Byron Bay Wetlands Snapshots

Byron Bay Wetlands in the Northern Rivers region New South Wales is part of the Byron Integrated Management Reserve, an advanced sewage treatment system that has created a natural habitat for both flora and fauna. This week’s visit resulted in sightings of 49 bird species and the photos below.

This Golden-headed Cisticola flew into a nearby bush then onto the reeds below for a close up photo session.

A Restless Flycatcher was in a group of trees adjacent to the wetland’s “Interpretive Centre”. The centre consists of a meeting room with facilities and is used by the Byron Bird Buddies for community presentations about the region’s bird life and guided tours of the wetlands.

It was a very busy group of trees with this female Rufous Whistler, plus the birds in the next four photos plus Yellow Thornbills, Willie Wagtails, Brown Honeyeaters, Olive-backed Orioles, Rainbow Bee-eaters, Lewin’s Honeyeaters and Silvereyes!

The male Rufous Whistler.

A White-throated Gerygone, a bird that is more often heard than seen, with its tinkly descending trills.

This Eastern Yellow Robin was making its “fire alarm” call.

A flock of Red-browed Finch moved through the trees.

This Black Swan photographed against some angry clouds signalled a return to the rain that has persisted in the Northern Rivers area for the last four months.

Goonengerry Survey

Goonengerry National Park in New South Wales Northern Rivers district is another of the magic sub-tropical forests on the mountains that surround the ancient Mount Warning volcano. A survey count of 39 species included Logrunners, Varied Sittellas, Emerald Doves as well as eight threatened Rose-crowned Fruit-Doves and six Albert’s Lyrebirds.

Surveyors deftly avoided contact with this local resident coiled in the middle of an overgrown bush track.

This Brown-headed Emerald Dove, glowing in the early morning light on the road at the park entrance.

Hiding in the foliage were two Eastern Crested Shrike-tits, an uncommon visitor to this national park.

Wallum Development threatens nature's "Prime real estate"

This week’s survey of bird species shows again that the planned Wallum Development is in the centre of an outstanding area for wildlife. A total of 44 species were recorded including the Glossy Black-Cockatoo, listed as vulnerable in New South Wales. Also of interest was the presence of “platelets” (see photo below) indicating that Painted Button-quail are using the area.

During the week came the news that the Byron Shire Council has issued authority to proceed with this development of the Wallum Sand Heath and will not contest the decision of the Northern Region Planning Panel. While understanding the council’s short term thinking to avoid a costly and difficult court battle, these costs would soon be overshadowed by the costs of maintaining another development on flood prone land and the irreversible loss of outstanding biodiversity.

Many species of honeyeaters were feeding, incuding the Noisy Friarbird, Little Wattlebird, Noisy Miner, Brown Honeyeater, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Lewin’s Honeyeater and the White-cheeked Honeyeater seen here.

Four Grey Fantails were seen in total.

“Platelets” are the circular feeding marks left by the Painted Button-quail. As the forage for seeds and insects amongst the leaves they spin on alternate legs, leaving this very characteristic pattern.

Some 25 Little Wattlebirds were seen feeding on nearby banksias.

A Rainbow Lorrikeet, always around when the pickings are good!

Locals protest in hope the Wallum Sand Heath can still be saved.

Little Black Cormorants at Broken Head

Standing in the water near the rocks at the Broken Head end of Tallow Beach, Northern Rivers, New South Wales, I was watching a single Little Pied Cormorant quietly fishing in shallow water. It was presumably taking advantage of an onshore current feeding the northerly current that runs along the beach. And then the Little Black Cormorants arrived!

Small birds at Tallow Creek

Some days the small birds turn up in force and today was one of those days. The best area to see them was around the old sewerage treatment ponds, between the camping ground and the bridge across Tallow Creek (at Byron Bay, New South Wales).

Male Red-backed Fairy-wren at Tallow Creek, Byron Bay in New South Wales. There were several large families, some fifteen birds seen, of Red-backed Fairy-wrens moving through the area.

The female Red-backed Fairy-wren lacks any colours of the male and in fact with its brown tail is the plainest of the Fairy-wrens.

A non-breeding male on its way to adulthood.

Numerous Red-browed Finches were present. Two Double-banded Finches moved too quickly for a photo.

The Superb Fairy-wren is always a popular subject for a photo.

A small flock of White-browed Scrubwren was feeding in the lower tree branches..

Byron Bay Wetlands and the October bush-fire

Byron Bay Wetlands appear to have escaped relatively lightly from the October bush-fire that burnt from Byron Bay to close to Brunswick Heads in October 2023. The fire impinged mainly on the western side of the reserve and did not affect the wetland area directly.

Close to the wetlands, the fire did not crown and was a relatively cool burn.

