Wolli Creek and Cooks River Walk – 30 May 2022

I was originally intending to head up to the Blue Mountains for a fungi walk, but the weather up there looked bad, and there was rain approaching on the radar, so I changed plans and echoed to do local walk where I could be flexible if bad weather arrived. As it turns out I had quite a reasonable day. I carried a tripod and macro lens for fungi, but ended up photographing more birds than fungi.

The fungi was not as good as it had been a week before. Some was still out, but most had vanished and little more had emerged.

I caught a bus to bexley North and set off along the Two Valleys Track. At Illoura, I saw flock of Red-browed Finches –

And here is a King Parrot –

Further along, I saw an Eastern Yellow Robin –

I found very little fungi out in the first section, Below Girrahween Park, I went to one of the spots we had found fungi earlier. It was still there –

Ramariopsis crocea

Downstream, near the rock climbing crag, there was still some coral fungi out, and little else.

Clavulinopsis amoena

Lower down, I stopped to photograph some birds –

Golden Whistler

White-browed Scrubwren

And below Jackson Place  I spotted a very small waxcap – Hygrocybe sp.

In Waterworth Park, a the junction of Wolli Creek and the Cooks River, I spotted a Sacred Kingfisher.

However, it did not stay long, soon flying across the river.

At Gough Whitlam Park and lot of Welcome Swallows were flying around hunting for insects.

A Great Egret was perched on the island in the Billabong.

And a Little Egret was flying up the river.

Walking upstream,I saw a Little Pied Cormorant –

And in the section downstream from Illawarra Road, I spotted another Sacred Kingfisher. I spent some time watching and photographing it.

When it flew a across the river, I resumed my walk upstream. At the H J Mahoney Memorial Park two Scaly-breasted Lorikeets flew over.

An Australasian Darter was drying its wings.

And a Willie Wagtail was hunting.

And I deviated to Bruce St, near the Golf Course to see if I could spot any Tawny Frogmouths. I saw one.