Greenway Bird Survey – 23 November 2019

Posted on December 7, 2019 by Dave Noble

I joined the local group for their monthly bird survey along the Greenway near Waratah Mills Light Rail Station.

Here are some of the birds we saw – Continue reading →

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Birds at Nurragingy Reserve – 22 November 2019

Posted on November 30, 2019 by Dave Noble

This was a very pleasant day spent at Nurragingy Reserve at Doonside. At the reserve I met up with Jan, who was there on his first visit. We later met up with Johan for a short while – and we are grateful for him for some tips in photographing a pair of beautiful Azure Kingfishers  that were bringing food back to their nest for their chicks.

When I met up with Jan, we spent some time looking for the Azure Kingfishers. We did spot them along the main creek, and managed to get some photos. By seeing where they were flying, we could work out the likely general location of their nest area. But before we could do that, we spotted Johan with his camera. He showed us the best places to wait for the birds to turn up. Patience was now required. You had to wait very still and quiet. One or both of the Kingfishers would perch reasonably close to the nest. They would have small fish in their beaks – good food for their chicks. They would often stay perched for a few minutes, and then often fly to another perch, sometimes further away from their nest area. Sometimes, if we were lucky they would perch on a branch a few metres away from their nest hole, and then after waiting a while fly with the food into the nest. Continue reading →

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Hat Hill Canyon – 21 November 2019

Posted on November 26, 2019 by Dave Noble

This was a pleasant outing with Bob visiting a nice canyon. It was a warm day, but the canyon was quite cold – particularly the swims.

When we set off from Sydney, the Cumberland Plain was enveloped in a pall of bushfire smoke. Something we have had to endure a lot recently, but minor compared to enduring a bushfire at close hand. When we arrived at Blackheath, the air was clear. We set off down the track to the start of he canyon and soon arrived at the first of three constrictions. Continue reading →

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Birds at Nepean Weir – 20 November 2019

Posted on November 26, 2019 by Dave Noble

I had not visited Nepean Weir before, and thought that since it seems a good birding site, it would be worth a visit. Also – recently, a Painted Honeyeater, a rare visitor to Sydney, had been seen there by other bird watchers.

It was a short, easy walk from Penrith Station to the Reserve. I arrived not long after 8:30 am and followed the path from the picnic area down to the weir and then downstream along the river. At the weir where a few birds – a Great Egret and a few teals and coots. Continue reading →

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Birds at the Northern Beaches – 18 November 2019

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Dave Noble

This was another full day spent in the Northern Beaches photographing birds. I set off with several aims on this trip – one of them being to photograph a Crimson Chat that had been seen near Long Reef. On an earlier trip, I had looked for it – but on that visit a lot of dogs were off leash in the area and few birds were around.

I set off early, and caught a B-line bus to Dee Why, and then changed to local bus and went a bit further along Pittwater Road and got off near the Long Reef Surf Club. I walked out past the golf course and looked closer to the beach for the Chat. I was surprised and lucky – I spotted it straight away. I was looking for food and soon found a caterpillar. It then flew off with it. Continue reading →

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North Lawson Walk – 17 November 2019

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Dave Noble

This was a short, but very pleasant walk around part of the Waterfall Circuit on the north side of Lawson. In the part was Wendy, Don, Elata, Pete and Steph.

We first walked down to Dantes Glen and looked at the waterfall – it was hardly flowing. But the location was nice and cool in a deep ravine. Continue reading →

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Nature at Oatley Park – 15 Nov 2019

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Dave Noble

This was a pleasant day spent at Oatley Park with Digi Dave. It was more hot weather, so we took it easy, visiting some of the lookouts and then the wetlands in Lime Kiln Bay. Then a short drive to Oatley Hotel for their $9.90 tradies lunch, and then back for a walk around Lime Kiln Bay.

Early on we spotted two Sacred Kingfishers, at separate lookouts. The first was at the lookout above Jewfish Bay. Continue reading →

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Grand and Jugglers Canyons – 14 November 2019

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Dave Noble

The forecast was for a warm day, but not a heatwave. Blue Mountains National Park had been closed due to a catastrophic fire forecast, but that closure was due to end at midnight the day before. Bob and myself headed up the Mountains with the intention of visiting Jugglers and Grand Canyons.

However, when we headed out to Point Pilcher Road, we found a barrier closed and sign saying the National Park was closed. After an unsuccessful phone call, we drove around to Evans Lookout Road. There we found no barriers or park closed signs, so assumed the park staff had not had time to open the barrier on the other road. So we set off from the Grand Canyon carpark above Neates Glen. We were soon at the start of the canyon. Continue reading →

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Taronga Zoo – 13 November 2019

Posted on November 19, 2019 by Dave Noble

The Zoo is always a pleasant place to visit. This visit my main aim was to photograph some of the baby animals.

Here are some of the animals – Continue reading →

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Malabar Headland – 11 November 2019

Posted on November 19, 2019 by Dave Noble

While the juvenile Peregrine Falcons are still around, its worth making visits to see them at Malabar Headland. This visit was on a fairly windy day, and that seems to have made the Falcons more active – flying and interacting. But also, as they get older, they are ranging further away from their home area near their nest ledge. Also, like their parents, they can spend long periods of time perched on ledges and patience is required.

On the way out, near the Park entrance – a Superb Fairy-wren – Continue reading →

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