matouenpeluche

The Martin Place of Before

Before the pandemic, when it was some distant "something" happening "somewhere else" i.e. two months ago, I had started getting interested in field recordings. One morning in early March I woke up bright and early, caught the express bus into town, got off at Wynyard station and got my recorder out to witness the loveliness of the GPO/ Westin hotel bell chime for nine O'clock. That was the last time I have been on a bus, and more or less the last time I went into town. 

So, here for three minutes of listening pleasure is the nine O'clock GPO/ Westin clock chime (approximately 1 minute in), a tram dinging along George street, nearby construction of the Sydney metro line, morning workers hustling to work, a passing hot rod, and a very vocal Australian raven amongst other things. 

Martin_Place_GPO_Clock

 

Toucan Two

Another Toucan, this time with palm fruit.

Creatures of Sydney - January 2020

Above: A lace monitor, a pelican, a darter, a cormorant, and a masked lapwing. 

Above: a back swan, a little grey egret, a duckling, a very large grey moth, (perhaps?) two eastern saw shelled turtles, a mother duck and ducklings, and a pigeon.

Happy New Year!

A Toucan and fruit for the beginning of 2020! 

Sydney Flora and Fauna

From top right clockwise: Gum Blossoms, a Black Swan, Native Fuchsia, A Pelican, Red Spider Flower, A Little Cormorant, Tea Tree Blossoms, another Pelican, and Flannel Flowers in the centre.

Tabitha and Giorgio

Tabitha and Giorgio - just passing.

What's on in Sydney...

Mother ducks teaching their ducklings how to forage, Kangaroo Paws, Spoonbills, Sulphur Crested Cockatoos and Flannel Flowers.

Out and About in Sydney in September/ October

Lots of firsts over the past couple of weeks! I visited West Head, more than likely for the first time, because boy! you wouldn't forget that view in a hurry (although I can't believe I haven't been there before). It's absolutely the most astounding view I've seen in Sydney for a very long time. Then there was finally visiting the Manly/ Queenscliff Wormhole, which has been on my 'to do' list for a while. It was everything I'd hoped it would be: a rough 110 year old hand crafted sandstone tunnel that goes through the rocky outcrop headland between Queenscliff and Freshwater beach. Following on from that there was the close encounter with a very young echidna who foraged about for food just in front of me and then came over and inspected my foot in a very enchanting manner. Other than that, there has been masses of wildflowers and plenty of birds building nests and singing.

Above, all fairly self explanatory: Mountain Devils very fit and out at the moment, flannel flowers, pink spider flowers and bees, a young active echidna, another variety of wattle, a pretty planting of white and purple statice accompanied by maroon daisies in a local park, a lady duck and an elegant white egret.

Below: red bottle brush, the 100 plus year old wormhole dug by local fishermen apparently. One of my favourite buildings in the city - the Grace Hotel. Did you know that this terra cotta clad art deco gothic beauty was used as a Pacific base by General Douglas MacArthur in the Second World War and has an escape tunnel in the basement that leads all the way to Circular Quay? I was lucky enough to see the entrance to the tunnel one Open Sydney in addition to the fabulous pent house that includes space in the fancy tower you see in this photo. Finally: bachelor buttons, sometimes also known as pinnk buttons - still going strong in parts of the bush around Sydney.    

Sydney: late August flora and fauna

A large pelican (are they any other size?)balancing comfortably on tree stump by a local lake,  Eggs and Bacon (Heathy Parrot Pea), Grey Spider-flower, Native Lilac (False Sarsparilla), a kookaburra, Heath Fuchsia with a backdrop of Showy Boronia and a rare pink Spider Flower.

Close Encounters...

...of the furred kind.