Felixstow Reserve

This past weekend we spent a little time at Felixstow Reserve investigating the wildlife at this new wetland development and the adjacent creek. There was a good turn out and we managed to increase the number of species from 8 to 61 with many birds and insect species recorded for the first time in the park, this included many species common to Adelaides Metropolitan parks including the Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa, Cabbage White Pieris rapae and Common Halfband Melangyna viridiceps to name a few.

I was amazed by several species that our new citizen scientist found and showed me including a caterpillar and some interesting insects including a collection of Hemiptera. In the new wetland, I heard an Australian reed warbler Acrocephalus australis but it was far too shy to get a photograph.

Our efforts also increase the number of observations in the park from 11 to 139, substantially improving knowledge of the local biodiversity within the park. With the Pacific Black Duck now the most observed species in the park. This brief excursion demonstrates the power of citizen science to increase our knowledge of local biodiversity within urban communities while providing a connection between people and increasing biodiversity awareness in the community. Check out the latest observations at Felixstow Reserve.