South-East Oz Part 8 – Regent Honeyeater Ablaze at Capertee + Visit to Werrikimbe

Regent Honeyeater

Following our visit to Kangaroo Valley (see following post) we spent a few days sight-seeing in Canberra before continuing north to spend 2 days with our friend Kathy Haydon in Capertee Valley - a renowned birding hotspot. The valley is essentially a vast canyon floor set amid the spectacular sandstone escarpments along the western fringe of the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.

Capertee Valley near Glen Davis

Capertee Valley near Glen Davis

We camped in the free camp (complete with hot showers!) in the quaintly deserted former mining township of Glen Davis. We visited Gardens of Stone National Park, Wollemi National Park and Capertee National Park. We birded along the Glen Alice and Glen Davis roads. Many thanks to Dean Ingerwersen and Ross Crates from BirdLife Australia for birding advice on the area.

Ironbark woodland, Capertee National Park

The key photographic target at Capertee was the critically endangered Regent Honeyeater, with the site being a major stronghold for this fast disappearing woodland specialist. I have seen this species on just 3 occasions previously, and looked unsuccessfully for it earlier in the trip west of Armidale.

Regent Honeyeater

Regent Honeyeater

Two groups were encountered at Capertee – an impressivegathering of 8-12 birds in Capertee National Park, including at least 2 juveniles of different ages - indicating successful breeding this season in the area. A further group of 3-4 birds was found along Glen Davis Road.

Regent Honeyeater

In both areas, the birds were feeding primarily on the red flowers of the Mugga Ironbark Eucalyptus sideroxylon – a tree that the bird has a special affinity with. The honeyeaters would periodically fly to feed briefly on the white flowers of other Eucalyptusspecies. At the Capertee site it was noted that the Regent Honeyeaters were constantly chased by the much more common Noisy Friarbirds.

Regent Honeyeater

The two juvenile birds were both fed by adults during the time we had themunder observation. Some adult birds had been banded as researchers are working on the birds at Capertee. At the Glen Davis Road site, no friarbirds were present and the Regent Honeyeaters turned the tables – aggressively chasing White-plumed and smaller honeyeater species out of their feeding tree.

Regent Honeyeater adult & juvenile

Another nice find near the Glen Davis camp were a couple of pairs of Rock Warblers on the slopes above the camp, where Brush-tailed Rock-Wallaby was also present.

Rock Warbler

Other birds at Capertee included Brown Treecreeper, White-browed Babbler, Red-capped Robin, Rufous Songlark and Crested Shrike-tit.

Brown Treecreeper

Crested Shrike-tit

Red-capped Robin

White-browed Babbler

Reptiles included Jacky Lizard.

Jacky Lizard

Sectionsof the main roadshave recently been upgraded with 100kmph zones, sovehicles travel at high speed through the valley, taking a substantial toll on the wildlife.

Common Wombat roadkill near Glen Davis

We moved on to Maitland for an overnight stay, then drove high into the mountains for a 3-night stay in the Brushy Mountains Camp inWerrikimbe National Park. A female Flame Robin in the camping round was unexpected.

Flame Robin female

I had hoped to photograph Rufous Scrubbird here but it was not to be. The birds were vocal enough but we were plagued by rain, cold and strong winds. I heard a total of 4 scrubbirds between Spekes Lookout on the Scrubbird Trail and the Brushy Mountains camp; 2 birds alongthe 3.6km loop trail; 1 bird at the campground; and 4 between Brushy Mountains and the Cockerawombeeba Road turnoff. I managed to see 2 of the Scrubbird Trail birds briefly.

Scrubbird habitat at Werrikimbe

Superb Lyrebird, Bassian Thrush and Olive Whistler were common and the place is worth a visit just for the beautiful camp ground and surrounding forest. 

Brushy Mountains camp

Our final stop was the caravan park at Wooyung near Pottsville on the NSW North Coast, where a feisty Buff-banded Rail was unusually tame. We had been on the road for 52 days, travelling 2,320km through NSW and Victoria.

Buff-banded Rail