Critical Twitch: Regent Honeyeaters

After the reports of 12 Regent Honeyeaters only 1.5 hours away from home for the last 2 weeks, Max, Nathan, Henry and I were literally bouncing with enthusiasm today, as it was the first free day in 2 weeks available to make the trip north (the perils of being a birder still in school, with exams and such)

After a few issues getting organised (eg; Henry only being able to come on Saturday when I had tennis) we eventually agreed on meeting at midday then getting to Morisset at 1:30. After consulting the finders of the flock, it became apparent that the location was easy to get to, but the birds were often not seen after about 11:00. Of course due to timing issues we weren’t able to get there until 1:30 at the earliest… typical. The promise of late showers also dismayed us. Luckily, weather can never get in the way of a twitch!

Parking at the entrance to the reserve, we walked towards the site frequented by the birds over the last week. After a few tricky obstacles (for example: the muddy-swampy excuse for a track and a river, only crossable by climbing across a water pipe), we made it to the approximate area. I quickly picked up on a sign – footprints in the mud! Birders must have passed this way recently!


It only took 100m of walking until Max alerted us to the Regent Honeyeater feeding in the tree above us – what a bird! Throughout the next hour and a bit we were rewarded with views of at least 8 birds, probably more, plus a hoard of other honeyeater species. Unfortunately, it was very overcast with no sun, so photography was insane.


Walking back to the car, we found a flock of Varied Sittellas, and were just watching some White-naped Honeyeaters bathing in a puddle when the sun came out. Excellent. We high-tailed it back a kilometre to the Regents and were rewarded with much better views and photographic opportunities.


The day ended with a very easy Swift Parrot twitch, and we received year-ticks before even getting out of the car!

After the reports of 12 Regent Honeyeaters only 1.5 hours away from home for the last 2 weeks, Max, Nathan, Henry and I were literally bouncing with enthusiasm today, as it was the first free day in 2 weeks available to make the trip north (the perils of being a birder still in school, with exams and such)

After a few issues getting organised (eg; Henry only being able to come on Saturday when I had tennis) we eventually agreed on meeting at midday then getting to Morisset at 1:30. After consulting the finders of the flock, it became apparent that the location was easy to get to, but the birds were often not seen after about 11:00. Of course due to timing issues we weren’t able to get there until 1:30 at the earliest… typical. The promise of late showers also dismayed us. Luckily, weather can never get in the way of a twitch!

Parking at the entrance to the reserve, we walked towards the site frequented by the birds over the last week. After a few tricky obstacles (for example: the muddy-swampy excuse for a track and a river, only crossable by climbing across a water pipe), we made it to the approximate area. I quickly picked up on a sign – footprints in the mud! Birders must have passed this way recently!


It only took 100m of walking until Max alerted us to the Regent Honeyeater feeding in the tree above us – what a bird! Throughout the next hour and a bit we were rewarded with views of at least 8 birds, probably more, plus a hoard of other honeyeater species. Unfortunately, it was very overcast with no sun, so photography was insane.


Walking back to the car, we found a flock of Varied Sittellas, and were just watching some White-naped Honeyeaters bathing in a puddle when the sun came out. Excellent. We high-tailed it back a kilometre to the Regents and were rewarded with much better views and photographic opportunities.


The day ended with a very easy Swift Parrot twitch, and we received year-ticks before even getting out of the car!