This morning (29 May)was the third day of our savage start of winter
with strong winds, heavy rain and a forecast max. temp. of 12 degrees. I
looked out from our upstairs back window to see if Darebin creek was
over its banks yet, and saw a large bird on top of a tall sawn-off stump
in next door's backyard.
It was an immature or juvenile Brown Goshawk and it was eating the head
of a male Blackbird. It took about 20 minutes to finish its prey,
plucking a section as it worked towards the tail, and then eating the
flesh. When it had finished, all that was left was a length of intestine
and a few feathers. I think it ate most of the bones. What interested me
most was that for most of the time rain was pouring down and the hawk
continued to feed, completely exposed to the weather, though the rain
was often blown at a 45 degree angle. It was definitely some of the
heaviest rain I have ever seen. At least the gusts made the hawk
occasionally stick its tail up in the air, showing a rounded end to
clarify ID!
It had a lot of white streaks on face and hind-neck, inc. white on
eyebrows. There was a whitish patch between the shoulders. The back and
wings were new feathers, still with pale creamy edges to the wing
coverts, grey-brown in colour. The thighs and belly were barred, quite
fine lines, but the breast was splashily marked with vertical dark and
white lines. The shanks were long and yellow. I tried to see the toes
but they were usually entangled in the prey.
The rain stopped as it was finishing the Blackbird and the sun came out.
This improved visibility a good deal. The Gos flew to some bare branches
of a Red Gum on the creek bank, and after wiping its beak, sat with its
back to the sun and its tail fully spread in a fan and its wings
half-open. Perhaps drying flight feathers? Clouds came up again and by
the time rain started, it was sitting bolt upright, occasionally bobbing
as if it was hiccoughing. (Digestive activities?) It stayed in the tree
as the rain increased to extremely heavy again, then shook itself,
excreted and dashed off downstream.
It was then 11 am. I had been watching it for half an hour. I have often
seen Goshawks in the 34 years I have lived here, but this is the first
time I have ever seen one feed.
I must keep an eye on that stump!
Anthea Fleming in Ivanhoe, Vic.
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