Mystery silhouettes revealed

Heaps of congratulations to everyone who had a go at identifying last week’s silhouettes; I am impressed!

Australian Magpies
Foraging at sunset

Most people guessed the magpies correctly but other suggestions included White-winged Choughs, ravens, starlings, Apostlebirds and babblers. It’s interesting to see that it could have been any of them!

Australasian Swamphen (previously Purple Swamphen)
Jells Park, Wheelers Hill

I was impressed that so many people correctly identified the Australasian Swamphen. Someone was concerned about the ‘wire’ in its bill; the comment isn’t here so must have been on facebook or via an email, my apologies to the writer for not being able to find it at the moment. It’s not wire but a sprig of underwater vegetation so the bird was fine.

A few people said ‘pukeko’ which shows their possible Kiwi heritage though I often think of Australasian Swamphens as pukekos as I’ve visited New Zealand several times.

Australasian Darter
Lillydale Lake, Lilydale

This young Australasian Darter above was drying its wings at the edge of the lake. They have strongly kinked necks but lack the distinctive shape of the egret’s neck, below.

Most suggestions were ‘darter’ but there were a sprinkling of cormorant and heron which is very understandable.

Black Swan
Swan Lake, Phillip Island

100% success rate with the Black Swan! Which isn’t really surprising, their silhouette is iconic and exquisitely graceful.

Wedge-tailed Eagle
Healesville Sanctuary

Just about everyone got the WTE, or wedgie. A couple of people suggested Little Eagle which will have me checking my field guides to compare the bills more closely.

Australasian Gannet
Point Danger, Portland

There were a range of suggestions for the Australasian Gannet including Red-tailed Tropicbird, gulls and a variety of terns – all seabirds. The long, narrow wings, tapering tail and long bills would have helped people to identify it as a gannet.

Superb Fairy-wren – female
Dandenong Ranges foothills

The fairy-wren was almost universally picked. Some people guessed the species, which I wouldn’t have been game to do without being able to see its colouring.

Little Pied Cormorant
Western Treatment Plant

Wow, you guys are seriously impressive! Lots of correct guesses for this one too. Some guesses for the little black but as I’d mentioned last week I didn’t expect specific species when colouring was needed to confirm the identification, so I’ve considered those suggestions as correct too.

Sacred Kingfisher
Lord Howe Island

Yep, a kingfisher. There were a few guesses of kookaburra, which is also a member of the kingfisher family.

Great Egret (previously the Eastern Great Egret)
Western Treatment Plant

The major clue in this image is the well-defined kink in the egret’s neck, though the general outline and habitat would also have helped. There were a couple of suggestions of brolga and heron. The Great-billed and Grey herons both have kinks in their necks but not as extreme as the Great Egret.

Early this evening I arrived home from a super quick interstate trip – it was wonderful, I will share more next week as I’m so tired that I could easily fall asleep at my desk.

Kim

~ thank you for visiting and commenting

~ use the subscribe box if you’d like to receive a weekly email when lirralirra is updated