Byron Bay Wetlands in November

Some rarer birds have been seen in the first days of November. A Pale-vented Bush-hen was seen during a nature walk and vey unusually a Diamond Dove seen in Cell E. The Radjah Shelduck is still here, looking a bit lost at this stage. The Brush Cuckoo and the Pheasant Coucal are constantly calling. And there are a number of birds still on their nests, including the White-winged Trillers and the Mistletoe birds.

A lost Radjah Shelduck making a rather sad hoarse whistling sound.

Another wetland inhabitant busy making its nest, the Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike.

This Buff-banded Rail seems to be getter bolder by the day and is regularly seen on the Cell E pond.

Finches tend to congregate where the wetlands adjoin a large sports field. This Double-barred Finch was flying down to the sports ground’s grass.

A Black-shouldererd Kite surveys Cells D and E from this central tree.

A lot of Tawny Grassbirds flapping around and calling, presumably nesting?

Fernvale

Fernvale is a rural area south of Murwillumbah and close to the Mooball National Park in northern New South Wales. Its open valleys are surrounded by steep slopes covered in rainforest. A survey of a Fernvale property found a rich variety of bird species and included 130 Plumed Whistling-Ducks on a farm dam.

130 Plume Whistling-Ducks were counted in total on this farm dam. A lot of Whistling-Ducks. A few months ago there were 70 Wandering Whistling-Ducks at nearby Pottsville.

This adult Black-shouldered Kite was attending to its fledgling hiding at the top of a nearby Hoop Pine.

The Collared Sparrowhawk can be hard to distinguish from the larger Brown Gowhawk. This bird shows the distinctive square tail, bulging wing secondaries and rounded head of the Collared Sparrowhawk.

Three Laughing Kookaburras made good use of some solid fence posts to patrol across the valley flats.

Byron Bay Wetlands in October

More birds are arriving in October as the weather warms. Water birds are increasing; one reason is better management of the wetland ponds to allow larger areas of mudflat for waders to feed. There are more cuckoos, with almost constant calls of Pheasant Coucals during the day. The highlight was the presence of over a dozen Latham’s Snipe in E Cell and more in other wetland ponds. Despite regular watches in the evenings of the full moon, no Bitterns have been heard to date this year.

My one pair of Mistletoe birds at the wetland gates has been increased by numerous Mistletoe birds across the wetlands.

This Brush Cuckoo made its haunting call a number of times, but was finally spotted in the later evening near the bird-hide. This picture was taken at ISO 5000 and its graininess cleaned up using Lightroom AI based Denoise.

Another regular songster the Shining Bronze-Cuckoo.

Over a dozen Latham’s Snipes were seen in the pool at Cell E in the wetlands. This picture was taken from the “mobile bird hide” , i.e. the driver’s window of the car, as opening the car door would have sent the Snipes into rapid flight.

White-throated Needletails flying high arrive with an incoming storm, the original storm birds.

The White-winged Triller is a rare visitor to the wetland. This bird is one of a pair nesting in a tree recovering from fire. This tree has its feet in water.

One of a pair of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, migrants arriving from the northern hemisphere after their long flight.

Spring in the Byron Bay Wetlands

As September moves on spring activity has increased, birds are active with nest building and courting. The Latham’s Snipes have arrived; the one photographed below was one of three flushed from the D and E Cells of the Byron Bay Wetlands. Despite lower water levels and more mudflat the Snipes are the only migrant birds seen on the wetlands so far this year. A number of Pied Stilts have moved in as well as up to a dozen Black-fronted Dotterel. A Black-necked Stork was seen visiting but so far has not turned up for a photo session with yours truly. And there is an increased presence of foxes as waterbird numbers increase.

For the last month at the wetland’s front gate a pair of Tawny Grassbirds have been busy while making a lot of buzzing and trilling sounds.

Lathams Snipes fly fast and low after they have been disturbed from the wetland reeds. Even a quiet approach some 50 metres distant is enough to set these birds on the move.

Three Latham's Snipes in D Cell of the wetland.

Another busy spring arrival, this Buff-banded Rail (or friend of) has been seen all over the place the last two weeks.

