And who can ID the insect?
From: Geoffrey Dabb [
Sent: Monday, 3 March 2008 10:33 AM
To: Julian Robinson
Subject: FW: [canberrabirds] Coast and ID please
Doesn’t change my view. This is the trouble with having to
deal with the limited evidence presented in a photo. The bill is
one the diagnostic features we would like to see. It is only shown in one
pic and it looks to me as if it is quite short. It appears artificially
long in proportion because (a) the angle of view is downwards on the upper mandible
ie a semi-‘plan’ view, obscuring the depth, rather than a side elevation and
(b) the bird appears to be holding a food item. Incidentally did you
notice the interesting insect in pic 2? G
From: Beth Mantle [
Sent: Monday, 3 March 2008 9:06 AM
To: Julian Robinson
Cc: canberrabirds chatline
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Coast and ID please
Could it be a juvenile Pale
Yellow Robin? The head and bill seem to fine and delicate for it to be a
whistler, while the stance put me in mind of a robin.
At first I was thinking Jacky
Winter, due to the flycatcher-type whiskers around the bird's bill, but your
bird doesn't appear to be the clean grey and white that Jacky's usually are,
though this might be a product of the photograph. Furthermore, adult
Jacky Winters have a white supercilium, and your bird doesn't.
Due to the fact that your bird
has some yellow in the wings and a white "shoulder", I thought it
might be a young Pale Yellow Robin. I'm not sure if Mossy Point is too
far south in their range as I'm not familiar with the NSW Coast.
I'd really love to hear what
others think - I find this type of exercise so beneficial developing better
observation skills.
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