Taronga Zoo – Visit on 17 January 2023

Posted on January 19, 2023 by Dave Noble

This was another very pleasant and interesting day at Taronga Zoo.

I went there with Sue and Valerie. Continue reading →

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Nurragingy Reserve – 16 January 2023

Posted on January 19, 2023 by Dave Noble

I thought it was about time to visit Nurragingy Reserve at Doonside again. I arrived there about 10 am and then started wandering around. It seemed pretty quiet.

I first looked in the main ponds in the garden section. There were not that many waterbirds. Continue reading →

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Cooks River Walk and visit to Sydney Park – 14 January 2023

Posted on January 15, 2023 by Dave Noble

Sue had got in touch, she was heading out for a walk down the Cooks River. Would Valerie and myself like to join her? We did, and we all met up near Marrickville Golf Course.

We first visited The Dibble Street Waterhole – but we spotted no interesting birds there, so we continued to the Tawny Frogmouths in the Golf Course. Continue reading →

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Tempe Bird Survey – 14 January 2023

Posted on January 15, 2023 by Dave Noble

I joined the Tempe Birdos for their monthly bird survey. This month I was in the group surveying the Tempe Wetlands.

During most of the survey it was raining, so a lot of birds were under shelter in the vegetation.  Here are some of the birds we saw – Continue reading →

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Walking near Kurnell (and Taren Point) – 12 January 2023

Posted on January 15, 2023 by Dave Noble

Valerie had been on the Greenway Bird Survey, and after it we had planned to meet Sue and head out to Kurnell for a walk along the coastal cliffs in Kamay – Botany Bay National Park.

Valerie drove us to the car park at Cape Solander, and then we set off south along the track towards Cape Baily. At first, it was a bit cloudy. Continue reading →

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Greenway Bird Survey – 12 January 2023

Posted on January 15, 2023 by Dave Noble

The Greenway Bird Survey – along the Greenway between Taverners Hill and Hawthorne had been shifted this month from Wednesday to Thursday. I was up early and able to attend.

Here are some of the birds we saw –

Spotted Pardalote

Red Wattlebird Continue reading →

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Birds at Sydney Park – 11 January 2023

Posted on January 15, 2023 by Dave Noble

I spent a pleasant few hours in the afternoon at Sydney Park photographing mainly the bird life.

At the Island Pond, I saw the Australian White Ibis still nesting. Continue reading →

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Magnifying Glass Canyon – 10 January 2023

Posted on January 15, 2023 by Dave Noble

This was the fifth day of our canyoning trip – but by now we were in the Central Blue Mountains rather than the Northern Blue Mountains. Bob and myself decided to visit Magnifying Glass Canyon. My only previous visit to this canyon had been in 2005. It was time for another look.

The previous night we had camped at Mt Wilson. We were entertained by a pair of Satin Bowerbirds that morning. Continue reading →

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Day 4 – Northern Blue Mountains Canyoning – 9 January 2023

Posted on January 15, 2023 by Dave Noble

Our intention on this day was to visit Rocky Creek Canyon. But that is a rather short trip, so we first visited two short canyons, not too far away.

The first two canyons can be visited a number of ways. It is possible to abseil down one, and then climb up and out of the second. Or you can do, as we did this time, climb down the second and walk up the first to the base of the abseil and then back out the same way. The abseil is down a narrow slot and not that nice, and missing it also avoids  a short but cold swim. Continue reading →

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Day 3 – Northern Blue Mountains Canyoning – 8 January 2023

Posted on January 15, 2023 by Dave Noble

On the third day of our canyoning trip, we visited the canyon section in the West Branch of Deanes Creek. Bob had not visited this canyon before, but I could recall a trip with Rob Hynes, probably around 2004, where we had visited the canyon from lower down the creek and walked and swum up it, and then climbed out the top. I could recall the canyon as being quite easy, but having several swims.

We also planned to look for an Aboriginal site, that I had heard about from Alan and Megan Pryke on a trip they had done down this branch of Deanes Creek around that same time. I had been on a trip to visit the upper part of this branch, but we had missed the cave. Continue reading →

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