wrote on Monday, 19 March 2007 4:20
PM:
> I saw a raptor briefly over the pond in the Mt St Joseph
> wetland on Saturday. I saw it side on just over the trees,
> and at first I thought it was a Black-shouldered Kite, but I
> briefly got a look above and underneath as it turned, and there were
> no black markings.
>
> It was too brief a look for me to get any details like tail
> shape, etc. I wrote in my notes that it was pure white above, and
> grey below.
>
> The only bird I can find in the guides anything like that is
> a white morph Grey Goshawk, but that shouldn't be grey below.
> Any opinions? Did I just get the details reversed, or could
> it be something else? It was late in the day, so the grey
> could simply have been shadow.
Only one reply so far, which indicated that it might be possible. I
didn't realise at the time that they were so uncommon.
I forgot to mention that at one point I saw it head on, and the wings
were held in a V shape, more like the books show for Black-shouldered
Kite than for Grey Goshawk. I've drawn the wings with straight lines in
my notes, but I don't remember if that's because they *were* straight or
because I didn't get a proper look . I don't know, however, if those
angles are a reliable guide at such low altitude (it was gliding a few
metres above the trees).
So I can't come to any conclusion unless I see it again. I'm putting it
down as a possible Grey Goshawk. If it wasn't, then I have no idea what
it was.
Peter Shute
==============================www.birding-aus.org
birding-aus.blogspot.com
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