The below is an accurate description of
what happened.
(I think the raptor was a Whistling Kite)
From: Julian Robinson
[
Sent: Monday, August 28, 2006
11:10 PM
To:
Subject: [canberrabirds] Strange
thing at Fyshwick Sewerage Ponds today
Geoffrey kindly offered to give me a tour of the Fyshwick Sewerage
Ponds (FSP at times on this list) this afternoon. In such situations I
ask lots of questions, many of them not related to the matter at hand. As we
were walking back to the official carpark around 5pm I had a small urge of this
kind and asked G a singularly irrelevant question given we were in a wetland
environment and I had just met quite a few ducks for the first time. I
asked "Have you ever come across any quail that you actually see on the
ground before they flush and
disappear?" At the exact moment that the last word was coming out of
my mouth, two Brown Quail burst out of the grass and thistles in front of us
and did the quail thing disappearing into the sun. It was a truly
stupendous coincidence.
We then realised there were others (probably juvenile) still around and even
managed to get a couple of recognisable photos of quail in profile which is
probably the last time in my life this will ever occur.
We also disturbed a raptor from its meal of young rabbit -- it also moved very
quickly into the sun and disappeared before even the experienced hand could get
a good look at it.
I am considering religious conversion but haven't decided what this strange
incident points me towards.
Julian
