Seen these before, I believe it to be a Dusky Robin (endemic to Tasmania), but unsure. If it is, first photo for me. Robin size, slightly larger than a House Sparrow.
Heavy crop, through window. There were 3 together, all looked the same. Unfortunately moved away a bit by the time camera was ready.
Found Huonville, Tasmania, south of Hobart
Thanks
i will wait for the Robin experts as that broad line through the eye is confusing me.
Peter
Dusky sounds good to me. Lorne
Peter, if you look at the fact sheet, it has the broad eyeline, but the white on the wings leading edge is not as pronounced, hence the post. I am pretty sure we have it right, but will wait and see if any other ideas pop up.
Thanks also Lorne.
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
Peter, if you look at the fact sheet, it has the broad eyeline, but the white on the wings leading edge is not as pronounced, hence the post. I am pretty sure we have it right, but will wait and see if any other ideas pop up.
Thanks also Lorne.
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
Absolutely without question a Dusky Dale. Good capture.
The lores are characteristic, they can be pale, or they can be dark, I suspect depending on the age of the bird - I'd even go so far as to guess this is a young adult from last season. Also the wing barring isn't always solid, it can be quite indistinct from bird to bird, and you can see the white necklace, or white shoulder above and around the top of the wing.
Edited, because my first answer wasn't very helpful
West Coast Tasmania
Nice details, Annie. You know DRs well. Have a great weekend all, Lorne.
Thanks Annie, 3 were sighted together about 1.5 metres from our kitchen window. This was about 4 metres, after having spotted me. Have only had fleeting glimpses prior to this, and was fairly sure, but not 100% convinced. Hope they come back and I can get some better pics.
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
I've been relishing the extra Dusky's that seem to appear this time of year Lorne, a sometimes overlooked Robin I feel but I absolutely love them.
Dale, I really hope they do become regulars in your garden, I wish I would get some in mine, I have to go bush to see them. If they do come back, you'll probably find they become very used to you if you wander around your yard slowly and ignore them the first few times. They can be very bold especially when in groups like yours. I'm not sure if you've seen them when feeding, but they forage on the ground, but also a little like a Kookaburra at times, perched then diving to a spot on the ground - the bolder ones will quite often stay there with their tucker, only metres away checking you out, so great photo ops when they do that. Fingers crossed for their return!
West Coast Tasmania
I've seen a Dusky once, years back, at Fern Tree near the base of Mt Wellington, from memory. It was still, inconspicuous, drab, yet oddly handsome when observed in full afternoon sunlight. Do they move to more open country in autumn-winter like the red Aussie robins? I know little about them. Lorne
I think they do Lorne, particularly Autumn, madly foraging to stock up before the big chill arrives I expect. Tassie only has four species of Robin, and one of them, the Pink Robins are much easier to come across in Autumn too imho. At the risk of sounding like a broken record
while I've never seen a Jacky Winter myself, the pictures I've seen of them remind me so much of our Dusky's here. One other thing I meant to say about the Dusky too, is that I've seen many shade variations as far as their "brown" colouration goes, with many appearing more a shade of grey or grey-brown on their underparts. The Dusky juvs are gorgeously mottled before they get their adult plumage too.
West Coast Tasmania
Good on you for paying so much close attention, Annie. I'm yet to see a Pink Robin. I've been out looking for them in NSW and the ACT, to no avail. For me, the male Flame Robin is the Aussie robin. It's a staggeringly beautiful bird. Lorne.
Oh yes, they are gorgeous. Their breast feathers are just so so bright, I have rarely seen those, sadly for me. Do you mean the Rose Robin Lorne? I didn't think the PR was up as far as ACT? Sorry Dale, we're having a Robin party in your thread
West Coast Tasmania
No, definitely Pink Robin. Wandering (or of course) females occassionally turn up in Canberra and Sydney during May-June. A bloke I know claims to have seen one in Bundanoon, where I live, about one and half hours south of Sydney. Lorne
That's fantastic Lorne, hope you get to spy one. A good lesson for me to remember that, strangely, birds can fly
so not to always assume. I noticed in this months Birdlife Newsletter (Tas edition) there is a Scarlet Honeyeater recording recently on King Island - a first for KI and Tas.
West Coast Tasmania