There is a combination of things. Soaring is using warm air uprising (thermals) to obtain lift. This shows typically as flying in circles, combined with long
glides from one thermal to another. Soaring mainly works for fairly large birds. Eagles will also use rising air from wind being pushed upwards because of deflection by mountains and large hills. It allows easy flying in windy conditions at medium heights.
That is likely what is happening on most of these observations. That is a bit like hovering because it relies on wind direction but allows far more flexibility of direction. Hovering is not the same as soaring. Hovering is flying - into the wind - at the same
speed as the wind is pushing them back. It takes a lot of control. Hovering birds will examine one area then fly off to another spot but that they fly into the wind is obvious. If there is no or little wind it is hard work for them, as they need to flap more
to make their own wind and get lift that way. Or that is how I think it works. As for the comment below,
Sea-Eagles and Black-shouldered Kites are a very minor predator of flying birds (Sea-Eagles
will hunt water birds, the latter maybe not at all).
Philip
From: Daryl King [
Sent: Saturday, 4 July 2015 8:38 AM
To:
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Wedge-tailed eagle,
They can soar at lower altitudes on windy days, which makes them more conspicuous.
On 4/07/2015 7:50 AM, calyptorhynchus . wrote:
Isn't it that on windy days they use far less energy flying?
John Leonard
On 3 July 2015 at 19:59, Geoff <> wrote:
I have seen Sea Eagles and Black Shouldered Kites do it as well. It may make
it easier to catch other birds. One flew over me yesterday and the other
birds did not react. It may be enjoyment.
-----Original Message-----
From: John Harris [
Sent: Friday, 3 July 2015 7:38 PM
To: 'Canberra Birds'
Subject: Wedge-tailed eagle,
I have often wondered about the flurry of reporting of WTE on windy days.
Yesterday - Thursday - there were two gliding in the air currents over
Percival Hill and reported several times from other high points in the same
day. I cannot think of any survival advantage in riding the currents on
windy days and can only conclude that they enjoy it.
On 3/07/2015 3:27 pm, "Geoff" <> wrote:
>I saw one flying over the western side of Black Mountain around 1pm today.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Fleur r Leary [
>Sent: Friday, 3 July 2015 1:43 PM
>To: Philip Veerman
>Cc: Geoff; Stephanie Haygarth; Canberra Birds
>Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Wedge-tailed eagle, Ainslie
>
>There were three gliding close to the top of Dairy Farmers Hill at the
>Arboretum about midday yesterday.
>
>
>On 2 Jul 2015, at 5:40 pm, Philip Veerman <> wrote:
>
>> I wonder is someone especially interested in tracking them. I was on
>> the 300 series bus at about 2:30 today going from Tugg to Woden and
>> saw one on the east side of Mt Taylor.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Geoff [
>> Sent: Thursday, 2 July 2015 12:58 PM
>> To: 'Stephanie Haygarth'; 'Canberra Birds'
>> Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Wedge-tailed eagle, Ainslie
>>
>> There was one over Mt Majura between 11 and 1130. I took some photos
>> but it was too far away.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Stephanie Haygarth [
>> Sent: Thursday, 2 July 2015 11:25 AM
>> To: Canberra Birds
>> Subject: [canberrabirds] Wedge-tailed eagle, Ainslie
>>
>> One cruising east across Ainslie and over Duffy St (and my GBS) just
>> now, then up to Mt Ainslie and south.
>> Steph H
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John Leonard
Canberra
Australia
www.jleonard.net
I want to be with the 9,999 other things.
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