Id - Real "Toughie" Putta Bucca Wetlands NSW - no photo sorry! (1 Viewer)

Hi folks - Probably one for the savants or masochists! Sorry! - no photo .......

I only had a brief glimpse (and had started running through id points) when it scarpered off ......
I remember thinking on first sight "hmmmm - that's something new ......"

Location: Putta Bucca Wetlands, Mudgee (Central Tablelands ~ 445m EL.), NSW, Australia
Time: ~ 4pm
Date: 12.12.12 (started into a normal hot, and so far dryish summer here)
Conditions: some teasing cloud, warmish, afternoon sun, sheltered and shaded (Rough-barked Apple stands along Cudgegong River) NW aspect.
Habitat: Open. Lakeside (maybe 2ha, adjoing the river), reedbeds, and low lying veg (Existing, and regenerating Casuarina's, River Red Gums, wattles), many dead branch perches from some poisoned and collapsed willows.
Background: I've seen ~100 species here over the last few months.
Range: ~30m
Binoculars: Zen-Ray 8x43 ED3

The bird:
* Approx Grey Shrike-Thrush size or there abouts. Shape roughly similarish.
* Head / beak shape / size - pretty ordinary - nothing to readily distinguish.
* Caramel coloured head - uniform, maybe poofteenth darker on top. No eye ring, or brow that I noticed.
* Very slight "collar" (pencil or straw width or less) extending about 2/3 - 3/4 of the way around back of neck. Lighter colour. Let's call it "buff".
* Darker (brown) back and wing shoulders - again uniform.
* Darker still wing tips - lets call these near enough to blackish.
* Standout feature which caught my attention was the Chest / Belly. A lightish (boney-dark cream) colour with distinct, and regular brown coloured blotching (looked circularish - approx end of pencil eraser sized).

And that's where things ended!

* Tail - nothing noted - was probably brownish - perhaps triangular?
* Legs - normal length - no colour determined in time.

Behaviour: Suddenly appeared on prominent perch about ~3m high. Looked around this way and that, (slower than a flycatcher), flew off. No sound.

Told you it was gunna be hard!
Folks are probably going to suggest this or that - and I'll probably say maybe, or dunno.
Perhaps the best bet is to post a photo of what you reckon, and I can yay, or nay it (or parts thereof) based on my memory. Maybe then we'll go some way to nutting it out together.

NB. My bird books are all packed away and elsewhere, so I'll be relying on your help. All appreciated. TIA.


Merry Christmas,
Chosun :gh:

Chosun Juan said:

Behaviour: Suddenly appeared on prominent perch about ~3m high. Looked around this way and that, (slower than a flycatcher), flew off. No sound. Folks are probably going to suggest this or that - and I'll probably say maybe, or dunno. Merry Christmas, Chosun :gh:

Click to expand...

Lost immature bowerbird sp? Immature Bassian-type thrush?
MJB
PS And festive greetings to you, Chosun!

Thanks for havin' a go MJB.

I must admit when I first saw it and the "hmmmm - that's something new ......" popped into my head, it was from a front on view showing the lovely mottled chest / belly - and I was thinking perhaps Bassian Thrush.

However the photos I've been able to find all show continued lesser colour mottling on the back - and this bird was definitely uniform on the back (well as far as I could tell with the lighting and brief view, so I'll stick with that for now). I've no time to dig through photos now, but if anyone has a suitable immature Bassian-type thrush pic that would fit the bill - please post.

I think I can fairly safely rule out Bowerbirds, as it just didn't seem to have that 'heft' to it, there was no hint of any shade of green anywhere, and the eyes were indistinct (I'm sure I would have noticed any shade of blue). There was also a uniform colour to the head / cheeks - no hint of any mottling beyond the upper chest, and definitely not on the cheeks, neck / side of head area.

Any further /other ideas? Anybody?


Thanks, Chosun :gh:

Well, this has got me a bit stumped :stuck: - I can't even find any pictures that resemble what I saw! :brains:

All the pics of Bassian Thrush's that I can find (incl. juveniles and immatures) all seem to have some sort of mottling on the back, and even face area - if anyone can produce one with a uniform back please do ......

Ditto the Satin Bowerbird ......

Any other suggestions? Cuckoo's?, Orioles? (same story - can't find the right combo of browns, mottled undersides, and plain topsides), Other ????

:h?:

Any help much appreciated!


Chosun :gh:

The other day I saw a group of Figbirds (females) in a Figtree, at a different river location, far east of the location of this bird - it reminded me of this unidentified bird.

Could that be my elusive mystery bird? A solitary female Figbird?
Would that fit my description?
Do they eat the fruit of the White Cedar tree? (Melia azedarach) as there were no proper Figtrees in this dryish country location.

Thoughts?



Chosun :gh:

'poofteenth'

That's a totally new one on me, I don't think there's many on this forum that won't have to Google that one.......

A

Urban Dictionary: poofteenth
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=poofteenth
1. A unit of measurement. 2. A very small degree or amount. 3. Infinitesimally small amount, smaller than a pinch. 4. Two-fifths of @@@k-all.

Andy Hurley said:

Urban Dictionary: poofteenth
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=poofteenth
1. A unit of measurement. 2. A very small degree or amount. 3. Infinitesimally small amount, smaller than a pinch. 4. Two-fifths of @@@k-all.

Click to expand...

Yes Andy, I Googled it too.



A

With the recent movement of inland birds toward the coast you may want to check a wider selection. Your description reminded me somewhat of Spotted Bowerbird. I think Mudgee would be out of range for Figbird - unless they've taken up a taste for wine grapes