After Stuart's fantastic photo, a group of us headed out to Urriara crossing this afternoon. After some initial discussion about which side of the river we should be, we found numerous Shining Bronze-cuckoos on the Eastern side, and felt like we were on the right track.
After some search, we found 3 Black-eared Cuckoos in the tall trees to the right of the 'stairs' heading down from the toilet block. They remained quiet throughout our visit. 2 of the birds have strong markings, while the third isn't so neat.
A great afternoon's birding, thanks to Chip and Stuart!
Damien
> Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2007 15:02:51 +1000
> From:
> To: ;
> Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] 2 x black-eared cuckoo at uriarra
>
> Oh #$%^ I'll have to go out there again now! I assume they are not early risers, or I was looking in the wrong place! Are we talking about the west side car park, or east?
>
> Regards
> Frank
>
> -----Original message-----
> From: Stuart Harris
> Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2007 14:33:25 +1000
> To:
> Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] 2 x black-eared cuckoo at uriarra
>
> >
> > Frank, et al
> >
> > I followed Chip's Hot tip for the Black-eared Cuckoo this morning and looked for it between 0915-1115 in the area described.
> > I didn't find one.....I found two! There were Horsfield's Bronze in the area also and a very curious Tawny Frogmouth. The 'Cuckoos' all seemed to be feeding on the same item, a grub which i deduce is the larvae for a small orange moth which I discovered throughout the River Oaks (Casuarina Cunninghamiana) there. The Cuckoos were actively feeding in the smaller River Oaks close to the carpark, not the giant old ones towards the river.
> > The Black-eared Cuckoos were quite feisty, making photography difficult but i managed to get a few reasonable shots, some of which are posted to my Flickr site:
> >
> > http:=1
> >
> > The Black-eareds seemed to have an insatiable appetite for the grubs and flitted between brranches, flying or hopping no more than one metre at a time. Sometimes they would invert. They did not seem to be to troubled by my presence or that of a large mower in the area. No calls were heard in the two hours there (other than one call from an immature Horsfield's toward the end). On a few occasions the two Black-eareds would perch together on a branch and chitter though no 'breeding nor courting-like behaviour was noted.
> >
> > Once again, thanks to Chip Scialfa for his diligence and awareness in percieving this uncommon species to our area. Hopefully a few more COGsters will have the opportunity to see the Black-eared before they move on (if indeed they do).
> >
> > Regards
> > Stuart Harris
> > "Everything is relative, everything is valid!"
> >
> >
> >
> > > Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2007 09:34:55 +1000
> > > From:
> > > To: ;
> > > Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] black-eared cuckoo at uriarra picnic area
> > >
> > > I went out to Uriarra this morning at 5.30am for an hour and a half but, unfortunately, no sign of your cuckoo. Both Horsfield's and Shining were in the area, though. I would be interested to see your photos, Chip, if you'd like to send them to me?
> > >
> > > Regards
> > > Frank Antram
> > >
> > > -----Original message-----
> > > From: Chip
> > > Date: Tue, 09 Oct 2007 21:06:41 +1000
> > > To:
> > > Subject: [canberrabirds] black-eared cuckoo at uriarra picnic area
> > >
> > > > I would like to report what I believe to have been a Black-eared cuckoo
> > > > at the Uriarra picnic area today. The details are below. Although I
> > > > didn't have my camera, as I was watching the bird a visiting Japanese
> > > > professor walked by. I asked if he had a camera with a zoom lens and he
> > > > did. Unfortunately, the two images he sent only show the body and
> > > > undertail feathers. There is no face. They may still be useful but are
> > > > rather large images so I won't attach them now.
> > > >
> > > > Oh, other birds of note were Brown falcon, Gray currawong, Satin
> > > > flycatcher (singing).
> > > >
> > > > Here are the details.
> > > >
> > > > Date: October 9, 2007
> > > > Time: 12:30 13:15 pm
> > > > Location: Uriarra picnic area parking lot, near the bathrooms, in the
> > > > causarinas (sp?) between the parking lot and the river.
> > > > Lighting: Sun with partial cloud
> > > > Weather: 20 C, Fine with negligible wind
> > > >
> > > > Closest viewing distance: 4 meters at 30 deg gaze angle
> > > > Average viewing distance: 6 meters at 60 deg gaze angle
> > > > Optics: B&L 7X36 Elites
> > > >
> > > > Details
> > > >
> > > > Size: The size of a bronze cuckoo. Comparison species was YFHE in same
> > > > tree. This bird was larger and seemed proportionately more chunky.
> > > > Tail: About the length of the body.
> > > > Primary projection: Considerably shorter than tail.
> > > > Bill: black, slightly decurved and slender. In fact, almost delicate and
> > > > not at all conical.
> > > > Upper parts: Gray, including crown. Some downy feathers on scapulars.
> > > > Lower parts: White. No steaking or barring on breast, belly or flanks.
> > > > Face: Black eye stripe extending from base of bill to auricular area and
> > > > slightly decurved. Rather dirty border with a white supercilium that was
> > > > of equal width.
> > > > Undertail feathers: Edged white with white barring on gray ground.
> > > > Underwing pattern: Not observed.
> > > >
> > > > Why not either likely cuckoo-shrike? Size, white supercilium, thin bill,
> > > > lack of barring on breast and barring on undertail feathers.
> > > >
> > > > Chip Scialfa
> > > > Calgary and Canberra
> > > >
> > > >
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