ben-johnson's Journal

Start time: 12.20pm
Duration: 3hr, 30mins (approx)
Distance: 5.5km (approx)
iNaturalist observations: 11

Below are some of the common and/or notable species I observed and was able to identify:

📷 = Observations posted

Trees:

• Angophora costata (Sydney red gum)
• Angophora hispida (Dwarf apple)
• Banksia serrata (Old man banksia)
• Eucalyptus sp. (Scribbly gum species)

Shrubs:

• Acacia linifolia (Flax-leaved wattle)
• Acacia suaveolens (Sweet wattle)
• Banksia ericifolia (Heath-leaved banksia)
• Banksia oblongifolia (Rusty banksia)
• Casuarinaceae (Sheoaks)
• Ceratopetalum gummiferum (New South Wales Christmas Bush)
• Darwinia fascicularis (Clustered darwinia)
• Grevillea buxifolia (Grey spider flower) 📷
• Grevillea patulifolia (Swamp grevillea) 📷
• Grevillea sp. (Likely an 'escaped' cultivar) 📷
• Hakea propinqua
• Hakea sericea (Bushy needlebush)
• Hakea teretifolia (Dagger hakea)
• Isopogon anethifolius (Narrow-leaved drumsticks)
• Lambertia formosa (Mountain devil) 📷
• Persoonia pinifolia (Pine-leaf geebung)

Herbaceous plants:

• Actinotus helianthi (Flannel flower) 📷
• Actinotus minor (Lesser flannel flower)
• Dipodium roseum (Rosy hyacinth orchid)
• Dipodium variegatum (Slender hyacinth orchid) 📷
• Doryanthes excelsa (Gymea lily)
• Drosera spatulata (Rosy sundew)
• Pteridium esculentum (Austral bracken)
• Scaevola ramosissima (Hairy fan-flower)
• Stylidium sp. (Triggerplants)
• Xyris gracilis (Slender yellow-eye) 📷

Birds:

• Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris (Eastern spinebill)
• Malurus cyaneus (Superb fairywren)
• Malurus lamberti (Variegared fairywren)
• Neochmia temporalis (Red-browed finch)
• Rhipidura rufifrons (Australian rufous fantail)
• Trichoglossus mollucans (Rainbow lorikeet)

Reptiles:

• Intellagama lesueurii ssp. lesueurii (Eastern water dragon) 📷

Insects:

• Orthetrum villosovittatum (Fiery skimmer)

Start time: 10:50AM
Duration: 3 hours, 17 minutes
Distance: 6.4km (approx)
iNaturalist observations: 19

Below are some of the common and/or notable species I observed and was able to identify:

📷 = Observations posted

Trees:

• Angophora costata (Sydney Red Gum)
• Banksia serrata (Old Man Banksia)
• Corymbia gummifera (Red Bloodwood)
• Eucalyptus sp. (Scribbly gum)

Plants:

• Acacia longissima (Longleaf Wattle)
• Actinotus minor (Lesser Flannel Flower)
• Banksia ericifolia (Heath-leaved Banksia)
• Blandfordia nobilis (Christmas Bells) 📷
• Casuarinaceae sp. (Sheoaks)
• Conospermum longifolium (Smoke Bush) 📷
• Grevillea buxifolia (Grey Spider Flower) 📷
• Grevillea linearifolia (White spider flower)
• Grevillea sericea (Pink spider flower) 📷
• Hakea sp.
• Hakea teretifolia (Dagger hakea)
• Lambertia formosa (Mountain Devil) 📷
• Persoonia sp. (Geebungs)
• Petrophile pulchella (Conesticks) 📷

Birds:

• Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris (Eastern Spinebill)
• Anthochaera chrysoptera (Little Wattlebird)
• Acanthiza lineata (Striated Thornbill)
• Dacelo novaeguineae (Laughing Kookaburra)
• Malurus cyanea (Superb Fairywren)
• Malurus lamberti (Variegated Fairywren)
• Phylidonyris niger (White-cheeked Honeyeater)
• Trichoglossus moluccanus (Rainbow Lorikeet)

Reptiles:

• Varanus varius (Lace Monitor)

Start time: 12:49pm
Duration: 3 hours, 51 minutes
Distance: 5.2km (approx)
iNaturalist observations: 14

Today, I decided to return to Parramatta Lake Reserve after my trip here on Monday was cut short due to bad weather conditions. I walked the whole circuit track this time, starting from and finishing at the entrance on North Rocks Rd.

