Scarlet or Flame Robin?

[<>]

Joanne,

 

Remember: '’ The flame comes right up”. ie the reddish/orange colour of the Flame Robin goes right up the throat. The Scarlet has a black throat.

 

There are several other fieldmarks, but I find this is the one to look for first.

 

Bruce

 

From:

Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2012 2:49 PM

To:

Subject: [canberrabirds] Scarlet or Flame Robin?

 

Today i caught a flash of either a male scarlet or flame robin at The National Arboretum, about 200m away from the top where the eagle's nest sculpture is. The bird was very small, on it's own (from what i could see anyway), and mainly black with a very bright red coloured chest. I wasn't fast enough to see any white markings. It was flitting about the long grassy pastures down the side of the mountain.

I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestion as to whether it was more likely to be a scarlet or a flame robin going by this location and (apologetically) vague description? I know they're both fairly common birds around this time of year but I'm fairly new to the game so this was quite an exciting spotting for me, and if there's any way i can get more certainty about what it might have been i'd be very grateful!

Cheers, Joanne