Where the Rivers Meet
Today we took a little trip down the bends of
Hawkesbury Road and along
Springwood Road to the Southern section of
Yarramundi Reserve at the confluence of the
Grose and Hawkesbury-Nepean Rivers. This is one of our favourite places and it was nice to get out and enjoy a bit of fresh air and sunshine, as Ken has been quite ill with the 'flu and felt like a little excursion to cheer him up. We took a picnic lunch, which we enjoyed after our walk along the river path by the
Southern Lagoon.
Here is part of the river on the
Southern side of the Reserve. Due to the abundance of native wildlife within the Reserve, the Southern portion is managed as a
Conservation Zone and Wildlife Refuge.
There were Pelicans cruising along the river, as well as Black Swans and Ducks and Herons.
We saw some people riding their horses along the river path. They stopped to say "G'day!". We saw them later, on their return and they told us to look out for the bats!
Looking across the
Southern Lagoon towards the
Blue Mountains. Our home is perched along the top of
Winmalee Ridge. I like to think it is somewhere within the range of this view!
Here is the colony of
Grey-headed Flying Fox,
which our horse-riding friends told us about. Evidently they periodically visit this
Reserve and are well known for their wide ranging foraging habits. They feed on the fruit, nectar and blossom of eucalypts and rainforest plants. Due to habitat clearing, they are listed as a vulnerable species under the
Threatened Species Conservation Act.
Birdwatchers can view a variety of woodland and wetland birds
within the reserve. Over 93 different species have been recorded,
including Ducks, Herons, Eagles, Doves, Parrots, Wrens,
Honeyeaters and Finches.
The reserve is also very popular for fishing, with at least 14
species of fish known to live in the area, though not all of them
are suitable for fishing. You may find Bass, Catfish, Eels, Mullet
and Gudgeons in these waters, as well as exotic fish such as Carp
and Goldfish also occur here.
4 comments:
The pelicans are a welcome sight.
Hawkesbury and Nepean are both local names here.
It's always great to see the pelicans. That's interesting that Hawkesbury and Nepean are local names in your area. I live on Hawkesbury Road and the name Hawkesbury features prominently in my area. It was a name bestowed by Governor Arthur Phillip in 1790 after Lord Hawkesbury in England.
The reserve looks interesting. I must go visit one day but we tend to spend more time west of the mountains these days.
It's a really lovely spot, especially for birdwatching and photography. It's practically on our back doorstep, as we live on Hawkesbury Road near the bends down to Richmond.
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