perimeter of the island with spectacular views in all directions. Granite Island has a breeding colony of Little Penguins. This is a must if visiting Victor Harbor.
• Colin Thiele – many items of interest about Colin Thiele, including tributes on his death last year.

Aesop was a Greek storyteller. He was born around about 620BC. His stories are known as fables which are stories that have a moral to them. I knew a few of them but I did not realise he had written so many that included birds until I came across this lovely little website called Cockatiel Cottage. The rest of the site is dedicated to looking after Cockatiels.

I write regularly about birds on my birding blog. Check it out – if only for the photos of Australian birds.

Galahs