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.

Belongil Creek Estuary

Belongil Creek estuary in Byron Bay New South Wales was once a place for water birds, migrating birds and sea birds to congregate. It still accomodates an impressive range of bird species, but you would suspect that before the presence of dogs, holiday makers and electric bikes there would have been a lot more. A large roped area protects breeding Red-capped Plover. Unfortunately no sign of the Little Terns that used to breed here.

Royal Spoonbills roam the large mown grass areas behind the beach, an unecessary tidiness that gives holiday patrons a sense of security. 

Though the presence of this Purple Swamphen chick is a positive sign of the area’s environmental health.

Individual birds like this egret move from spot to spot, this time chased by one of the younger beachgoers.

An Eastern Rosella feeding on nuts in a Casaurina.

Rainbow Bee-eaters perch on small beachside trees, feeding along the beach.

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.

South Coast Birds

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. 

Cowra Woodland Birds

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.

Moths around the Flame Robins at Cowra

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.

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.

Raptors return at Cowra

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.

Via Lake Wallace

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

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.