Bioblitz Part 3

In the early afternoon of 27 September - before most of these sightings had been added - it was good to find a summary page for the Blitz and even better to see that I was on the podium for species count!

Obviously folk spent the Sunday evening entering up their observations as by the Monday morning I had dropped to 21st, with 57 species, and have to rack up another 32 to get into the top 10!  (The leading observer is bizarre: its some dude from NZ with 157 observations: all of NZ Pigeon and from all over the country.  Methinks he is an academic studying the species and has juust added his entire set of observations.)

The aim of today was to focus on the rocks at Bastion Point.  Early in the morning the weather was non-propitious but there was still entertainment to be found as I removed a tick from my thigh: the first of the financial year!  (The second of the financial year was discovered under my chin in the evening.)

As the weather appeared to be improving I took myself to Bastion Point where an Australian Fur Seal pup was relaxing at the foot of the steps.  ESGC had put up a warning sign so a clamber down the rocks was in order.

It was quite vocal and after I had done my business (see below and clambered back up the rocks it seemed to be heading back to sea.

The lot of Sea Hares Aplysia sydneyensis we had noticed earlier in the week were still in the various pools.

The pools were still relatively low on shells, both number and diversity.  No abalone, tritons or shield limpets.  What follows is, in most cases what has been suggested by contributors to iNaturalist.

Siphonaria funiculata

There is general agreement that the following is a Nerite (genus Nerita) but the two observers who have responded have given different specific names.  The first suggestion was N. atremosa while the second was N. melanotragus noting "more likely at location".  Consulting the Atlas of Living Australia entries for the two species shows that both are possible so I leave the big boys to fight it out!  

The proponent of N. melanogaster has explained that the Australian species used to be all N. atremosa but research in 2007 showed that the Eastern specimen were N. melanogaster (previously thought to be a NZ species).  There is still room for doubt and the distinction can be made on the operculum - once I find out what the difference is I will go and check a few out.

Everyone seems to agree on this as Austrocochlea porcata the Zebra Top Snail.

Meridiastra calcar the Carpet Seastar.

Hormosira banksii Neptune's necklace.

We now get into tick country - ie the bush.  Most of the following comes from the forest at Mullet Creek, with a few other bits and pieces added in.  The first is a mystery:  the AI of iNaturalist suggested Pittosporum but in the field the leaves were not that.

The next two images were stages in the life of Smilax australia - the lawyer vine.  While not as prickly as most specimens it did a good job of tripping me up, so the vernacular is still appropriate.

Lathyris latifolius: an escapee.

A Wonga vine Pandorea pandorana.  The Wonga pigeon is named after its call, a repetitive "wong, wong".  This vine was silent.

This was on the dunes in the morning.  I think it is Cakile maritima Sea Rocket.

Common all over the place Acacia mearnsii.

Angophora floribunda: also ubiquitous this is a favoured roosting spot of the Mullet pigeon.

The skinks are everywhere in our garden.  This is Eulamprus heatwolei the Yellow-bellied Water Skink.