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The younger Katzenjammer Kid visited Canberra last weekend when I was
away, but she emailed me today to report a Brahminy Kite (!) she saw perched on
a pole along the road down into Uriarra East on Saturday afternoon May 13. I
phoned her, understandably, I was skeptical. "You sure it wasn't a young
White-bellied Sea-Eagle, perhaps?"
"No, far too small. I stopped the car and watched for 15 seconds, and
saw its rich brown back and white neck and head. Then, while getting my
binoculars from the console box, the inconsiderate thing flew away."
"How far away were you?"
"Thirty metres. And it was bright sunshine," she added, anticipating my
next question.
Now, Sami Jane is an astute little birder, not prone to wild assumptions,
although she's tried a few apocryphal sightings on me before but, even when I've
swallowed the bait, she soon owns up, apparently it's funny to take a rise out
of "Daddy Audubon". Yes, she warrants a good smack at times.
Sam has checked-off Brahminy Kites along the Northern Territory coast
during a trip in 2004, and assures me she's not kidding about the Uriarra
sighting. Daddy Audubon has seen them too, in SE Asia and at the Top End of Oz.
I ran a few more possibilities by her but, although she admits it would be an
amazingly unusual record in this neck of the woods, her description of the
colour and jizz still added up to Brahminy Kite.
I delved into a few books this evening but can find nothing about Brahminy
Kites appearing in the ACT. Any comments? Please keep them constructive. The
dear girl doesn't partake alcohol or smoke funny stuff.
John Layton.
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