Their presence there at this time is not odd. Calling at this time probably somewhat odd. Have a look at the COG Atlas that gives whatever relevant perspective.
Hard for anyone else to suggest on what it was. If it is something else then the comments don’t apply. Many bird species are mimics. Satin Bowerbird in particular is one possibility. Although it hardly matters, they are common, there will be other records
for the Fan-tailed Cuckoo.
If it was me and I had that doubt and I contributed to ebird, I would not input it on the record.
Philip
From: Steve Read [
Sent: Saturday, 4 May, 2019 10:40 AM
To: 'Canberra birds'
Subject: [canberrabirds] Fan-tailed Cuckoo at Bluetts Block this morning (?)
Bluetts Block was quiet and still in the cool sunshine this morning. There was evidence of the recent rain, and a number of Spotted Pardalotes were hanging around a puddle at the side of the (recently graded) track. A flock of Yellow-tailed
Black-cockatoos came through to break the quiet.
One of the bird calls in the background was a repeated descending trill, in the ‘bouncing-ball’ style of a Fan-tailed Cuckoo. I entered the observation into eBird under this species (https://ebird.org/australia/view/checklist/S55735919),
being slightly surprised by hearing it at this season. but was wondering: is there any other species I could have confused this call with? I’m reasonably confident that it wasn’t a White-throated Treecreeper, Eastern Yellow Robin or Eastern Spinebill.
Steve
