On Saturday I was sitting at home in Gordon, rural Victoria (just
east of Ballarat) and I saw a midsize bird fluttering outside the
window. At first glance, I thought that it was an azure kingfisher
or the like due to the light chest colour and the general size.
On proper looking, I saw that it had a honeyeater beak, was black
with a white chest. I thought, "Great first time I have seen one of
those" and went to get the bird books. Went through and the prime
candidate is a Pied Honeyeater from comparison. On reading the
description and habitat for pied honeyeater, doubt set in, was it
possible?
[Some background, I am *not* an avid birdwatcher owning some bird
books and enjoying identifying new species as my rejuvenated paddock
now large garden (Oz natives) with numbers of banksias starting
flowering. I have quite a reasonable nomadic and sedentary bird
population which includes about 5 other honeyeaters spp. that I can
readily identify. I am new to the list so please excuse any lack of
known culture]
Now, for those who don't know where Gordon is, it is on the turnover
to the divide (600m) between Ballarat and Melbourne, cold and wet
winters, and this past week damp. Not the habitat associated Pied
Honeyeater. I also perused the Victorian Bird Atlas and that really
seemed to shut the door on the thought.
So I am seeking advice on what it may have been, or was it really one
lost pied honeyeater.
* size and build, very much like azure kingfisher
* definite honeyeater beak, and I would have said very slightly
towards curved.
* definite black body and the chest was definitely completely full
white, which to me ruled out black honeyeater.
* didn't get a look at the bird at rest as it hovered around the
window for 10-15 seconds before flying off to bushes, bird was a 1m
from window at about 2m, and I was in total about 4m away, so the
look that I got was close but brief
Would love some suggestions of other birds that I should rule in or
out. And NO it wasn't a deformed willy wagtail frankenstein
construct (friend's suggestion and I did hit them! <g>)
Thanks. Regards Andrew
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