Hi All,
And yes, I know it is technically still winter but Melbourne has just come
through its warmest July ever and the sun is shining and the birds are
courting and the jasmine in my back yard is about to burst into flower.
Raptors are still all the go at the WTP and Tuesday was extra special, not
because I found a new one but because a Black Falcon sat on a roadside
fence post about 7 or 8 metres from me and while I complimented it on its
beauty the falcon just sat and looked superior, which it was. The blood on
its talons suggested it had just finished a meal, maybe that was why it was
so loath to fly, whatever the reason though, it was a special five minutes
until the falcon got sick of my praise and flew off. It ended up that I saw
Black Falcons on Beach Rd, 29 Mile Rd and on the Spit track about half way
to the Murtcain Outlet; they were everywhere, well nearly.
A Black-shouldered Kite also put on a show of aerobatics for me. Hovering
as they do, it evidently saw some prey and went into a full dive. This was
normal and I have seen it many times but this bird just kept diving. Going
by the height of a four-strand fence it was still in full dive position
when its head was less than a metre from the ground. I did not see how it
pulled out before it drove its beak into the dirt, but it did, and flew off
without its catch.
A different B-s Kite did have a feed though and I watched as it carefully
plucked, and then ate, a mouse. Mouse fluff went everywhere and then the
kite grabbed the mouse and down it went, head first, untill all that was
showing was a length of tail.
On the waterbird front, after all that is the purpose of the WTP, there
were three Glossy Ibis at the Borrow Pits.
cheers
--
Jenny
http://jenniferspryausbirding.blogspot.com.au/
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