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Following on the below. This morning I went outside to
find (successfully) the male & female Koel that are still making noise
nearby. Maybe good karma on yesterday's message, on the way back I looked up, to
see a Peregrine Falcon flying low slow soaring loops over my house. I watched
for bit under a minute then put down the binoculars and it drifted out of sight.
This happens so often with them, you look away for a moment and even flying
fairly close, above, in a clear sky they can just seem to vanish. Attempting to
find it again, led me to seeing a pair of Wedge-tailed Eagles. Then going out
again a couple hours later to add a Grey Butcherbird and Mistletoebird (among
others) to my GBS for the day.
Philip
About this. I think Jerry Olsen said at a COG meeting some years ago that
the species was as common (or more) in urban Canberra as any city in the
world. Just in general being out and about (without going out to try), I
typically see a Peregrine Falcon or two, several times a year in Canberra.
Usually at least once a year over my home, which is not far from the
Murrumbidgee corridor (maybe 5 minutes flying time), sometimes in Civic, then
the more expected areas: Kambah Pool, J Wetlands, whatever. It helps to be
familiar with them and quickly pick the difference between them and other birds.
About three months ago, I saw one on three separate days, flying over the Kambah
Village sports grounds heading west, late in the day, one time possibly chasing
pigeons.
About "Bear in mind other sub-species have smaller feet". Yes the
Australian one is called F. p. macropus which suggests that. I wonder
at the basis for that and why or how much. Yes I have seen them perch on power
poles. Apart from the aspect of not liking to perch on small things like wires,
I think given a choice Peregrine Falcons prefer to
perch on trees, amongst the foliage or on rock ledges or buildings, where they
are not obvious, than to perch on really obvious places like power poles or dead
trees that so many other raptors favour. In comparison with Hobbies, Kestrels,
Brown Falcons, Black Falcons, Black-shouldered Kites, etc. These thoughts based
on two ideas: where I have actually seen them perching and the fact that the
vast majority of my observations of them over the years have been of them
flying, not perched. Yes they fly a lot but that suggests to me that when they
are perched, they are less obvious in their chosen location than most raptors do
(not including the goshawk group).
Sorry
I'm lost about the Kevin Rudd in Geoff's earlier
photo.
Philip
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