In Search of the Regent Honeyeater

The critically endangered Regent Honeyeater is one of the rarest birds in Victoria. In fact, there are estimated to be only 500-1500 birds remaining Australia-wide. A national recovery program has been established to save this species including a captive breeding program at Taronga Zoo. Birds have been released in the Box-Ironbark forest of Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park in north-eastern Victoria over the last seven years with the latest release occurring earlier this year. This morning we went out to a location near the release site where there had been reports of recent sightings.

Box-Ironbark Forest, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Pentax 16-50mm f/2.8 @ 16mm, ISO 800, f/4, 1/1600

The site was dominated by a cacophony of Noisy Friarbirds flying around the treetops (and almost impossible to photograph) and small flocks of Fuscous Honeyeaters flitting around the understorey.

Fuscous Honeyeater, Cyanide Road, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/11, 1/160

including this one doing its best impression of a treecreeper.

Fuscous Honeyeater, Cyanide Road, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 1600, f/11, 1/500

There were also several larger birds flying from tree to tree and I caught a glimpse of a mottled black and white belly and got a little excited...but once the bird landed and I got a closer look, it turned out to be an Olive-backed Oriole.

Olive-backed Oriole, Cyanide Road, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/11, 1/2000

I was happy to see this bird, albeit from directly underneath - not the best view! However, the prime target for the morning remained elusive...until I spotted this bird flying from behind a clump of trees...a few clicks of the shutter, one in focus...

Regent Honeyeater, Cyanide Road, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/11, 1/1600

and then it was gone. Examination of the shot in the camera revealed that it was a Regent Honeyeater...so mission accomplished. For a while I thought this was all I was going to get as the next 15 minutes revealed only a few scant glimpses high up in the trees and behind foliage but eventually at least four birds came closer and stayed (reasonably cooperatively) for a few photographs.

Regent Honeyeater, Cyanide Road, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/11, 1/80

Regent Honeyeater, Cyanide Road, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/8, 1/400

Regent Honeyeater, Cyanide Road, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/8, 1/400

Regent Honeyeater, Cyanide Road, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/8, 1/400

Regent Honeyeater, Cyanide Road, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/8, 1/320

Regent Honeyeater, Cyanide Road, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/8, 1/320

Regent Honeyeater, Cyanide Road, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/8, 1/160

It was difficult to leave but lunch beckoned so we headed for Honeyeater Picnic Ground where a pair of Superb Fairy-wrens (the male in final stages of moulting into breeding plumage) displayed right next to the car park. I photograph these little characters a lot (they seem to be ubiquitous across a wide range of habitats in SE Australia) but they are hard to resist.

Superb Fairy-wren (female), Honeyeater Picnic Ground, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 400, f/8, 1/125

Superb Fairy-wren (male), Honeyeater Picnic Ground, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 400, f/8, 1/250

Superb Fairy-wren (female), Honeyeater Picnic Ground, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 400, f/8, 1/640

Superb Fairy-wren (female)
Honeyeater Picnic Ground, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 400, f/8, 1/640

An Olive-backed Oriole sat for a few seconds on a low branch nearby (and was much more photogenic than it's colleague at the previous site).

Olive-backed Oriole, Honeyeater Picnic Ground, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 400, f/8, 1/400

Olive-backed Oriole, Honeyeater Picnic Ground, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 400, f/8, 1/400

Brown Treecreepers were feeding on the ground in the grass but I couldn't get a good shot until this one posed on a tree trunk.

Brown Treecreeper, Honeyeater Picnic Ground, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/8, 1/2000

White-Naped Honeyeaters were feeding on insects high in the treetops - too far away for any good shots (this image is heavily cropped) but great to record them here.

White-Naped Honeyeater, Honeyeater Picnic Ground, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 400, f/8, 1/1250

The most common birds around the picnic ground were the Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters feeding on insects in the Black Wattle.

Yellow-tufted Honeyeater, Honeyeater Picnic Ground, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 400, f/8, 1/1250

Yellow-tufted Honeyeater, Honeyeater Picnic Ground, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 400, f/8, 1/1250

Yellow-tufted Honeyeater, Honeyeater Picnic Ground, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 400, f/8, 1/1250

Yellow-tufted Honeyeater, Honeyeater Picnic Ground, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 400, f/8, 1/640

A great morning! We found the Regent Honeyeaters and Honeyeater Picnic Ground lived up to its name. This afternoon, more bush birds at Bartley's Block.

Wenhams Camp, Warby Ranges

I spent this morning at Wenhams Camp in the Warby Ovens National Park on the way to Chiltern for a long weekend of bird photography with the Melbourne Birdlife Photography Group.

I made sure to arrive early to catch the Eastern Grey Kangaroos that frequent the open grassland adjacent to the picnic and camping ground.

Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Wenhams Camp, Warby Ovens National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/4, 1/4000

Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Wenhams Camp, Warby Ovens National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/4, 1/3200

Many of the females were carrying relatively mature Joeys.

Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Wenhams Camp, Warby Ovens National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/4, 1/1600

Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Wenhams Camp, Warby Ovens National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/4, 1/3200

The main avian attraction here was the promise of spotting Turquoise Parrots. "Spotting" was an apt description as the two pairs I found provided only fleeting glances as they flew from tree to tree, usually obscured, at least partially, by intervening branches.

Turquoise Parrot (male), Wenhams Camp, Warby Ovens National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/1600

This female has a distinctly orange-red belly unlike the other three birds whose undersides appeared to be uniformly green-yellow.

Turquoise Parrot (female), Wenhams Camp, Warby Ovens National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/1250

Eventually, one came out into the open for a few seconds but had its head stuck in a hole.

