Summer arrives at Byron Bay Wetlands

Summer arrives at Byron Bay Wetlands. Out in the bay the East Australian Current is running close to the coastline and because it is two to three degrees Celsius warmer than normal, this adds to the intensity of rain and persistent thunderstorms.

At the wetlands weeds have overgrown large areas of free water; this has happened at an incredible pace. Salvinia has covered H cell, normally the largest area of water, with a thick blanket of weed. Frogbit has taken over in parts of the melaleuca swamps. Bare mudflat has all but disappeared, reducing the desirability for water birds and shore birds, sightings are very low. However numbers of woodland and forest birds on the site are holding up, with last weeks survey counting 72 species in total on the morning. (A map of the wetlands can be seen at the Byron Bird Buddies website.)

This White-bellied Sea-Eagle regularly scows the wetlands creating havoc amongst the inhabitants. Here it is watching from a perch in the rainforest section adjacent to H cell.

We counted 12 Latham’s Snipe in the wetland during the national Snipe survey in November and at last week’s survey the count was still10 birds, 9 of them in the reedy end of E Cell and one in H Cell.

Seven Nankeen Night Herons graced the wetlands last year. So it was exciting to count seven again this week, including one immature bird. After flushing from the pond the Nankeen Night-Heron shown retreated to the line of trees behind E Cell.

Salvinia molesta is a Brazilian water fern introduced to enhance goldfish bowls and now a scourge for Australian waterways. The photo shows the brown weed completely covering what is normally the largest area of open water, H Cell, a feat it achieved in a few weeks. The infestation is being treated with a weevil but progress has been slow. Frogbit has covered areas within the Melaleuca swamps and these are currently being sprayed.

‍ ‍There have been a lot of Brush Cuckoos calling across the wetlands.

But they are not always welcome, as this Leaden Flycatcher sends the intruder on its way.

Laughing Kookaburras are getting the same treatment. There were at least three pairs of Leaden Flycatchers in breeding mode within the melaleuca swamps.

This Black-winged Kite was very possessive about its perch overlooking E Cell, seeing off a second Kite who tried to muscle in.

A young Australian Magpie making a lot of noise.

One of the many Lewin’s Honeyeaters that inhabit the wetlands, feeding in the carpark.

Byron Bay Wetlands September 2025

Spring has officially arrived and the quiet of winter replaced by a buzzing in the reed beds; cisticolas, grassbirds, reed-warblers and fairy-wren. Water flow into E Cell has been turned off and an area of mud-flat has returned, attracting small numbers of Pied Stilts, Black-fronted Dotterel, Royal Spoonbills, herons, egrets, ducks and ibis. And the Latham’s Snipes have arrived from north Asia for the Australian summer.

The Forest Kingfishers have been very active across all the wetland ponds over past weeks.

An early arrival was the Fan-tailed Cuckoo; their calls were heard throughout the wetlands at the start of September.

Two or more Pheasant Coucals have made the wetlands home. This one photographed on the track between I and J Cells.

Also very active, patrolling the banks of the large H Cell pond, was this Azure Kingfisher.

Up to thirty Welcome Swallows flitting across H Cell. Sometimes joined by a smaller number of Fairy Martins.

Only three Latham’s Snipes have arrived on the wetland so far, with five counted at the adjoining Byron TAFE pond and eight on Belongil pond.

Two or three Spangled Drongos were making their presence known.

By far the most common honeyeater of the last few weeks, the Brown Honeyeater. There are also some White-cheeked Honeyeaters, Scarlet and Blue-faced.

The Brown Cuckoo-Dove a regular but occasional visitor.

White-necked Herons can be seen most days, on D and E Cell ponds or at the back of H Cell.

The Black-fronted Dotterels had not been seen since Autumn, but have moved back in the past weeks.

A Figbird showing some spring colour

A Plumed Egret (old name Intermediate Egret) on E Cell.

Magpie-larks are also finding something to eat on the exposed mudflats.

Many Australian Reed- Warblers across all the ponds this spring.

Last week it was dozens of Golden-headed Cisticola making their presence known.

And of course noisy Tawny Grass birds, here enjoying a beautiful spring morning.

The gang has arrived. Thirty five Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos descend on the eastern treeline of the wetland.

The always present call of the Bar-shouldered Dove, a very attractive bird if caught in the right light.

Autumn in the Byron Bay Wetlands

Autumn brings changes in the wetlands. The Latham’s Snipes have gone to begin their journey north. The Nankeen Night Herons have left, perhaps heading north as well? Orioles, whipbirds and wattlebirds are scarcer than usual. The post cyclone rain and continuing falls are keeping the ponds topped up, with no exposed mud flat. And so there are very few water birds.

The Melaleuca is flowering and with it have come the honeyeaters; teams of Brown Honeyeaters, Scarlet Honeyeaters, Noisy Friarbirds, Blue-faced Honeyeaters plus large flocks of lorikeets, predominantly Rainbow but some Scaly-breasted as well. A Grey Goshawk has been particulary busy the last few days. Grey fantails and many Willie Wagtails to be seen.

A big positive is that the weevil treatment for the Salvinia weed overgrowing many ponds is starting to work. It was a treat to see three Forest Kingfishers feeding at a pond that had been previously choked with Salvinia.

