September 29 - October 27, 2024: Issue 635

 

Turimetta Moods: Warriewood wetlands Perimeter Walk

Photos by Joe Mills

Turimetta Beach was very quiet this week, although we had a yodelling session with my regular Magpie pair, who seem to get a good feed from the beach as well as the bushes above the beach.

So my highlight this week was to complete a perimeter walk around Warriewood Wetlands to see what flowers survived spring.  The interesting part was what nature was doing, including an Ibis catching & eating a baby eel in seconds.

I actually completed this walk in 2 days (Wed 16 & Thu 17), with a beautiful sunny day on Wed.  Lots of the native blooms are finished, and lots of ground covers are still around.  

I came across 2 Red Belly Black Snakes, one in the wetlands & the other in our Warriewood home garden beds.

You don't need to teach a snake to lie down. - African proverb

The pics include:

  • Warriewood Wetlands
  • Local flowers
  • Local wildlife
  • Local vegetation, including many species of invasive weeds
  • Red Belly Black Snakes

As always, enjoy nature.

Joe Mills

Trachelospermum Jasminoides ‘Chinese Star Jasmine’ - garden escapee and invasive weed when found in the wetlands

Dianella caerulea - Blue Flax Lily

Banksia

Bottlebrush

Planted trees near Shearwater Estate ponds

Brush Turkey (male) with bright yellow comb

Brush turkey nesting mound

Looking south from the track

Fern Creek, near the pond

Spoonbill foraging


Pacific Black duck in Fern Creek pond


regrowth on sawn Mahogany tree

Wet fungi

Boardwalk leading to Fern Creek pond

Weed infestation

The Native Violet, Viola hederacea


Dry fungi



Flying Foxes roosting near Warriewood Square


Overflow creek near Shearwater Estate ponds


Coastal Morning Glory (Ipomoea cairica) - invasive weed from Africa


Purple Morning Glory (Ipomoea indica) invasive weed from Central and South America



Gevillea


Cassia/Senna (Senna pendula var. glabrata) - invasive weed


Lantana, (Lantana camara) - invasive weed


Blue Billygoat Weed (Ageratum Houstonianum) - invasive weed


masses of it - from south America originally


Arum Lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica) - invasive weed originally from Africa


Algae growth on tree trunks


Mahogany being strangled by creeper vine


another invasive weed - Crofton weed(Ageratina adenophora)


Wandering trad (Tradescantia fluminensis) -  a significant environmental weed in parts of eastern Australia where it forms dense carpets on forest floors, smothering native vegetation and clogging waterways. PNHA, in conjunction with Australia’s national science agency CSIRO new biocontrol agent called “leaf smut”  into Warriewood. Read up on the program HERE. This may save parts of Warriewood wetlands from this one.


another introduced invasive weed


Red-bely Black Snake crossing the pedestrian bridge



On a walk from the nursing home on Garden street


Brush Turkey nesting beside Mullet Creek walkway - his 'gardening' has rid this section of weeds



Black Pacific Duck resting. An ancient First Nations Black Pacific Duck songline runs through our area to the Hawkesbury River.


Mother Moorhen and baby


young Australian Water Dragon


This Ibis just caught a baby eel in Fern Creek



Purple Swamphen


Moorhen nest in Fern Creek pond - the male has just delivered some nesting materials



The track and ferns along Fern Creek


Coastal Banksia - meant to be here


Palm centre with ground cover plants breaking through


Red-belly Black Snake - near home


Photos: Joe Mills