Hen and Chicken Bay Birds – 26 March 2024

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Dave Noble

I had recently seen photos of some of the Bar-tailed Godwits that feed in Hen and Chicken Bay before their long migratory flight north. I decided to go to Abbotsford and look for the birds. I travelled there by Light Rail and then the 438 bus. But I neglected to consult the tide website – and when I arrived it was high tide time. No good for looking at birds feeding on mudflats.

So I decided to have a look around and see what birds were there. Straight off, I spotted some Pied Stilts. These are birds that do feed on mudflats. Continue reading →

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Raptors at Long Reef – 25 March 2024

Posted on March 30, 2024 by Dave Noble

I travelled up to Long Reef for another go at photographing the birds – and with the hope of seeing some raptors.

When I arrived it was pretty quiet. The tide was too high to venture out onto the platform. I started to walk down to the lower level, when I spotted an Osprey flying to the north with a fish. Continue reading →

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The Callicoma Walk – 24 March 2024

Posted on March 30, 2024 by Dave Noble

I joined my friends John and Chuin Nee and their son Sebastian on the Callicoma Walk – a track that goes down into Berowra Creek near Cherrybrook.

We started at Cherrybrook Lakes – a wetland area near the shopping complex. Continue reading →

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A Powerful Owl on the Cooks River – 23 March 2024

Posted on March 29, 2024 by Dave Noble

While coming back from Mt Wilson, I got a call from Michael, a local birder, alterting me to the presence of a Powerful Owl that was roosting along the Cooks River. So when I got home, I grabbed my bird camera and set off to see if I could spot it. Michael had given very precise direction to where it was, and I soon spotted it.

It was being harassed by Noisy Miners, as often happens with owls and other large birds. But the Powerful Owl seemed to ignore them, and consequently, it was also awake and alert – so nice for photos. Continue reading →

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Fungi at Mt Wilson – 23 March 2024

Posted on March 29, 2024 by Dave Noble

I attended the field activity at the Waterfall Reserve at Mt Wilson conducted by the Sydney Fungal Studies Group Inc. The fungi was not super abundant, as it can be at this location, but we did find many interesting species.

Here are some of what we spotted along the track – Continue reading →

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Cooks River Birds – 22 March 2024

Posted on March 29, 2024 by Dave Noble

I was busy most of the day, but had some time in the afternoon for short walk down part of the Cooks River to see what birds were around.

I walked downstream from Canterbury Road to Wardell Road. I did not see any unusual birds.

Here are some that I saw – Continue reading →

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Birdwood Gully – Fungi and Orchids – 21 March 2024

Posted on March 26, 2024 by Dave Noble

Sue and Valerie  joined me for day at Springwood, where we walked down Birdwood Gully – on search for fungi and orchids.  The fungi was not super abundant – but we did find a nice variety of species.

On the way down, we found some fungi out – Continue reading →

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Wolli Creek Visit – 20 March 2024

Posted on March 26, 2024 by Dave Noble

I made a quick morning visit to part of Wolli Creek Regional Park. I was hoping to see some fungi out, and my backup – was to photograph some birds. It was fairly quiet during my visit, and I did not see too much fungi and not many birds.

I am not sure what this is, above going on a tree. Continue reading →

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Malabar Headland – 18 March 2024

Posted on March 26, 2024 by Dave Noble

I made a visit to Malabar Headland accompanied by Sue. We were hoping to see at least one of the Peregrine Falcons. Well – we had no luck – not seeing any. But we had a pleasant day out on the sandstone cliffs.

On our walk out – we saw the usual skinks and small birds. Continue reading →

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A Day on the Cooks River – Part 2 – A History Walk – 16 March 2024

Posted on March 17, 2024 by Dave Noble

As part of the Wurridjal Festival, the Cooks River Alliance had organised a Local History Walk along part of the Cooks River near the old “Sugar Mill”, which is located downstream from Canterbury Road near the Boat Harbour. The walk was being led by Ian Tyrrell, a retired academic and author of “River Dreams” – a very interesting book on the history of the Cooks River.

The participants met near the old “Sugar Mill” and the first thing Ian explained was that it was never a mill, but rather a “Sugar Works” as no sugar cane was ever crushed there. Continue reading →

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