Cooks River – Fungi and Birds – 28-29 March 2015

Posted on March 30, 2015 by Dave Noble

On Saturday on the weekend I had gone on a trip along Wolli Creek to check to see if any fungi was out. Things were very dry and I didn’t even bother to take out my camera.

Riding back home, I decided to go along to Cooks River to check out the wetlands. I had heard from the Cooks River Facebook Page that some stinkhorn fungi had been observed along the river somewhere. Early on my ride, I found a lot of them in the re-established bushland near Ewan Park. But they were all well past their prime. They were Phallus rubicundus. I am hoping that they will appear again the next time it rains.

Phallus rubicundus

Phallus rubicundus

At the Cup and Saucer Creek Wetlands I noticed some very young Purple Swamphen chicks on the foreshore of the lower pond. They were being escorted by one of their parents. Continue reading →

Posted in Birds, Sydney | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Oatley Park – Lime Kiln Bay Ramble – 26 March 2015

Posted on March 27, 2015 by Dave Noble

I had never visited Oatley Park and I think Digi Dave had suggested it was a good place for a visit. So we headed there yesterday, with our cameras.

Oatley-1

We spent a fairly relaxing day at the park and at nearby Lime Kiln Bay. A lot of the time was spent trying to get photos of the birdlife. Continue reading →

Posted in Aboriginal Sites, Birds, Bushwalking, Sydney | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Leura to Katoomba Walk – 25 March 2015

Posted on March 27, 2015 by Dave Noble

For this walk I got up very early and was on a train at 5:16 am, and then changing to a mountains train that got into Leura at 7:15 am. Then it took me 15 minutes, brisk walking down to Olympian Rock Lookout on the escarpment for some great views of Mt Solitary and the Jamison Valley. After a camera stop, I continued along the Prince Henry Walk to Leura Cascades.

LKF-1

With a fair bit of rain falling the day before, I was hoping the creek would be up and provide some nice photo opportunities. The creek was up a little but not that much. But still – it was very nice, and I did stop a few times for photos of the cascades. Continue reading →

Posted in Blue Mountains, Bushwalking, Slime Moulds | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Sassafras Gully Walk – Springwood – More Fungi and Slime Moulds – 22 March 2015

Posted on March 24, 2015 by Dave Noble

After enjoying what Bola Creek and to offer, I decided that a wet Sunday would be a good opportunity to check out Sassafras Gully again to see the fungi there.

Sassafras22Mar15-20

So – the train to Springwood and the short walk out to Sassafras Gully Road and down the track to the rainforest in the creekbed. Continue reading →

Posted in Blue Labyrinth, Blue Mountains, Bushwalking, Slime Moulds | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Amazing Fungi and Slime Moulds of Royal National Park – 19 and 21 March 2015

Posted on March 24, 2015 by Dave Noble

Last week, I spent two great days photographing the fungi and slime moulds in Royal National Park.

Bola21Mar15-16

On the first day, I was accompanied by Digi Dave and we started in the rainforest at the Palona Creek Picnic Area before moving back to the larger area near Bola Creek.

Bola21Mar15-7

The second day, I went down with friend Wendy, to the organised foray of the Sydney Fungal Studies Group at Bola Creek. It was quite interesting to see the differences between the two days – the second after a bit more rain. Continue reading →

Posted in Royal National Park, Slime Moulds | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Stanwell Park – Kellys Falls – Otford – Lilyvale Track – Helensburgh Walk – 18 March 2015

Posted on March 24, 2015 by Dave Noble

This was a nice daywalk organised by Adrian Jones for the National Parks Association of NSW (I think it was also a Bush Club walk)

Stanwell-1

We met at Stanwell Park Station and then set out along the Wodi Track, and soon turned off and climbed the track leading to Stanwell Tops. We stopped for a morning tea break on a nice rock platform on the escarpment, and then continued on through Stanwell Tops to the main road. We crossed that and then followed the Princess Marina Walk to Kellys Falls. Continue reading →

Posted in Bushwalking, Royal National Park | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Gore Hill to Hunters Hill Walk – 17 March 2015

Posted on March 24, 2015 by Dave Noble

This was a pleasant walk along part of the Sydney Harbour Circle Walk.

GoreHunters-8

I set out from St Leonards Station and walked the short distance to Gore Hill and then into the Lane Cove Bushland Park. This is one of my favourite places to look for and photograph fungi and I wanted to check out what things were like there. As it turned out – it was too dry and probably too early in the season. I photographed a few things but no spectacular fungi was out. Continue reading →

Posted in Bushwalking, Sydney | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lion Island Bush Regeneration – 14 March 2015

Posted on March 24, 2015 by Dave Noble

Our bush care group – Enmoore, Su Li, Brent, Martin, Steffy, Wendy, Mary and myself were going to spend a day at Lion Island in the lower Hawkesbury River doing some bush regeneration.

Lion-5

Enmoore had organised the day with the National Parks and Wildlife Service. We set off from Bobbin Head in the NPWS boat, accompanied by the Matthew, the skipper, and Steve, the ranger responsible for Lion Island. Continue reading →

Posted in Sydney | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Shack to Carlons Farm Walk – 10 – 13 March 2015

Posted on March 24, 2015 by Dave Noble

This was a walk organised by a friend, Diana. She is a poet (see her blog here) and is interested in the aboriginal and early European history of parts of the Blue Mountains and wanted to see some of the land between the Catholic Bushwalking Club’s “Shack” on Scotts Main Range and Carlons Farm in Megalong Valley. I was quite familiar with this country and was very happy to accompany her on the walk. Also – many thanks to Brian, from the Springwood Bushwalking Club for driving us out to The Shack.

Shack-1

We started on the 9th of March on the long drive, first to Shooters Hill, near Oberon, and then to Yerranderie and then a fair way further through Byrnes Gap and along Scotts Main Range to The Shack on New Yards Ridge, just off Scotts Main Range. We arrived at The Shack in the late afternoon. Continue reading →

Posted in Blue Mountains, Bushwalking | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Colourful Fungi and Slime Moulds of Sassafras Gully – Springwood – 5 & 7 March 2015

Posted on March 16, 2015 by Dave Noble

I visited Sassafras Gully at Springwood on two trips recently.

Sassafras7Mar15-1

The first trip was with Digi Dave and Don. We started down the track at Sassafras Gully Road and soon found ourselves in the rianforest at the bottom and amidst plenty of fungi. The more we looked, the more we saw. A lot of it was colourful – bright blue Entolomas and scarlet Hygrocybes. Yellow slime moulds… lots of nice stuff. One highlight was a log with three or four different slime moulds present on it. On that trip – we only went down to the junction of Sassafras Gully Creek and Glenbrook Creek and return the same way – back to Sassafras Gully Rd. Continue reading →

Posted in Blue Labyrinth, Bushwalking, Slime Moulds | Tagged , , | 3 Comments