Birdsland Reserve, Belgrave Heights, Victoria.
I've been watching a large nest up high in a gum tree for some weeks now. A few days ago I saw a large black wing flap out of the nest but didn't see the rest of the bird to find out what it was.
Today I saw two birds up there. It is very high and even with my 300mm lens I cannot zoom in close enough to see the birds clearly. But the shape of the one on the right makes me think they might be cormorants. There are two pied cormorants hanging around the lakes just recently. I've read up on them and apparently they can build large nests up in trees. It's just that this one is high up and I had envisaged eagles, not cormorants.
What do you think? I'll keep watching each time I'm there in case I can see them fly from the nest and closer to the ground.
Nope... They just look like crows or ravens to me... I can't tell which one though but, where you live might give an indication on whether they are crows or ravens. A cormorant's distinctive posture is not evident in the photo as well as a long broad tail and long neck is also not visible.
Brandon (aka ihewman)
Ok, thanks. I didn't think crows had yellow beaks and it looks like the one on the left has a coloured beak. It was the hunched shoulders on the right that had me wondering. But guess I'll keep watching till I can confirm. A challenge, I know, when it's not close enough.
Kathiemt
Selby, Victoria
The one on the right looks like a crow to me but the one on the left appears to be a different larger bird? I also see a coloured beak. Maybe a crow was disturbing the other bird or vise versa?
Kathy, you stated Victoria and therefore I believe that you have Australian Ravens, the positions of both are very different and therefore difficult to gauge size & colour relationships, it may be a pair changing nest sitting duties, the Morecombe phone app for A Raven says - Jul-Oct, builds a large rough bowl of sticks ...... very high in a vertical tree fork .....
Peter
Here in Victoria we have mostly Little Ravens.
M-L
Peter
You can't tell from the photo Peter, can't see the throat hackles. But all the ones anywhere near me are little ravens.
M-L