canberrabirds

Black Falcon at Kellys Swamp

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Subject: Black Falcon at Kellys Swamp
From: Harvey Perkins <>
Date: Fri, 6 May 2005 09:28:31 +1000
Hi all,

Yesterday evening around sunset (17:00-17:15 h) I saw a Black Falcon at Kellys Swamp. It lifted from the ground at the base of the fence at the southern end of the swamp as I approached and flew into the camouflage of a pair of decrepit ancient radiata pines about 100m further south in the paddocks. On approaching it again flew off to a willow on the bank of the creek/billabong towards the DAS Fleet compound. My attention was distracted by some waterbirds on the creek and I lost track of the falcon (what was I thinking?!). Suspecting that was as much of it as I was going to see, I headed back and was surprised to see the falcon heading back for the pair of pines. At the top of its upward swoop to the uppermost branches of the tree, it suddenly saw me as I waited for it in anticipation of better views, and banked sharply and swooped away through the trees to the west of Kellys Swamp.

Light conditions were poor and I never got very good perched views of it, but the flight style - effortless shallow flicking wing beats and long effortless low glides on flat but bowed wings was absolutely characteristic. Also, when it banked at the top of the tree on seeing me, the tail presented a peculiar outline with the outer tail feathers somewhat shorter than the central ones giving a stepped appearance. I wasn't aware of this feature, but on looking up some books at home it is apparently diagnostic.

A swag of COG twitchers will hopefully see it this morning...

Harvey



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