Friday, December 16, 2016

BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON

Photographed on Cocos Islands December 2016
(see  864)             BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON             Nycticorax nycticorax

AUSTRALIA (Cocos Islands)            672

Found in marshes, swamps, rice paddies, mangroves. 58-65 cm. Found throughout a large part of the world, except in the coldest regions and Australasia.



CHINESE SPARROWHAWK

Photographed on Cocos Islands December 2016
(see 861)          CHINESE SPARROWHAWK            Accipiter soloensis

AUSTRALIA (Cocos Islands)           671

Found in open country, wooded areas; often seen in migrating flocks over forests. 29-35 cm. Breeds W,C,E,S China, taiwan, N,S Korea, S Ussuriland; winters Sundas, Philippines, Sulawesi, N Moluccan, rarely New Guinea.


NORTHERN PINTAIL

Photographed on Cocos Islands December 2016
943           NORTHERN PINTAIL          Anas acuta

AUSTRALIA (Cocos Islands)           670

Found in coastal wetlands, farmlands, reservoirs. 50-65 cm. Breeds Eurasia, North America; migrates to Africa, China, Central America. First record in Australia, Chandala Swamp, NE of Perth, WA 1985, other records since.




BLUE-AND-WHITE FLYCATCHER

Photographed on Cocos Islands, December 2016
942            BLUE-AND-WHITE FLYCATCHER               Cyanoptila cynomelana

AUSTRALIA (Cocos Islands)           669

Found in forests on hills near streams. Breeds Japan and Korea; winters to SE Asia, Indonesia. In Australia first found beach washed specimen at Cossack, WA 1995, then recorded at Broome, WA 2002.