[Weiss1]

Sorry to dump so many here, just got back after a week in the Top End and i'm left with these birds to ID.

1. Maybe a Variegated Fairy-wren? There were a lot of Red-backed Wrens in that spot but this one seems to have some distinctive shading.

2. I'm hoping this is a juvenile Gouldian Finch. Doesn't quite match up with any finches in my guidebooks.

3. Large-billed Gerygone?

4. Some sort of Cisticola or Reed Warbler?

5. Not sure what this is but there wee lots of them.


More incoming...

[Weiss1]

...continued



6. Striated Heron?

7. Some sort of Honeyeater

8. Little Shrikethrush ?

9. Mangrove Robin?

10. Not sure if this is a Masked Owl or Barn Owl.


Just a few more....

[Weiss1]

...last ones



11. Absolutely no idea.

12. Tawny Grassbird?

13. Tern that I can't quite seem to ID

14. Some sort of Triller

Big thanks to anyone that can help, hopefully I can add a lot of new birds :)

[njlarsen]

A few thoughts:
1 red-backed (if you have Pizzey and Knight, read the text of Variegate to exclude that one)
2 I think you are right
3, 4, 5, not sure
6 I think immature Nankeen nightheron
7, 8, 9, not sure
10, the owl probably cannot be determined from this image
11 pink vent reminds me of mistletoe bird
12 I am going out on a limb saying Golden-headed Cisticola
13 heavy black bill (if it is true) wold indicate gull-billed
14 seems to fit white-winged better than any of the alternatives

Niels

[chowchilla]

1) Red-backed Fairly Wren.
2)Gouldian Finch.
3)Large-billed Gerygone.
4)Tawny Grassbird.
5)Great Bowerbird.
6)Striated Heron.
7)Bar-breasted Honeyeater.
8)Little Shrike Thrush.
9)Northern Fantail.
10)Really not sure.
11)Mistletoebird.
12)Golden-headed Cisticola.
13)Gull-billed Tern.
14)White-winged Triller.

[John_WA]

Wow - plenty to ID here. My 2 cents would be:

1) Agree with Niels on Red-backed
2) Again agree - Gouldian Finch
3) Not certain - Definitely a gerygone, and Large-billed does seem to fit better than the other possibilities
4) Either Golden-headed Cisticola or Tawny Grassbird - I think I can see some streaking on the crown which would suggest the cisticola
5) Great Bowerbird
6) Again, agree with Niels - young Nankeen Night Heron
7) Young Bar-breasted Honeyeater for me
8) Not sure - bill seems a little thin for a shrike-thrush but could just be the angle of the shot
9) Northern Fantail
10) Barn Owl - feet in that shot don't look big or powerful enough for Masked
11) I'd tentatively agree on Mistletoebird, but not certain
12) Tawny Grassbird or one of the two Cisticolas - I don't have enough experience with the three to tell you which but again, I think I see streaking on the crown which favours one of the cisticolas
13) Agree on Gull-billed Tern
14) Definitely a triller - I would go for White-winged

[John_WA]

Woops - I clearly type too slowly!

[Weiss1]

Thanks so much for the help everyone. Lots of great new birds I never realized I saw.

I can't believe that was a Gouldian Finch! I would have looked for a more colourful one in the area to photograph, if only i'd known :P


Here's 2 more shots of the owl. I don't know if they have any identifying features, Barn Owl and Masked Owl look identical to me in my field guide.

[chowchilla]

I IDed without a field guide, so would agree on the Rufous Night Heron!

[Weiss1]

Sorry about this, one more.

This was in Fogg Dam around a flooded section of forest.

[Chlidonias]

on balance probably a barn owl, but I think it looks like a masked owl myself. What sort of size was it? Masked are quite a bit bigger than barn owls, but of course that's difficult to judge if you haven't seen either before.

[Dimitris]

Originally Posted by chowchilla

1) Red-backed Fairly Wren.
2)Gouldian Finch.
3)Large-billed Gerygone.
4)Tawny Grassbird.
5)Great Bowerbird.
6)Striated Heron.
7)Bar-breasted Honeyeater.
8)Little Shrike Thrush.
9)Northern Fantail.
10)Really not sure.
11)Mistletoebird.
12)Golden-headed Cisticola.
13)Gull-billed Tern.
14)White-winged Triller.

I agree with these. Not confident with Owls unfrotunately.

[Dimitris]

Originally Posted by Weiss1

Sorry about this, one more.

This was in Fogg Dam around a flooded section of forest.

It's a Whistler. Grey-headed? Not entirely sure. Doesn't look like female Golden.

[stonechat1]

#2: Gouldian Finch which allready changed the plumage in the adult ones, note short inner tail feathers and much brighter abdomen as adult females has. Age is presumably 3 - 4 month.

[John_WA]

Originally Posted by Weiss1

Sorry about this, one more.

This was in Fogg Dam around a flooded section of forest.

I'd say it's a Grey Whistler

Originally Posted by Weiss1

I don't know if they have any identifying features, Barn Owl and Masked Owl look identical to me in my field guide.

I can't claim much experience with Masked Owls in the field, but they are generally larger than Barn Owls as has been said. They also tend to be darker than Barn Owls but this appears to vary around the country so I'm not sure that it's especially reliable. One of the best things to look for is the legs and talons, which are much bigger and more powerful in the Masked. This isn't easy to see in your photos but from what I can see, the talons don't look bulky enough for Masked - difficult to say for sure. Example photos of Masked and Barn can be seen here
Masked:
http://www.aviceda.org/abid/birdimag...p=4&pagesize=1
http://www.aviceda.org/abid/birdimag...p=2&pagesize=1
Barn:
http://www.aviceda.org/abid/birdimag...p=2&pagesize=1

[chowchilla]

Originally Posted by John_WA

I'd say it's a Grey Whistler

I'd agree.

[Weiss1]

Thanks everyone.
I'm gonna put the owl down as Barn Owl, haven't seen one before so it's all good :)