I was planning another day of bird photography at Sydney Olympic Park combined with some bike riding for exercise, and then I heard from Irene abut some Basket Fungi she had seen at Rhodes. I thought the two could be combined.
I took my bike on the train to Rhodes and then rode the short distance to Kokoda Park. Nearby, I found the Basket Fungi. This is the first time I have seen these amazing organisms. These ones are Ileodictyon gracile. They are a type of stinkhorn. And like stinkhorn they emerge from “egg” shaped structures.
I counted at least 20 of them in the one small area and about that number of unhatched eggs. There is another member of the genus that also occurs locally but that has a more wrinkled appearance.
The baskets (or cages or lattices) are simply a way the fungus uses to disperse it spores.
I then headed back to Rhodes Station. I had to cross the railway line, but a train was due soon, so I took it to travel back to North Strathfield. I then cycled down to Mason Park Wetlands. There were not that many birds around, so I continued on to Bicentennial Park and the waterbird refuge. There were the usual Pied Stilts and Teals. From the hide I could see a number of Black-fronted Dotterels, but they were all a fair way out.
I then cycled around Wentworth Common, and tried to go to the Brickpit but it was still closed. So I headed to Newington and along the Parramatta River. Again – repot quiet for birds. So I cycled back to Bicentennial Park. At the Shipwreck Lookout, I saw an Australasian Darter drying its wings. I stayed to see if it would take off – but it seemed content on its perch.
Some Superb Fairy-wrens were more active nearby.
And there were more at the Bird Hide.
Further along I photographed A Black Swan, A Spoonbill and some Chestnut Teals.
My last stop was Lake Belvedere. Here, there were a lot of nesting birds. Mainly Cormorants and Darters.
