Mount Jerusalem

Mount Jerusalem National Park is 50km inland from Byron Bay and lies within the International Birdlife Nightcap Range Important Biodiversity Area (IBA). It is part of the outer rim of the the Tweed/Mount Warning volcano caldera, a volcano active 23 million years ago. Water runoff from the park drains into three catchments, the Tweed River, Brunswick River and the Wilson/Richmond River. On a short walk from the car park, down Middle Ridge Road, we heard Brown Cuckoo-Doves, Spotted Pardalotes, White-throated Scrubwren, Crimson Rosellas, Brown Thornbills, Golden Whistlers, a Grey Shrike-thrush, and saw the two Pacific Baza photographed below. Middle Ridge Road is on Rhyolite rock and has open wet sclerophyll eucalypts on one side and more rainforest flora on the other.

A Pacific Baza, still in juvenile plumage, seen on Middle Ridge Road in Mount Jerusalem National Park.

The two juvenile Pacific Bazas together.

Sandhills Wetland opened in Byron Bay

The restored Sandhills Wetlands recently opened close to the Byron Bay town centre. The area was heavily mined for sand in the 1960s and this destroyed the original wetlands. Across the 1.8 hectare site are three ponds, a network of shared paths and seating. The new wetlands aim to improve water quality of the outflow onto the beach and to provide environment for wildlife. The Byron Bird Buddies are surveying to establish the initial bird populations. Forty species were counted at last weeks survey.

Welcome Swallow have moved into the new wetlands along with Australian Ibis, Masked Lapwings, with visits from herons, Royal Spoonbills and a Little Egret.

A view across the largest pond of the new Sandhills Wetland. Good numbers of Figbirds, Noisy Friarbirds, Little Wattlebirds as well as Noisy Miners and Common Mynas were counted.

It was encouraging to see some small birds including White-browed Scrubwrens and Superb Fairy-wrens.

The wetlands will clean up waterways used by some regular visitors to the Byron beaches including the Beach Stone-curlews.

Red-Kneed Dotterel at Byron Bay Wetlands

The water weed Salvinia invaded the waterways of the Byron Bay Wetlands, covering most of the free water areas, making them unusable for the waterbirds that normally visit. Salvinia is a very hard pest to get rid of and efforts to date have not been that successful.

A few weeks ago Cell I of the wetlands was sprayed with an approved weed killer. The results have been promising with the opening of a large area of free water. Even more encouraging has been the return of a limited number of water birds, including two Red-Kneed Dotterels, a bird that has not been seen in the wetlands for several years.

A pair of Red-kneed Dotterels return to the Byron Bay Wetlands after several years absence.

The view across Cell I after spraying to control the Savlinia weed that had totally covered it.

A Comb-crested Jacana comes out of the Melaleuca swamp to feed on top of the remaining Salvinia water week on Cell I.

Scarlet Jezebel

The Scarlet Jezebel belongs to a butterfly family found in Australia and New Guinea. The Scarlet Jezebel is seen in Australia’s northern states. The caterpillars feed exclusively on mistletoes.

A Scarlet Jezebel Butterfly, photographed in Byron Bay.

This Scarlet Jezebel is laying its eggs below a patch of mistletoe. Hopefully the caterpillas will climb to the mistletoe to feed.

Byron Bay birds

Photos taken around the bay in recent weeks.

Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove photographed on the “old”" New Brighton Road pathway.

A Red-backed Fairy-wren taken at the "old” New Brighton road pathway.

Golden-headed Cisticola singing loudly from a tree top in the Byron Bay Wetlands.

Summer arrives at Byron Bay Wetlands

Summer arrives at Byron Bay Wetlands. Out in the bay the East Australian Current is running close to the coastline and because it is two to three degrees Celsius warmer than normal, this adds to the intensity of rain and persistent thunderstorms.

At the wetlands weeds have overgrown large areas of free water; this has happened at an incredible pace. Salvinia has covered H cell, normally the largest area of water, with a thick blanket of weed. Frogbit has taken over in parts of the melaleuca swamps. Bare mudflat has all but disappeared, reducing the desirability for water birds and shore birds, sightings are very low. However numbers of woodland and forest birds on the site are holding up, with last weeks survey counting 72 species in total on the morning. (A map of the wetlands can be seen at the Byron Bird Buddies website.)

This White-bellied Sea-Eagle regularly scows the wetlands creating havoc amongst the inhabitants. Here it is watching from a perch in the rainforest section adjacent to H cell.

We counted 12 Latham’s Snipe in the wetland during the national Snipe survey in November and at last week’s survey the count was still10 birds, 9 of them in the reedy end of E Cell and one in H Cell.

