I spent a nice day wandering around the tracks at Oatley Park. There was a lot to see plenty of birds, orchids and lots of Water Dragons.
This visit, I walked from Oatley Station, and started off along the lower track to Jew Fish Bay. On the way, I bumped into Allen, who I know from NPA bushwalking. He also had his camera. I then continued on the track around the headland, then made circuit of the road around the headland visiting Websters Lookout and Hills Peak Lookout (where I stopped for lunch), then down the road to Lime Kiln Bay, and from there along the western track to the Lime Kiln Bay Wetlands. Then along the road to Frog Hollow, then up the track and back to the top entrance.
Anyway, here are some of the birds I saw –
White-browed Scrubwrens
Variegated Fairywrens
Striated Thornbill
White-faced Heron
Laughing Kookaburra
Pacific Koel
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Tawny Frogmouths
Olive-backed Orioles
And here are some flowers and trees. There was abundant Christmas Bush in full bloom.
Here are some orchids –
Bonnet Orchid – Cryptostylis erecta
Hyacinth Orchid – Dipodium variegatum
Bearded Orchid – Calochilus gracimillus
A nice spider –
And some of the Eastern Water Dragons –
This one seems to have a rather large parasite – perhaps a tick? These seem to be common on these lizards, and I don’t think they unduly harm them. See more ticks in the first lizard photos.
It is always nice to spend some time in this nice bushland park.