The trail consists of 4 main walking tracks:

• Upper Lake Track (Rocky and narrow paths)
• Resevoir Track (Rocky and narrow paths with steep uphill and downhill steps to and from below the dam)
• Heritage Path (Paved footpath)
• Arrunga Bardo walk (Mostly a wide, flat dirt track)

From the beginning of my walk to the Lower Hunts Creek Crossing, the rocky terrain was abundant with many different kinds of trees and shrubs of all sizes, including turpetine, various eucalyptus and angorpha species, hop bushes, sweet pittosporum, many acacia species and geebungs. The forest floor was covered in leaf litter and had lomandras and ferns, gradually increasing in number the closer I got to the creek before reaching the dam where they became the main component of the understory. Yellow-faced honeyeaters were very common and heard calling throughout the bushland.

A photograph overlooking Lake Parramatta, right near the water on the bend on the Upper Lake Track. A swan-shaped pedal boat hired from Parramatta Row Boats can be seen. Image by myself

At around an hour and a half into my trip, I stopped off at the picnic tables to have lunch, before continuing on to the Arrunga Bardo Walk. Here, I came across many different waterbirds, wrens and a sulphur-crested cockatoo feeding on acacia seed pods. Once I reached the western side of the Upper Lake Track, the undergrowth became denser as I got closer to the Upper Hunts Creek crossing.

Though the creek area was smothered with many invasive plants, I came across quite a special surprise. For the first time in my life, I saw a wild echidna!! I only briefly saw the spines of its back before it waddled back into the bushes.

After that, it was getting late, so I decided it was time to finish up. I made a few observations on my way back to the entrance, noticing some grass triggerplants on the way back, which I had not noticed elsewhere on the trail before. Although I didn't get as many photos as I would've liked to, it was overall a good day. I learned more about Parramatta's biodiversity and came across a few surprises like the dollarbird and the echidna. With the warming weather bringing early summer temperatures, I think it might be time to go coastal next to enjoy the cool breeze.

Below are some of the common and/or notable species I observed and was able to identify:

📷 = Observations posted

Plants:

• Acacia decurrens (Sydney green wattle) 📷
• Acacia falcata (Sickle wattle)
• Acacia fimbriata (Brisbane wattle)
• Acacia suaveolens (Sweet wattle)
• Acacia ulicifolia (Juniper wattle)
• Actinotus helianthi (Flannel flower) 📷
• Angorpha costata (Smooth-barked apple)
• Banksia serrata (Old man banksia)
• Banksia spinulosa (Hairpin banksia)
• Cyathea cooperi (Australian tree fern)
• Dodonaea lanceolata (Hop bush)
• Eucalyptus pilularis (Blackbutt)
• Grevillea linearifolia (White spider flower) 📷
• Lambertia formosa (Mountain devil) 📷
• Lomandra longifolia (Spiny-headed mat-rush)
• Ozothamnus diosmifolius (Sago flower) 📷
• Patersonia sp. (Purple flags) 📷
• Persoonia linearis (Narrow-leaf geebung)
• Pimelea linifolia (Slender rice flower) 📷
• Pittosporum undulatum (Sweet pittosporum)
• Stylidium graminifolium (Grass triggerplant)
• Syncarpia glomulifera (Turpentine)

Birds:
(Full list on eBird checklist:) https://ebird.org/checklist/S152714297

• Aythya australis (Hardhead)
• Cacatua galerita (Sulphur-crested cockatoo) 📷
• Caligavis chrysops (Yellow-faced honeyeater)
• Eolophus roseicapilla (Galah)
• Eurystomus orientalis (Oriental dollarbird)
• Fulica atra ssp. australis (Australasian coot)
• Gallinula tenebrosa (Dusky moorhen)
• Malurus cyaneus (Superb fairywren)
• Malurus lamberti (Variegated fairywren)
• Manorina melanocephala (Noisy miner)
• Phalacrocorax sulcirostris (Little black cormorant) 📷
• Platycercus elegans (Crimson rosella)

Reptiles:

• Amphibolurus muricatus (Jacky dragon)
• Eulamprus quoyii (Eastern Water Skink)
• Intellagama leuserii ssp. leuserii (Eastern Water Dragon)

Mammals:

• Tachyglossus aculeatus ssp. aculeatus (Eastern Short-beaked echidna) 📷

Insects:

• Euploea core (Common crow butterfly)
• Meriphus sp. (A genus of small weevil)

Start time: 12pm (approx)
Duration: 1hr, 55 mins (approx)
Distance: 3km (approx)
iNaturalist observations: 4

Today, I decided to visit Lake Parramatta Reserve, as it has been well over a year since my last visit.

