As It Happened: The Next Generation

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His strident one note call resounded across the paddock, to be answered by her equally raucuous cackle.
Alistair was bringing in an offering snack for Cassia, of Cinnamon.
They met in a treeline about 800m from where I was and I missed the noisy food exchange, but did see Alistair fly out and land in the open on an old tree.

After a suitable meal time, Cassia, swung out to land in the same tree.
Interesting.

As she prepares for her nesting period, he needs to make sure she is quite well topped up to last the nearly 8 weeks of confinement when she won’t hunt for herself and relies on his constant attention.

It’s a little early for any eggs to be laid, based on previous seasons, I’d expect that to happen toward the end of September, (but who knows with Falcons).

Browns don’t build nests, they are quite the environmenally aware creatures and chose to repurpose a Magpies nest from a previous season. Maggies, don’t tend to use the same nest, preferring to purpose build. So it’s not as though the Falcons have to eject any unwanted sqautters.

With other things to do in the morning, mostly because of a strong offshore breeze bringing some Gannets in close enough for a reasonable photo, we didn’t pursue the happy couple.

On the way back from the beach, we detoured through the pine-tree-line, in case they were sitting.
Foolishly I rounded a tree and without looking stumbled on to Cassia perched down low. She bolted. I castigated myself for being so clumsy.

She quickly regained composure and sat in a tree about 50m away. And watched. And I watched.

Alistair came in quickly on the wind, turned and landed on the branch just above her, and watched. She watched. I watched.

A quick wing flap and Cassia landed near him, but on the highest open branch. And watched.
Then after a typical Falcon TIme Wait, she crouched over, and called him, encouraging him to mate.
Alistair, it has to be said, did not need much time to consider the offer.
Turning into the wind, he lightly took off, ever so gently landed on top of her bent over back, and the process of pro-creation began.

He then lifted wings and again ever so gently lifted off and away.

She relocated to another tree deeper in the pine tree line and we left them to carry on.

Enjoy

A long way down range. Great to see them together.
The strong northerly wind gave him a chance to show of his flying skills.
My fault. Apologies. Please forgive. I stumbled on her perched and startled her. She quickly recovered and landed about 50m away to wait for him.
Alistair landed on her back, ever so delicately I don’t think I saw her move under the weight
Sometimes mating is a raucous event, but this time both birds were silent. She needs to be able to push her tail up out of the way for them to be able to make contact.
In less than 4 seconds and its job done.
Wings out in the strong breeze, he lifts of as delicately as he arrived
And a few seconds later Cassia also launches
The jury is out as to where the nest might be, but the smart money is on it being in this general location.

9 thoughts on “As It Happened: The Next Generation”

  1. A wonderful series of images of Cassia and Alistair, David!
    Looks like they have decided it is nesting time.
    I hope you get to see the young when they arrive.

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    1. G’day David, I think it’s a bit early for them to start, but so many birds seem to be on the go already. The area where they are operating is about to become the area for a movie set over the next few weeks/month, so she’ll have a lot of activity going on in the area I think.
      Hopefully it won’t be closed off for us for too long.

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  3. Another great picture story David, and what a plus to beautifully catch a mating episode. It is very quick with most birds, and I marvel at how they are able to get both cloaca together.
    Birds are so unpredictable especially raptors and a close encounter can be alarming, but you did well to get such wonderful images my friend 🙂

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    1. Hello Ashley, yes, that simple, but complicated move is intruging no matter which bird you choose. The trick of course is for her to be able to move her tail, up, and sideways to enable him direct access. I’ve seen female Black-shouldered Kites refuse to raise their tail, must to the frustration of the male, and if she is not ready, then that is that.
      Cassia, defintely bent over, and called him, and he was quick to respond.

      We have been working with them both now for a number of seasons. She is quite placid about approaches most, (especially if I don’t startle her). She does seem to occassionally play close flyby games. I accept them as good natured and she will sometimes land a branch or two away so its not high aggression.
      She once flew low over a paddock where I was standing behind a large wattle bush, she knew that i knew she was coming, and she zipped over the top of the bush, and just about parted my hair. I can’t say it was in good fun, but she must have had a reason.

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    1. Hi Clancy, thanks for that. Heads up, they are remodelling the old homestead/restaurant, in prep for a movie set. So there will be some limited access through there while they are shooting I guess.
      Not sure what the production is, nor when it starts.

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