This Mistletoebird has been calling in the same area at the wetland gates almost every day for weeks.

Mr Fox, here splashing after ducks - who all departed rapidly.

Bush Regeneration with Flowers

Most of the wonderful bush regeneration sites in the Byron Hinterland in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales attempt to faithfully recreate the original habitat and bush, and many are spectacular successes. But last week’s Byron Bird Buddies survey was at a site where flowering plants (mainly native or cultivars of natives) and smaller native shrubs and trees dominate. The result was a very different avifauna, dominated by honeyeaters and small birds.

We saw nine different species of Honeyeater over the morning: this Scarlet Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeaters, Lewins Honeyeaters, White-cheeked Honeyeaters, three White-thoated Honeyeaters, Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, Noisy Friarbirds, Little Wattlebirds and Blue-faced Honeyeaters.

A Brown Honeyeater. Many of the honeyeaters were seen on this domestic species of Grevillea. Domestic Grevilleas and other flowering natives dominated large parts of the planting.

The smaller birds were well represented, as per this Chestnut-breasted Mannikin.

A Golden-heaed Cisticola watches from a fence. Other birds seen included Brown Quail, Red-browed Finches, Red-backed Fairy-wren, Tawny Grassbirds, Common Cicadabird and Varied Trillers.

Byron Bay Birds on the day of the Glossy Count

Our mission to find any Glossy Black-Cockatoos feeding in the Byron Bay region provided a chance to see the area’s varied bird life. The Great Glossy Black-Cockatoo Count is an Australia wide survey undertaken the first week of spring to find out where these special birds are present. Although no Glossies were found in Byron Bay on the day, that is still important information, and in fact signs were seen that they had been feeding recently at nearby Brunswick Heads. The day turned out to be a good day for spotting the local birds and for photography.

The Sacred Kingfisher, one of three kingfisher species living in the Byron shire.

A Red-capped Plover has a difficult life, feeding on the local beaches. Unfortunately numbers have decreased as the number of swimmers, surfers, dogs, cyclists and vehicles has increased.

Rainbow Bee-eaters are busy at this time of the year.

A Noisy Friarbird chases an Eastern Osprey; perhaps it is protecting a nest nearby?

The Beach Stone-curlew, hidden away, is a rare sight on New South Wales beaches.

A single Pacific Golden Plover seen at a river mouth, the only migrant bird seen all day. You could surmise that there would have to been many more of these arrivals from northern Asia, once upon a time.

Tallow Creek

Tallow Creek in Suffolk Park, north New South Wales is a hot spot for birds. It also provides a virtual photographer’s backdrop of scenes, settings and lighting with soft light mellowed by the reeds and waters of the creek.

A Golden-headed Cisticola in the reeds at Tallow Creek.

A White-breasted Woodswallow poses at the water’s edge.

This Pied Oystercatcher is a regular at Tallow Beach.

An unusual sight, 250 Little Black Cormorants gather at Tallow Creek.

Visit to Booyong Flora Reserve

The Booyong Flora Reserve in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales is part of the one percent that remains of what once was the “Big Scrub”, extending from Lismore to Byron Bay. A short visit to this island of rainforest resulted in sightings of Golden Whistlers, Grey Shrike-thrush, Brown Greygone, Large-billed Scrubwren and a White-bellied Sea-Eagle.

Large-billed Scrubwren at Booyong Flora Reserve

Large-billed Srcubwren

Byron Bay Wetlands in September

It has been a busy start to September in the Wetlands. Plenty of nest building and family raising action to be seen. Azure Kingfishers in a courting dance, Superb Fairy-wrens building nests, Tawny Grassbirds chasing and buzzing through the reeds, Masked Lapwings protecting their three chicks, a Pheasant Coucal calling. Also an unexpected visitor, a Radjah Shelduck a long way from its northern tropics home.

A rare visit from a Radjah Shelduck, more commonly found in the tropical north of Australia or the coastal rivers of north Queensland.

This Super Fairy-wren looks to be building a nest in the car park!

