An astute piece of jumping in, John, and quite correct. I tend to forget the tradition of the WOTSIT might not be appreciated by our younger members. It began in pre-digital days when Mark Clayton used to collect cryptic images, such as a dark shape disappearing into the sky at dusk, to administer in the occasional Bird Quiz. With digital photography ‘collecting’ became unnecessary as the clearest image can be cropped or otherwise processed to produce a totally baffling product. Therefore WOTSITS must be used with extreme care, and be, like clues in the best cryptic crosswords, FAIR (however difficult). If possible, a WOTSIT should match something in a person’s visual experience, even if not at once recognisable. There was a little story attached to the SBC. Its call, yesterday morning, was from near at hand, but the bird was invisible until located directly overhead at the top of a euc where its size and shape from below matched the dark leaves surrounding it. When calling these small cuckoos are often like that
As there is not much appetite these days for the formal chatline quiz, with these occasional WOTSITS you can tell me what you think it is, if you like, or just keep the answer to yourself. A couple of others got it, including a well-known member at his Darwin outpost.
Now, not all that cryptic, but something else that was going on yesterday, if you know what it is …
From: John Harris [
Sent: Monday, 6 October 2014 7:22 PM
To: Geoffrey Dabb
Cc: chatline
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Also seen at C Park yesterday
Only just realised this is a question. Well someone has to jump in. A Shining Bronze Cuckoo for my money.
Some on Percival Hill at the moment.
