Pittwater Online News

July 25 - 31, 2021: Issue 503

Lucky To Live Here: July 2021

Sunset in Ku-ring-gai Chase NP - on the Topham Track, July 2021 - photo by Dave Murray

During the last few weeks, since stay-at-home safety measures were instigated, residents have used the opportunity of daily exercise to take photographs to celebrate and remind each other of how lucky we are to live in a place where beauty surrounds us and you may take bushwalks, go sailing, or look outwards at the outstanding views this place provides - all as a measure to cheer each other up and remind us that even during these current challenges we are blessed to be living in this place.

Within 10 kilometres of your home here are beaches, community reserves, playing fields, spots to fish from, breaks to surf, and estuary you can sail on and a national park you can hike or stroll through.

''I feel so grateful to live on Pittwater at this awful time! We managed a walk on Newport Beach in glorious Winter sunshine in between storm fronts, were cosy and safe in front of the fire watching the wild wind the next day, and then able to have a perfect sail in light Westerly wind up the silver pathway to Broken Bay and around to Bangalley Headland - all legal as within 10km of home!'' Suzanne D remarked this week.
'I enjoy catching moments, for friends that live here and those that have moved away. Some live in retirement homes in our area and can't get out to these places…and this is where I live. When I film it I realise how beautiful it really is.' - Adriaan

Messages from those in western Sydney, at Liverpool and surrounds for example, also tell us how lucky we are and how much they'd love to be living in Pittwater at this time. These photos lift up their hearts too.

So for them, and for all of us here who may forget during the frustrations associated with trying to study at home or being worried to the point of being awake all night over the loss of work and how that may impact on their businesses and even just putting food on the table, a few moments of relief and determinedly focusing on 'counting our blessings' and deciding to see the best in each other, and do the best we can for each other, is minutes spent meeting negatives with positives.

At Belrose, Narrabeen and Elanora, where more and more residents are now under 14 days of isolation due to being contacts of those who were at Glenrose shopping centre where the disease we're all 'sick' of was detected, neighbours are putting up a 'Christmas in July' lights display to cheer each other up. Others are offering to drop food off to those in isolation.

At Ingleside, Mona Vale, Bayview, Church Point and all offshore areas, people are sharing images, paintings completed, children collecting Northern Beaches Secret Rocks, birds spotted, bushflowers commencing to bloom and even photos of flowers from their own gardens - all to cheer each other up and a have a second of delight, of smiling.

When we see each other out on our walks a return to a 'good morning' or 'good afternoon' has become the norm again - something that was not present when we're all rushing to get t the next place, do the next thing - we may not see the grin behind the mask, but our eyes are smiling.

Pittwater Online News hopes some of these photos, thank you to all who shared, will bring a smile to Readers this Issue and that, when it gets 'too much' we all remember to take a deep breath, look around, and find just one little thing to push back against that other lurgy with tons of sunshine, seabreezes and a dose of exercise - because we are Lucky to be living here.

Xanthorrhoea macronema in flower - Deep Creek Narrabeen - photo by Margaret Woods, July 22, 2021

Deep Creek Narrabeen - photo by Margaret Woods, July 22, 2021

“Great White Sighting In Pittwater”: Art By Sea

(about: Art by Sea celebrates our natural environment with sustainable art by locals). Take a stroll along the pathway from Bayview to Church Point and cast your gaze further afield.

Visit: https://www.instagram.com/artbyseaau

Sunset on the Challenger Track, Ku-ring-gai Chase NP, July 2021 - photo by Dave Murray

Today's view from the office - at Wiseman's Ferry, July 2021 - photo by Dave Murray

Today's view from the office - at Fairy Bower, July 2021 - photo by Dave Murray

This afternoon's view from the office - at Cremorne Point, July 2021 - photo by Dave Murray

Current view from the office - at Palm Beach, June 23, 2021 - photo by Dave Murray

Lockdown life in the Principality of Pittwater - America Bay, Ku-ring-gai Chase NP, July 10, 2021 - photo by Dave Murray

Late afternoon strolls, July 2021 - photo by Selena Griffith

Black cockatoo spotted on walk, July 2021 - photo by Selena Griffith

Bushflowers beginning to bloom, July 2021 - photo by Selena Griffith

Rock Sculpture, July 2021 - photo by Selena Griffith

Bushflowers beginning to bloom, July 2021 - photo by Selena Griffith

Scribbly Gum, July 2021 - photo by Selena Griffith

Bushflowers beginning to bloom, July 2021 - photo by Selena Griffith

Hungry Beach, Ku-ring-gai Chase NP, July, 2021 - photo by Selena Griffith

Beach Without Sand, Palm Beach, July 22, 2021 - photo by Adriaan van der Wallen

Big tides and the approach of a full moon, July 22nd AEST, made for some spectacular images. In America July's full moon is known as the "buck moon" — marking the time of year when the new antlers of buck deer grow out of their foreheads — named by the Algonquin tribes in what is now the north-eastern U.S.

