Still exploring the Central Coast, I pass the turn off to Chain Valley Bay on my way to and from work, but this was the first time I turned down the track. Lots of things in flower, it felt rather spring-like until the clouds drifted back over.
Lots of birds high in the tree blossoms including swift parrots, but none presented photo opportunities. I consoled myself with a group of Variegated Fairywrens, one of which was already in breeding plumage.
Yellow-faced Honeyeater
White-naped Honeyeater (Juvenile)
Little Wattlebird
Our first blue-sky day in weeks so I crept away from essay marking for an hour in the Munmorah Conservation Area, ten minutes from home. Honeyeaters were very busy in the flowering Swamp Mahoganies and Melaleucas, but there were also plenty of heath plants in flower including Lambertia, Banksia and a very strongly perfumed wattle. I had a brief but enjoyable walk along the Moonee Beach Firetrail off the Snapper Point Road.
On the way home I was distracted by a mixed group bathing in a roadside puddle. As well as the Yellow-faced Honeyeater and Easter Spinebill above there were Silvereyes and Superb Fairywrens. With all the water around at the moment, it’s interesting that this puddle was so popular.