Identification of the sub-species of Silvereye can be difficult, with many overlaps of territory. This specimen appears to be the eastern sub-species Zosterops lateralis cornwalli.

Bar-shouldered Doves are often to be seen and more often heard around the wetlands.

Wallum Development in August

There were over 50 species of bird counted at the Byron Bird Buddies monthly survey in August. Another outstanding result on a beautiful day of birds, wild flowers, butterflies and funghi.

Wandering Whistling-Ducks

Wandering Whistling-Ducks are sometimes seen in northern New South Wales but are more common further north. So it is something of a surprise that large numbers of Wandering Whistling-Ducks have arrived in Pottsville, northern New South Wales. Yesterday over 70 were to be seen on a small pond close to the Cudgera Creek in west Pottsville.

Strange lodgings - Bush Stone-curlew

Locating all the Bush Stone-curlews in Byron Bay as part of the monitoring program is a major effort. Some have chosen strange places to hide.

The two Bush Stone-curlews have chosen an open storage shed as their winter quarters.

Coraki Lagoons

Beef and dairy farming dominate the plains that border the Richmond River between Casino and Coraki in Northern New South Wales. The original bush cover is represented by a few remnant stands and some roadside and riverside trees. There are many ponds and horseshoe lagoons, formed as the river meandered across the plains. Last week these had good populations of water birds, with woodland birds in the surrounds.

But the highlight was the sight of a Black Falcon. After hearing a strange and unknown call, the falcon emerged from high in a nearby tree, completing several tight circles and the chance of a photo.

Black Falcon photographed near Coraki in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, the large, easily visible feet, confirming its identity.

Wallum Development in June

Its now near the end of June and the volunteers protecting one of New South Wales north coast last Wallum heathlands are still there, guarding the entrance to the site. It should be our elected politicians who protect Australia’s heritage for future generations. One day!

The June bird survey again found a wide range of amazing birds with over 40 species counted. This month it was the little pardalotes that took centre stage.

Often seen in the highest branches of flowering gum trees, the Striated Pardalote is only 10 cm long but bats above its weight with spectacular coloring and a clear and loud call.

Another Byron Hinterland estate

Drive inland 30 minutes from Byron Bay township and you find yourself on winding roads through beautiful rainforest. This week’s Byron Bird Buddies survey was at another bush regeneration estate, reclaimed from land that had been cleared many years ago for dairying and growing bananas. The variety and quality of the new forest is impressive, the result of 30 plus years of toil. The estate abuts the Goonengerry national park and we were rewarded with the call of an Albert’s Lyrebird nearby.

Very difficult to spot, these two Tawny Frogmouths adopt a branch-like pose that enhances their camouflaged coats.

A shaft of sunlight shines on this meticulously crafted spider web.

The sun was also shining on this beautiful Rufous Fantail.

The Brown Cuckoo-Dove is often heard adding to the background serenade of the rainforest with its characteristic ‘oo-wupp” call.

Byron Hinterland rural estates

The Byron Bay rural, rainforest and mountain hinterlands provide refuge for the rich and famous as well as those seeking a gentle and grounded lifestyle. Amongst the rural properties many seek to restore and regenerate the original rainforest cover, most of which was removed for farming last century. Some estates are large with several hundred hectares replanted; some are managed by teams of gardeners. Others are smaller, created by the labor of nature enthusiasts. The Byron Bird Buddies survey a number of these estates to monitor their progress as they to return as havens for rainforest birds.

The highlight from a survey conducted this week was the sight of this Noisy Pita in a very successful replanted rainforest. In 1942 this land was a treeless dairy farm, as shown on surveillance photos taken during the Second World War. There are still enormous tree stumps within the regenerated forest, a reminder of the relentless clearing that took place long ago.

In the estate’s garden a group of six female Regent Bowerbirds were feeding, further proof of the quality of the bush nearby.

Red-browed Finches are regularly seen along the road-sides and clearings in the bush, more usually in the grasses than in this tree on the edge of the replanted area.

