Malabar Headland Walk – 28 August 2023

Brian Everingham was put on a walk to Malabar Headland National Park on the walks program of the National Parks Association of NSW. Of course I went on it. As well as the Peregrine Falcons, we saw a beautiful display of wild flowers.

In the party was Brian, Valerie, Chris and Mary, Paul, Sue, Margaret, Hean Lay, Rose, Lance and Rosylyn, and myself. We met at the south end of Maroubra Beach and were soon walking along the track into the park. Here are some birds we saw early on –

New Holland Honeyeaters

Superb Fairy-wren

And some flowers –

We stopped first on Magic Point –

Pigface

 Coast Groundsel –Senecio lautus subsp. maritimus

Then in the distance, we spotted a Peregrine Falcon coming our way.

It landed on the cliff nearby. It was the female.

Nearby was a survey mark –

I wondered how old this was. Friend Alex Allchin who works in the surveying field found this old map showing trig stations in Cumberland / Sydney from 1889, shows location of 929, which corresponds to the location of this marker.

The Headland would have been accurately surveyed for the World War II defence structures, and also later for the Sewer Ocean Outfall.

We continued on our way.

Here is the Dead Mans Gulch dyke –

A bit further along we spotted a flying Peregrine Falcon.

It landed on the cliffs near Magic Point. We also spotted a second one near it.

Then one took off and flew past.

And both were flying.

We continued on to Boora Point.

It was good to see some orchid flowers out – Thelymitra ixioides –

We then did the circuit through the Malabar Battery

Back on the track between Magic Point and Boora Point, Sue and myself decided to stay longer to watch the Peregrine Falcons. The others walked back to Maroubra Beach.

Sue and myself sat on the cliffs and had lunch. We saw some whales –

And a New Holland Honeyeater –

And more whale tail slaps –

And here, the male Peregrine Falcon flies past –

It did some great flying at very high speed –

It landed –

And later took off –

We noticed a dead bird floating below in the sea. It seemed to be attracting some fish.

And another fly by –

And a few last photos –

Little Black Cormorants

Australasian Gannet

Thanks to Brian for putting on the walk, and to Valerie for a lift over to the beach, and also for Sue for keeping me company later in the day.