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

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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A Day on the Cooks River – Part 1 – Birds – 16 March 2024

I went for a morning walk along the Cooks River – walking from home to Marrickville Golf Course, then crossing at Illawarra Road and continuing down through Gough Whitlam Park, and then to Waterworth Park. Then I walled back upstream to Illawarra Road where I caught a bus part of the way home.

On this visit, I had slightly more success with spotting and photographing the Sacred Kingfishers than had the day before. Continue reading

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Barton Park and Cooks River Birds – 15 March 2024

I thought it was going to be fairly quiet at Barton Park. When I arrived I went to Landing Lights Wetland and saw some Teals (about 30) – and very few other birds. No large waders, and no Pied Stilts. The water level had gone back up – so no Dotterels and no sign of the Sharp-tailed Sandpipers I had seen on my previous visit.

I left the wetlands, and started walking down the road next to the Spring St Canal, when I saw a Grey Goshawk flying on the far side of the canal. Continue reading

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Cremorne to Taronga Walk (including a visit to the Zoo) – 14 March 2024

I was able to join Brian Everingham, and party for a second walk during the week. This was a National Parks Association of NSW walk from Cremorne to Taronga via the foreshore tracks.

The party, Sue, Valerie and Brian met at Circular Quay and were soon on the ferry to Cremorne Point. Continue reading

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A Few Birds at Sydney Park – 13 March 2024

I had some time in the middle of the day, and made a fairly quick visit to Sydney Park. Here are some birds I saw –

Dusky Moorhen

Australasian Darters Continue reading

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Greenway Bird Survey – 13 March 2024

Here are some birds seen on The Greenway Survey along the Hawthorne Canal.

At Taverners Hill Light Rail Station, David Hair, spotted a raptor. It turned out to be a juvenile Brown Goshawk. Continue reading

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Mudlarks – Cooks River Bird Survey – 12 March 2024

It was the week of bird surveys. I had missed the Tempe survey on Saturday as it clashed with the Bola Ck fungi survey. But I made it to the other two – the Mudlarks on the Cooks River, and then the Greenway survey the next day.

With the Mudlarks, we spotted some good birds along the River. This time the survey was the upstream loop, from the Lang Street Bridge to the Boat Harbour, then across the River to Cup and Saucer Creek Wetlands, then back down on that side. Continue reading

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Vaucluse to South Head Walk – 11 March 2024

This was a pleasant walk with the National Parks Association of NSW, and led by Brian Everingham. The plan was to catch a bus from Edgecliff to the Grunpy Baker, and then after morning tea, visit the nearby cemetery and then walk along the coast path to The Gap, and then visit South Head before heading home via ferry.

I had not visited the South Head Cemetery before, and it proved to be a very interesting place. Continue reading

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Birds at Long Reef – 10 March 2024

I headed up to Long Reef for an afternoon of bird photography. The tide was fairly low, so I was able to venture out onto the rock platform.

One aim was to photograph some of the local Ospreys. I did see a few (or perhaps the same one multiple times) – but noe of them we’re hunting in the area. Continue reading

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Fungi at Bola Creek – 9 March 2024

I joined the Sydney Fungal Studies Group Inc for their first fungal survey of the year – which was held at Bola Creek in Royal National Park. In the lead up, conditions had been quite dry and consequently not that much fungi was observed.

But with the keen observers along, we did find some interesting species. Continue reading

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