Bird and species numbers do not seem to be affected as shown by post-fire bird surveys on Birdata. This male Varied Triller was close to the fire area.

The fire skirted the eastern fringe but did not affect the eastern ponds.

Several Cicadabirds were calling including this female in the Malaleuca swamps.

This male Cicadabird was photographed at Brunswick Heads, close to the northern extreme of the fire.

Half way on its journey to Brunswick Heads the fire passed through this wetland at Tyagara, burning right down to the waterline.

Wallum Development

The Wallum Development at Brunswick Heads, New South Wales, once more illustrates Australia’s totally inadequate planning and environmental protection laws. Putting aside that the site concerned is declared Flood Prone by the Byron Bay Council, this planned development would destroy a unique Northern Rivers coastal habitat, a significant area of Wallum Sand Heath, and should have been stopped many years ago.

The Wallum Development is a housing subdivision to be built within a patch of Wallum Sand Heath, one of the last remaining in northern New South Wales. It would be adjacent to endangered Coastal Swamp Oak forest and the Sclerophyll forests that line nearby Simpson’s Creek, shown above. The whole development area and surrounds is categorised as “High Environmental Value Vegetation (2023)” on the Byron Bay Council Web Map.

The development area itself is Flood Prone, as designated by the Byron Bay Council and as shown on the web map. The category of Flood Prone is a zone based on the hypothetical “Probable Maximum Flood”, calculated from historic Bureau of Meterology data; data that does not take climate change into account! Future floods could well exceed this level.

The published plans state that many mature trees are to be removed and that the Wallum Sand Heath will be built on. Wallum Sand Heaths form on acid sandy soil with a high water table. The signature plant is the Wallum Banksia and it is home to several specialised Wallum frogs that have adapted to acid waters and soils. Unfortunately as can be seen above the heath has been slashed to a low level, a sad act of destruction. Given the chance though, this important heathland could eventually recover.

In the fenced-off area at the end of Omega Cresent, many different types of birds were seen in a very old and large gum tree. These included Rainbow Bee-eaters, Magpie Larks, Willie Wagtails and four White-winged Trillers, with a female and male shown here, high up in the canopy.

The tree referred to above is the one on the right. It must be hoped that this tree is not one of the trees listed for removal in the development plans. Ancient trees of this size provide priceless habitat for wildlife and cannot be replaced by new plantings.

The whole area is teaming with life; rich in plants, animals and bird population. This Varied Triller was photographed at the cul de sac at the end of Omega Cresent. A pair of Leaden Flycatchers were nesting nearby. Cicadabirds were calling. Swamp Oaks in the area provide food for endangered Glossy Black-Cockatoos.

The vegetation is of high quality but also beauty. The destruction of coastal habitat the length of Australia’s east coast of Australia makes remaining patches just so valuable.

The are a large number of hollows and nesting sites for birds and animals. The hollow shown could be suitable for a small bird; maybe for the Sacred Kingfisher that was calling nearby.

This young Lewin’s Honeyeater was being attended to by two watchful parents. There were many signs of birds breeding.

The beauty of this coastal bush is seen in the taller trees and the undergrowth. Even more important is the need to protect outstanding areas of biodiversity at a time when Australia must reverse its trajectory of habitat destruction. The Wallum Development should be stopped immediately; the area is an obvious candidate for a managed program of restoration and protection.

Magpie Lark parenting

Magpie Larks build a large mud nest and lay three to five eggs. Both parents sit on the nest during the 18 days of incubation and both parents feed the chick with worms, insects and caterpillars for a further three weeks.

But parenting doesn’t stop when the chicks leave home as seen in the picture above. After several days both parents are still very active, feeding the surviving fledgling.

Why do Masked Lapwings cross the creek?

It is puzzling why this Masked Lapwing family cross the creek so often. Each crossing involves considerable effort and risk, firstly to make sure that the route is secure, then to encourage the young to make the move.

This Masked Lapwing family has three chicks having lost the fourth the previous day. The parents crisscrossed the creek some dozen times before allowing the chicks to cross, check for danger on each side. Eels, foxes, lizards, rats and birds of prey are some of the challenges of Lapwing child rearing

Before proceeding with the crossing, this lizard, sitting on a garden ornament, was sent on its way.

A safe crossing this time for all three chicks.

Birds cooperating at Tallow Creek

Tallow Creek in Byron Bay, New South Wales forms what is known as an Intermittently Closed and Open Lagoon (ICOLL). The creek and lagoon’s connection to the ocean is closed periodically by an accumulation of sand up to fifty metres wide. Every few months, after very heavy rain fills the lagoon, it overflows and washes away sand to form a channel to the sea and then the lagoon quickly empties.

