25/08/09 - Letter to Reefcare members
from Bill Reilly, Durag Tribe Member, Sydney Northern Beaches
News
27/05/09 - Monster Seas hit Sydney’s Northern Beaches
Surf between 3 and 4 metres on Saturday swept over Long Reef. In spite of the storm Fishcare volunteers were out doing their thing which gave us an interesting comparison between summer and winter conditions for the wildlife that live on the reef.
Shorebirds - Ricki Coughlan’s Wader Bird Count.
Saturday was tough conditions at Long Reef. The winds were 30 - 35 knots from the South East; the swell was too powerful to permit access to the high tide roost. This necessitated a count from the beach and means that our count cannot be considered to be accurate. Despite the conditions, this was possibly the most exciting count that we've had so far. See photo at right of Ruddy Turnstones weathering the storm.
Community Reef Walk - Fishcare Volunteers.
Sunday at low tide volunteers and visitors inspected the rock platform. What marine life remained was holding on for grim life. Six little Molluscs (Black Nerites) are photographed bunkered down in a rock hole (below left). Fishermen’s Beach was littered with broken Sea Urchins, Algae, Sponges and Cunjevoi.
The large seas had washed in sea creatures from the open ocean - Glaucus atlanticus.
Photo below right of the sea slug which resembles something from outer space - they live on Bluebottles.
Sea Grass monitoring – Reefcare volunteer program.
Long Reef’s sand dunes withstood the pounding thanks to the presence of Sea Grass, Spinifex sericeus growing on our dunes which is not growing on Collaroy Beach; the foreshore erosion on Collaroy Beach was reported by a local resident as the worst he had seen in over ten years. Fisherman’s Beach—between the fishing boats has a marine Sand Couch called Sporbolus which protects the beach from sand erosion.
Species of Marine Grass found - NOT recorded before growing on Long Reef.
Zostera capricorni, known as Eel Grass, was found by local Phil Colman. This is an unusual find as this submerged marine grass normally grows in protected estuaries or bays and not in open ocean rock pools battered by currents and fierce storms as on Long Reef.
05/09 - Cutting edge shark science on show at NSW Parliament
Visitors to Parliament House and politicians alike will be greeted by wobbegong
shark pups in the foyer of NSW Parliament this week,
Minister for Primary
Industries Ian Macdonald said today....more here
04/09 Welcome to the new Reefcare website. We've added a few new sections and given the site a new look.
So have a browse around, Discover Long Reef and enjoy nature!
Don't forget to check back here regularly for all the latest Reefcare related news.