Where are the Water Birds?

While the Byron Wetlands and other bodies of water have been very short on water birds, there are some unusual places where they can still be found. One such place is the Belongil Wetland behind the sand hills on the northern side of Belongil Creek mouth.

A ten minute count there this week included 30 Wandering Whistling-Ducks, one Radjah Shelduck, a number of Pacific Black Ducks, Australian Wood Ducks, several Royal Spoonbills, a Great Egret and a Cattle Egret.

Wandering Whistling-Ducks at nearby Byron Wetlands.

Belongil Beach Action

There are often terns, gulls, lapwings, and cormorants at the mouth of Belongil Creek. Other regulars include egrets, bee-eaters, pardalotes, Osprey and Sea-Eagles, with the occaisional sighting of a Beach Stone-curlew. Red-capped and Double-banded Plovers, Pacific Golden Plovers and other migrants turn up from time to time. Last weeks it was the Little Terns that stole the show, as well as a crab hunting Beach Stone-curlew. A group of Pacific Golden Plovers were also seen.

A regular at Belongil Creek, this very photogenic Eastern Osprey makes a low pass over the beach.

Little Terns really are little, when seen here next to two Common Terns and in the background three Crested Terns.

This Beach Stone-curlew looks to be in a bit of a muddle but is in fact a very accomplished crab hunter