Hello Neil,
I saw Black Falcons a couple of times when I lived at Pormpuraaw in
1998-1999. This is on the west coast of Cape York but a fair way south of
where you were. A good sighting I'd say. I don't think the distribution of
bird on Cape York is terribly well known. Not enough birdos and those that
go to the Cape tend to go to the same places.
Cheers
Mick Todd
Griffith, NSW
At 01:12 PM 24/05/2003 +1000, Neil Broekhuizen wrote:
I was recently fishing in Cape York, in the mouth of the Doughboy River on
the Western side of the Cape, about 100km south of the Tip. I observed what
I am almost certain was a Black Falcon trying to catch a small wader -
probably a red necked stint. The falcon launched its attacks from around
15-20m above the wader which bobbed and weaved to try to avoid the falcon.
As the falcon came in for the kill the wader splashed into the water briefly
which seemed to put the falcon off and it backed off and tried again. The
attacks were not stoops, rather quick darts and glides and the falcon never
hovered. This went on for about two to three minutes before the falcon was
disturbed by an approaching tinny. The falcon was dark and slim looking
with very sharply pointed wings. There was no apparent lightening under the
wings or anywhere else for that matter.
The reason I post this is that the location seems to be out of the falcon's
normal range although the area is extremely remote and only accessable by
boat therefore I doubt whether there has been much birding done up there.
Has anyone seen Black falcon this far North?
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