There is a lovely head-on shot of a 'semi-stooping' peregrine on the
front page of today's Courier Mail - The pic on the website
http://www.couriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/
0,5936,6082750%255E952,00.html is a cut down version of the paper
version. The quality of the picture in the print edition is very good,
and I must say that the claws on the peregrine look very impressive ...
The story is as follows:
Whoosh! It's an urban sky scrapper
Catriona Mathewson
06mar03
IT'S about the size of a magpie, as fast as a Ferrari and mad as a cut
snake.
So mad, in fact, grown men are quaking in their steel-capped workboots
and vowing to stop maintaining exhaust fans which keep the mist out of
hundreds of bathrooms in one of Brisbane's high-rises.
The feathered foe responsible is a peregrine falcon – the latest
high-flyer to take up residence in riverside Admiralty Towers. It has
laid claim to the rooftop of the 27-storey Admiralty Towers One,
sparking a battle between apartment and wildlife authorities.
While building management has called for its eviction, Queensland Parks
and Wildlife has jumped to the falcon's defence. The bird of prey can
swoop at 220km/h – making it the fastest animal in the world – and it
has been diving on workers as they try to inspect ventilation fans.
Last week contractors called a halt to work on the roof until it could
be declared safe.
And yesterday the fiery falcon looked like adding another tower block
to its territory. It swooped on window cleaner Nathan Howard as he
dangled 5m from the top of neighbouring Admiralty Quays, missing his
head by about a metre.
"I just heard a swoop and when I turned around it was about 100m away
doing a U-turn and lining me up again," said Mr Howard, who was forced
to abseil rapidly to the ground.
Admiralty Towers building manager Leon Azars appealed for Queensland
Parks and Wildlife to oust the falcon. "We don't want to hurt the bird
but we have to maintain the building," he said.
Parks and Wildlife said it could work with building management on
methods to discourage nesting. A spokesman said the falcon was doing a
public service as a natural predators of feral rock pigeons.
Ornithologist Roy Sonnenburg said a pair of peregrines forced the
Brisbane Hilton to close a hotel room several years ago when they
decided to start a family on a ledge outside.
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.shc.melb.catholic.edu.au/home/birding/index.html
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