Wedge-tailed Eagle overhead
Yesterday morning I took a short five minute break from my studies. I thought I’d go for a short walk up our long driveway. A quick glance at the sky – a common enough action for me – revealed an eagle not far away. I raced back inside to grab the binoculars. There was a Wedge-tailed Eagle soaring overhead.
Camera. Grab the camera was my next thought – I don’t have a photo of a WTE in my collection yet. (The photo shown on this page was taken by my son.) As I raced outside again I discovered that the batteries in the camera were flat. Change the batteries. The next set was also flat. The third set worked – but by then the bird had flown away. That’d be right. Never mind.
Wedge-tailed Eagles are widespread in our area but are not all that common. In over 20 years I have only once before recorded this species on my Home Block list and, like this one, was soaring high overhead. It would be a significant day if one landed on our block or in a tree in our garden.
Wedge Tailed Eagle - Healesville Sanctuary
Great Birding Moments # 33: Collared Sparrowhawk
14 Comments »28th January, 2008; Category: Eagles Hawks and Kites, Garden birds, Great Birding Moments
Collared Sparrowhawk
Whenever I hear the alarm calls of the birds in our garden, especially the honeyeaters, I look skywards. I usually expect to see a bird of prey soaring overhead. Sometimes it turns out to be a Black Kite or a Little Eagle. At other times it will be a Brown Falcon sneaking through the lower trees trying to catch an unwary smaller bird.
Collared Sparrowhawk
Several days ago I was watching the Test Cricket (Australia v. India) on television. I heard the usual alarm calls outside and raced out into the garden armed with my camera. I was rewarded with closeup photos of a juvenile Collared Sparrowhawk. This species looks very similar to the juvenile Brown Goshawk – except for the size. Both species occur in our area. This one was definitely a Collared Sparrowhawk because it was about the size of an Australian Magpie.
Collared Sparrowhawk
Collared Sparrowhawks are found throughout most of Australia. Their preferred habitats include forests, woodlands, inland scrubs and farmlands. Their breeding season ranges from August through to December, so this one could well be from last year’s breeding season.
Collared Sparrowhawk
Click on any photo to enlarge the image.
Further reading:
- Early morning walk and a bird of prey – also featuring another photo of this species.
- Great Birding Moments – more highlights from my birding experiences.
Collared Sparrowhawk
Another new bird for my district list
I received a tip off from a fellow birder that a bird I hadn’t seen for some time had been seen in the local wetlands just five minutes drive from home. I had some business to attend to in the business section of town so I took the opportunity to do some birding on my way home.
I written before about the Rocky Gully Wetlands area here in Murray Bridge in South Australia. It is usually a fruitful place to stop for a few minutes just to see what is around. I was not disappointed. IN about thirty minutes of birding I managed to list 27 species, including Common Sandpiper, a new bird for my Murray Bridge and district list. I have seen it elsewhere but this was a first her for me. I forgot to take the camera, but I don;t think I would have been able to approach close enough anyway.
Other notable sighting included good views of Superb Blue Wrens, about a dozen Black Winged Stilts and some fine Chestnut Teals. I also had excellent views from the bird hide of two Nankeen Kestrels sitting on a sign. One was obviously a juvenile for it kept begging food from the other. The adult bird flew off for a few minutes and returned with what looked like a mouse. It then proceeded to feed the young one.
Further reading:
- A new bird for my district list – Little Wattlebird
- Black Swans at Rocky Gully Wetlands
- Rocky Gully Wetlands, Murray Bridge
Australian Pelicans, Rocky Gully Wetlands
What is your hobby?
13 Comments »25th July, 2007; Category: Eagles Hawks and Kites
I’ve just returned from my daily walk.
Actually, “daily” is a bit of a misnomer. I should be going for a daily walk for the good of my health. Too often it is more like a weekly walk, though I have been good over the last week or so, especially during our short holiday in Robe last week. More of that in another post.
As I was approaching home I saw an Australian Hobby sitting quietly on a dead branch of a mallee tree on the roadside. It seemed to be posing just for me, and stayed there as I walked by. It probably knew instinctively that I’d left the camera home!
I’ve always puzzled over the name “hobby” for this species. An alternative name, “Little Falcon” seems so much more apt. Can any of my readers throw any light on why or how the “hobby” part of the name came into being?
Sadly – I do not yet have a photo of this species to share with you.
UPDATE: There have been many comments left below in the comments section about this topic. Some of the comments were posted to the Birding Aus forum.
Whistling Kite at Swanport Reserve, Murray Bridge
Whistling Kite
A few days ago we had a picnic lunch at Swanport Reserve. This reserve is about a ten minute drive from home. It is about five kilometres south of the CBD of Murray Bridge. This pleasant reserve is a favourite of many locals for ‘picnics, barbecues, fishing and it has become one of my favourite birding spots.
Whistling Kite
This is one very reliable place to see Whistling Kites, as shown in the photos on this page. Come to think of it, Whistling Kites are found all along the River Murray. They are also present throughout most of Australia in suitable habitat. Their preferred habitat seems to be near watercourses, lakes, estuaries, swamps and open forests. Its distinctive (and diagnostic?) whistling call is a common sound in rural areas of Australia. Here I must give a note of warning: Black Kites sometimes give a similar whistling call, albeit somewhat more muted and not as frequent nor as shrill.
Whistling Kite
I am still having some trouble taking photos of flying birds. The one above of a soaring Whistling Kite is not as sharp as I would like, but it is the best of a bad lot. Significant though is the diagnostic underwing patterns of the feathers, and so it is worth showing. One day I need to spend a few hours practising taking photos of moving birds. If any of my readers have hints on doing this, please leave a comment.
Click on the photo to enlarge the images.