Two Valleys Walk – Wolli Ck and Cooks River – 10 August 2021

Day 45 of lockdown. For my exercise break, I felt like a good walk. So I set off for the Cooks River. My intention was to walk up to the Boat Harbour, then up Cup and Saucer Creek, across the hill to Wolli Creek at Illoura Reserve. Then walk down the Two Valleys Track, all the way along Wolli Ck to the junction with the Cooks River at Waterworth Park, then walk home via the Cooks River.

This was a nice loop walk of about 18 km. The weather was beautiful. A warm winter day.

On the first bit of the walk, I noticed the Younger Avenue Tawny Frogmouths were now nesting. I only spotted one bird.

Here is the Cooks River, looking upstream to the Boat Harbour.

It was easy to spot the Tawny Frogmouths at the Boat Harbour. Perched in different trees, but not far apart.

I crossed the Cooks River at the old Sugar Mill.

At Cup and Saucer Creek, I saw a gang of Noisy Miners harassing a Magpie Lark.

Here is the old waterfall in Cup and Saucer Creek –

I walked upstream, pleasant walking through a nice set of parks.

Some Rainbow Lorikeets were fighting over a hollow.

Contining on my way, the creek becomes a lot smaller.

I then crossed a busy road, and walked over a hill to join Wolli Ck at Illoura. There I ran into another walker, Barbara, who had some mutual friends.

Now some birds along Wolli Creek. First a New Holland Honeyeater –

And this looks like courtship behaviour of these two Grey Fantails.

Near the Bray Avenue Wetland, I watched a pair of Silvereyes.

And there was at least one Eastern Yellow Robin.

And a White-browed Scrubwren landed very close.

I stopped at Girrahween Park for lunch break. On a nearby tree, I spotted this growing. I wonder if it is the orchid Cymbidium suave?

And a Grey Butcherbird was also feeding.

A little further along the track, I photographed this small bird. I think it is a Brown Gerygone –

Next stop was the Grey-headed Flying Fox Camp.

A male flew down and landed at the end of a branch. It seemed to be trying to impress a female perched nearby.

But another male quickly came over and encouraged the first one to leave.

Now for a Silvereye with small spider.

At Turrella Reserve, I spotted an Australasian Grebe in the creek. I think this is the first one I have seen in Wolli Creek.

Turrella Reserve is home to many Superb Fairy-wrens –

Down past Jackson Place are some old stone walls. I wonder what their history is?

The track also goes past a cave used by boulderers.

On the way down to Waterworth Park, I saw this New Holland Honeyeater in a garden.

Waling back up the Cooks River, I was looking for Sacred Kingfishers. The tide was low, but I did not spot any.

Here is the historic old sewer line upstream of  Gough Whitlam Park.

Again on the lookout for Sacred Kingfishers near Illawarra Road, I spotted a Little Pied Cormorant and an Australasian Darter. 

On the mudflats, just upstream of Illawarra Road I spotted this Striated Heron.

It flew over towards the far side.

I was going that way, to continue my walk home via the Golf Course. The Heron had perched on a log, but didn’t stay long.

It had been a nice walk.