How common are Oriental Cickoos around the Hunter region ?
I heard an unusual call outside yesterday and on investigating found a largish very distinctive bar chested, grey bird on the fence - by the time I got my camera it had vanished, but a quick check of my guide book show it must have been an Oriental Cuckoo.
I have never seen one before so wonder if they normally frequent this area ?
ebird range map for the oriental cuckoo
This is an great resource for when you want to see distribution data. As you can see, sightings in NSW are few, although not impossible. The single record I can find in the NSW for 2015 is of a pair at Glenreagh in February (on eremaea birdlines)
If it indeed was an Oriental Cuckoo and you are confident of your ID, it would be noteable and most certainly worth reporting with a description of what you saw to either of the above sources
Ryu
Canberra
Aiming for DSLR-quality shots with a bridge camera
Simpson & Day states - 'allegedly silent in Australia' and this comment was also made to me yesterday in Bundaberg when I was looking for one with a local
you might also consider reporting to http://www.hboc.org.au/ and/or the president Mick Roderick 0421 761 237
Peter
Thanks, I'll do that - I'm extremely confident in the identification - the only thing close is a barred cuckoo shrike, but this was bigger with very distinctive stripes and smooth grey back.
I will
that description also fits Pacific Baza
Peter
Except for the beak :-) . This one had a strong, but only slightly curved beak.
I've seen a Pacific Baza (and fortunately photographed) before and this was quite different - much more blue/grey - and no crest.
your apparently brown feathered PB is not typical; they are typically much more blue/grey than your pic; sample pic attached
Peter