We were at the Western Treatment Plant and the weather had clouded over. Best to head for home was the vote from both EE and Mr An Onymous.
As we were at the southern end of the plant we decided (well I had the steering wheel) to take the longer, not so well used, track around the Austin Road extention.
This track circuits the far eastern side of the plant and has a long treeline running next to the fence, and can be on occassions worthwhile. Most times however its just a drive between the treeline and the open paddocks. Which is why many don’t make that trip and the track is mostly used by the farm folk and whatever livestock is in the area.
I missed the Black-shouldered Kite sitting on the old gate rail, but decided to stop just in case it was in the area.
We’d only just got out of said IamGrey and were looking about when an ominous black shape headed toward us across the field, pursued by an equally intent Black-shouldered Kite.
Camera up, frames released, and then it was obvious we had found a Black Falcon with a Kite in hot pursuit.
This is pretty unusual as normally the Falcon would have no qualms about relieving the little Kite of any prey it might have caught. Perhaps the pair had a nest in one of the nearby trees and they were in no mood for the Falcon to give them grief.
Black Falcons are not resident at the WTP, they tend to come in over the summer and we might only have one or two sightings each season.
The Falcon is much faster than the Kite and more like its Peregrine and Hobby cousins than to the Browns.
It swept across the paddock with the Kite stooping on it several times, no contact, but enough to move the bigger bird on. It turned behind the treeline and was gone. The Kite returned to rest on the old gate post.
Birds as Poetry —— Just because I WANDER doesn't mean I'm LOST 
Very spectacular encounter and a rare visitor makes this story even more special.
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Hi Adam, it is always heart-stopping to find the Black’s none more so as they are so fast and agile
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The Kite might be smaller, but it wasn’t going to let the bigger bird hang around in its territory! Spectacular flying on the part of both birds, and equally spectacular photography David; I’m pleased – and you must have been pleased – that you decided to take the longer route home…!
Thanks for sharing the experience…!
Lance
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G’day Lance, its a long bumpy, dusty, potholed road so not the most travelled. Just when its good, its magic. Finding the Black is a bit like climbing Everest.
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Wonderful captures David, I especially like the way you captured the expressions of the birds and kept them both in focus at all times. The second frame Black-shouldered Kite expression of anger is striking, and the Black Kite appears quite unperturbed. We never see Black Kites up here on the coast, though we saw hundreds of them up north in the Top End. A great series again David, and an opportune gift for taking the long road home.
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Hello Ashley, It would have been good to have had a bit more time in the area to see what the Black-shouldered Kites were upto. I’ve seen a pair nest down that way once before.
Black Falcons are a ‘rare’ visitor for us.
A couple of years back we watched a pair work as a tag team to relieve Kestrels and Black-shouldered Kites of their meals. One would make attacking passes to distract the Kite while the other would zoom in from underneath and brute force snatch away the prey, leaving the Kite or Kestrel to land and ponder what might have been.
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What a fabulous series of images David – we can really feel the drama of the moment that you experienced. Great decision to go that way!
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Hello Eleanor,
Yes it really is the “road less-travelled’, and most people go down to the birdhide turn off and then back out again. The long road round is mostly over open paddocks.
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The road less travelled has come up trumps (am I allowed to say that these days?)
Always a thrill to see a Black. Great captures of the action! They are few and far between!
Dave N
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