What isn't yet clear, to me anyway, is where the tug had been nor what it
had been doing. Was it shepherding a ship into port, returning from
assisting a departing vessel locally or from a longer voyage for whatever
reason? What is clear is that the bird was damaged but otherwise in good
condition, i.e. not fly-blown, rotten or degraded. Thus it was not long
dead before found unless stored in a freezer. Ship assistance per se is not
now regarded as a barrier to acceptance but deliberate carriage of course
is. Maybe we should know more about the tugs movements. Tiger Shrike was
added to the Australian list by Christidis & Boles after being found dead at
another WA port and rather naughtily before acceptance by BARC, and as if to
prove that decision was justified, has since been seen alive on Christmas
Island, Ashmore Reef (twice) and Browse Island. I know of those records
because I saw them all!
There is no doubt as to the species identity and age, an immature male, but
as to the subspecies, I couldn't say. What does seem odd to me is that a
Siberian Thrush would not be in adult plumage by mid June but others suggest
that the stress of being misplaced might have delayed its moult. Most
vagrants are immature birds.
Mike Carter
30 Canadian Bay Road
Mount Eliza VIC 3930
Tel (03) 9787 7136
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