Diario de jen_w1

Considerable rain on 24th and rain early on 25th. Visited NL Swamp in the hope of hearing frogs during the day. Easy walk with many heaths in flower and wattles (eg Sunshine, Sweet) still in flower after lower mountains flowering had ended. No Hakea sericea although they are listed for Hazelbrook/ Lawson area on RBG Syd. No macropods seen (possible Swampy scat) but a few swamp tracks for them. A lot of Hibbertia in varying forms. In flower, including low growing with fine pointy leaves at swamp edges. A few birds (Thornbille etc )heard. One very hesitant short frog call. No recording/ no dead or injured/live frogs seen (current East coast deaths crisis for mainly tree frogs). Some water in and next to the track. Bautiful day and easy walk. Popped up to Blue Mountain Trig (unmarked but around 729m) . Saw local Leucopogon rigida (ID by Margaret Baker) . Prickly Dagger Hakea in heath/hill area near swamp, v prickly tea trev(Prickly tea tree?) adjacent to swamp. Blue Mountains Water Skink habitat. would be good reptile habitat in summer. beautiful area.

Intent was to walk in the evening in search of frog calls. Stopped at main clearing late afternoon and there were 5 or so cars and bike and motor bike riders. walked to the left (Linden direction) along short trail. Major 4wd and bike damage to trail including a lot of dried mud/dust on verge plants in parts. litter and additional clearing, very eroded steep parts. Birdsong stopped when very loud motor bike was being ridden on Chapman. No frog calls or ovious water other than in track ruts. When motor bike had departed we walked along Chapman. No frog sound or much bird sound. major road impact from 4WDs. v deep ruts. returned just after dusk. All areas had been fire impacted.

Scramble down to v minor track from Leslie St - possibly starts at Blue Gum Swamp track entrance and skirts back of houses. This joined marked trail (white paint/Christian Centre?) following a minor creek tributary of Shaws Creek. wet schlerophyll along creek with many old growth trees and a lot of small birds plus whipbirds etc. Noticed only one Hakea sericea (Hakea Invasions Project) near the house end. Also no Hop Bush or Sydney Boronia obvious and only scattered Wattles and Pea plants. Patersonia had mostly finished flowering. Also very few Leucopogon setigers. track rises occasionally and has offshoots (Christian centre?) Trees with burnt trunks (but not all). one of the creek crossings had filmy layer on water but mostly it looked fairly healthy. Pink tape/possible route up to the Nat Park trail came in from boulder outcrop on left and white marked trail changed to pink tape at major outcrop where we stopped.. possibly continues and joins Hartfield Fire trail. No bike interference in this area. One raptor seen but not identified. Sheoaks seen but not glossy black cockatoo chewings