Heard a different call to the usual in the yard and looked up to see 2 large birds circling our spotted gum. It was a pretty trill and when I found them in the binoculars, I couldn't identify the bird, although it was obviously a raptor of some kind. Beautiful crested kites practicing aerial manouvres then roosting in the tree for a while.
I think that is a Pacific Baza. Great find!
Ryu
Canberra
Aiming for DSLR-quality shots with a bridge camera
+2 for Pacific Baza. A very gorgeous bird, you're lucky to see and actually take a photo of one.
M.M.
Yes Pacific Baza ... also called 'Crested Hawk' so you were on the right track calling them 'crested kites'.
They feed on large insects, reptiles, frogs etc from the tree canopy.
Looks like a first-year bird, because its crest is not developed much.