Betka to Pebbly

The second of our longer walks.  Frances thought this was about 6km each way but it turned out to only be 4km.  And only had a couple of pimples in it, no real hills.

As we were driving to Betka I noticed an odd looking cormorant on their tree at th Betka River,  On reversing it turned out to be a White-bellied Sea-Eagle.
For folk that have trouble identifying birds with white heads here is the Sea-Eagle contrasted with a Little Pied Cormorant and (in the background left) a female Darter
We moseyed on the walk without taking photos etc - they came on the way back and while there.  As we arrived an Eastern Reef Egret flew off a reef to some larger rocks.
This will help students of Rock Birds tell the Reef Egret from Little Pied Cormorant
Here is an overall snap of the beach.
A horde of Black Nerites (Nerita altramentosa).
This shows the wee tracks they were making.
Here is a real close-up showing body parts emerging from under the shell.  I have no idea what function the body parts perform!
Barnacles!
I was going to say Mussels - but I am not sure they are!
Sooty Oystercatchers,

No idea what this is!  Not even to the animal, vegetable or mineral level!  It looked like a jellyfish but was hard not soft!
The sea had calmed down a bit since yesterday but I still wouldn't want to be out in it. 


This is a bit out of sequence but Frances noticed this as we walked back.  It is unusual for the width of the kelp frond - probably 60 cm.
Nature sends a message to the Government (Local ,State or Federal) about the attention they are paying to the environment
Habitat about Secret Beach.
Habitat above Quarry Beach.  These stands of dense Melaleucas have next to nothing growing underneath them and very few birds.
Few flowers around, and most of them were Epacris impressa,  (We did see a white-form today, on the way out, but didn't spot it on the way back.)  So here is a Correa reflexa, of which there were quite a few.
Goodenia sp.
This plant has large broad hairy leaves with there flowers (?) in the axils.  The plant is very common but I can't get a name for it from any of our books.
Acacia suavolens was in flower everywhere (but my photo was naff).  A. longifolia is still in bud.
I think this is Banksia marginata.  The Atlas of Living Australia only records three Banksias in this area and the leaves are not right for B. integrifolia or B. serrata.
Pycnoporus coccineus
A couple of species of small wood living fungi.

An Earthstar Geastrum triplex.  These are a type of puffball.
As we got back towards Betka I took these two images of landart that someone has created there.


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