Seven Nankeen Night Herons graced the wetlands last year. So it was exciting to count seven again this week, including one immature bird. After flushing from the pond the Nankeen Night-Heron shown retreated to the line of trees behind E Cell.

Salvinia molesta is a Brazilian water fern introduced to enhance goldfish bowls and now a scourge for Australian waterways. The photo shows the brown weed completely covering what is normally the largest area of open water, H Cell, a feat it achieved in a few weeks. The infestation is being treated with a weevil but progress has been slow. Frogbit has covered areas within the Melaleuca swamps and these are currently being sprayed.

‍ ‍There have been a lot of Brush Cuckoos calling across the wetlands.

But they are not always welcome, as this Leaden Flycatcher sends the intruder on its way.

Laughing Kookaburras are getting the same treatment. There were at least three pairs of Leaden Flycatchers in breeding mode within the melaleuca swamps.

This Black-winged Kite was very possessive about its perch overlooking E Cell, seeing off a second Kite who tried to muscle in.

A young Australian Magpie making a lot of noise.

One of the many Lewin’s Honeyeaters that inhabit the wetlands, feeding in the carpark.

Lake Wivenhoe

Lake Wivenhoe is the largest lake in South East Queensland and provides more than half of the region's drinking water. The shoreline is mainly grazed pasture with occasional scrub and trees. The lake attracts a variety of water and other bird species. The pictures below were taken at Hamon Cove Recreation Cove on the western side of the lake.

Water birds seen included Great Crested Grebes, Hardheads, Pacific Black Ducks, Darters, Little Pied and Little Black Cormorants.

Yellow-rumped Thornbills were active in the car park, along with Masked Lapwings, Magpies, Little Friarbirds, Noisy Friarbirds and Striped Honeyeaters. Red-backed Fairy-wren, Superb Fairy-wren and Tawny Grassbirds were plentiful in surrounding areas of long grass.

A Little Friarbird feeding in the car park at Hamon Cove Recreation Cove on Lake Wivenhoe.

Evening at Tallow Beach

The evening light in Byron Bay can be magical. The old sewerage works at Tallow Beach is a good place to take advantage of the light and also to see some interesting birds. The photos below were taken there just before sunset a few weeks ago.

Pied Oyster Catchers

Brahminy Kite

Little Egret

Beach Stone-curlews

Royal Spoonbill

Varied Triller

A young Varied Triller waits for a feed.

Ravensbourne

Ravensbourne in Queensland is an elevated area just north of Toowoomba in the Darling Downs. The Ravensbourne National Park is considered the best remaining example of the rainforest that originally covered this part of the Great Dividing Range. Ferns, elkhorns and fungi cover the forest floor amongst tall trees and Bangalow palms. A three day stay in the area resulted in a 56 species bird list that included Catbirds, Cicadabirds and Bowerbirds, and Wompoo and Rose-crowned Fruit-Doves.

Several families of Rufous Fantail were busy close to our accommodation, but it took the full three days before this bird posed for its photograph.

Eastern Yellow Robins added to a dawn chorus that included Golden Whistlers, Grey Shrike-thrush and the rainforest birds mentioned above.

A constant companion, the Black-faced Monarch could be heard making its scratchy call.

Two mean looking critters, a pair of Spangled Drongos.

Western Downs in Queensland

The Western Downs in Queensland is a fertile flat agricultural district to the west of Brisbane. It covers an area of 38,000 square kilometers, an area just smaller than Switzerland, and is part of the Darling Downs region. The black vertosols (cracking clay soils) support farming aided by water from the great artesian basin. The Condamine River flows through the area and together with a number of dams and water holes provide the best birdwatching.

Round Water Hole is a small pond close to the town of Chinchilla on the Warrego Highway through the Western Downs. The pond is surrounded by eucalypts which a number of birds, including this Sacred Kingfisher, were feeding from. A Restless Flycatcher was busy in an adjacent tree.

Three Greylag Geese added to a number of waterbirds at the Round Water Hole at Chinchilla; Little Black Cormorants, Grey Teal and Pacific Black Ducks.

Above them a Whistling Kite watched on.

Back down the road this Apostlebird was doing very well feeding in the chicken coup behind the town’s general store.

The dominant roadside bird by a long way across the whole region was sadly the introduced Common Myna, challenged in a few places by Magpie Larks.

Black Bittern at Byron Bay Wetlands

A single Black Bittern was recorded at the Byron Bay Wetland many years ago. The Byron Bird Buddies regularly take part in the national Bittern Surveys, listening across the wetlands on the evening of the full moon in late spring, but for a long time without success. So the recording below was very closely examined, compared to others on birding apps and at the website Xeno Canto. The conclusion was Black Bittern; calling from around the car park area or from Cells I and J of the wetland.

The bird was heard on three successive nights at the end of October and then again in the early morning of the 10th of November.

