Danger lurks … above and below

A brief, yet interesting encounter late yesterday afternoon.

I was watching a Black Kite hunting over a patch of recently burnt ground near Picnic Point. The lone bird was soon joined by another three, as well as a single Whistling Kite.

As I watched on I started to hear some low ‘peeping’ sounds from a couple of seperate patches of rank grassland nearby … Brown Quail! One of the coveys burst skyward and landed near to where the others were calling.

This spot is a favourite for the species and I’ve seen and heard them regularly there over the years. As I sat tight a few of the quail scuttled across the path some fifteen metres away, clearly concerned about the circling kites. A Flame Robin landed just in front of where I sat … it too gazed skywards nervously.

Native raptors, quail and robins are all part of a dynamic, functioning ecosystem. Not so welcome are   cats; stray and feral, such as the one I spotted at Cotswold at the weekend.

Black Kite hunting, Picnic Point, Cairn Curran Reservoir, 29th May 2023

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Brown Quail

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Flame Robin

Feral cat near Cotswold, 27th May 2023

Duck for cover

The late afternoon idyll was suddenly disturbed.

Pacific Black Ducks (feeding in the nearby stubble), along with some Grey Teal, Galahs and ravens – perhaps 200 birds in total, scattered wildly in all directions. The alarm calls of White-plumed Honeyeaters confirmed the arrival of a raptor.

The Peregrine Falcon, a young bird, cruised through with intent … circling above me a couple of times as it eyed a possible target. While I didn’t observe a serious pursuit, or a kill, the falcon was certainly weighing up its options.

In the middle distance a flock of corellas had detected the hunter … you can just make out its blurry silhouette in the foreground.

An enduring memory from my childhood is that of a Peregrine plunging through a small flock of Long-billed Corellas, striking one of the party and scattering feathers in all directions. The falcon then casually circled back to catch its dying and earthbound victim.

Pacific Black Ducks, Picnic Point on Cairn Curran, 24th May 2023

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Corella flock … alert to the presence of a feared predator … note the blur

Peregrine Falcon in hunting mode

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A pair of Southern Boobooks

Always a thrill to see our local Wyndham Street Boobooks. I’ve been hearing their calls close by over the past week or so. The sexes are similar and both the male and female are pictured here … no idea which is which.

I reckon they’ll be feasting out on house mice at present … keep up the good work!

Southern Boobook, Newstead, 11th May 2023

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Not so favourite hobby

Different species of raptors elicit different reactions from their potential prey.

I was watching a small group of Red-kneed Dotterels yesterday morning at Frogmore Swamp as they foraged on the mud amongst the rushes, lignum and logs.

Suddenly an Australian Hobby appeared in hunting mode, to perch on a tall, dead tree perhaps 150 metres distant. The dotterels immediately froze and then slowly moved under the cover of some small lignum bushes and a fallen log. The hobby made a number of forays, each time returning to the same perch, on one occasion with what I think may have been a dragonfly. The dotterels remained motionless, but seemingly less concerned by a Whistling Kite and Brown Falcon overhead than they were by the presence of the hobby.

Australian Hobby, Frogmore Swamp, 10th April 2023

Red-kneed Dotterel (adult in breeding plumage)… sheltering under lignum

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Sub-adult … note the hint of russet on the flanks

Red-kneed Dotterels … watchful

Distant view of the hobby returning to its perch

Flutter-flying kites

The breeding season is well and truly finalised for most local bird species. Meanwhile, Black-shouldered Kites have turned their attention to courtship, preparing to breed once again.

This species will often start nesting in winter in central Victoria, timing their nest-building and egg-laying to coincide with an early spring flush of mice, their favourite food.

Black-shouldered Kite pairs perform a distinctive courtship behaviour known as a ‘flutter-flight’. With wings held high and swept back from the carpal joint, both birds beat their wings rapidly, the bird above (presumably the male) soaring vertically then stooping towards its partner, prompting her to roll on her back with talons bared.

This movement was performed numerous times as the birds flew a low transect over the top of me, calling as they went.

Black-shouldered Kites – courtship display, Moolort Plains, 2nd April 2023

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Just like that …

The Spotted Harrier was cruising at mid-height towards me as I ventured into the shallows at Lakeside Swamp.

Suddenly a commotion. The harrier had apparently entered the territory of a pair of Brown Falcons, prompting one to dive upon the intruder, cackling loudly with talons bared. The harrier rolled on to its back and performed a neat tumble to avoid the falcon, before continuing on overhead.

I can recall a similar event more than a decade ago in much the same spot. On that occasion it was a Black Falcon and Spotted Harrier in dispute. The result then was much the same, but at least this time the resultant images were not so blurry.

Spotted Harrier + Brown Falcon, Moolort Plains, 30th March 2023

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Spotted Harrier … continues

Black and white world

Watching hunting and hovering kites is a wonderful pastime.

This adult Black-shouldered Kite left its perch in an old Buloke to hover, I think for mice. No success in this short interlude but going on the numbers at home I certainly appreciate its efforts.

Adult Black-shouldered Kite, Moolort Plains, 22nd March 2023

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Time to ‘fly the coop’

It’s now mid-autumn and many birds are on the move.

Rainbow Bee-eaters left a few days ago on migration to northern Australia and beyond. Over the weekend I noted a small flock gathering high in the air over town, travelling north.

On Sunday evening I was surprised and delighted as an adult Square-tailed Kite cruised overhead as I was watching a trio of immature Australasian Grebes.

Square-tailed Kites are continental migrants, most birds arriving in central Victoria around September and then departing again by early April. There are a handful of over-wintering records.

The Australasian Grebes are the latest from the production line on a small bush dam along South German Track. There have been active nests and young since early spring. All grebes are reluctant fliers but will travel long distances as they disperse. This party were busy flexing their wing muscles in preparation for departure. Their parents moved on some time ago.

Square-tailed Kite (adult), South German Track Muckleford State Forest, 19th March 2023

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Australasian Grebe (immature)

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Just trying to make a living

As I alternated between watching Golden-headed Cisticolas ascending the waving Phalaris stalks and Horsfield’s Bushlarks plucking wind-blown seeds from the gravel track the post-dawn peace was rudely disturbed.

The birds dashed for cover with the sudden appearance of a juvenile Brown Goshawk, flying just above the tall grass. As it arrived it wheeled and dropped into the Phalaris, emerging moments later … ’empty taloned’. The raptor spotted me and headed away along the track before dropping to the ground about fifty metres away.

It didn’t take long for the bushlarks and cisticolas to resume ‘normal service’.

Goshawks are ‘sit and wait’ hunters, perching unobtrusively before ambushing their targets, typically small birds. They are more common in forests and woodlands but will happily inhabit open farmland habitats when prey is abundant.

Golden-headed Cisticola, Moolort Plains, 16th March 2023

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Brown Goshawk (juvenile)

Horsfield’s Bushlark

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Autumn tones

Galahs are amongst the most striking of Australian birds, their pink and grey tones accentuated at this time of year as the autumn landscape fades to brown and gold.

The Black Kite is not really black at all, a subtle combination of different shades of brown, and of course that mustard-yellow cere.

Galahs, Joyce’s Creek, 9th March 2023

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Black Kite

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Brown Falcon