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West Byron Wetlands Birds
| West Byron Wetlands is a sewage treatment wetland that provides an ecologically engineered link in a holistic effluent management system under the Byron Bay Sewage Treatment Scheme. It is also a safe habitat for a variety of animals and birds. I watched the Swamp Harriers and the Whistling Kite circle, the waders and the shorebirds forage and the Black Swan nest and breed each year. The Black Swans raised five signets successfully last year & watching them grow from fluffy little signets to full grown 'teenagers' was fascinating. They have a amazing family system, the parents are fiercely protective off their offspring and used to round them up around 10 am each morning to go to the same place on the bank of the lake to preen and then take a nap. All photos taken by Deb Pearse. For more photos go to: www.byronbaybackyard.com.au |
 Black Swans at West Byron (Cygnus atratus) |
 Australian Hobby (Falco longipennis) |
 Black-winged Stilts (Himantopus himantopus) |  Black Swan signets |
 Pelicans (Pelecanus conspicillatus) |
 Black Swan (Cygnus atratus) |
 Pelican & Black Swan |
 Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus) |
 Swamp Harrier (Circus approximans) |
 Black Swan signet |
 Baillon Crake (Porzana pusilla) 17.10.09 |  Baillon Crake (Porzana pusilla) 17.10.09 |
 Black-fronted Dotterel (Elseyomis melanops) 16.10.09 |  Black Swans (Cynus atratus) 16.10.09 |
 Nankeen Night-heron (Nycticorax calendonicus) 19.11.09 |  Swamp Harrier (Circus approximans) 31.10.09 |
 Black Swans (Cygnus atratus)  Yellow-billed Spoonbill (Platalea flavipes) and Royal Spoonbills (Platalea regia) & Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus). 13.12.09  Yellow-billed Spoonbill (Platalea flavipes), Royal Spoonbills (Platalea regia), Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia) & Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus). 13.12.09  Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia), Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia) & Common Greenshanks (Tringa nebularia). 13.12.09 |
 Juvenile Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus)  Black-winged Stilts (Himantopus himantopus) 8.11.09  Royal Spoonbills (Platalea regia), Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia) & Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus). 13.12.09 |