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Sydney Wildflowers - Autumn/ Winter

The many and varied banksia aside, I would have thought the Autumn/ Winter Sydney bush flower scene would be relatively quiet as the days grow shorter and the temperatures drop. However, I have been amazed at the amount and variety of pretty flowers scattered around the heaths and  forested areas here in Sydney at the moment. Below are just some of the Sydney bush flowers now on display:

Clockwise from top left: 1) Red Spider Flower 2) Mountain Devil 3) Clustered Scented Myrtle 4) Mauve Wax Flowers 5) Sunshine Wattle 6) Red Fivecorners and 6) Needlebush

Sydney bush Autumnal flora and Fauna

A few photos of the flora and fauna I've encountered in the bush this month.

From the top left hand side and clockwise: fuchsia heath in full bloom, an eastern water dragon sunbathing on a rock, orange bracket fungi and rainbow bracket fungi decorating a tree stump, abstract designs created by lichen on a rock by the harbour, a handsome lace monitor striding purposefully across a bitumen path, a fit looking laughing kookaburra (actually taken in the city's Hyde Park), and cherry pink tea tree blossoms.

Out and about - March/ April photos

Here are a few photos I've taken on my travels recently:

1) The GPO clock 2) the stylish Art Deco entrance of the State Theatre 3) the decommissioned historic wooden escalator in Wynard train station now preserved and displayed as art: the "Interloop". 4) a handsome moth on the Great North Walk 5) a night jar in the Australian Museum 6) an example of a common mushroom sprouting up everywhere recently - this one from Garigal National Park 7) one of many sandstone faces that adorn the GPO (now Westin Hotel) 8) a rainy day reflection of the palm trees along College Street.  

Portrait of a Young Powerful Owl

It was very nice to meet an adolescent powerful owl the other day. He was very intense. About a year and a half ago, possibly his mother/ father was seen in the very same location. The mother/father powerful owl was head and shoulders bigger than this young owl (maybe 65 centimetres/ 26 inches tall)! Around the same time, I heard a local powerful owl (maybe the mother/father) hooting in the backyard - it was incredibly loud! It sounded like someone yelling "WHOO - HOO!!!" through a megaphone! They are not called "powerful" owls for nothing. 

Three Black Australian Swans

Three Black Australian Swans for this Australia Day 2019. 

The Young Ones

Following on from a pre-Christmas post that detailed the niceness of running into two mother geese and their clutch of goslings, here I have two photos of the little ones getting bigger.  

The Archibald Fountain - A Sydney Art Deco Beauty

One of the loveliest fountains in Sydney city is the very art deco Archibald fountain. Designed by the French artist François-Léon Sicard, this pink granite and bronze Sydney icon features figures from Greek and Roman mythology including Apollo, Theseus and the minataur, Pan, Diana and various tortoises, dolphins, goats, deer, dogs and horses. It is named after the keen Francophile newspaper proprietor and editor J.F.Archibald who commissioned the fountain to celebrate the French/ Australian alliance during World War One. Fortunately, I often get to walk through the delightful Hyde Park and admire this Art Deco gem.  

All information from here.

Sydney Icons

Late November Sydney icons as follows: Flannel Flowers, a swamp wallaby (and suspected joey in pouch), an industrious echidna digging for insects,a Manly Beach pine, Yellow Tea Tree, and Grevillea.

Sydney Bush Flowers - geek's edition (part 5)

Despite the fact it is now late, late spring here in Sydney, there are still masses of bush flowers to admire. These photos were taken in the past couple of days. The top mauve/ lilac flowers are Paroo Lily. The next flower in violet is without a shadow of a doubt a Wavy Lobella. Beneath that is a Common Fringe - Lily with its distinctive hairy petals. The last inverted cup/ bell like flowers are absolutely everywhere in some parts of the Sydney bush, but despite that, I was unable to find a name for them. However, is it possible they could be a boronia of some sort?  Click here for more instalments of the Sydney bush flowers series.

Out and About - October

Cockle Head Creek, Bobbin Head Rainforest. We have had a lot of rain over the past couple of weeks here in Sydney, so the local rivers and creeks are bursting at the seams.

Freshwater Beach as seen from Curl Curl.

Duke Kahanamoku (1890 - 1968) memorial - near Freshwater lookout. This multiple Olympic gold medalist and accomplished actor is famous for introducing the Hawaiian sport/ pastime of surfing to the world.

An old advertisement in George Street exposed by construction works.