Turquoise Parrot (male), Wenhams Camp, Warby Ovens National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/640

I am not sure if this was already a nesting hole or if the bird was just inspecting it but I didn't take the risk of disturbing it any further so I left quietly.

There were plenty of other bush birds to see including Brown-headed Honeyeaters high in the treetops.

Brown-headed Honeyeater, Wenhams Camp, Warby Ovens National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/1600

Brown Treecreepers and White-throated Treecreepers were doing their thing up and down tree trunks.

Brown Treecreeper, Wenhams Camp, Warby Ovens National Park, Victoria

Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/400

Brown Treecreeper, Wenhams Camp, Warby Ovens National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/320

Brown Treecreeper, Wenhams Camp, Warby Ovens National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/500

White-throated Treecreeper, Wenhams Camp, Warby Ovens National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/320

Dusky Woodswallows were flying around the treetops but one perched on a low branch long enough for this shot.

Dusky Woodswallow, Wenhams Camp, Warby Ovens National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/2000

This Jacky Winter had been coming and going from this tree stump for about 15 minutes so I set up nearby to get a shot and just as I was pre-focussing on the stump to be ready for it next time it landed, the bird flew past without landing and I managed to fire off one shot of it in flight and in frame.

Jacky Winter, Wenhams Camp, Warby Ovens National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/4, 1/4000

It did finally settle on a nearby tree.

Jacky Winter, Wenhams Camp, Warby Ovens National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/640

and eventually allowed me very close.

Jacky Winter, Wenhams Camp, Warby Ovens National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/4, 1/2500

Similar to the Turquoise Parrots, this Speckled Warbler spent most of its time flitting from branch to branch, partially hidden by branches and foliage but I did manage a few shots of it mostly unobscured.

Speckled Warbler, Wenhams Camp, Warby Ovens National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/1600

Speckled Warbler, Wenhams Camp, Warby Ovens National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/1000

This White-browed Babbler was spooked by an overhead attack from what appeared to be either a Collared Sparrowhawk or a Brown Goshawk. It all happened so quickly, I couldn't identify the attacker but the potential victim remained still in this bush for several minutes.

White-browed Babbler, Wenhams Camp, Warby Ovens National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/400

All too soon it was time to move on the Chiltern for a walk around Lake Anderson.

Chiltern-Mt Pilot NP

I had to do a presentation in Wangaratta today so took the opportunity to drop by Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park. As I did not have much time I decided to concentrate on one area and the short walk around Cyanide Dam from the Honeyeater Picnic Area is usually good for a variety of bush birds but the first thing that hit me when I arrived here was the frog chorus:

The walk around the dam is only 500m but the surrounding forest provides plenty of opportunities for spotting birds. In forest environments, it's often best to find a good spot and just sit/stand and wait for the birds to come to you. However, forest bird photography has its own particular challenges: the birds are mostly in the canopy so they are a long way away, usually backlit by a bright sky and always seem to be behind a branch or foliage...but, hey, that's what makes bird photography fun...isn't it?

This afternoon was no exception, lots of backlit, obscured birds a long way from wherever I was resulted in a lot of very ordinary shots. These are the best of them and they are mostly cropped and heavily worked in Photoshop to make something half reasonable of them.

Brown Treecreeper, Chiltern-Mt Pilot NP

A pair of Golden Whistlers could be heard in the vicinity and it took me about 10 minutes to get the male isolated against the sky and clear of obscuring foliage. A fraction of a second before I hit the shutter, he turned his head away making this shot (the first in the sequence) the only (vaguely) usable one and then within a few seconds he flew away to call from the top of an adjacent tree, completely obscured from any viewpoint I could find. I did manage to find the female but she remained high in the treetop foliage.

Golden Whistler (male), Chiltern-Mt Pilot NP

I tried for 15 minutes to get a shot of one or more of the handful of Noisy Friarbirds feeding in the treetops but this is the best I could get. What was interesting was that all the friarbirds were feeding from the flowers as well as catching insects from the leaves.

Noisy Friarbird, Chiltern-Mt Pilot NP

Two Spotted Pardalotes were singing and flitting around the under-storey in perpetual motion until one landed on a tree trunk close-by (albeit in heavy shadow) and started shredding strips of bark (almost identical to the one I saw at Anakie Gorge on Saturday).

Spotted Pardalote, Chiltern-Mt Pilot NP

Even the usually 'assertive' Willie Wagtails remained at a distance, except for the one that landed on the picnic table right next to me when I stopped for a drink (a bit hard to photograph with 600mm worth of lens at a distance of 1 metre)

Willie Wagtail, Chiltern-Mt Pilot NP

A small flock of Yellow-faced Honeyeaters were feeding on eucalypt flowers but were in heavy shadow with bright sky in the background.

Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Chiltern-Mt Pilot NP

Perhaps the most exciting encounter was this territorial dispute between a White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike and Yellow-tufted Honeyeater. It only lasted a few seconds, I managed to fire off a few shots but the whole thing occurred at a distance and behind branches.

White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Yellow-tufted Honeyeater, Chiltern-Mt Pilot NP

These Australasian Grebes were the only two birds on the whole dam. They spent most of their time just cruising around the dam with occasional spurts of synchronised swimming: circular 'dancing' followed by parallel gliding with loud chirping calls from both birds.

Australasian Grebe, Chiltern-Mt Pilot NP

The heavy shade over this section of the pond combined with the bright background reflections made exposure a bit of a challenge but they occasionally swam though sunnier patches of water.

Australasian Grebe, Chiltern-Mt Pilot NP

and for something completely different...I dropped by Woolshed Falls right on sunset. No birds but a beautiful place :-)

Woolshed Falls, Chiltern-Mt Pilot NP