Another Day at Nurragingy Reserve – 24 March 2025

Posted on March 29, 2025 by Dave Noble

Sue joined me for another day at Nurragingy Reserve at Doonside. This park has been a very good venue for observing and photographing birds recently. How would this visit go?

Some highlights of previous visits have been Pacific Bazas and Azure Kingfishers. On the previous visit, we had only a brief glimpse of an Azure Kingfisher, but we had been fortunate to observe two Pacific Bazas for a long time. On the visit before that, it had been the opposite – no Bazas, but plenty of Azure Kingfishers. Other birds we had seen here recently have been – Dollarbird, Square-tailed Kite, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Mistltoebird and Scarlet Honeyeater.

This visit started off very quiet, and we were worried that it may turn out to be a dud! Continue reading →

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Crosslands Walk – 23 March 2025

Posted on March 29, 2025 by Dave Noble

I had been invited by John and Chuin Nee to join them on a walk near Galston Gorge before they picked up their son, Jasper, from a school music camp later in the afternoon. The weather was not the best – light rain, so we ended up doing a short walk along the Great North Walk Track from Crosslands. We walked north along Berowra Creek to just past Calna Creek and then returned the same way.

Here we are at an observation deck. Under umbrellas. Continue reading →

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Greenway Bird Survey – 22 March 2025

Posted on March 29, 2025 by Dave Noble

I took part in the Saturday morning bird survey along the Dulwich Hill section of The Greenway. The group meets outside Waratah Mills Light Rail Station at 7:30 am. The highlights this survey were spotting a Leaden Flycatcher (not photographed) and later a Peregrine Falcon.

The weather was very dull and gloomy – so poor for bird photography.

At the light rail station we spotted three Brush Turkeys. Here is one – Continue reading →

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Lost City Walking Track – 21 March 2025

Posted on March 28, 2025 by Dave Noble

I headed up the Blue Mountains with Bob intending to visit some canyons near Bell, but the weather was wet and quite cool, so we changed plans and decided to see the new Lost City Walking Track in the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area.

The southern access to the track was closed off due to road work, so we headed to the Bungleboori Picnic Area, then turned off to the n northern access point. The road was well signposted and in very good condition. I had been out this way a number of years ago, and there was a maze of rough four wheel drive tracks all in appalling state. Continue reading →

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Black Noddy at Curl Curl, and More Birds at Long Reef – 20 March 2025

Posted on March 26, 2025 by Dave Noble

A Black Noddy, a rare visitor to Sydney, had been resident at the Curl Curl rock pool for a few days, and I thought it worth a visit. A few years ago, I photographed a Common Noddy (Brown Noddy) at Long Reef. The Black Noddy was probably blown south by Cyclone Alfred.

When I arrived at the Curl Curl rock pool, I saw a pair of Ospreys flying past me and out to sea to hunt. Here is one of them – Continue reading →

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More Cooks River Birds – 19 March 2025

Posted on March 25, 2025 by Dave Noble

Sue and Valerie joined me for a morning walk down a section of the Cooks River. We walked down from Illawarra Road to the Princes Highway.

I arrived a bit earlier than the others, and walked down ashore way and spotted a Sacred Kingfisher perched on a tree above the water. Continue reading →

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Birds at Barton Park – 18 March 2025

Posted on March 25, 2025 by Dave Noble

I spent an interesting morning at Barton Park photographing birds. Most of the birds I saw were at The Landing Lights Wetland and its hinterland.

Walking up to Landing Light Wetland, I could see a White-faced Heron on top of the sawer vent – Continue reading →

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Nurragingy Reserve – 17 March 2025

Posted on March 25, 2025 by Dave Noble

Another visit to Nurragingy Reserve at Doonside. Again, I was joined by Sue, and we had a  most enjoyable and interesting day.

The day started off fairly quiet. We were looking for Pacific Bazas and Kingfishers. We did spot one Sacred Kingfisher along the perimeter firewood, but it was too fast for a photo. But after lunch things improved a lot.

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

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Fungi at Bola Creek – 15 March 2025

Posted on March 16, 2025 by Dave Noble

I attended the fungal survey with the Sydney Fungal Studies Group Inc held at Bola Creek in Royal National Park. As usual, for the Bola Creek surveys, we had members of the Friends of Royal attend.

Spider infected with a Cordyceps like fungus

There has been some recent rainfall, but not enough for really good fungal fruiting. And the weather on the day of our visit, and during the lead up had been very hot for the time of the year.

But with a keen group, we did find some interesting fungi. Continue reading →

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Why Don’t We Do It In The Road Canyon – 14 March 2025

Posted on March 16, 2025 by Dave Noble

Bob suggested visiting Why Don’t We Do It In The Road Canyon at Mt Wilson as this weeks trip. A very hot day was forecast – so it would be nice to be in a canyon, and one that did not involve too much walking.

Some history of this canyon.

We often visited the lower section of the canyon on trips down Wollangambe Canyon in the 1970’s. We would park our lilos at the junction and walk and scramble upstream about 50 m and enter a very dark cave full of glow worms. But we never went upstream from there, although it is not very difficult to climb on ledges and over a chockstone to above the last abseil. Continue reading →

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