|
Hey Guys & Gals,
I'm stumped .. I've seen this bird twice now, this
evening and two weeks ago on a Saturday evening, but it's always too high or
flying into the sun so all I get is the overall colour and silloutte, but even
with those details I cannot figure out what it is.
Very large bird, wingspan would be about 1.5-2m.
Flight is heron/egret like - slow, laboured wing beats, but not bouyant (ie
unlike white-faced heron), with interrupting glides. Wings are long and rounded
at the ends. Fly's with neck outstretched - bill did not look long. Legs held
out straight behind, but not as long as an egret, feet just visible past short
tail. Colour I got was all-over grey colour (or maybe black and white) with
paler grey/white underparts.
The thing that stumped me the most was the size -
it was much larger than any (water)birds we get in the area - excluding the
pelican and it definately wasn't a pelican. I am assuming it is a waterbird as
both times I have seen it it has been flying from the direction of a catchment
area nearby.
It could have just been a white-necked heron -
except for the minor detail that it didn't have a white neck! Definately wasn't
any of the ibises, we get them flying over the house all day and know them well;
nor was it a White-faced Heron - size was too big. Do any of the herons fly with
neck outstretched?
Suggestions would be greatly appreciated - I'm in
Perth - and I'll take a trip down to the catchment tomorrow to see if theres
anything matching my observations.
Thank you!
Claire
| 