Some IDs please

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stevehapp
stevehapp's picture
Some IDs please

Could someone ID these birds for me please.
.
1.
Maybe a baby black-faced cuckoo-shrike, too big, but?
location - near cowra on the Lachlan river.

2.
One of a pair of raptors near grenfell in nsw central west. This is one bird.

,

.
3.
And the other bird. I am thinking spotted harrier or brown goshawk for these pair of raptors.

,

,
Note the yellow eyes, banded tails and black wing-tips. I am tending towards spotted harrier.
,
cheers,
steve

DenisWilson
DenisWilson's picture

Hi Steve
I agree with your IDs.
Baby Cuckoo Shrike for sure. BFCS juveniles have only the black eye mask, not full black face and throat. Brownish tinges confirm its juvenile status.
Second bird is a definite Spotted Harrier. Extremely long, thin legs in pictures 2 and 4 confirm that. Wing angle in picture 3 is perfect for Harriers. Whistling Kite has droopy wings, so that's out. The slight silvery look of the underwings in the last image is classic for Spotted Harrier.
The only feature you did not capture (and you did really well) is the white rump of the bird flying away from you.
Great shots.
Your instinct was right on all counts.
Well done with the images.
Denis

stevehapp
stevehapp's picture

Thanks Dennis.
.
I appreciate your expert analysis.
I will have a look at the other pics for the white rump.
I just bought "Which Bird of Prey is that?" by Gordon Beruldsen at the book shop so that may help with my ID'ing.
I have a few more raptor ID's to go from my sessions at Fivebough at Leeton and Campbell Swamp at Griffith.
,
cheers, :)
steve

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