LAPEROUSE

There have been three sightings of humpback whales off Frenchman’s beach over the past week.  Good places in the Bay for watching are Frenchman’s Bay, Bare Island, and the Sydney Ports Visitor’s Lookout at the end of Prince of Wales Drive (Molineux Point).  BW photo taken 1965 at Bare Island.

A White-Necked Heron

is patrolling La Perouse in search of frogs, skinks and other small reptiles. These birds which are usually found in wetlands are distinguished by the black spots on their long necks.

A pair of Spotted Pardalote - Pardalotus punctatus - are nesting on the banks at the Happy Valley Bridge. The birds typically build nests 400mm-600mm long into the sides of creek banks.

To celebrate International National Parks Day some of the Little Bay cubs gave up sport for the day and joined their parents and leader for a walk in Botany Bay National Park at La Perouse. The highlights of the day were the sighting of a very well camouflaged Eastern Water Dragon and a grove of Patersonia. Other plants of interest included the Lasiopetalum ferrugineum,

“Pink Five Corners” Styphelia triflora

and cone and flower of Isopogon anethifolius not listed on Park Species list. Nearby a number of specimens of Petrophile pulchella

Elsewhere in the Park and down on the beach Kensington Cubs did a clean up of rubbish and weeds under the supervision of local Field Officer Steve Chapple.  Link to walk September 2008 for further plant species.

The Weedy Seadragon is one of the most visually striking creatures in the sea. It is closely related to the seahorse and hangs out in the waters off southern Australia. So it’s commonly seen by divers around the bays of Sydney for example, but very little is known about this creature.

Full story including video

Link to 2002 Wonder Weed story at Bare Island

One La Perouse local was fortunate to spend an hour kayaking with dolphins in Frenchman’s Bay today. She estimated there were 40 adults and juveniles. Further information on Whales and Dolphins.Anyone observing Whales or Dolphins in Botany Bay is advised to report this to the Commonwealth Department of Environment .You will be asked for details of coordinates and here are some of the areas you are likely to spot them: Astrolabe Bay  = 33°59′27.38″S 33°59′27.38″S Congwong Bay mid way between Bare Island and Henry Head =  33°59′40.98″S 151°14′2.63″E Mid-point between Molyneux Point and Yarra Point = 33°59′3.51″S 151°13′19.99″E

Lat: 10.7°S, Long: 76.3°E, Diam: 77 km, Depth: km, Rukl: 49

Details 

Darwinius masillae (Darwin’s creature from Messel) is being hailed as a significant ‘missing link’/ ‘transitional species’ in the evolution of primates. This beautifully preserved specimen was discovered in 1983 in the Messel Fossil deposits in Germany and reassembled in 2007. For the last 2 years it has been studied and described by a team of scientists led by Jørn Hurum of the University of Oslo;  the university purchased the find for a reported $1million in 2007. The specimen is reportedly 95% complete with hair, tissues and stomach contents and this is remarkable when you consider that Lucy was only 40%. Messel has revealed other well-preserved specimens of the Eocene including eight species of crocodile, more than 20 snakes, more than 60 specimens of pygmy horse, the largest ant ever to crawl the planet and eight fragmentary primate specimens. The first Archaeopteryx was found in 1861 in Germany. Link

Darwinius masillae, nicknamed Ida after Hurum’s 6year old daughter, lived around 47 million years ago(mya). Ida is a primate because she has nails on her digits rather than claws and she has opposable thumbs and big toes. Ida is female because she has no baculum. She dates from a time that our branch of the primates (the haplorhines) which includes monkeys and apes split from a second group including the lemurs, lorises, pottos and bush babies (the strepsirrhines). Key features of her skeleton suggest she is not an ancient lemur. She has no “grooming claw” on her second toe, a feature that all lemurs share. She also does not have a set of fused teeth in the middle of her bottom jaw called a “tooth comb”. The tarsus bone in her ankle is shaped like our ancestors. So it is likely that she is a very early haplorhine primate. Ida’s left wrist was broken, but had partly healed. The researchers believe this injury would have hampered her climbing and may have contributed to her death or possibly she was overcome from carbon dioxide fumes from the Messel Lake. The large eye holes in her skull suggest she was probably adapted for night vision and so was nocturnal. Her milk teeth are in place with adult teeth forming behind, indicating that she was still a juvenile – probably six to nine months old (equivalent to 6 years in human terms). Ida’s last meal contained fruit and leaves, but no insects.

Our local dig on the ex-UNSW adjacent to Prince Henry has yielded fossils from the early Miocene (approx. 22 mya) including pollen from the Wollemi Pine. While Australia has no transitional primates in the fossil record it does have mammals dating from the late Oligocene through to the mid Miocene (25-12 mya).

 A reminder of the Desalination operation at Cape Solander.  When Sydney Ports were asked to identify this item the reply was:   “ Please be advised that Mark Laughson from Blue Water (contractor for desalination outfall works) has been contacted. They did loose a mooring can several months ago and it does resemble their gear. They will swing by this week to plan for a removal strategy ASAP.”

The Sydney Coastal Councils Group was established in 1989 to promote co-ordination between member councils on environmental and natural resource management issues relating to the sustainable management of the urban coastal environment.

The Group consists of 15 councils adjacent to Sydney marine and estuarine environments and associated waterways (Botany Bay, Hornsby, Leichhardt, Manly, Mosman, North Sydney, Pittwater, Randwick, Rockdale, Sutherland, City of Sydney, Warringah, Waverley, Willoughby and Woollahra). The Group represents over 1.3 million Sydneysiders. This area encompasses the waterways of Broken Bay; Pittwater; Port Jackson, the lower Lane Cove River, Middle and North Harbour; Botany Bay, the Lower Georges and Cooks River; and Port Hacking.  Further information at: http://www.sydneycoastalcouncils.com.au/

On 20th February, 2009,  Craig Morrison, Irene and Bruce Thom, and Geoff Withycombe came to inspect the Coastal Walk  between Prince Henry and Cape Banks.  Observed during the walk (far right) - making moulds to produce fake rocks. 

The Coastal Walk from Clovelly to Cronulla was launched in March 2008.  There are issues of access associated with stretches around the south eastern golf courses, from Yarra Bay to Sir Joseph Banks Park, and around Sydney Airport.  In addition pathways need to be clearly marked, basic facilities should be made available (example toilets need to be open at Cape Banks), static interpretation should be provided for major heritage items, and supporting material available from the major public landholders such as National Parks, Councils and Department of Lands.

Further information about the Coastal Walk at:  http://www.walkingcoastalsydney.com.au/