birding-aus

Peregrine attack

To: Birding Aus <>
Subject: Peregrine attack
From: David Stowe Photography <>
Date: Thu, 27 Oct 2005 14:19:38 +1000
I had an awesome experience last weekend in the Hunter Valley (1 1/2 hrs north of Sydney). I was in the Hunter shooting a wedding, and while driving to the church I picked up a Peregrine tracking along parralel to the road in the same direction I was travellling. (It was farmland, vineyard). Only about 20 metres or so from the road.
We were keeping neck and neck with him doing about 80km/h for over 300 metres when he sped up a bit. I looked ahead and saw a flock of Galahs feeding on the ground. Next thing the Galahs took off and one of them flew up towards the road. The Peregrine changed course and struck the Galah right in front of our eyes just before they went past the car and were gone.
What an awesome sight!! It all happened in slow motion as we were watching it for such a distance and it all happened in the most perfect timing I could imagine! Even my assistant ( a non birder) was ecstatic to witness something so spectacular.
Not sure if the Peregrine held on to the Galah or not but I don’t think the Galah would have survived long if it didn’t.
Definitely one of the most amazing things I have ever witnessed.
Cheers
Dave
<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
Admin

The University of NSW School of Computer and Engineering takes no responsibility for the contents of this archive. It is purely a compilation of material sent by many people to the birding-aus mailing list. It has not been checked for accuracy nor its content verified in any way. If you wish to get material removed from the archive or have other queries about the archive e-mail Andrew Taylor at this address: andrewt@cse.unsw.EDU.AU