Sound Recording taken at Byron Bay Wetlands boundary:

Black Bittern photographed on the bank at Yellow Waters, Kakadu in the Northern Territory, August 2018.

Bunya Mountains

The Bunya Mountains emerge from the plains of the Western Downs, some 200 km north west of Brisbane, Queensland. Sub-tropical rainforests top the mountain range, dominated by Bunya Pine, a tall and spectacular evergreen tree of the conifer family. We stopped at the Russell Park Picnic area and a short walk around the picnic area revealed 16 species of bird including a Noisy Pitta.

A Crested Shrike-tit, exploring a rather large curled vine in the car park at Russell Park Picnic Area in the Bunya Mountain rainforest.

One of many Eastern Whipbirds calling and feeding in the car park.

While listening to a Shining Bronze-Cuckoo calling, this Fan-tailed Cuckoo suddenly appeared.

A Brown Cuckoo-Dove feeding of the ground, again in the car park!

Magpie attack on Brisbane Rail Trail

Setting off on the Brisbane Rail Trail Cycle Track we saw many cyclists with long silver streamers trailing from their helmets, an ominous sign of magpies ahead. About five miles north of Esk the sign below appeared on the trackside, warning of imminent magpie attack. Only another hundred metres and the attacks began. Five magpies lined the trail, making continual swoops, fortunately none connecting despite our lack of protection.

The information centre in Fernvale supplies silver streamers to passing cyclists. The staff advised that zip ties have lost effectiveness in warding off magpies, that the streamers are working at the moment, but that they were expecting the magpies to get used to them with time.

A permanent sign warning of magpie attack! The danger zone is only metres ahead.

The protagonist Australian Magpie feared by all cyclists!

Byron Bay Wetlands September 2025

Spring has officially arrived and the quiet of winter replaced by a buzzing in the reed beds; cisticolas, grassbirds, reed-warblers and fairy-wren. Water flow into E Cell has been turned off and an area of mud-flat has returned, attracting small numbers of Pied Stilts, Black-fronted Dotterel, Royal Spoonbills, herons, egrets, ducks and ibis. And the Latham’s Snipes have arrived from north Asia for the Australian summer.

The Forest Kingfishers have been very active across all the wetland ponds over past weeks.

An early arrival was the Fan-tailed Cuckoo; their calls were heard throughout the wetlands at the start of September.

Two or more Pheasant Coucals have made the wetlands home. This one photographed on the track between I and J Cells.

Also very active, patrolling the banks of the large H Cell pond, was this Azure Kingfisher.

Up to thirty Welcome Swallows flitting across H Cell. Sometimes joined by a smaller number of Fairy Martins.

Only three Latham’s Snipes have arrived on the wetland so far, with five counted at the adjoining Byron TAFE pond and eight on Belongil pond.

Two or three Spangled Drongos were making their presence known.

By far the most common honeyeater of the last few weeks, the Brown Honeyeater. There are also some White-cheeked Honeyeaters, Scarlet and Blue-faced.

The Brown Cuckoo-Dove a regular but occasional visitor.

White-necked Herons can be seen most days, on D and E Cell ponds or at the back of H Cell.

The Black-fronted Dotterels had not been seen since Autumn, but have moved back in the past weeks.

A Figbird showing some spring colour

A Plumed Egret (old name Intermediate Egret) on E Cell.

Magpie-larks are also finding something to eat on the exposed mudflats.

Many Australian Reed- Warblers across all the ponds this spring.

Last week it was dozens of Golden-headed Cisticola making their presence known.

And of course noisy Tawny Grass birds, here enjoying a beautiful spring morning.

The gang has arrived. Thirty five Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos descend on the eastern treeline of the wetland.

The always present call of the Bar-shouldered Dove, a very attractive bird if caught in the right light.

Another Bird Survey in the Byron Hinterland

Back to the area that was surveyed two weeks ago and there was more raptor action at the site, with six species of diurnal raptor seen. In addition there were nest boxes containing mating pairs of Barn Owls for the evening shift. Analysis of the owl scats (pellets) show that they are mainly eating Black Rats and mice.

Photographs of this Shining Bronze-Cuckoo taken by other surveyors showed it had a green crown, indicative of the New Zealand sub-species. Closer examination showed other features that also pointed to this bird being the New Zealand Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (Chalcites lucidis lucidis) which winters in the Solomon Islands and New Britain then migrates south to breed in the New Zealand summer. Some of these birds take a route down the Australian east coast during August to November and the bird photographed appears to be one of them. The Australian subspecies does not show this migratory behaviour.

Always an impressive sight, the Wedge-tailed Eagle.

