For what it is worth: My easiest twitch was the Franklin’s Gull in the northern suburb beaches of Brisbane. (Among the earliest Australian records). In 1982.
Found by Chris Corben and others one Saturday morning. He phoned around several contacts, including me. I was out of the house and my mum got the phone message and was nice enough to get some lunch ready for when I came back (We lived in southern suburbs of
Brisbane.) I went out there and found them and the gull immediately. No binoculars actually needed, as it was as tame as the Silver Gulls inhabiting the beach. By the next day people started arriving from Melbourne, Darwin, Sydney, whatever, to see it. Through
the whole of the next week. All or mostly in vain, as it wasn’t seen again. They even tried Stradbroke Island. Then I went out again to the same place on the next Saturday and the Franklin’s Gull was back at the same place. Where several others had refound
it.
Next and probably my favourite, would be the White-fronted Honeyeater that came to my home in 2003 and I saw it every day (except one day) for the next nine
weeks and I got to show it to about 60+ people, who came from all over to see it (Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane…….).
Next would be my first Square-tailed Kite. I was doing a solo road trip in south western Qld. On a remote and empty highway and I already decided that I would
stop for a break at wherever I was when my car odometer clicked over 60000 km. So I did, and looked around for 15 minutes or so and there was almost nothing. I got back in the car and as I looked to my right to put on the seat belt, I saw a raptor slowly gliding
over the few trees. I got out to check it out and it was a Square-tailed Kite. Though that wasn’t a twitch, as I could not have known that.
Other easy ones are Painted Snipe in Melbourne & JW, Northern Shoveler, and some others
Philip
From: Canberrabirds [
On Behalf Of Steve Read via Canberrabirds
Sent: Wednesday, 8 February, 2023 3:19 PM
To: Martin Butterfield
Cc: cog chatline
Subject: Re: [Canberrabirds] Jacana still evident at Rowes Lagoon this morning.
My two easiest ACT twitches were quicker still, Martin - birds seen or heard before even getting out of the car. Singing Honeyeater singing loudly in a north Canberra suburb, and Peaceful Dove feeding by a farm gate along Cotter Road.
On Wed, 8 Feb 2023 at 2:40 pm, Martin Butterfield via Canberrabirds <> wrote:
Second easiest twitch for me: found it within 3 minutes of pulling off the highway!
The easiest was a Painted Snipe at Kellys some years ago, when I walked across to a set up scope, peered through it, and got the tick. Today, I had to set up the scope myself.
