Sydney Autumn Adventures

The drama of seasonal change plays out differently everywhere on earth. Here in Sydney, the seasons act like a continuous play with a single stage set instead of the sweeping scene changes that unfold elsewhere on the planet.

When I first moved here, I hardly noticed the seasonal changes at all - so subtle that all it took was a switch from shorts to pants and the addition or removal of a light jacket. In New York, the seasons are about extreme changes in weather. That’s what I thought seasonal changes were - just changes in weather, my belief almost making me miss the transformation in Sydney.

Sydney’s autumnal changes are joyful - a waltz with rain and a trot into shorter days, an overall triumph of subtleties. It’s a magical season. With travel still largely off the table, it’s a great chance to explore this enchanted season close to home. Here’s some of the magic we’re looking forward to this year:

It’s Fungi season for all you mycophiles out there and fungi can be found anywhere. Keep your spirits up, but your eyes down, especially after rainfall. Autumn is the best time to spot fungi and this year we’ve got our eyes peeled for slime mold, but no matter what you spot, it’s sure to spark your curiosity of the incredible Fungi Kingdom. One fungi related thing we’re looking forward to is the Fungi Exhibition at The Royal Botanic Gardens in April. I’m thrilled to have a psychedelic artwork of oyster mushrooms included amongst over fifty artists in combination with the renowned botanical art exhibition Botanica.

The exhibition runs 24 April - 9 May at Lion Gate Lodge.

Birds, birds, birds, so many birds on the move! The name of the game in autumn is migration as Sydney says ‘see you later’ to several birds, some traveling as far away as Siberia. As birders, we get a lot of questions about birds and through our sister business, Sydney Bird Club, we get even more, but at the start of each summer, almost all the questions are the same. Before someone can describe the bird they want me to identify the words Channel-billed Cuckoo have already left my mouth. This loud crazy cuckoo terrorizes Pied Currawongs and turns the volume up in the skies with its distinctive call. These notorious birds leave us in March, headed for a winter adventure in New Guinea and Indonesia.

They’re not the only Sydney birds we say goodbye to in autumn. Raise a glass, prepare a toast and say goodbye to:

-37 species of migratory waders including our favorite, the Latham’s Snipe who makes its way back to Japan. (photo above is from Sydney Park)
-Eastern Koels (coooo-eeeeee)
-Rainbow Bee-eaters
-Honeyeaters

Now. For a particularly spectacular migration, a visit to the Blue Mountains in autumn to see the honeyeater migration is well worth the hour trip from Sydney. On the very same trail where we recently saw the extraordinary pink flannel flowers (Narrow Neck Trail), a visitor could look up each morning to see 4,000 honeyeaters flying above headed north for a warmer winter. But don’t stress if you can’t make it out of Sydney, just keep your eyes peeled for large flocks in the sky beginning end of March until mid May.

Here are some to look out for:

-Yellow-faced honeyeaters
-White-naped honeyeaters
-Pardalotes
-Silvereyes
-Wattlebirds

If you do make it to the Blue Mountains, though, it’s a great time to combine the migratory honeyeater flocks with some colourful changing leaves. In the U.S. we call it ‘leaf peeping.’

Side note, it’s apple season in the Blue Mountains and after a long day of birdwatching, leaf peeping and apple picking we recommend visiting the Hillbilly Cider Shed for some delicious local cider including tasting flights. If you’re looking for anything else to do the Blue Mountains Botanic Gardens are just down the road. The last time we visited we easily spotted five bowers from Satin Bowerbirds in the Gardens (our tip is to peek behind hedges and keep a lookout for tiny bits of blue).

Last but not least grab your fins and a mask, it’s the perfect time of year for a snorkel. Not only is the water at its clearest in autumn and winter, but the temperature is still warm. You’ll have the beach to yourself and plenty of space to snorkel in a private underwater paradise. Marine life transforms as well this time of year, with giant cuttlefish, gray nurse sharks, weedy sea dragons, turtles and yellowtail abundant. Plus whale migration begins off the coast in April so you might even spot one of these gentle giants in the distance.

We can’t wait for the first cool day and the start of all the exciting autumn adventures we’re looking forward to. In the meantime, happy autumn.

Cheers,
Stephanie + Amy