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.
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
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.
Birds on New South Wale’s south coast seem to have recovered in some areas after the Currowan bush fire. The birds below were all photographed in a coastal village garden where numbers felt more like pre-fire levels. But a walk up on the escarpment to Mount Bushwalker was a stark reminder ot the devastation wreaked by that fire, with vast areas of dead Banksias and their replacements still only knee-high.
This Southern Boobook was a welcome companion while in the garden directly below.
Eastern Spoonbills are expert a exploiting the nectar from introduced Salvia and a Plumbago in the back garden.
The Satin Bowerbird has moved its bower to another spot, but still frequents the garden.
A visiting Golden Whistler, resting in a Coastal Banksia that has succumbed to too much rain.
Rainbow Lorikeets werer back in force.
This tangle of Banksias on the walk to Mount Bushwalker is a stark reminder of the damage caused by the Currowan bush fire back in January 2000. Many species are still absent especially the honeyeaters.
The Cowra Woodland Bird Program has monitored the progress of woodland birds for over twenty years. The survey runs four times a year over around 100 separate sites selected within a 30 kilometre radius around Cowra, in central New South Wales. This winter’s survey produced some good bird numbers for the time of year, a response to several good years of rain in wheatbelt of Australia.
An Eastern Rosella takes its time to get moving on a misty morning in Cowra.
This Sulphur-crested Cockatoo has found refuge in the middle a fast moving creek, still at flood levels from the previous week's heavy rains.
A Mistletoebird in a rather dormant looking tree, perhaps looking for insects to accompany its fruit and seed diet?
These two characters seem to have left their White-winged Chough family group and made the Cowra Holiday Park their home.
White-naped Honeyeaters were out in force this winter, at times seen in flocks of ten to twenty birds and challenging the normally dominant White-plumed Honeyeaters.
A regular around the camping ground, the introduced Blackbird.
The Flame Robins were out near Cowra in central New South Wales. With their main diet of insects they must have found a feast in what looked like a rather barren paddock. There were 13 Flame Robins in all plus a large contingent of Double-barred Finches and Yellow-rumped Thornbills. This gathering was repeated over several days, attracting a number of photographers who were taking part in the Cowra Woodlands Bird Program!
A spectacular Flame Robin photographed at Cowra New South Wales.
A number of smartly plumaged female Flame Robins formed part of this large flock.
The Double-barred Finches would wait in the fence before descending en-masse on the paddock below.
A younger male Flame Robin still showing its juvenile plumage.
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.
The demise of raptors from eating poisoned rodents in the recent mice plague was widely reported. It has felt that raptor numbers were down. So it was good to see more than the usual number during the recent Cowra Woodland Bird Program weekend.
At the Cowra water treatment plant there were Brown Falcons on both sides of the road, then a Whistling Kite flew over. Further out of town I saw this Black-shouldered Kite making its own contribution to keeping mice numbers down. And at the Cowra Common a Brown Goshawk made a low pass, followed by the sight of seven raptors in a slow and very high spiral over the prison camp area. When I checked the photos later they were all Black Kites, which fitted with a nearby sighting of 19 Black Kites in the one tree!
A low pass from this Brown Goshawk, at the Cowra Common, Cowra, New South Wales.
Brown Falcon at the Cowra water treatment plant.
This Black-shouldered Kite is helping the land-owner keep the mice population at bay.
The trip to Cowra for the Cowra Woodlands Bird Program from Sydney through the Blue Mountains always involves a stop off at Lake Wallace, just past Lithgow. The lake is good spot for a rest and lunch as well as a reliable site for water birds. Numbers of water birds were low last month but still a very worthwhile visit.
The spectacular Great-crested Grebes are usually present at Lake Wallace.
As are Australian Wood Ducks.
And Purple Swamphens, in the reeds at Lake Wallace.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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-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.
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 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.
Flat Rock is a small headland shaped patch of horizontal rocks north of Ballina in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. It has a constant population of terns and cormorants and acts as a gathering place for shore birds.
This adult Red-necked Stint has started to gain the red coloration of its breeding plumage. By June-July the red coloration will have extended across its neck and face and upper parts of its back.
A group of Little Terns are dwarfed by the larger birds of the colony.
There were a dozen Little Terns on the rocks at Flat Rock, mingling with a large number of Crested Terns and a few Common Terns. This bird sports its adult breeding plumage.
The chase was on and this Crested Tern with fish in mouth takes evasive action to avoid a further group of five terns wanting to share in the catch.
About twenty Ruddy Turnstones were seen.