An awesome sight
Hanging the washing out on the clothes line is often a very interesting birding time. It has the advantage of casting one’s eyes skywards and I have frequently been delighted with the sightings I’ve made during this otherwise mundane household chore.
Yesterday morning was one of those awesome moments not easily forgotten. I heard the alarm call of the resident New Holland Honeyeaters; this always prompts me to quickly scan the sky for any birds of prey lurking around.
I was just quick enough to see the final stages of the stoop of a Peregrine Falcon, wings swept right back, as it swept low over the trees heading for a small group of Common Starlings. I couldn’t see if it caught its breakfast.
The traffic past our property travels at about 80kph. This bird was going at least twice that speed.
What an awesome sight!
Pity I wasn’t quick enough to race inside, get the camera and take a photo.
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May 6th, 2008 at 10:09 am
Sadly these things happen in a flash, don’t they? A couple of years ago, I was travelling from Launceston back to Hobart after some meeting or other, when an Australian Hobby flasked across the road in front of me (I was doing 100/110), caught a Sparrow just about right in front, and then took off at speed with its dinner. All over in a split second.
May 7th, 2008 at 9:06 am
And that begs the question - how did you possibly manage to keep your composure and drive on safely????
It must ave been one of those: “WOW -DID YOU SEE THAT?” moments.
May 7th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Sadly, I was the only one in the car - and I almost didn’t drive on safely, but I was doing 100/110 on the Midlands Highway (Highway 1), so couldn’t even stop quickly. It was all over before it had begun!