The Grey Goshawk. It looks like this is a young bird although it could possibly be the white version of the Grey Goshawk (the White Morph)? Both Grey and White morphs of this bird are seen in this area. It is believed that the white version has developed so that the Goshawks can hunt undetected within a flock of white cockatoos.

Bush Regeneration in the Byron Hinterland

The Big Scrub of the Byron Hinterland was cleared in one of man’s more thoughtless agricultural developments. Sadly the land was not as suitable for dairy farming as first thought and many farms were abandoned, to be later overrun by the introduced Camphor Laurel tree. If only eighty or ninety percent of the Big Scrub had been cleared we would have a magnificent sub-tropical rainforest of immense scientific and tourist value. But on went the clearing, stopping after 99 per cent had gone, and then only because of strident protests. Now, dedicated owners are working to restore the original rainforest.

The regeneration site we survey last week was an amalgamation of several farms in an ambitious project to restore the bush, and use regenerative farming techniques, while researching novel pest control techniques.

The site includes several grassy hillsides with an active raptor population. Seven diurnal raptor species were sighted including the Collared Sparrowhawk seen here. The interaction of owls breeding on the property with these raptors to achieve rodent control is one of the areas under study.

The same Collared Sparrowhawk.

This nest box has been commandeered by a pair of Galahs. This bird was patiently “sweeping, disinfecting and making fragrant” inside the box with a sprig of eucalypt leaves.

A pretty bird in a rural scene, hopefully not the next pest to be dealt with.

Tallow Creek near Byron Bay

The Tallow Creek bridge and old sewerage ponds in Suffolk Park near Byron Bay is not only a fruitful place for birding but also good for bird photography. There is often favourable early morning and evening light for photography over the lagoon. The paths are wide and the trees quite low providing helpful perches at a manageable height. There is limited parking and access from Broken Head Road near the holiday park.

An unusual sight here, this female Regent Bowerbird was quite a surprise as I walked back to the car.

Inquisitive Lewin’s Honeyeater poses on a handy branch near the old sewage ponds.

The Australian Reed-Warbler. The reed beds are busy with reed-warblers, grassbirds and fairy-wren.

A Red-backed Fairy-wren photographed in the reeds near the sewerage ponds - in an exposed position with good lighting.

The female Red-backed Fairy-wren was nearby.

There were Superb Fairy-wrens feeding nearby.

Rainbow Bee-eater with fly.

Little Wattlebirds are regulars in this area.

Whales and Dolphins at Cape Byron

It is not just the birdlife that is special in Byron Bay. The broad sweep of ocean visible from the Cape Byron Lighthouse is often alive with sea life, whales, dolphins, sea turtles.

Thirty or forty whales were visible from the Byron Lighthouse last week, their presence confirmed by widespread spouts and breaches across the bay.

A pod of dolphins came in close to the cliffs below the lighthouse, a spectacular sight in the sunlight.

First Latham's Snipes of Spring

The first Latham’s Snipes heading to Byron Bay this spring have arrived and at an unexpected venue! Byron Bay TAFE has a small man made pond near their car-park, approximately 50 metres long and 20 metres wide. The pond has been planted with reeds and sedges with native shrubs along the edges. On Monday three Latham’s Snipes were seen and reported, the first in the Northern Rivers Region. On Friday there were five birds present. The TAFE is next door to the Byron Bay Wetlands - but no Snipes have been seen at the wetlands so far.

Latham’s Snipes arrive here in early spring after their long journey from Japan and northern Asia where they spend the northern summer feeding and breeding. This year their arrival is a few days later than average. The Byron Bird Buddies will be starting the annual “Snipe” count soon to monitor numbers of arrivals of these endangered birds.

A Latham’s Snipe circles the Byron Bay TAFE pond after being flushed from the grasses along the fenceline.

Two Purple Swamphens in the Byron bay TAFE pond.

Other birds using the pond include Egrets, Welcome Swallows, Ducks and the Royal Spoonbill and White Ibis seen here.

Afternoon Survey at Vallances Road

It was the afternoon survey at Vallances Road, near the Brunswick River at Mullimbimby, in New South Wales’ Northern Rivers region. Bird numbers were down in parts and busy in others; a warm and fine day after another week of heavy rain along the coast. It was gumboot weather. The day finished on a high, with the sighting of two Black-necked Storks across the valley.

Spotted on the other side of the valley just as it was getting dark, two Black-necked Storks at the top of adjacent trees. While we were watching this bird flew towards us, landing in a creek and dissapearing from view in the reed beds.

Along a heavily wooded fenceline in the eastern paddock, three species of Fairy-wren were feeding in a small area. This Variegated Fairy-wren and its family, Superb Fairy-wrens and Red-backed Fairy-wrens.

This Spectacled Monarch was calling close by the river.

The White-throated Gerygones were out in force, with their shrill descending trills.