[canberrabirds] Tell me I’m dreaming

[Steve Read <>]

Towards the end of my solitary constitutional on Oakey Hill this evening, I was idly watching a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo flap southwards across the sky when another bird emerged over the ridge, flying behind and above the cockatoo but on the same general course. Help with identification would be gratefully received.

The second bird was dark, brownish against the light, somewhat mottled, and very large, with heavy, flapping, steady wingbeats. It flew well behind the cockatoo’s flight-path, so was further away than that bird, and on that basis was clearly much larger than the cockatoo.

First guess was a juvenile White-bellied Sea-eagle, but I wasn’t certain as it never went into a glide, or soared. As it flew steadily away and I searched for a key feature, I ruled out Wedge-tailed Eagle or heron or harrier on shape &c. There was no obvious curved neck or trailing legs - or any other distinguishing feature, although the light was poor. Australian Bittern crossed my mind from size and heaviness of flight.

What are the other possibilities?

Steve