Over the days following this outflow a procession of water birds search the newly exposed banks for food. Ducks, Egrets, Dusky Moorhens, Ibis, Spoonbills and Swamphen. What can be quite frantic feeding sees some bird odd couples seemingly working together.

A regular visitor after the lagoon empties; the Royal Spoonbill systematically works its way up and down the banks of the lagoon feeding on newly exposed prey: fish, insects, invertebrates, crustacean. On this journey photographed it was accompanied by two Little Black Cormorants, no doubt benefiting from food exposed by the energetic searching of the Spoonbill.

Not in the picture here was a Dusky Moorhen which was following along on the bank. At one stage a Water Dragon lizard joined the birds in the water and the whole party made its way together.

The next day it was a Little Pied Cormorant working with the Royal Spoonbill. On a previous emptying of the lagoon, unfortunately also not photographed, an Azure Kingfisher was seen shadowing an Australasian Grebe along the river bank.

Leaden Flycatcher's nest washed away

At the start of last week we saw this pair of Leaden Flycatchers putting the finishing touches to a nest, about three metres above the waters of Tallow Creek in Byron Bay New South Wales. Later it looked like the birds were taking turns sitting on the nest.

Today, after two day of storms and torrential rain there is sadly no sign of the nest, presumably washed off its perch.

Male Leaden Flycatchers

Female Leaden Flycatcher

Gilbert's Whistler

The Gilbert’s Whistler inhabits the dry eucalyptus woodlands and open forests of inland southern Australia. In the Cowra area they are occasionally seen in the callitris woodlands around Koorawatha but they have been absent in recent years. So it was reassuring to see this Gilbert’s Whistler pair busy building a nest during the recent spring surveys.

The male Gilbert’s Whistler with its orange-rufous chin and throat.

The female Gilbert’s Whistlers plumage is a very uniform drab brown.

Treasures of the woodlands

The Cowra Woodlands Birds Program spring survey was again spectacular as bird activity ramps up with the warmer weather and the breeding season begins in earnest. It was heartening to see a number of the rarer target birds this year: Diamond Firetails, a number of Brown Treecreepers, Gilbert’s Whistlers, a Chestnut-rumped Heathren and many Woodswallows; Masked, White-browed and Dusky.

The Eastern Yellow Robin, often seen along bush paths in the eastern Australian bush.

The Red-rumped Parrot shows its iridescent greens and blues, the parrot’s red rump out of sight. Surprisingly this common parrot is becoming less common in the woodland regions.

The Little Raven inhabits the farmlands of south-eastern Australia. Often seen in large flocks across the woodlands.

These exquisite orchids hide among sparse grasses and herbs in less fertile areas.

More migratory birds at Ballina

As September comes to an end, numbers of migratory birds at Ballina in New South Wales Northern Rivers region are increasing. Groups of shorebirds can be found at many of the town’s numerous rocky shores, estuaries and river banks.

Ballina has to be a hot spot for this iconic and perilously endangered group of birds. It might be even more spectacular with more protection from people and dogs for the birds and the areas they feed in.

A group of around thirty shore birds was seen at Lake Chickiba in Ballina; a well known gathering spot. This Pacific Golden Plover was one of a dozen of these colourful birds.

One of a group of Curlew Sandpipers at Lake Chickiba. The third migratory species seen there were Sharp-Tailed Sandpipers. Also present was a Royal Spoonbill, a Little Egret, Australian White Ibis, and a Mangrove Gerygone was calling.

At Flat Rock, Ballina the numbers of all species had increased, with 20 or so Red-necked Stints milling around.

There were more Ruddy Turnstones at Flat Rock, Ballina.

Two Tattlers keeping company at Flat Rock, Ballina. Again, distinguishing between the Grey-tailed and Wandering Tattler is difficult. The one on the right appears to be the rarer Wandering Tattler while the jury is still out for the bird on the left.

Hidden amongst 200 plus Crested Terns was this Common Tern (highlighted), the first of this species I had seen. The first Common Terns from northern Asia arrive in Ballina in September, with numbers swelling to a peak in December/January.

The Common Tern, visitor from the northern hemisphere, arrives in Ballina.

Migratory birds return

August is the month that migratory birds begin to return to Australia after their long journey to Siberia. Many of these birds can be seen on beaches in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. Ballina is a hot spot for migratory birds.

This Ruddy Turnstone has just returned from its migration north to Siberia, flying great distances without a stop. It was photographed at Flat Rock at Ballina, feeding to regain weight and condition after a long and exhausting trip.

Weighing between 25 to 40 grams, the tiny Red-necked Stint has also just returned from Siberia. Stints move rapidly across the rocks, feeding on molluscs and crustaceans.

