I arrived late Thursday morning in Sydney, and with the threat of poor weather on Saturday, I made a point to get out of my hotel right away and see some of the sights around the
Circular Quay Sydney Harbour area. I knew of the
Royal Botanic Gardens before leaving Maryland. My driver from the airport had earlier offered some of the points of interest near my hotel - I was pleased to hear the Sydney Opera House, the Bridge, and Gardens were all in walking distance of the Marriott. So after a late lunch, I shed my sport coat, picked up my camera, and walked down Pitt Street to the Harbour area.
The weather was in the 80's and humid. The Sydney Harbour Bridge was just off in the distance, and the Opera House to the right. As I walked around the harbor and keeping the Opera House to my left, a walled abruptement rose above the sidewalk across the street from me. There was vegetation spilling over the top of the wall - must be a park up there. The gardens are expansive, and the specimens marked with signs. The water in the bay is clear - remarkable for such a densely populated area. Lots of paved roads, and lots of birds. Below is a sampling of those most commonly seen in the middle of a summer afternoon in late February.
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| Rainbow Lorikeet |
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| Australian Magpie |
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| Australian White Ibis |
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| Noisy Miner |
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| Silver Gull |
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| Royal Garden Duck Pond |
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| Dusky Gallinule |
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| Australian Wood Duck |
