Around 8 o'clock in the morning the garden is usually a hive of activity,
with birds busy all over the place. But not today. At that time
this-morning things were really quiet; unusually still.
The explanation wasn't long in coming. Two Brown Goshawks, one large, one
considerably smaller (female and male presumably), shot out from the depths
of a big callistemon, hot on the heels of a Magpie-lark which was heading
for all it was worth towards the potential safety of a mature eucalypt. Both
raptors pursued the Magpie-lark into the tree, where it found some temporary
shelter there, and the female goshawk settled in open view on a low branch,
with the male behind her, a little higher and a little further in.
Within a minute or so, the Magpie-lark made a break for it, heading out of
the tree with the smaller goshawk in hot pursuit. The goshawk wheeled out
and round to intercept its target from an angle, and appeared to make
contact without doing any obvious damage, then broke off to gain height and
come round again for another try. But by this time the Magpie-lark, which
had been calling loudly throughout, had made it into some thicker cover.
The female Goshawk had been watching all this from the gum tree, and as the
male bird headed along the creekbank away from our view, she lifted off and
followed him.
It stayed quiet at this end of the garden for another five minutes or so,
before the usual morning bustle recommenced.
Despite such diversions, I've just succeeded in updating the Abberton
website with 40 or so new photographs. In order to make things load more
quickly, I've set up a separate page for updates. You can get to it by
clicking on "View latest photographs" on the Abberton Home Page
www.abberton.org - but for those who might like to go straight in there is
now a page www.abberton.org/birdslatest.htm that you can go to directly if
you wish.
Bill Jolly
"Abberton",
Lockyer Valley, Queensland.
Visit our website at www.abberton.org
email:
ph: (+61) 7 4697 6111
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