Thursday, September 25, 2014

Peregrine Falcon rips into highway prey

Go to a big city where Rock Pigeons flock and you may find Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) nesting on skyscraper ledges but morning encounter near Ingham falls into category of rare sightings.


Bird was ripping into Masked Lapwing beside the highway hard by local airstrip. No way of knowing if the dead bird was a direct kill or road victim. Note blood and feathers on talons.


Same morning and another rarity: first local sighting by me of Black-chinned Honeyeater (Melithreptus gularis). Trying now to see whether the species has just popped in for fleeting visit or might be spreading along the coast.




Elsewhere, female Sacred Kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus) comes up with fish and insects from Mungalla Station pool and surrounds.


And female Blue-winged Kookaburra (Dacelo leachii) does a bit of scowling at Orient Station. 

2 comments:

John Kooistra said...

Terrific images once again Tony. Thanks for sharing.

Tyto Tony said...

Nature shares with me and I'm luckil;y able to share in turn.

Head up for dragonfly, head off for fish head . . .

One moment it's dragonfly trying to dance on White-bellied Sea-Eagle's head, the next it's all go for fisher's discarded fis...