swooped by a Black-shouldered Kite

[calyptorhynchus via Canberrabirds <>]

Has anyone ever been swooped by a Black-shouldered Kite?

This morning at about 9 I was standing by the roadside at the top of the Apollo Road/Naas Road Paddock when I observed a BSK in a dead tree on the other side of the road (the west side). It was joined by another and they swirled around calling (I don't know whether this was courtship or two birds facing off over territory). During this one of the birds, which had been flying at about 10 meters off the ground, deliberately swooped lower over me, down to within two meters of my head.

I think it was an excess of either amorousness or aggression; there was no sign of a nest they were defending.

At the Paddock I finally achieved the double, and saw a male Hooded Robin at the top of the paddock (using a tall dead tree as a lookout before the kites appeared), and three Brown Treecreepers further along the ridge, observed from further down the road. Also Diamond Firetails.

--

John Leonard
Canberra
Australia
www.jleonard.net

Make nature great again.

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