Fishing from the park bench, Kiddies Corner, Palm Beach, July 22, 2021 - photo by Adriaan van der Wallen

Fishing at Kiddies Corner, Palm Beach, July 22, 2021 - photo by Adriaan van der Wallen

Beautiful Bird, Palm Beach, July 2021 - photo by Adriaan van der Wallen

Beautiful Birds, Avalon Beach, July 2021 - photo by Adriaan van der Wallen

Dusk at Avalon Beach, July 2021 - photo by Adriaan van der Wallen

Pool lights lit Avalon Beach, July 2021 - photo by Adriaan van der Wallen

Soccer Fields Rainbow, July 2021 - photo by Adriaan van der Wallen

Water Colours on Pittwater, July 2021 - photo by Adriaan van der Wallen

Cool Pool, July 2021 - photo by Adriaan van der Wallen

Early Morning at Careel Bay, July 2021 - photo by Adriaan van der Wallen

Cold at Palmy tonight, July 24, 2021 - photo by Adriaan van der Wallen

Off the pool on Newport Beach between storm fronts, July 2021 - photo by Suzanne Daly

Sailing up the silvery pathway in winter sunshine!, July 2021 - photo by Suzanne Daly

The other side of Lion Island glowing in the Winter sun, July 2021 - photo by Suzanne Daly

Manly Vale based EIRE Film Services /Production at Turimetta /Warriewood /Narrabeen Lake - This company has been working around the above local beaches for about one week. Not sure what the project is, but there are up to about 20 vehicles spread around Turimetta Headland and the road along Rat Park. Photo by Joe Mills, July 2021

EIRE Film Services /Production at Turimetta /Warriewood /Narrabeen Lake. Photo by Joe Mills, July 2021

In Warriewood wetlands - birds are nesting and some chicks, those of lapwing plovers, have already been spotted. Photo by Joe Mills, July 2021

Late Winter flowerings, July 2021, photo by Joe Mills.

Pittwater Spotted Gums gilded by late afternoon Winter sunlight, Careel Bay, July 2021 - photo by A J Guesdon

Our resident kookaburras sing in the pre-Dawn light, July 2021 - photo by A J Guesdon

Whales In The Hawkesbury

July 21, 2021: Hornsby Shire Council

Look who’s having a whale of a time in the Hawkesbury River! Seeing a large whale just off Dangar Island is certainly an unusual occurrence, but isn’t it awesome that the Hawkesbury is healthy enough to host whales!

This one looks like it's a southern right whale.

We are not too sure if she is still around, but let’s give her and her pals some space when you see them. Here are some tips on safe whale watching: www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/wild-about-whales

NB: ORRCA states this mum and bub were in the Hawkesbury River last weekend, July 17-18, 2021, and have since left and headed south.

Thanks to Jeff Potts for the awesome photos

Wildlife In Weird Places

July 22, 2021 Sydney Wildlife Mobile Care Unit

Imagine walking into the bathroom at the Mall and seeing this! A wallaby mum and her joey somehow hopped into a large and busy shopping mall in Chatswood and then entered the ladies bathroom.

It certainly illustrates why wildlife rescue is an essential service, though. Sydney Wildlife rescuers arrived on the scene and - with the assistance of the mall’s security staff - managed to corral the marsupial and her tiny tot into a blanket and then into a transportation carrier.

She was taken to nearby bushland and released into a much more wallaby-friendly environment. We are very proud of Liz and Glenda for successfully undertaking this tricky rescue.

The security team surmised that with quieter roads she may have become a little more adventurous and then ended up getting lost. Either that or she may have been spooked by a dog giving chase and bounded into unfamiliar territory.

Wildlife rescuers have definitely noticed that with more people staying home, the wildlife have been venturing further afield.

Sydney Wildlife Rescue is run 100% by volunteers. If you appreciate the free service they provide and would like to donate to support this work, please click here: http://www.sydneywildlife.org.au/donate

SWR photo