Sassafras Gully Fungi – 24 June 2020

Posted on July 11, 2020 by Dave Noble

This was a return to Sassafras Gully at Springwood to look for and photograph fungi. I entered the valley via the track at Sassafras Gully Road, walked down as far as the Lagoon and exited via the Wiggins Track.

Hygrocybe anomola var. anomola

At first sight, there was not too much fungi visible, but with a lot of searching, sometimes well off the track, I found reasonable amount. The trip started well. At one spot higher up the side creek, before the Sassafras Gully Road Track meets the Victory Track, I found some waxcaps, a number of Porpolomopsis lewelliniae out. Continue reading →

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Malabar Headland – Birds, Whales and Dolphins – 23 June 2020

Posted on July 11, 2020 by Dave Noble

I had a pleasant and interesting day out on Malabar Headland. I was looking for the Peregrine Falcons, but also on the lookout for other raptors and any whales that happened to cruise past on their northern migration.

I made my way into the National Park. At Magic Point, I saw a Gannet fly past. Continue reading →

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Fantastic Fungi at Bola Creek – 22 June 2020

Posted on July 10, 2020 by Dave Noble

I spent a nice day at Bola Creek photographing fungi. Like on previous trips, I walked down from Waterfall Station via the Couranga Track.

Its the time of year when waxcaps come out, and I was not disappointed. A lot were out. Here are some that I saw – Continue reading →

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Wolli Creek Nature Walk – 21 June 2020

Posted on July 10, 2020 by Dave Noble

Time to have a wander along Wolli Ck and see what is out – fungi, birds and orchids.

I started off at the Bexley North end of the Two Valleys Track and went down a little way past Turrella Reserve. A short way down the track I came across a nice cluster of waxcaps. They were Hygrocybe batesii – Continue reading →

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More Birds and Whales – Cape Baily Walk – 20 June 2020

Posted on July 8, 2020 by Dave Noble

I joined my friends John and Chuin Nee and their two boys Jasper and Sebastian for a walk from Cape Solander at Kurnell out to Cape Baily and back. We were joined by Enmoore and Su Li who had cycled out to Cape Solander.

It was a pleasant day spent watching whales and birds and enjoying the fine views from the coastal cliffs. But a lot of other people had the same idea – the car park was crowded and there were lots of people at the lookout and all along the track – but there was plenty of room to read out. Continue reading →

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Birds and Whales at Bundeena – 19 June 2020

Posted on July 8, 2020 by Dave Noble

I joined Digi Dave for a photo-walk day at Bundeena. We visited Bonnie Vale and then The Balconies at the sea cliffs. Both venues are in Royal National Park.

Northern Giant-Petrel

At Bonnie Vale, we first visited the wetlands. We saw a number of Ibis and Spoonbills. We then walked out along the track towards the outlet of the Cabbage Tree Basin. There we saw a number of birds. Here is a Little Pied Cormorant – Continue reading →

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Chert Mine and Blair Athol Mine at Mt Victoria – 18 June 2020

Posted on July 8, 2020 by Dave Noble

This was an interesting walk with Bob. It was one we had thought of doing for a fair while, but had not got around to doing due to various factors such as bushfires and Covid. Our main objective was to visit the chert mine at the base of Victoria Pass and then traverse the ridge to Sugarloaf Mountain.

So we parked at the second (lower) arrestor bed near the bottom of Victoria Pass. From there we started ascending. We soon reached an old road type formation. It may have once been a railway formation for the chert mine. We followed it up and soon reached a quarry. This was the old chert mine. Chert was once used as a road material, but was soon replaced with blue metal (basalt). Continue reading →

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Fungi at Sassafras Gully – 17 June 2020

Posted on July 6, 2020 by Dave Noble

Two days earlier, I had met Meg, who was collecting waxcaps for the herbarium at Ferndale Park. She invited me to join her on another collecting trip at Sassafras Gully at Springwood. The weather forecast was not that good – rain after about 11 am. So we started off down the Wiggins Track.

We soon arrived at the creek and the junction with the main track. We found quite a few waxcaps out. Here are some – Continue reading →

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Lots of Fungi at Bola Creek – 16 June 2020

Posted on July 5, 2020 by Dave Noble

I visited Bola Creek again to see what fungi was out. I walked down the Couranga Track from Waterfall and returned the same way. During my visit I found a fair amount of fungi out, including many species of waxcaps.

Here are some of the waxcaps – Continue reading →

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Fungi at Chatswood – 15 June 2020

Posted on July 5, 2020 by Dave Noble

I spent an interesting day at the Chatswood area looking for and photographing fungi. I started at Ferndale Park, and then after lunch, I haded to Blue Gum Creek and checked that out. Both areas were quite good.

This waxcap – Humidicutis sp. is the same one I photographed on 10th June. You can see it starting to change to pink.

At Ferndale Park, I met Nicholas and Simon from Willoughby Council, and Meg with two student volunteers, Alisha and Emmy who were collecting waxcaps for the Herbarium. I was able to show then some of the interesting fungi that can be found in the park. Continue reading →

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