I'm in Bundaberg, not far from the distillery. Yesterday I heard a loud and unfamiliar call from a tree in a neighbours yard. As I tried to find its origin, a small (15-20cm) bird flew out from the tree and away. It was brown with a white edge to it's wings and had a white face. I've never seen it before. Can anyone identify it for me?
Hi woodyl, can you discribe the call in more detail please? When it flew off, did it look like a pigeon ?
M-L
I don't have a clear memory of the call except that it was loud. I've never heard it before. It wasn't a pigeon; not big enough for one thing.
If I had to guess i would say it was a honeyeater, but I don't have any of my reference books with me.
Hmm, sorry to ask so many questions, but the answers might help someone else to ID. The white face, above the eye or under the chin? The white edge under the wing (visible in flight), or on the outer edge?
At the moment I have no clue yet.
M-L
I'm thinking a juvenile Varied Triller, hence the brown colour and not black
I am not on my 'puter therefore cannot post a pic for comparison
Peter
I'm sorry I don't have more to offer. I was in a hurry and it flew off before I got a good look at it.
The white markings seemed to be most of the face and something like a border around the wings. It seemed to be a white outline.
I know most of our local birds by sight and many of them by call. I've never seen or heard this bird before, so I'm thinking it was a migrant.
We have a property on Bustard Bay north of 1770 and over the last year we've had several pairs of Burdekin Ducks visit. In fact one pair seems to have taken up residence and chaces other Burdekins off. We also think they've bred once in the last 12 months.
Al of that is by way of supporting my suggestion that this little bird was a migrant.
Thanks for your interest.
I'm starting to think I imagined the bird.
My impression of the outline on the wings is that it was on the top of the wings. The bird flew only a short distance, over the road and moved fairly quickly. It seemed to feather into a stall as it approached the tree so I got more of a "top" view of it.
I borrowed a copy of the Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds. I've been through it a couple of times and the only bird that stands out is the Tawny-Crowned Honeyeater. The face is about right but no mention of the white outline on the wings. It's a fair way from home if that is what it is.
I'll keep an ear out. If it was here yesterday, it may be around today. I've checked the battery in my camera and dug out a small recorder.
I'll keep you posted.
We all know that feeling
. Why don't listen to some recordings of the sounds the bird make, when you find one that looks as if it could be the one? You can find them in the bird finder here, or even google. Good luck, let us know if you find it?
M-L
Who's got that much time? not me.
Thanks, I'll just have to try to catch it again.
Can anyone give me advice about recording birdcalls in the wild? Are there simple small devices that work well?. I've just discovered my little dictation machine is dead
Well, let me put it that way, it's not even me who saw the bird, but I took some time and gave it some thought. Alright, I was just going to make some suggestion, it might not be a Honeyeater, so we could be looking in the wrong place, Anyway, have a look at a White-throated Treecreeper.
My last suggestion, won't be spending more time on it, if you don't have much time, I won't either.
M-L
Araminta Thanks for your efforts. I do appreciate it.