The backstory:
Thanks to the combination of coastal cliffs and wide-open, grassy spaces/scrub around my area, I usually have no problem spotting kestrels whenever I'm out and about. For the last couple of years I've gone for a wander in the nearby conservation/recreation or along some of the more secluded roads and had no trouble getting some really satisfying photos of them going about their business. To a lesser extent, the black shouldered kites are usually around, too.
I'm not sure if it's a seasonal thing (hasn't seemed that way in the past couple of summers), but they've been really scarce here since Spring. One or two sightings only. So in the past few weeks I've gone out looking a bit more often.
Still no kestrels to be found, but the other raptors don't seem to have budged. Not my best photography, but a couple of firsts and surprises:
I spotted my first Australian Hobby down at Hallett Cove:
Not a "Best Photo" candidate, really, but it's the best I have so far! Until next time.
The BSKs are certainly still around and seem to have muscled in on some of the kestrel territory. A little surprised to see this one still sporting immature plumage this late in the Summer.
The Sparrowhawks are out in force, it seems. Have seen at least 3 individuals in the past week. They seem to prefer hiding in the denser trees so they're a bit harder to spot and I'm sure I've passed them by on numerous occasions.
The suprise packet: this one was actually photographed passing directly over my backyard, so that technically qualifies for the forum theme, right? Haha. A brown falcon. At first I thought it was a kite due to the underwing patterning, then it wheeled about and I did a real double-take. Complete fluke I was mucking about with the camera gear at the time so I could quickly grab it from inside and get a couple of fairly rubbishy shots to ID it! Wouldn't have expected to see one around here, but there's plenty of habitat to suit it when I think about it.
And yet, no kestrels. I hope it's just some rotten luck, because I'm starting to miss them. It's been nice to see what else is around in the neighbourhood, though, given that this is still a pretty densely populated area.
Great story detritus and lovely set of photos. Enjoyed reading it. Hope the Kestrels have come back. Any idea why they would have gone?
Thanks. Not the most compelling bit of prose, I'll admit, but I am ever so slightly put out by their absence. I can't see any really obvious reason for them to have vamoosed.
There are a few which have been somewhat permanent residents along the boardwalk at the Hallett Cove CP and I know the foot traffic in that area has been increasing over the last year or two (the (excellent) local cafe has undergone an expansion and the area is apparently a bit of a tourist hotspot for scenic walks within the city area. On top of that, the current health fad means a lot of people are jogging/walking along there every morning and evening, but that's always been the case). There's no shortage of food, and the kites have always shared this area with them.
Case in point: one of many rodents nabbed by the kites the other night, in what is usually a shared/kestrel-friendly area.
Maybe they're just shifting around. They were definitely in the area in the spring, so maybe a newer generation has ventured a bit further off. There's plenty of good habitat around, but the human activity is the only thing I can think that would make them shy away from their precious cliffs.
Not one of the great mysteries of our time. Just one man's time being wasted before and after work, haha.
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Mike
https://flic.kr/ps/aF4bq
Great shots! I especially like the first BSK one and the lighting of the Hobby one as well.
Ryu
Canberra
Aiming for DSLR-quality shots with a bridge camera
Nice shots it must be cool to have all of those birds of prey around.
Detritus, a friend of mine lives at Pt Willunga south of you & reported that 2015 was an extremely dry year for him with only 325 mm falling into his gauge. Could this dryness have extended north to you &, if so, could it have affected the amount of prey available?
I've noticed that where I live on the s.e. slopes of the Mt Lofty Ranges in SA that after our revegetation matured the number & appearances of Nankeen Kestrels & Black-shouldered Kites dropped dramatically due, presumably, to their preferred habitat of open grassland having diminished. Could there have been a change in the vegetation in your area?
Thanks! The BSK is probably the only one I'd really hang my hat on, but when it comes to those first sightings, I'll take whatever I can get! The first Sparrowhawk shot seems to work for me, too. Something about the colours, lighting and patterns in the branches that appeals to me, even if it's not a great "bird photo". A bit of context is nice. The hobby shot is just too much of a crop, but I don't like to leave the paths in the conservation parks so it was as close as I could get. The light has been beautiful just before sunset, though!
It sure is, though I'd never really thought of this area as being a raptor haven. I'm glad there's this many on offer, but I'd gone a couple of years without seeing some of these species, so I think I probably got a bit lucky lately. Most of the habitat the raptors prefer is not accessible by the general public so it's luck of the draw when they decide to make themselves visible.
This would make good sense, but I don't think it's the case. Or certainly not the whole cause. It hasn't been that dry here and I don't think the open areas have much less vegetation than usual. A hotter Summer than usual, certainly, but there's been a fair bit of rain and the grass etc is as dense as ever. Maybe the insect population has somehow suffered a bit. The kestrels seem to hunt small lizards and big juicy bugs moreso than rodents. Maybe everything looks normal on the surface, but the smaller prey have proven more susceptible to a hotter summer and the kestrels have gone off looking for them. I'm certainly no expert!
As a matter of fact, it was your post about the NH Honeyeaters that got me really thinking, "Wait a moment... there's something missing around here, too!".
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Mike
https://flic.kr/ps/aF4bq
Since the rain the New Holland Honeyeaters are back in some force, detritus.
Cracking photos mate, love the BSK in flight
Dont take life too seriously, it never ends well
Excellent photos ... those are beauties of the hobby and sparrowhawks. Hope your kestrels return soon.
Glad to hear it. May the kestrels do likewise!
Cheers! Pretty happy with that one, too!
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Mike
https://flic.kr/ps/aF4bq
Great set of photographs and an interesting read. I've just returned from Norfolk Island where the Nankeen Kestrel population has become an established predator on the now fragile and defenseless population of local species.
Samford Valley Qld.
Thanks for looking and reading! I shouldn't be surprised, but would have thought Norfolk Island was a little isolated for NKs to have moved there of their own volition. They'd be pretty well adapted to eating whatever is small and vulnerable anywhere they wind up, I imagine.
Doubt that's where my local ones have gone off to, mind you. Maybe I had it all wrong and they're on holiday! hah
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Mike
https://flic.kr/ps/aF4bq
Nice collection Mike,
Not sure about your area but in Canberra the Kestrels have been breeding and are not seen as much, unless you know where they are.
Shorty......Canon gear
Canberra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/
Cheers. That would be a very acceptable reason for their absence from view. Here's hoping.
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Mike
https://flic.kr/ps/aF4bq
Nice variety of Raptors there Detritus. You have sparked my interest to head down for a look soon. :-)
Haven't been down for about 12 months but at that time it was really only Nankeen Kestrels.
Good backdrops for your photos down that way as well.
I dunno if I'd consider it worth going out of your way for, given the area and variety of birdlife you cover in your travels. Nothing special to see here that can't be found everywhere else ;). Just handily local for me...
Wanna trade it for the Coorong?!
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Mike
https://flic.kr/ps/aF4bq
Awesome photos , especially the top 3. The BSK with mouse is great.
Barney.
Thanks, Barney. It's a pity I only ever seem to see the BSKs take prey after dusk. Funny end to this story is that the mouse went missing somewhere in the landing process. The kite flew to a nearby pole to perch alongside its mate... I never really broke eye contact with the bird while sneaking a bit closer, but never saw what became of the mouse. Seemed like it was either scarfed down mid-flight, or was dropped or lost while landing. I couldn't figure it out.
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Mike
https://flic.kr/ps/aF4bq