The Forest Kingfisher is always a photogenic treat, here it was with two others feeding around a pond rejuvinated by the successful treatment of the Salvinia weed that had been choking it.

This Grey Goshwawk was particularly active this week in the Melaleuka woodlands of F Cell.

A young Superb Fairy-wren with adult colour just starting to appear forages for insects in the bark.

Many Scarlet and Brown Honeyeaters in the white flowers of the Melaleuka.

Lots of Willie Wagtails, all as busy as usual.

Numbers of Grey Fantails have increase dramatically as April draws to a close.

The Blue-faced Honeyeater is an occaisional visitor to the wetlands.

Three Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos make a timely visit to check out some tasty Swamp Banksia.

A Mistletoebird visits a Mistletoe plant growing on a Melaleuca in the F Cell ponds.

One of the few water birds present at the moment, the White-faced Heron.

Byron Bay Wetlands after the Cyclone

Cyclone Alfred brought 120 km per hour winds and hundreds of millimetres of rain to the Northern Rivers Region last week. Fortunately the damage overall has been minor compared to the 2022 floods but still many houses and farms were badly affected. At the wetlands the visual damage was limited to broken branches and debris. The effect on the birds is harder to discern.

These two Black-necked Storks seemed very happy with the extra water in I Cell at the Byron Bay Wetlands. Their colours sparkling in the newly arrived autumn sun.

The Little Shrike-thrush (now called the Arafura Shrikethrush), a less often seen bird in the wetlands but reasonably common in the Byron area.

Still some cukoos around the area as demonstrated by this Shining Bronze-Cuckoo seen in F Cell. But the Pheasant Coucals seem to have disappeared at this time.

Byron Bay Wetlands in February

Summer moves on but the breeding activity at the wetlands is still in full swing. The number and variety of cuckoos in the wetlands indicate there are plenty of opportunities for their parasitic egg laying too. Breeding species noted so far this month include Rufous Whistlers, Purple Swamphens, Fairy Martins, Brush Cuckoos, and Lewin’s Honeyeaters. The presence of juvenile Cicadabirds, Little Bronze-cuckoos and others indicates they may be breeding in the wetland or nearby.

There are often Fairy Martins at the north end of D and E Cells. This is the first time I have observed young feeding here.

This young Brush Cuckoo was calling loudly waiting for its food. The juvenile colours are quite different to the adult grey and buff with black and white cuckoo markings on the tail.

I lined up my camera with the juvenile and waited. Soon the surrogate mother arrived, a tiny Superb Fairy-wren.

It appears this Superb Fairy-wren has some very strong feelings about its oversized charge.

Little Bronze-Cuckoos are one of the less frequently seen species in the wetland but the presence of this juvenile could mean they are breeding here or closeby?

The female Cicadabird, very different to her grey coloured male counterpart. Cicadabirds have been calling most days over the past month.

Good to see a Sacred Kingfisher, the first seen for several months.

There are still good numbers of Latham’s Snipes to be seen, now scattered around the wetland.

An early start resulting in photos of each of the three White-necked Herons in Cell E enjoying an early morning feed.

Byron Bay Wetlands in January

Byron Bay Wetlands in Byron Bay, Northern Rivers district of New South Wales, is an important haven for many birds species, including the migratory Latham’s Snipe. As the summer moves on the snipe have moved to the ditches and waterways through the wetland. While the wetlands seem quiet, there are still many birds making their way in the malaleuca woodlands and reedbeds.

A pretty picture in the greenery, the colourful White-cheeked Honeyeater.

This Latham’s Snipe was resting close to one of the drains that move water through the wetlands.

This male Cicadabird chose the highest branch of the highest tree to broadcast his cicada like song.

There were two Nankeen NIght Herons in the wetlands yesterdy, in the same area that a flock of six had been previously seen.

Another pretty setting for this Red-browed Finch.

An unusual display by a Bar-shouldered Dove, tail splayed to show its full colours.

Little Wattlebirds have moved into the woodlands during January, presumably in response to fruition of a new food source.

Sydney bird sites

It was a quick visit to two Sydney city bird sites; Centennial Park and the Landing Lights Wetlands, and a reaquaintance with some old friends and the local bird life. Centennial Park was quiet, as it often is over Christmas, and without help did not find its two famous inhabitants, Powerful Owls and Tawny Frogmouths. The Landing Lights Wetland was a surprise. The expensive board-walks and paths were overgrown and thee area was badly neglected. A council sign promising that this valuable wetland would be renovated (again?) in the near future only adds insult to injury.

The city Australian White Ibis shows a very different demeanour to its country cousins, here lording it over the parkland, master of the rubbish bins and trash.

Little Corellas are a constant presence in Centennial Park, often present in large flocks. I was surprised not to see any of the Long-billed Corellas that a usually found together with the Little Corellas.

A distant flock of Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos made their presence known by their mournful calls.

At the Landing Lights Wetland, Red-whiskered Bulbuls were a new bird for me to see on this site. There were four Bulbuls in total.

Chestnut Teals, to be seen in the Landing Lights ponds and waterways.

Byron Wetlands in May

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!

Byron Bay Wetlands in April

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 Mannikin

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.