Late this afternoon (approx. 16:00 ) I arrived at the Fyshwick STW and
literally the first bird I clapped eyes upon was a male Black Falcon
flying in low from the direction of the turf factory. After upsetting
all the waterfowl it landed in the last remaining large willow and was
mobbed by a Whistling Kite, a male Collared Sparrowhawk (not sure if
that was a sensible idea) and a Black-shouldered Kite in that order. It
seemed completely unconcerned by all comers and as I lined it up in the
viewfinder it departed for another session of duck bothering. It
remained in view, mostly circling overhead, for over 30 minutes and
reappeared later for a repeat performance over Kelly's Swamp.
Next excitement was a Black-tailed Native-Hen flushed from the bank and
joining the Coots in the middle of the pond. 2 Australian Crakes were
in the southeast corner of the same pond. This is the pond where the
Bluebills normally reside (8 today), pond 6 perhaps? Whiskered Terns
were about and the highest number I counted together was 17.
Over on Kelly's Swamp, the rather low number of ducks were mostly in the
margins, possibly a result of the harassment by the aforementioned Black
Falcon. All the action was at the southern end, with another
Black-tailed Native-Hen in the paddock above the pond hanging close to a
pile of dead branches for cover. Also 2 Black-winged Stilts.
Also seen were Australian Hobby, Brown Falcon and Wedge-tailed Eagle.
As I returned to my car at the STW car park, I witnessed an Australian
Raven catch a perfectly healthy adult rabbit by the hind leg with its
foot and then overpower it and kill it.
Milburn
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