A camping weekend had been organised for the weekend. It was a get together, camping overnight near the Dry Canyon on the Newnes Plateau. A big group met together for the evening around the campfire, but on both days, smaller groups did their own activities.
I traveled up with Roger, and after arriving at the campsite in the early afternoon, I joined Doug, Valerie, Wendy, Digi Dave and Sebastian for a walk down to the Dry Canyon. Continue reading
Bob and myself had planned a walk in Royal National Park, but a total fire ban resulted in all the walking tracks in that park being closed, so we decided to head up to the Blue Mountains. I had wanted to do a walk near Mt Hay to look for Doctor Dark’s Other Cave for a while and this could be a good opportunity.
Doctor Eric Dark and his wife Eleanor Dark, had found a cave near The Fortress that they used for family camping trips. It also had a second planned use – as a bush base to launch guerrilla operations against Japanese invaders, if that eventuality occurred. But Eric Dark had also found a second cave, apparently near Mt Hay. I was wondering where that cave was, and on an earlier trip had seen some possible overhangs below The Butterbox. So that provided a reason to head up that way. Continue reading
This was a quick afternoon visit to Sydney Park to see what was around.
White-faced Heron Continue reading
I made an another morning trip to Rookwood Necropolis. My main aim was to photograph the Brown Goshawk that I had seen on my previous list, and I had hoped it was one of a nesting pair that I had been fortunate to observe last season. But I failed to spot the Brown Goshawk this visit – despite hearing it calling many times.
Here are some of the birds I saw – Continue reading
I made a morning visit to Oatley Park to see what was around – mainly on the lookout for birds at orchids. I was hoping to see a Powerful Owl chick – newly fledged. But it seems that its parents have moved it away from the nest area.
Here are some of the birds I saw –
Brown Thornbill
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Continue reading
This was an unusual trip to Malabar Headland with Valerie and Sue. It was unusual because we did not spot a single Peregrine Falcon. Like the previous trip, we met at Maroubra Beach and first visited the Western Track. I was on the lookout for orchids.
We soon spotted the Beard Orchids, we had seen just starting to open on the previous visit.
Red Beard Orchid – Calochilus paludosus
I joined the Tempe Birdos for their monthly bird survey. This month, I was in the group surveying at Tempe Reserve.
As usual the group meets at Tempe Wetlands at 8am. Here are a few birds from the lower pond – Continue reading
Bob suggested a walk at Mt York to see the historic tracks that go along the route of the old roads. I had never walked these, but had been along them many times on mountain bike, but on a bike you travel fast ands miss out on a lot that you can see.
One this walk we first visited the top section of Berghofers Pass. Then down the old Coxs Road to the Hartley Vale, and back up along Lockyers Road. Here are some photos – Continue reading
This is a busy week for bird surveys. I took part in the survey along the Hawthorne Canal section of the Greenway.
Here are some of the birds we observed – Continue reading
After the Mudlarks Birds Survey on the Cooks River, I joined Helen for a visit to Sydney Park to look for the Pacific Baza. On previous recent visits to the Park, I had been able to spot the Baza pretty quickly due to the pandemonium made by Noisy Miners objecting to the its presence. But this time, we were unable to spot it, so I think it is likely that it has left the Park.
We did spot the Tawny Frogmouth on its nest, and its mate perched nearby –
