The chat and the falcon

It pays to be in the right place at the right time … the thing is, that when you are, it’s often a complete fluke!

Sunday afternoon out on the plains, I was watching a male White-fronted Chat, perched on a gate. This same spot is often a good place to observe Zebra Finches and I’ve seen a Black Falcon on more than one occasion.

Male White-fronted Chat, Moolort Plains, 10th January 2015.

Suddenly the chat and a bunch of other small birds scattered in all directions as a dark shape propelled into sight, at eye-level, along the fence-line.

Fence-line with Gorse and Tree Violet.

An immature Peregrine Falcon, one of the world’s swiftest birds in level flight, headed directly towards me and then banked abruptly to reveal its wonderfully patterned undercarriage. This hunting technique is typical of falcons and very often successful – this time the chat and its companions were lucky – as was the photographer. You don’t get many chances like this to capture such an extraordinary raptor.

Peregrine Falcon (imm.) – photographed as it climbed above the fence-line pictured above.

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Moments later I spotted the falcon high overhead as it circled in continued its search of other unsuspecting prey, this time employing a different strategy.

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