I began my journey at the entrance on North Rocks Road, bypassing part of the Upper Lake Track to get to the Reservoir track, where a lone male king parrot caught my eye. He was feeding on the fruits of a hop bush, right next to the lake. The king parrots of the area are quite friendly and undisturbed by humans, so I was able to get close for some photos. Unfortunately, he was swooped at by a currawong, but later returned to his spot to feed, where I continued to watch and photograph him.

Throughout the reserve, most of the vegetation I saw consisted of a canopy of eucalyptus and angorpha species, an understory of various shrubs including hop bush and blackthorn and scattered lomandra and flannel flowers along the forest floor. Some parts of the bushland have had hazard reduction burns done recently, so all the mature shrubs were dead with lush new growth sprouting from the burned ground.

Below the dam at the Lower Hunts creek crossing, where it is more moist and perhaps also more fertile, the understory vegetation included many different species of ferns, as well as the invasive wandering trad. (Tradescantia fluminensis) To my surprise, I saw an Australian brushturkey chick, foraging amongst the leaf litter near the creek.

Once I headed uphill and reached the heritage path, I saw a flock of cockatoos feeding on the grass near some of the picnic tables. There were about 15 or so, one of them showing signs of psittacine beak and feather disease with many missing feathers on its head, the rest of the flock appearing healthy. I found a picnic table overlooking the lake and sat down to have something to eat. Many more cockatoos were seen perched in the large, hollow-bearing trees on the opposite side of the lake.

Since it was getting dark and windy with predicted rain, I had to cut my trip short. I headed back up the reservoir track and followed the Upper Lake Track along the lake that I missed earlier, finding more flannel flowers and some pea shrubs. Even though I didn't stay as long as I wanted to, I'll be sure to return on a better day so I can contribute to photographing and documenting the wonderful biodiversity of the area.

Below are some of the common and/or notable species I observed and was able to identify:

📷 = Observations posted

Plants:

• Acacia sp. (At least 4 or 5 different species)
• Actinotus helianthi (Flannel flower) 📷
• Angorpha costata (Smooth-barked apple)
• Banksia serrata (Old Man Banksia)
• Banksia spinulosa (Hairpin banksia)
• Bursaria spinosa (Australian blackthorn)
• Cyathea cooperi (Australian tree fern)
• Dillwynia retorta (Heathy parrot pea)
• Dodonaea lanceolata (Hop bush)
• Eucalyptus pilularis (Blackbutt)
• Grevillea linearifolia (White spider flower) 📷
• Lomandra longifolia (Spiny-headed mat-rush)
• Ozothamnus diosmifolius (Sago flower)
• Persoonia linearis (Narrow-leaf geebung)

Birds:
(Full list on eBird checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S152366284)

• Alectura lathami (Australian brushturkey) 📷
• Alisterus scapularis (Australian king parrot) 📷
• Cacatua galerita (Sulphur-crested cockatoo)
• Fulica atra (Eurasian coot)
• Gallinula tenebrosa (Dusky moorhen)
• Glossopsitta concinna (Musk lorikeet)
• Malarus cyaneus (Superb fairywren)
• Manorina melanocephala (Noisy miner)
• Phalacrocorax carbo (Great cormorant)
• Phalacrocorax sulcirostris (Little black cormorant)
• Platycercus elegans (Crimson rosella)
• Trichoglossus moluccanus (Rainbow lorikeet)

Reptiles:

• Eulamprus quoyii (Eastern Water Skink)
• Intellagama leuserii ssp. leuserii (Eastern Water Dragon)

This is my first journal post on iNaturalist, I'll be looking forward to writing more, learning to identify more species and paying more close attention to my surroundings.

Thank you for reading!