My Sunday walk yielded two queries. Just after leaving home, a very shy bird of prey. At first I thought Peregrine Falcon but there is no dark head? I'm sure one of you will know straight off. The back of the head was a bit grey and it seemed very big compared to the Nankeen Kestrel that has been around here lately. Looked twice as big but I guess that it couldn't be.
Then, the second one is also perplexing. It looks very like a female flame robin, but the eye is wrong and the tail is too short. Could it be a whistler? I think this is a question for Owen, M-L.
I'm no expert on BOP, but I think it's a Brown Goshawk. Like you, I think it's a question for Owen. I have one one rather bad photo of a female Flame Robin, but yours does looks a lot like it, I think?
M-L
I think its a lot like a robin but the tails wrong, here's the same photo with a flame robin added, (good old Photoshop!). ...and I haven't seen a Flame Robin for weeks. I hope Owen reads this.
here is her husband, I thought you might like him?
M-L
Yours could be a Baby? I'll try to get Owen to have a look, he is so good at this!
M-L
Hi Roger, the first is probably a young Brown Goshawk. Heavier brow and bigger build than a Collared Sparrowhawk. The second is very likely a young Flame Robin, probably hasn't been able to fly for long. Look at the wing patterns on both the birds in the photoshopped image - exactly the same!
Cheers, Owen.
Thanks Owen for your quick response, wow, first time I got both birds right.
M-L
Yes I do like him! How can you resist taking their photo. (My hard disc is bulging with them).
.... and at the risk of turning 'Identifications' into 'Best Photos' thought you might like to see her brothers sisters and neices etc. (you get what I mean).
... at least I hope they are all Robins, I've had lots of things wrong lately! Can't wait to hear from Owen.
Got interupted and didn't realise you had answered. Hopefully the Goshawk will hang around while he/she grows up and I can get some better/closer pics. Do you think the third extra robin is a baby? ... perhaps not a robin? ...anyway, the short tail certainly had me fooled. (Doesn't take much).
Thanks again Roger
Snow? Where do you live? You know that I love small birds, my backyard is full of them, but I can't get enough of them, and could look at photos of them all day. Thanks Roger
M-L
Hi Roger, just remembered, you live in Marysville, not that far from me, I live in Gembrook.
M-L
Yes all robins Rog. Those shots are great, love the one with the snow!
Cheers, Owen.
Actually 2nd, 3rd and 4th shot look like a female Rose Robin because of the more browny colours and caramel wing patches instead of white.
Cheers, Owen.