Avian drama in backyard

[John Layton <>]

Um, yes. I was attempting to emphasise their shared paucity of plumage pigmentation rather than what a Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis might consider snaffling for starters.

 

John Layton

Holt.

 

From: Martin Butterfield [
Sent: Monday, 13 August 2018 11:18 AM
To: John Layton
Cc: Canberra birds
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Avian drama in backyard

 

Tsk tsk John.  You are surely aware that the (capitalised) Pale Male is a Red-tailed Hawk.  A pale male Collared Sparrowhawk would barely form an hors-d'ouevre for him!

Martin Butterfield

http://franmart.blogspot.com.au/

 

On 13 August 2018 at 10:56, John Layton <> wrote:

The stage was set and the cast in place but I missed most of the lead up and climax catching only the denouement. Happened like this, at 10:00AM yesterday I noticed a yellow Budgerigar perched on power cables presenting a conspicuous target for a hungry raptor. Speaking of which I walked past one only noticing it when back on the porch and generally perusing the scene. It was then I saw a male Collared Sparrowhawk perched on a fence where there’s a break in the neighbour’s Great Wall of Photinia. As is often the case with male Collared Sparrowhawks I marvelled at its smallness and remarkably pale plumage – Pale Male personified.
I needed to go indoors returning 15 minutes later but was unable to locate the hawk or the budgerigar until I noticed a stream of feathers glissading from atop a tall Silver Birch. And yes, they were yellow. Some 60 seconds later the sparrowhawk took off carrying its prey into a large gumtree 50 metres away.

 

John Layton

Holt.