Hi folks,
I'd appreciate an opinion from wiser and more experienced heads. Two days
ago, I spotted what was almost certainly a raptor of some kind flying
across the road as I drove toward my house. This was at a busy
intersection at West Ipswich, Qld. Although urban, the area is adjacent to
the junction of the Bremer River and Deebing Creek, with surrounding
parkland, reserves etc. It's not unusual to see raptors such as collared
sparrowhawk, brown goshawk, nankeen kestrel and black-shouldered kite in
the immediate area, with the occasional brahminy and whistling kites and
osprey further down the river.
However, this bird appeared to be virtually totally white on the underside.
No darker tips to the primaries, no black "elbow"-mark, no dark tips on
the tail. It was a quick view only, and I got the impression of a longish
straight, narrowish tail with a slightly rounded tip, and slightly splayed
primaries. The bird appeared to have just flown off a perch, as its wings
were beating fairly deeply and it was rising. The tail was not fanned at
all. The back appeared to be light grey (brief glimpse only). No idea of
colour of eyes and feet.
I would have taken it for a black-shouldered kite, except, as I said, I saw
mainly the underside and the characteristic markings were absent -- also it
was larger, and the "jizz" seemed wrong. Wings were not as tapered as a
B-S kite, but I would not have described them as broad. When seen, the
wings were somewhat angled back from the "elbow", and carried fairly well
forward.
Could it have been a grey goshawk? I would have pooh-poohed this thought,
except that my sister spotted what was 90% certainly a grey goshawk sitting
on the fence eyeing off her kids' guinea-pigs about 6 weeks ago. She lives
on the river about 2km away as the crow flies.
I'm not aware of any records of grey goshawks in this vicinity. I'd
appreciate opinions. Thanks
Vicki PS
_______________
Vicki Parslow Stafford | "Even if you can't live up
| to your destiny, you can
Ipswich, Qld. Australia | at least have one".
|
