Books? I've only got Morcombe, plus the internet.
My son got a photo yesterday. Has both heavy barring (well, I think it's
heavy) and it does have the spotty 'comma' on each wrist.
I was already tipping it as a spotted, and he is now certain it is - and at
age 14, his bird ID skills far outstrip mine, though he isn't half as
interested as I am in the critters!
So, thanks to all, and this has been an interesting little bit of learning.
So how many years does it take to get good at identifying raptors of all
ages? They aren't simple. Could be worse though - they could be vagrant
gulls!
Cheers
Gordon Cain
Schofields (Blacktown)
NW Sydney
_____
From: Philip Veerman
Sent: Sunday, 24 February 2008 6:20 PM
To: Gordon and Pam
Cc: Birding-aus (E-mail)
Subject: Spotted v swamp harrier
Perhaps you could start by telling us which books you have access to. I
wouldn't want to go to the bother of retyping what is well shown and set out
in the standard field guides.
Apart from the obvious colours of an adult Spotted Harrier and white rump of
the adult Swamp Harrier, juveniles can be difficult. However these are other
comparative features: the Spotted Harrier always is heavily barred on main
flight feathers and the Swamp Harrier is much less so. The Spotted Harrier
always has spots on the wrist area of the upperwing and the Swamp Harrier
never does.
Philip
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