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newbie saying hello and asking about a pale headed rosella in Melbourne?

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Subject: newbie saying hello and asking about a pale headed rosella in Melbourne?
From: Matthew <>
Date: Sun, 06 Aug 2006 18:36:02 +1000
Hello, I am new to this group and fairly new to Birding or at least serious Birding which I am getting into. I was told of this group from a couple of lovely ladies that I met out at the Werribee T P a couple of weeks ago for an OPB count which I found out about via the Internet. Had a great time at Werribee, Joy and Jenny where fantastic ambassadors to the world of birdwatching to which previously I was always interested in birds and identifying them but never was wholehearted about the "sport". Since that trip I have been thoroughly hooked, going out with my binoculars any time I can, including going to see my parents in the country and spending 4 hours checking out their property for birds. I have also sent away for a WTP permit and key, that should be great fun.

Anyway, I do have a question, I was out walking today in Royal Park in Parkville (at about 10am) walking through the golf course part of the park heading towards the City. On the grass I spied a Rosella that had (after consulting my field guide) markings of a pale headed Rosella. It was the only one of its kind and it was with an eastern Rosella about 10 metres away on the grass also. I could get very close to it so got a good look. I went out later in the afternoon (around 4.30pm) and after spotting a half dozen pairs of red rumps on the now human free fairway, I saw the same (presumably) pale headed Rosella (if that is possible?). It had an all pale yellow head and the red under tail coverts and the yellow and black scalely pattern on the back. In my field guide that I am now looking at says it has small blue cheek patches but I cant say for certain if it had that, though it did look dirty looking under the cheeks. Could this be an aviary escape? Is it a yellow Rosella instead? ( the bird I saw was very pale and it had no red or blue around the beak whatsoever and it had the red under tail coverts so thats why I ruled it out) Or is it some freakish eastern Rosella mutant with some sort of albino thing going on?
I humbly await your ornithological expertise.
Matthew Frederiksen
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