West Byron Wetlands

A wonderful man in Byron Council saw my website and emailed me to ask if I would like a pass to visit the West Byron Wetlands on allocated days to take photos of the birds and wildlife. It has been so fantastic to go there and see so many birds and animals all safely co-existing in an extremely well managed area. It is such a joy to wander around a place that has no litter and where the wildlife is completely safe from dogs and humans. Consequently there are so many birds there and the whole area is so calming and beautiful. I'm looking forward to exploring it extensively and getting some great photos as well as adding to my information about the habits, behaviours and personalities of birds. The beautiful photo of the swan and five signets was taken by Michael Bingham (the same man who got my pass for the wetlands, what a legend)!

At the West Byron Wetlands the Swamp Harriers reign supreme but currently there's a Whistling Kite that gives them a run for their money. I did see him today being harrassed by a Friarbird, very bravely I thought, who eventually drove him off. Persistence and courage wins the day against power and strength.

The following information was kindly provided by Michael Bingham relating to birds common to the wetlands.

The swamp and spotted harriers are the most noticeable raptor (bird of prey) at the site, their behaviour is always a good clue, they fly low over the reeds and trees looking for baby birds or small adults, they like grebes. Other raptors we have spotted include (largest to smallest) Wedge tail (very infrequent and usually circling overhead, Sea eagles (more frequent and sometimes seen fishing in cell H. Brown Falcon, Peregrine falcon, Whistling Kite, square tailed Kite (rare). The swamp harriers will fly high but when hunting they are close to the tops of the vegetations, they nest in the rushes, I thought one may have nested in cell J last year as I watched it land but didn't take off for more than 40 minutes! See attached website http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/finder/display.cfm?id=229

The Comb-crested Jacanas are dainty little ballerinas, absolutely gorgeous when they carry their young under wing, they also have some interesting diversionary tactics when with their young, for example they do a broken wing dance, which tricks predators into thinking the adult is injured while in fact he is leading the predator away from the young. I say he because the dad is a single parent in the Jacana family life. They normally nest on site on cell H late spring/summer. I have been lucky enough to witness successful hatching for three of the past four summers, the chicks are even cuter!

The tortoises (turtles really) are mostly in the water we see them on the roads sometimes and I once spotted one on the far NW corner of cell H laying its eggs in the sand, she was a little to shy to let me photographer her in action, fair enough, see attached link. http://www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/WfHC/Chelidae/index.html

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* 12. Black Swan

* 13. Intermediate Egret

* 14. Superb Fairy Wren

* 15. Glossy Ibis

* 17. Black Swans & cygnets

* 18. Pelican

* 19. Black Swan & cygnets

* 20. Black Swans

* 22. Royal Spoonbills

* 23. Jacana

* 24. (Michael Bingham)

* 25. Intermediate Egret

* 27. Whistling Kite

* 28. Yellow-billed Spoonbill

* 29. Plumed Whistling Ducks

* 30. Sea-eagle with bat

* 32. Intermediate Egrets

* 33. Purple Swamphen

* 34. Little Black Cormorant

* 35. Baillons Crake

* 37. Hoary-headed Grebe

* 38. Baillons Crake

* 39. Black-fronted Dotterel

* 40. Black Swan cygnets

* 42. Australian Hobby

* 43. Purple Swamphen

* 44. Royal Spoonbills

* 45. Black-winged Stilt

* 47. Nankeen Night-heron

* 48. Black Swan nest

* 49. White-necked Heron

* 50. Nankeen Night-herons

* 52. Torresian Crow

* 53. Comb-crested Jacana

* 54. Pelican

* 55. Fan-tailed Cuckoo

* 57. Spotted Harrier

* 58. Juvenile Brahminy Kite

* 59. Black Swans & cygnets

* 60. Brolga

* 62. Pacific Golden Plover

* 63. Black Swan

* 64. Great Egret

* 65. Little Black Cormorant

* 67. Spotless Crake

* 68. Black Swan nest

* 69. Brown Honeyeater

* 70. Plumed Whistling Ducks

* 72. Comb-crested Jacana

* 73. Glossy Ibis

* 74. Black Swan cygnets

* 75. Red-browed Finch

* 77. Black Swan & cygnets

* 78. Royal Spoonbill

* 79. Black Swan

* 80. Kingfisher & Wagtail

* 82. Kingfisher & Wagtail

* 83. Female Fairy Wren

* 84. Sharp-tailed Sandpipers

* 85. Swamp Harrier

* 87. Black Swan nest

* 88. Black Swan & cygnets

* 89. Rufous Whistle (male)

* 90. Black-winged Stilts

* 92. Black Swans

* 93. Black Swans

* 94. Black Swans cygnets

* 95. Black Swan & cygnets

* 97. Whistling Kite

* 98. Eurasian Coot

* 99. Comb-crested Jacana

* 100. Black Swan cygnet