|
Well I'd certainly be willing to take the
effort of a trip out to Tharwa sandwash for a Black Falcon breeding record
(after work and take someone with me if that is feasible). If that is what it
is. It is possible but Benj's later description is hardly overly convincing
though. I'm sure I have encountered Brown Falcons in that area before indulging
in behaviour indicative of breeding. At the distance that the situation seems to
describe, I don't know that anyone would pick a difference in size. Pizzey's
book & Simpson's says the Black is bigger, so saying "it did look
smaller than a brown falcon" is not helping. The Brown Falcon is noisy at
their nest and with fledglings, with a loud cackle call (not all that much
different from the Dollarbird's call). I haven't ever heard a Black Falcon call
(but of many observations over the years I have only once seen one at a nest).
The Black Falcon is neater and more compact when perched and quite different in
flight from a Brown Falcon.
I can report though that the pair of
Hobbies (or another pair - but I think they show good site fidelity) have this
week returned to the same area with one of two trees to choose from, in which
they had a successful breeding last summer. This is in the median strip on
Tuggeranong Parkway adjacent to the Kambah Village shops and the Caltex service
station. I haven't seen them on a nest yet (haven't had the opportunity to look)
but they were flying round the trees chattering to each other at dusk yesterday
(and one munching on something) and one seen again today perched on an adjacent
light pole.
Philip
Well, if you meant the falcon was feeding its own fledglings, then
your grammar is excellent...and I'm excited! Is anybody planning to
drive out to Tharwa who wouldn't mind giving me a lift? My car is not
too well at the moment. I'm contactable by phone on 6251 9201 (home)
or 6274 1428 (work).
Regards
Frank
> Hey??
> No, the
black falcon was feeding its own 2 fledglings some form of prey.
>
Assuming it was a black falcon, and they were its own fledglings. I guess
another possibility could be the falcon was a female begging, but since two
were begging, and the calls sounded more baby like, I assume they were
babies. Yes my grammar is bad, blame it on the system.
> The
dollarbird swooped the black falcon, and I assume the dollarbird also has a
nest but didn't see it. The swooping bird made a frighteningly loud noise
and I pity any human or falcon who gets swooped.
> Yep about 500m N of
the Carpark.
> Benj
>
> -----Original
Message-----
> From: Frank Antram
>
Sent: Monday, 10 January 2005 4:41 PM
> To:
>
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Tharwa, Namadgi
>
> Benj, I assume
you mean the Dollarbird was feeding fledglings, not the Black Falcon!
You got me very excited for a moment!!
>
> > Tharwa
Sandwash. Friday 7th. Saw nesting bee-eaters, rufous songlarks, 3 black
fronted dotterels (1 juvenile), 2 whitefaces, male rufous whistler on a
nest, redbrows with fledged juveniles. Interestingly 2 diamond firetails
were there (didn't see them last time), and finally saw a male hooded robin.
1 Dollarbird swooped what I am pretty sure from the jizz, was a black
falcon, but hard to see at distance. The black falcon later flew to the East
side of the river and fed 2 begging fledglings. 5 Goldfinches including 3
juveniles.
> >
Namadgi visitors centre, Saturday 8th. Near the
Centre saw 4 restless flycatchers, 2 fledglings being fed. 1 adult diamond
firetail and 2 juveniles. A white winged triller on a nest. Very large MFF-
Many trillers, with 2 fledglings being fed by parents (very striped), rufous
whistler fledglings being fed by parents. Western and white throated
gerygones, fuscous honeyeaters, 4 sittellas, satin flycatcher male,
horshfield's bronze cuckoo. 1 Whiteface. Rufous songlark.
> >
Orroral campground. At least 4 and probably 6 sacred kingfishers with at
least 2 being juveniles. Quite a few white eared honeyeaters, yf and 1 wn
honeyeaters. 3 Fuscous honeyeaters having a bath as well as other birds.
Common bronzewing.
Benj Whitworth
|
