This girl has been a regular to my back yard for almost two years....she answers to my whistle and is quite tame. Towards the end of last year she brought down a couple of her chicks, who have since moved on.
| Term and Conditions | Privacy Statement | Web Support by Gaia Resources Hosted by Serversaurus |  |
WOW! That is amazing. You are so lucky and what a great photo.
Hi Shaka,what a beautiful photo, what an amazing story. (I'm a bit of an "animal whisperer" myself,(horses, dogs,birds etc), but a falcon? Do you think she was a tame bird before she came to your place? In the photo she sits on your gutter,I find that soooo unusual,how did you get her to do this??? And on top of that bring her chicks? Do tell!
M-L
Nice shot of a kestrel Shaka.
Cheers,
al
Central Victoria
https://sites.google.com/site/blackhillreservekyneton/home
I am surprised it took a while to work out it is an Australian Kestrel, which is technically a species of falcon but certainly not a Brown Falcon. So Shaka, does this mean you have been regularly feeding it? Normally birds of prey are rather shy of humans. Why does it come to your yard?
Marie-Louise, you mean you don't know about "my" mate Henry? See my blog entries here.
http://www.amatteroflight.com/wordpress/?p=240
http://www.amatteroflight.com/wordpress/?p=249
I wasn't sure what kind of Falcon it was...from the photographs I saw I thought it was a Brown Falcon, so thanks for the info.
Windhover I've got no idea why it comes to my place...it just showed face one day and after that it started coming back. I think it was encouraged by the food which was put out for my dogs. It does disappear for a week or two from time to time
but lets me know when it's back by emmitting it's shriek.
Shaka
Tanks for the link Akos.I had seen the photos of "Henry", but hadn't read the fascinating story.Hard to find words to describe the relationship between Henry and you, only my favorite word can,"Respect" Now I have a question for you. Twice a week I drive past the Cardinia Reservoir,each time I have seen the same BOP, in flight and landing on a dead tree. I will try to describe it. In flight it looks very much like Square-tailed Kite, it has long spread out ,fairly dark fingers , but his head and chest are very white.(could it be an Osprey? there is the big lake?) When it lands on the tree, it folds the wings back on an angle, as they do diving down, the long fingers pointing backwards. Does any of this help you to have an idea, what it could be?
M-L
I doubt you get Eastern Osprey down your way. Your bird sounds like an immature White-bellied Sea Eagle. Young eagles are brown when they fledge (often confused with Wedge-tailed Eagles) and over about five years obtain the adult plumage of black and white. The BIBY site has a good image here:
http://birdsinbackyards.net/species/Haliaeetus-leucogaster
Actually Marie-Louise also, FYI, the White-bellied Sea Eagle is not a true, booted, eagle, but a kind of kite. At least more related to kites than anything else. We have only two true eagles in Australia; the Wedge-tailed Eagle and Little Eagle. The way to tell these from other raptors is that the true eagles have feathered legs all the way down to the feet! :)
I'm back,(had to put in my bit at work,:-). To start with, I thought of the Sea Eagle, but his tail just looked shorter, and more square. As I have seen him twice in the same tree, I will go back, and try to find him again. Unfortunately the tree is behind fences, and I can't get in. ( there are cattle in there, the only animals I'm scared of!!) I just caught a "baby tigersnake" with a bucket and a board,it now can live in the bush behind us. Hope it remembers, that I saved it, and doesn't come back to bite me when it's grown up!
M-L
great shot Shaka. Beautiful looking bird.
Message to Windhover. Yesterday I went back to the tree, where I last saw the ?? bird. not one, but two sat in the same tree. They are "Sea Eagles", I'm absolutely convinced now, thanks Akos. Seeing them sit there, I could clearly see, the tail is not as long as the Wedge-tailed Eagle's tail. I looked at -raisimulas- Avatar, the BOP look just like it! I just didn't think they would come that far inland. Have a nice day! Marie-Louise
M-L
Good stuff Marie-Louise! :)
White-bellied Sea Eagles will occupy anywhere where there is good water and source of food. We have them in Penrith and beyond! So no surprise there. The Sea Eagle name is a bit misleading in more ways than just saying it is an eagle, which it isn't and it's at the sea, which is not always the case. Gotta love those silly common names.
I am sooo over the moon about the White-bellied, went back today, sat in the car for a looong time, and waited. They didn't turn up. "have to go tomorrow" Hope they'll come! Wish me luck Akos.
M-L
Best of luck Marie-Louise! BTW, Ray Simula's avatar is a Brahminy Kite! :)
Can I sit in the corner for some time now? Mine are White-bellied though,Brahminy Kites we don't get down here.(???) This is not my best day.....
M-L
This was the latest snap I took of 'my Kestrel' about three weeks ago....she took off a couple of days later and I haven't seen hide nor hair of her since.....bit of a void in my daily routine now. - Shaka