Many thanks to those who replied to me off line.
Several suggested juvenile Eastern Spinebills. Denis
directed me to the pic of one on the COG site, and, if my memory of what I
saw is right, appeared a good match. I hope to see them again, to be
sure. We have ESBs around all the time, and I've seen what I assume to be family
groups with male, female and, I assume, immature (smaller, finer and duller
colouring), but I've never seen a juv so clearly. I would love to observe
the changes from juv to immature - will now probably have my eyes too often on
the trees outside the window rather than on my computer screen
.......
Barbara
_______________________
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2011 11:17 AM
To:
Subject: [canberrabirds] ID request ...
Hi All
I have just had a pair of small birds that I have
not noticed before pass through the hakea etc close to my first
floor office window.
SIZE: about the same as an Eastern Spinebill, if
anything slightly larger and stockier. Tail longish with squarish end.
Bill definitely not as long as an Eastern
Spinebill.
COLOUR: mid to dark grey above (not brown), and
rufous/cinnamon chest fading to pale cream. Both birds similar, but one perhaps
paler rufous than the other. I did not notice any obvious striations, or
patches/bands of white/pale above, or black/dark below - colouring was very
neat and even. I'm afraid I did not take a mental note of where and how colour
changes from grey to rufous/cinnamon below the bill.
MOVEMENT: just the slightest hint of the side-to-side
movement when perched of Willie Wagtails, Grey Fantails etc.
Any suggestions?
cheers
Barbara
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