Werribee River Park – Page 4 – Birds as Poetry —— Just because I WANDER doesn't mean I'm LOST

Snake Hunting with Brown Falcon, Alfred

October 25, 2015October 25, 2015Posted in Brown Falcon, Werribee River ParkTagged Brown Falcon, Werribee River Park2 Comments

I just about know this bird well enough now to give him a name, so Alfred it is. I haven’t really met his lady as she is quite hidden amongst the tree with a nestling.

Alfred has a tree at the end of the Office carpark, and will often be seen looking out over the paddocks. Such was the case on Friday afternoon.

He is pretty dismissive of the human kind and simply sees them as passing traffic. So its not to hard to move around to get a good angle on this lovely bird’s rich coat. Almost from the moment he landed, twas obvious that something had his attention. No preening, just a constant scanning. At first I thought it might be he was a bit wary of the resident Black-shouldered Kites.

However after about 10 minutes or so, he dropped quietly off the tree and whiffled down on to the bike track opposite. After standing on the track for a few minutes, he stepped into the grass and again seem engrossed in an area just near him.

Then.

He struck.

And immediately lifted off with a small snake as prize. Off to the nearest perch, the fence line, and a few minutes to enjoy his meal.

I am pretty certain that I can conclude that not long after he landed in the tree that he spotted the snake, and then worked out a best place strategy for his attack. Then again once he landed on the biketrack there was some fine tuning of his planned approach and then finally the single stroke attack.
As Mr An Onymous said, “What incredible eyesight to spot it from that distance.”

Alfred just sat in the afternoon sun, grinning.

Alfred and his lovely markings. Looking out over the paddock, I think he has already spotted the snake.

One single movement. Strike, grab and lift off.

Now to settle down for a well deserved meal

Time for a pose for a photo from his adoring fans and then a break for a little rest

Golden afternoon light with a Brown Falcon

October 2, 2015Posted in Brown Falcon, Werribee River ParkTagged Brown Falcon, Werribee River Park2 Comments

Just too much, fine light, a great afternoon and a Brown Falcon that seemed to relish the warm weather.

This is the bird that is one of the pair at one end of the paddock from Kitty and Kalav.
The rich evening light really seems to make your average Brown Falcon glow, and this bird is not average.

But, the Kites, Magpies, Wagtails, Magpie-larks and Ravens all take exception to its presence.

The pair were hunting for mice and had developed, I think, a strategy to deal with the harassment.
While one bird hunted on the ground, (Browns are good at this), the other flew slowly up and down to attract all sorts of attention. Leaving the bird on the ground free to hunt. And, successful she was.

Enjoy

Wagtail sliding down Falcon's back. A pretty well co-ordinated attack. — Wagtail sliding down Falcon’s back. A pretty well co-ordinated attack.

Two Wagtails were among the team of harassing birds

She gets to leave with her nice mouse dinner. She has just transferred it from beak to leg for the journey back to the nest. — She gets to leave with her nice mouse dinner.
She has just transferred it from beak to leg for the journey back to the nest.

Working in the early morning mists

September 30, 2015September 30, 2015Posted in Black-shouldered Kite, Brown Falcon, Werribee River ParkTagged Black-shouldered Kite, Brown Falcon, Werribee River Park2 Comments

Last Sunday, the weather people, correctly, predicted foggy morning. That was enough to send us to the Office.

Not only did we get some grand misty moody shots, but caught up with Kitty and Kalav – the Brave.
Kitty now has settled on the nest and he is still bringing food on demand.

The Brown Falcon came and gave us quite a lovely half hour or so sitting and preening waiting for the sun to break through.
And some fine little Superb Fairy-wrens stopped by to entertain us.
Art Morris has been writing a bit of late on High Key portraits, and the mist gave both an ideal light and an excellent backdrop to play the little birds against.

Enjoy

A party mouse, bringing its own streamer decorations to the event

The dramatic pose as the sun broke through

Whistling Kite, waiting for the fog to lift

Mousing with Kalav- the Brave

September 22, 2015September 22, 2015Posted in Black-shouldered Kite, Werribee River ParkTagged Black-shouldered Kite, Werribee River ParkLeave a comment

No one needs to be told that today was a cold day. Oh, 14degrees feels like 3.7, so the weather dude said. 3.7??? Now how can you predict that accurately?
Anyway it wasn’t even close in the strong winds running in to the 50+kph, it felt more like -3.7 say -4, whose going to quibble over whole numbers.
Cold. When the wind rips through a Driazabone jacket, I’m here to tell its COLD.