The Curlew Sandpiper is recognised by its curved bill. Another long distance traveller refuelling at Flat Rock Ballina. Numbers of Curlew Sandpipers have declined sharply since the 1980s.

These Sharp-tailed Sandpipers were feeding at the Byron Bay Wetlands. Sharp-tailed Sandpipers are the most numerous of the migrants found in both freshwater and saline wetlands.

Big Scrub Loop

The Big Scrub Loop walking track is in Nightcap National Park, near Lismore, New South Wales. The track passes through magnificent subtropical rainforest dominated by enormous fig trees, Giant Stinging Trees and huge buttressed Yellow Carabeen. The Nightcap Range has been designated an Important Biodiversity Area (IBA) by Birdlife International. The key IBA bird species found in the park are the Albert's Lyrebird, Green Catbird, Pale-yellow Robin, Australian Logrunner, Paradise Riflebird, and Regent Bowerbird.

Four of the six key IBA species were recorded during this weeks survey by the Byron Bird Buddies; the Green Catbird, Logrunner, Paradise Riflebird and this Pale-yellow Robin.The three hour survey recorded thirty plus plus species, many heard rather than seen.The Pale-yellow Robin is a true rainforest inhabitant feeding on insects close the ground, amongst the lawyer vines.

Nightcap National Park on the Big Scrub Loop wallking track.

A dozen Logrunners made their presence known with a loud and distinctive “be-kweek-kweek-kweek”. The white bib identifies this bird as a male.

The tortured cat wail of the Green Catbird provides a disconcerting backdrop to the continual chorus of bird calls in this prolific rainforest. There were only glimpses of this species which likes to remain high in the forest canopy.

This Large-billed Scrubwren was one of the small birds feeding at lower levels of the forest together with Brown Gerygone and Brown Thornbills. Up in the canopy Scarlet Honeyeaters and Lewin’s Honeyeaters were calling.

The northern ranges of New South Wales are home to a wide variety of pigeon species. The call of the Brown Cuckoo-Dove seen here was heard a number of times. Other pigeons recorded were the Wompoo Fruit-Dove, White-headed Pigeon, Pacific Emerald Dove, Wonga Pigeon, Topknot Pigeon and Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove.

Beautiful fungi grace the undergrowth.

Do Beach Stone-curlew eat shellfish?

This bird is one of the very few remaining Beach Stone-curlews inhabiting New South Wales beaches. It is based at the mouth of an intermittent coastal lagoon in the Northern Rivers area.

Having navigated its way past two dogs illegally on the beach,this Beach Stone-curlew wandered down to the surf to forage, emerging with this shellfish.

The Beach Stone-curlew then left the surf and headed back to the lagoon.

At the lagoon the Bush Stone-curlew washed this bivalve shellfish several times and seemed to make a half-hearted attempt to crack the shell on a rock.

Not having made any progress on opening the shell, this Beach Stone-curlew headed back to surf some 50 metres away where it abandoned its catch on the beach.

This sort of behaviour has been described as stress related. Certainly this bird has chosen a busy spot to live with people, bicycles, swimmers and illegal dogs to contend with. The whole episode took twelve minutes, the bird looked purposeful in every step, and it successfully navigated around dogs and people on the way.

Peregrine Falcon makes unexpected visit

This unexpected visitor arrived after dusk at Tallow Creek in the Northern Rivers, New South Wales. It took a few moments to identify the bird landing for a drink in the dark. The pictures were taken at ISO 6,500 and are only usable thanks to the new AI assisted Denoise feature in Adobe Lightroom, which does a remarkable job of noise reduction.

A Peregrine Falcon lands on the shore of Tallow Creek Lagoon near Byron Bay in New South Wales Northern Rivers region.

After a wary five minutes checking for any danger the falcon enters the water to drink.

After a quick drink it is off again, then perching on top of a log “teepee” built at the high tide mark on Tallow Beach.

Logrunners at Mount Nardi

Mount Nardi at 812 metres is a peak in the Nightcap Range of the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. Swathed in semi tropical rainforest, the dense crown cover means there is little light for good photography. Last weeks visit to Mount Nardi was an introduction to the Logrunner, the Little Shrike-thrush, and to the call of the Albert’s Lyrebird.

The Logrunner, a fascinating thrush sized bird that forages in the leaves and debris of the rainforest floor for invertebrate prey, much in the fashion of the lyrebird. The female, shown here, is unusual being more colourful than the male who sports a white chest in place of the female’s rufus colours.

The low light meant a slow shutter speed and extremely high ISO was needed to capture the Logrunner on the dark forest floor. These pictures where taken at 1/100 seconds, f/5.6 at ISO 8000 using a EF Canon 100-400 f /4.5 - 5.6L IS II USM lens.