Brown falcons and snakes

[John Clifton-Everest <>]

On a a trip to Shortland, Newcastle, at the weekend, which produced a
nice list of species but nothing out of the ordinary, the highlight was
a Brown Falcon with what was undoubtedly a snake, by appearance most
probably a black snake, in its talons.  It flew over, about fifty feet
up and looking very much as though it knew where it was going.  Do
snakes commonly form the prey of Brown Falcons?
A follow-up visit to Stockton Bridge produced a trio of Terek
Sandpipers, confidently identified in the scope despite near-hurricane
conditions.
John Clifton-Everest