We started out heading to monitor several Black-shouldered Kites nestings, but as the early morning sunhine beckoned when we made it to the freeway we decided a coffee at Gerry’s at the Highway Lounge and then on the WTP for a looksee for robins.
Coffee despatched, we didn’t have any success with the Robins however.
For those that have visited the WTP we headed on up toward Ryan’s Swamp.
A good move it turned out to be as there were a number of raptors working along the roadway.
Our first sighting for the day, a Black Kite among the old treesA female Nankeen Kestrel was ‘hawking’ up the remains of breakfast. A little furball lump of undigestible rubbish. We spotted this Brown Falcon ‘walking’ along the road, no doubt it had scored a meal, as it flew to the tree and the next 45 minutes or so we stood with it, as it slowly digested the meal. There is something special about being able to observe this bird, unstressed, and watch its various character traits.Handsome in the early morning light with dark storm clouds building behindA number of Black Kites were also in the same area. It looks like full on dogfight, but these big birds seem to love to play about togetherAnother Black from the same area, and it appears to have nesting in mind.Meanwhile the others continued the gamesYet another Falcon swept in to see what was going on.It didn’t take us too long to find a pair of Black-shouldered Kites at work on nesting. Unlike most Black-shouldered these were nesting in the top of a dead tree in the open.
Here the male has just arrived to relieve the female for awhile.Nesting hasn’t blunted her hunting skillsDon’t mess with Mamma. She is unhappy about the Black Kite attention on the treelineMore Kestrel hunting. I missed the catch of this one. A pair of Brown Falcons, they are not ready to mate, but are doing their best to keep the pair-bond alive and bright.
He has just swept in from a few aerial stunts to impress her.
She is crouched ready to accept his advances.
We again spent 15 minutes or more watching their various antics, and after a lot of calls and cackles, they both flew to different perch area to repeat the performanceHey, I think you look pretty special.
Well I can’t speak Brown Falconese, so who knows what he said.
Looks like a great day at the farm, David!
Wonderful to see the raptors out and about!
Excellent images to view!
Ryan’s is often a good spot for photography!
Hello David, we do seem to have a bit of an influx of raptors at present. A bit of a change for the quiet skys of late
We went to Ryans for Robins, but this was a good second prize
I wouldn’t need any coffee to keep my blood pressure high during such a trip at WTP. This is a true Raptorland. Great images and story, David. Thanks for sharing.
You were blessed with an impressive line up of raptors David, and some beautiful captures, including an aerial performance. Raptors we seldom see here in Sydney, so it is special when they appear. It is good the Autumn weather has finally turned to its beautiful best fo birding.
Greeting Ashley,
We have been quiet around the usual spots here over the past couple of months. So good to have a chance to enjoy these big birds in the field.
Birds as Poetry —— Just because I WANDER - --doesn't mean I'm LOST 
What a fabulous series of raptor shots David! I enjoyed them very much indeed – thank you.
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Hi Eleanor, suprising it all happened in pretty much the same area at WTP
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Looks like a great day at the farm, David!
Wonderful to see the raptors out and about!
Excellent images to view!
Ryan’s is often a good spot for photography!
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Hello David, we do seem to have a bit of an influx of raptors at present. A bit of a change for the quiet skys of late
We went to Ryans for Robins, but this was a good second prize
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I wouldn’t need any coffee to keep my blood pressure high during such a trip at WTP. This is a true Raptorland. Great images and story, David. Thanks for sharing.
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HI Adam, we area beginning to think a “Gerry Coffee” is the secret sauce to a good day out.:-)
First time we’ve had a good range of raptors down at WTP for awhile
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You were blessed with an impressive line up of raptors David, and some beautiful captures, including an aerial performance. Raptors we seldom see here in Sydney, so it is special when they appear. It is good the Autumn weather has finally turned to its beautiful best fo birding.
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Greeting Ashley,
We have been quiet around the usual spots here over the past couple of months. So good to have a chance to enjoy these big birds in the field.
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The Raptors are beautiful birds, and your photography is a pleasure to view…! Thanks for this fascinating presentation; have a wonderful weekend…!
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Thanks David….wonderful shots. I particularly the Falcon ‘dropping in’ to see what is going on.
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