Black-shouldered Kite

G'day everyone,
I just wanted to share with you all about a great couple of hours I had on Friday afternoon at Long Reef Golf course.
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I went down there after work to head out on the reef to watch the migratory waders. Mostly we get Red-necked Stints, Ruddy Turnstone's, Pacific Golden Plovers, Grey-tailed Tattlers, Sootie's, as well as the usual assortment of Tern's, Cormorants, Reef Herons etc.
Anyway, the tide was in too much to hazard a walk out to the tip of the reef, so a look in the bino's showed up 15 Sootie's, a few Crested Terns and some Gulls. Unfortunately, all the waders were tucked out of view for me to see.
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No worries I thought, I'll just head back to DY Lagoon and get some Heron, Ibis or Spoonbill shots instead.
So after trudging up the hill, I watched the Welcome Swallows gracefully ride the air currents up the sides of the cliffs. These guys were awesome to watch. They reminded me of Peregrine Falcons the way that they rode the currents and allowed the currents to push them through the air, doing very little wing flapping as they glided and flitted up and down the cliff face. At times they would almost stop, then with just a turn of their wings, they would shoot off like a bullet. For all intents and purposes, they looked to be surfing the air currents, like the people out in the waves. Very graceful to watch.
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Anyway, after about 20mins, I headed down the track and came across 3 Australian Pipit's.
Awesome! I've been wanting to get an updated shot with the new camera. So approx 30 mins later, after enduring enquisitive looks from both the golfers and the people enjoying their afternoon walk, I decided to head on my way.
A little down the track, some welcome swallows were perched on a small wire just begging to be photographed! No worries, who am I to deny them? :^) After a bit, the 15 or so Swallows were joined by a group of Starlings about the same size, when all of a sudden all the birds went nuts and took off in all directions at once! Cool, it must be a bird of prey overhead!
Maybe it was the Osprey I saw earlier. Nope, couldn't see it. After about 10 mins I saw a bird on the other side of the course getting harrased by 3 Magpie-larks.
After a bit it turned my way and I could make it out as a Black-shouldered Kite! Fantastic!! I haven't seen one of these on the Northern Beaches before! So I promptly forget my rule of 'never ever go on the golf course' and chased after this guy as he/she perched atop a tree in the middle of the course.
I made it up to the tree and clicked away, whilst answering the curious golfers questions about the mysterious bird in the tree at the same time.
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It only stayed for about 5 mins before heading off and looping around the golf course and then headed off west trying to gain elevation off the thermals. But that was pretty awesome. And to top if off I saw one of the Peregrine Falcons doing the rounds just as I was leaving. With the Osprey, Falcon and Kite, as well as the Kestrels, Wedgies and Sea-Eagles visiting that place, no wonder the rabbit population has gone done considerably.

The kite was sitting atop a smallish tree, probably not even as high as the top of a telegraph pole. And below it was a 3 foot mound of dirt that allowed me to get a little bit more height. It was just one of those moments when opportunity, light and subject all seemed to come together. Needless to say, I was stoked with the afternoon's birdwatching.