Had a date with Kalav -the Brave. He was going to be in a lot of trouble hunting in this wind. But, did you notice Brave in there somewhere?

By the time I’d arrived, he’d already decimated one part of the hunting ground and had moved to new premises. Seemed more interested in keeping Kitty well supplied than in a silly old dude in a Drizabone pointing a lens at him.

4 mice, in 10 minutes. And all within a stones throw, (not that I threw stones at him) of where I was hunkered down behind the the fencepost, the only protection around.

Onya bloke. You deserve a rest for a few hours.

Just a little bit of drama

July 2, 2015July 2, 2015Posted in Little Eagle, Werribee River ParkTagged Little Eagle, Werribee River ParkLeave a comment

The sun was shining and the clouds, ominous in shape and colour were moving slowly enough for me to conclude that I’d get an hour or so of sunshine. Interested in the Flame Robins at the Office so down I went.

As it turned out the clouds and the rain moved faster than the traffic along the way, but even so, I managed a few minutes in the sun. No Robins.

Just as I was turning for home, out of no where two Little Eagles decided to song and dance across the sky.

I’ve probably said it before but the Office offers one great advantage when the birds are up. On the top of the ridge that overlooks the old river plain, its possible to get eyeball to eyeball, and in this case it was pretty much so. The two battled it out pretty much at viewing height.

Now, I’m not sure if I’m looking at two birds in dispute over a territory arrangement, or a pair with bonding in mind. The amount of wing turn, claw defence and the like, along with the plaintive ”pee, pee” whistle of the birds didn’t help either. In the end I just enjoyed.
Hope you do too.

Lovely dark plumage on this bird. ( a Juvenile perhaps)

Spiralling down from a position of height.

Gotcha

The lower bird has passed right by to take the underside position

Looks dangerous but no contact was made

Much turning and twisting at close quarters

Making a circuit for another pass

Keep up slow coach

One of the advantages of the Office is being able to view almost looking out on the bird.

Taking a rest in the sunshine in a tree right across the river plain.

Close Encounters of the Brown Falcon Kind

June 16, 2015June 18, 2015Posted in Brown Falcon, Werribee River ParkTagged Brown Falcon, Werribee River Park3 Comments

Was down at the Werribee River Park, otherwise known euphemistically as “The Office”.

Happened to wander, (not necessarily accidentally), while looking for a quartet of male Flame Robins, into a Brown Falcon territory. This pair worked around the area last year and were able to fledge two fine looking young birds.

I first heard this one off in the distance, but then noted it was making a run along the tree line directly toward me. Whether intentionally or not, it used the cover of the tree line to get quite close before launching out into the open straight toward me.

Early on in my bird photography career, I used to have the opportunity to photograph a very comfortable pair of Brown Falcons out on the Cumberland grasslands at Woodlands Historic Park. Often they would sit while I approached, or come in for a closer look as I traversed the grasslands. However all that changed when she went to nest, and I’ve some pretty awesome photos of a Brown Falcon that passed overhead so close I could hear her go by. She also on another occasion fly down behind a stand of trees, picked up speed with the wind behind her and belted out of the treeline about head height,(mine not hers), and I have visions still of a brown streak coming at me at around 70+kph. I took the hint and retreated.

Yet once the young were fledged they again went back to being quite relaxed.
So as this one bore down on me, I had a as Yogi Bera was wont to say, “Here comes that De Ja Vu feeling again.” As it approached I was impressed with the bird’s ability to turn its wings and body in the air, and to keep her head level.

It passed by gaining height as it went over my head, turned and I thought for a moment it might ‘stoop’ me as that is their way of dealing with intruders. But, it was a simple one time pass, and the bird streaked away across the paddock.

Awesome.

As I left I found it sitting on a wire fence, completely ignoring me it went about its hunting business. I’m happy with the ignore, and I hope that it might mean a beginning of working with the bird a little more closely. Time will, as they say, will tell.