We had one and possibly two Black-eared Cuckoos in the garden this-afternoon
(Sunday, 8th January), as well as a Brush Cuckoo calling on and off for most
of the day.
It was when I went out to see if I could get a photo of the Brush Cuckoo
which was calling from a tree right alongside the house, that I encountered
two smaller cuckoos chasing each other around. Well, I say chasing each
other, but maybe it was just one chasing the other. It was very speedy, in
and out of and between bushes - impossible to say if there was just one
pursuing and one pursued, or if they were taking it in turns. Then, one of
the birds dropped onto a low power line and faced me for a minute or so.
Enough to get the binoculars on it and to see the bold wide white eyebrow
and broad black curving eyestripe beneath, along with that distinctive
curved cuckoo-bill. The head markings were reminiscent even of a Striated
Pardalote in their boldness.
But, the most surprising thing for me was to see a pinkish breast. Even
allowing for the afternoon sun on the bird, the breast was distinctly tinged
pink. Pizzey refers to it as being a pale salmon - but this particular bird
was not so very pale.
I managed a couple of photographs, and will attach one to copies of this
posting, but I really wanted to feast my eyes on the sight of this beautiful
bird more than I wanted to photograph it. I'll have a look around tomorrow
and see if I can find it, or them, for some better photos.
John Hadley called to say that this-morning he and Michael Wode found 8
Freckled Duck on Pechey's Lagoon between Tent Hill and Gatton. That being
so, they could well be on other lakes around the valley.
Bill Jolly
"Abberton",
Lockyer Valley, Queensland.
Visit our website at www.abberton.org
--------------------------------------------
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.birding-aus.org
birding-aus.blogspot.com
--------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message:
'unsubscribe birding-aus' (no quotes, no Subject line)
to
|
