This morning I went to Banyule Flats (Heidelberg, Vic) in hopes of
finding the Hooded Robin reported there last week.
No luck, but while walking along the firebreak at the north end of the
paddock south of the Billabong, and admiring Dusky Woodswallows feeding
flying young, I disturbed what I believe was a Black-eared Cuckoo from
the fence wires. It was pale beige or fawn-grey above, and had a pale
supercilium and black eye-streak, wider behind the eye. Pale below but
grey on the breast. The face markings were not very clearly defined so
perhaps it was a young bird. Faint greenish iridescence on the upper
surface of the tail; from underneath tail had pale bars.
It seemed a little longer than the Woodswallows and was much slimmer.
It was too small and too brown for a Pallid Cuckoo and too large for a
Horsfield or Shining Bronze-Cuckoo and had no trace whatever of any bars
underneath.
It flew off among the scattered young trees in the tall grass to the
east of the ephemeral wetland.
Other sightings included a well-marked male White-winged Triller
feeding a fat green caterpillar to a flying youngster;
a Brown Goshawk and an Aust. Hobby;
2 Latham's Snipe
3 Black-necked Stilts (one was an immature)
1 unidentified snake, quite large
I saw a total of 39 species in 90 minutes and had a very enjoyable time.
I could have ticked more species if I had thoroughly investigated the
woodland beside the Billabong and the Native Garden area.
Anthea Fleming in Ivanhoe (Vic).
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