...with a direct gliding flight interspersed with short (about 1 - 2 seconds) bursts of rapid, fairly deep wing beats. Appeared to be dark in colour although distance & the poor light made colour identification difficult. The shape made me think it was an Australian Hobby or a Peregrine Falcon but the behaviour i observed isn't mentioned for either species in Stephen Debus' Birds of Prey of Australia. Any ideas, folks?
Agghhhh Woko, I know where you are but others might not, as you so often suggest, location would be helpful to rule in or out some species! By the way, I have no idea.
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
Got me, Dale! I'm on the south eastern slopes of the Mt Lofty Ranges in SA.
Cuckooshrike?
Ryu
Canberra
Aiming for DSLR-quality shots with a bridge camera
Hmmmm, Ryu. Maybe. I wouldn't discount your suggestion. Black-faced Cuckoo Shrikes have a characteristic dipping flight. The bird I saw was too high for me to tell if had a dipping flight. If it was a Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike then it's the highest flying bird of this species I've ever seen.