I once again headed out with Sue and Valerie for a birding excursion. This time we headed to Audley once again. On our last visit, we had seen a good range of birds. This visit was a lot quieter – perhaps due to hot weather. But, a hot day was forecast, and it was nice to sit in the shade at the Wattle Forest.
We spent some time watching an Azure Kingfisher hunting for fish on the fair side of the Hacking River. Unfortunately too far away for good photos. Continue reading
I met up with Sue and Valerie at Sydney Park at St Peters. We spent a pleasant few hours there looking at the local birds.
Walking down the ponds, we spotted an Australasian Darter on the gabion. Continue reading
I had a pleasant day out with Valerie and Sue, first visiting the Miss Llewella Davies Pioneer Walkway at Camden, and then visiting the Mt Annan Botanic Gardens.
Yellow-rumped Thornbill
I went on a trip with Bob and Doug to visit a very good Aboriginal art cave in the Northern Blue Mountains. Apparently, this cave, which as been called the “Cave of Many Hands” was only rediscovered relatively recently – in 2019 I think.
The amazing thing about this cave is that is that it features over 100 well preserved white hand stencils.
The trip started with a long drive and then a short walk through open woodland to reach the cave. Continue reading
I once again joined Valerie and Sue for another day of local birding. we first visited Barton Park, then went to Gough Whitlam Park on the Cooks River, and later, upstream to the Boat Harbour.
Easier in the day, I had met up with Sue at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney where we had looked unsuccessfully for the Powerful Owls. After this we headed to Martin Place and caught a bus to Abbotsford – where we visited Hen and Chicken Bay to look for the Bar-tailed Godwits that often feed there at this time of the year during low tide.
We would have spotted about 50 of the migratory Godwits as we walked along the Bay. Some, like the one in the photo above are showing signs of breeding plumage. Continue reading
Another hot day was forecast. I was keen to head outside, so caught a bus to Canterbury, then walked the short dance down the Cooks River to the Boat Harbour. There is plenty of if shade there, and I had timed my visit for the low tide when I hoped some birds may be hunting for fish.
Pelican Continue reading
I had been planning this trip for a while, but had not had a suitable time to go. It had either been too hot or two rough for the ferry trips. The plan was to meet at Circular Quay, then catch the ferry to Manly. Then the bus to Palm Beach. Net the ferry from Palm Beach to Ettalong. Then a bus to Woy Woy and a train home to Sydney. I was joined by Sue and Valerie.
Here, the ferry is just setting off from Circular Quay. Continue reading
I joined Sue for another visit to the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney to look for the Powerful Owls.
When we arrived, some other birders had already spotted one of the Powerful Owls. It was hard to see high up in the foliage. Continue reading
I spent a very pleasant day with Valerie and Sue visiting three locations. First we went to Landing Lights Wetland at Barton Park, but didn’t stay too long – it was too hot and there was very little shade, so we then went to Gough Whitlam Park on the Cooks River, where we spent a fair bit of time, and later moved upstream to the Boat Harbour, also on the Cooks River.
