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From an ornithologically productive view point I believe gazing out the
kitchen window approaches looking up while pegging out the laundry. Yesterday, I
reported particularly good views of a Sacred Kingfisher on the Hills
hoist.
At 0645h today while gazing through the kitchen glazing at the morning
hazing, I saw a raptor on the crossbar of a power pole one backyard removed
from mine. Fetched the 10x40 binos and, from its size and the rest of the
jizz, I concluded it was a female Collared Sparrowhawk or a male Brown Goshawk.
But, the colour of the plumage set my speculation soaring. Nicely illuminated by
the soft morning sunshine it was quite beautiful.
It was positioned so I had good views of the ventral plumage and a
fair area of the port wing. The wing appeared a rich, dark brown and the
feathers were stridently edged with bright rufous. The breast and belly were
white with rich brown broken bars, the shape of which reminded me -
and this may sound a bit farfetched but I'll call it as it struck me
- of little brown little brown butterflies on the wing. There was a white
area on the face between the eye and the bill, and the rest of the face was
covered in a tracery of fine brown lines.
All too soon it flew away. I went indoors, put aesthetics aside, placed my
mind into objectivity mode and hit the bird books. My verdict? A
juvenile-plumaged Collared Sparrowhawk or Brown Goshawk. As Grandma used to say,
"That was a darn good day-maker of an experience."
John K. Layton
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