This was an excellent trip down Sassafras Gully looking for fungi. I was accompanied by Liz, whose powers of observation located many interesting species.
Hygrocybe anomola
We entered the valley via the track at the end of Sassafras Gully Road and returned via the Wiggins Track. We walked as far as the junction with Glenbrook Creek. Continue reading
This was an interesting and quite challenging walk. A few year back I had read two SUBW walks reports that described trips under the cliffs of North Head. The two walks were led by Paul Hatton. On the first trip, the party had gone part of the way, but then they had to turn back by high tides and a high swell. They late returned and went all the way. It seemed an interesting walk. I had mentioned it to Bob as a possible future trip, and eventually it became time to do it. The tides were right – a low tide in the middle of the day, and also another friend, Norm was in town, and could join us.
The walk starts near Shelly Beach and then follows under the cliffs (most of the way) to below Fairfax Lookout. To continue you need to climb some very scary and quite dangerous old fisherman’s ladders that partly scale the cliffs. More on those later. I don’t think you can continue around to the Quarantine Station – I think the cliffs go straight to the sea in some places. Continue reading
After visiting Ferndale Park, I farewelled Ray and Elma, and walks down to the Lane Cove River at Fullers Bridge. I crossed the bridge and the followed the Riverside Track upstream to Porters Creek.
Gliophorus psittacinus
The fungi was good – particularly near Porters Creek. I was keen to see how the green waxcaps that I think are Gliophorus psittacinus were going. They were a lot large than my previous visit and I was able to get some nice photographs. Many of them had started changing to an orange colour. Here are some more photographs of them – Continue reading
On this visit to Ferndale Park I was joined by Ray and Elma from the Sydney Fungal Studies Group Inc. We had a most interesting time.
Hygrocybe aurantipes
A lot of fungi was out, including the green-pink waxcap. Here are some photos of it – Continue reading
Brian Everingham had organised a photographic walk for the National Parks Association of NSW from Bundeena to Marley and back in Royal National Park. On the trip, as well as Brian and myself were Ken, John, Valerie, Gary, Esther, Allen and James.
It was a beautiful day. We soon arrived at the Balconies and then we looked in vain for whales. With no luck, we turned our lenses to the resident population of New Holland Honeyeaters. Continue reading
This was my second visit to Ferndale Park. I was in the Chatswood area in the morning, so wandered over to the park in the afternoon. I was mainly interested in observing changes in the pink waxcaps.
Some had changed colour, but most had turned quite mushy and fallen to bits. I think this has been due to recent quite warm weather. I did find quite a few fresh ones out. Here are some photos – Continue reading
After a very worthwhile visit to Ferndale Park at Chatswood the day before, I thought it may be worth another visit along the Lane Cove River looking for fungi.
Cordyceps takaomontana
I had a pleasant and rewarding walk – from Thornleigh to the De Burgh Bridge along the Great North Walk track, then across the bridge and then along the Riverside Track to Porters Creek. I then walked to Macquarie Park Station. Continue reading
This was my first visit to Ferndale Park at Chatswood for the season. Peter Woodard had been reporting that the “pink waxcaps” had returned. This was early compared to last year, when they came out late July.
They are an interesting species, whatever they turn out to be. They start off green and then change to a pink colour as they age. I was keen to record more it it photographically. At Ferndale Park they seem to all occur in a fairly small area. Continue reading
This was another walk along the Two Valleys Track at Wolli Creek. I walked up the track from Bardwell Park, then back, and down to Turrella and ended up at Tempe. Not a lot of fungi was out compared to other areas.
Here are a few more photos – Continue reading
After some recent rain (about 15 mm) I headed back down Sassafras Gully to see how the fungi was going. On this trip I did find quite a few waxcaps and other interesting fungi were out.
As usual, I started from the track at the end of Sassafras Gully Road and walked down to Glenbrook Creek, and then returned via Magdala Creek and Fairy Dell. Continue reading