Approximately 150 Topknot Pigeons were counted, in large flocks too-ing and fro-ing across the sky, then roosting in the taller trees. Topknot Pigeons feed on the seed of the introduced Camphor Laurel trees; a species that filled the void that followed as dairy farming became uneconomic.

A Brown Thornbill, seen in many different habitats in the Byron and Northern Rivers NSW region.

Byron Wetlands in May

April’s high rainfall continued into the first two weeks of May and the wetland ponds are full, covering the mud-flats that would normally attract shore or water birds. This has left the wetland mainly in the hands of its forest and woodland inhabitants, still plenty to see.

White-headed Pigeon numbers are increasing in the Byron Shire, along with the Topknot pigeon, as their favourite food source, the introduced Camphor Laurel continues to thrive here.

One of many White-browed Scrubwrens in the wetlands. The northern Scrubwren has a more yellow belly than those further south.

A Yellow Thornbill, a less common visitor here. This bird has taken up residence close to the Wetland meeting rooms.

This young White-bellied Sea-eagle, still sporting its juvenile livery, has been seen several times on K Pond.

Grey Fantails were everywhere across the wetland park; some thirty plus counted.

A young Superb Fairy-wren showing a very fluffy mantle.

A Forest Kingfisher watching for insects in a section burnt out by the recent fire. These burnt trees are still surrounded by shallow black water ponds which have grown in the recent rain. In the fires they burnt despite having their feet in water.

Underneath, the presence of a Little Pied Cormorant shows there is life in these jet black waters.

Still lots of Golden-headed Cisticolas to be seen in the reed beds; with many opportunities for close up photos.

Two Black-shouldered Kites were patrolling the large pond, labelled K Pond.

This Shining Bronze-Cuckoo shows how the species got its name, shining brightly in the late Autumn light.

One of four Eastern Whip-birds, evidently involved in some sort of romantic tangle, had the air cracking with raucous calls and defiant displays.

Spangled Drongo, quietly watches the whipbirds go by.

A rainbow blesses the Byron Wetland, hopefully to be followed with some dry weather!

Bush Stone-curlew Monitoring Program

Bush Stone-curlews are endangered in New South Wales. In the Northern Rivers region these birds are monitored and protected where necessary. After an elaborate courtship dance the Bush Stone-curlews nest on the bare ground, laying one or two eggs. The eggs hatch after 30 days but the chicks take another nine weeks before the are able to fly.

During this period the young are especially vulnerable to disturbance and predation by foxes, cats and dogs. Fencing around nest sites and awareness programs are being organised during the spring to summer breeding season.

This Bush Stone-curlew was photographed at 2:00 in the afternoon outside a corner shop in the Arts - Industrial Precinct in Byron Bay, New South Wales.

Byron Bay Wetlands in April

More photos from the wonderful Byron Bay Wetlands. More than 220 species of bird have been recorded since the Wetlands were created and counts at the Byron Bird Buddies surveys are regularly in the 70 - 100 species range.

A very vocal Tawny Grassbird in one of the extensive reed beds of the wetland.

Grey Teals add a calming touch to proceedings, photographed from the bird-hide.

The Eastern Great Egret is easily disturbed and takes off, identified by the crook in the neck while flying.

Two Superb Fairy-wrens, part of a large family moving through the undergrowth.

A Striped Honeyeater preening itself, singing its unusual call.

The Pheasant Coucal, looking like an ancient aircraft on take-off.

A Shining Bronze-Cuckoo, another Cuckoo still present in Byron Bay late in April, or perhaps and early arrival?

Rainbow Bee-eaters add a splash of colour.

This Restless Flycatcher is a regular near the carpark at the wetland.

Fan-tailed Cuckoo, the third cuckoo seen on the day’s survey.

Chestnut-breasted Mannikin

Chestnut-breasted Mannikins are found in the north and the east coast of Australia. They are often seen in the Northern Rivers New South Wales region; in the grasses around coastal wetlands as well as more inland grasslands or rushes near to water.

The adult Chestnut-breasted Mannikin sports a very distinctive plumage with a chestnut bib underlined in black.

Younger birds are plainer although the bird on the right is showing the black line that will underline its chestnut breast.