Today (Sat 9th August 2003), myself and David Koffel enjoyed
a good day?s birding in the Maitland ? Hexham area in the lower Hunter area
(approx. 170 km north of Sydney CBD). Again it was another good raptor day with
10 species recorded (8 species alone within the first half hour at the East
Maitland Tip).
At the East Maitland Tip, the
Black Falcon was seen straight away as we entered the gates. We were lucky to
enjoy incredible views of this bird for 3/4 hour as it slowly circled (with very
broad and pointed wings held slightly drooped and long tail fanned, notched at
corners and also showing uniform dark brown under-parts) within metres of our
heads (clearing seeing all the soft parts of this bird and it powerful
silhouette). At times it would climb and circle to a great height and then fly
lower down towards us and then circling over our heads and then with both the
Black and Whistling Kites (though I did not notice any aggression with these
Kites) also flying quite low and close to where we were standing. It made a few
fast dives low over the rubbish pile probably attempting to snatch one of the
Starlings (these falcons are also noted to take carrion like the Kites). The
Black Falcon also briefly perched about 20 or so metres in front of us at about
our eye level on the top of a eucalypt, but was soon mobbed away by a group of
Ravens.
A great bird the Black Falcon is,
and one I will not get sick of looking at. The East Maitland tip is home to a
pair of these fantastic birds and according to the guy who runs the tip and owns
the adjoining land, these Black Falcons have been in the area for around 8 years
as he said to us today. He saw last week a pair of Black Falcons (probably the
same pair I saw a few weeks ago) displaying next door to the tip. This may
indicate that they may again be breeding this coming season. The Whistling Kite
was seen giving a hard time to one of the Black Kites. It was again good to
compare both of these 2 fairly related birds. A pair of Brown Goshawks was also
spending quite sometime flying over the tip and were seen with wings slightly
raised up as they gained height. One or two Wedge-tailed Eagles, a Black
Shouldered Kite, a Brown Falcon and 2 Australian Kestrels were also seen around
the tip.
At the Morpeth STW there were
still thousands of ducks especially Hardheads and Grey teal and about 200
Pink-eared Ducks as well as 5 Hoary-headed Grebes, 2 dark Brown Falcons chasing
off an adult White-bellied Sea-eagle and 2 Whistling Kites.
After lunch on Ash Island, there
were 5 Hoary-headed Grebes, about 80 Australasian Shoveler, 18 Red-kneed
Dotterels, 10 Red-capped Plovers, 10-15 Marsh Sandpiper (more and more expected
to arrive over the weeks!!!), 80 plus Red-necked Avocets amongst 200 or so Pied
Stilts, 2 Royal Spoonbills, a pair of adult Swamp Harriers (seen exchanging
their catch in mid air and the male was later heard giving its fairly soft
calls) amongst 3 other Swamp Harriers, 2 or more Whistling Kites, another dark
Brown Falcon, a Black-shouldered Kite, a juv. male (?) Brown Goshawk and some
White-fronted Chats.
A list of raptors for today and
conservative numbers are as follows:
Brown Goshawk (3)
Swamp Harrier (5)
Black Kite (3)
Whistling Kite (6)
White-bellied Sea-eagle (1)
Wedge-tailed Eagle (1-2)
Black-shouldered Kite (3)
Black Falcon (1)
Brown Falcon (5-6)
Australian Kestrel (4)
Another good day birding.
Edwin
Vella
