This is definitely my last suggestion …
From: John Layton
[
Sent: Sunday, May 21, 2006 11:05
PM
To: Canberrabirds
Cc: John Byrne
Subject: [canberrabirds] Brahminy
Kite!?!
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."
"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.
