Tag: Brown Falcon

Bird of a Brown Land

by Russell Jenkins, posted in Uncategorized
Brown Falcon

Falco berigora

West of Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia

2014
Here are three different Brown Falcons that I saw with Rod Hobson in 2014 and in August 2015.

Brown Falcons are the most common large falcons found in Australia. I’m not a fan of their bland name though, as I think they are more beautiful than just “Brown Falcon” implies. Over the years I have seen incredible variations of this species especially in central Queensland. I have seen very pale, sandy coloured birds, one or two like large kestrels. I have also seen all black birds like Black Falcons and red-barred birds that had me running down the street screaming “Red Goshawk”. When I was photographing one flying around with a large snake (Altona, Victoria 1990s) I was attacked by its mate. They appear to fly with less zest than other falcons but I believe they are pretty aggressive hunters too. I have watched them in serious dogfights with other falcons and raptors such as harriers.
I think they are true spirits of the Australian landscape and are dramatic and variable. I think they would be better named, “Australian Falcon”. What do you think? 

(this is the above bird in flight and below)

Another Brown Falcon west of Toowoomba, 2014. As well as the three shots below.

We encountered this Brown Falcon north-east of Toowoomba this August (2015).
Maybe Flagstone Creek Road.

Guardians of Westgate Park

by Russell Jenkins, posted in Uncategorized

Brown Falcon

launching from a stone sculpture with the

Westgate Bridge in the background.

Westgate Park, Port Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

1990s

Here are some photos from the Kodak Photo CD made on May 13, 1999. All these shots were at Westgate Park, Port Melbourne in the 1990s. I don’t know why I wanted these scanned. I think they had landmarks. I often visited the park in the 1990s as it was the best place to find raptors near the Melbourne CBD. 

I have many nice memories and loads of negatives and slides. Nothing worth hanging on the wall but I think I have some nice historical records for the end of the century. 

Apart from these pictures I also remember photographing a Spotted Harrier having a dogfight with a Whistling Kite in the middle of a 45C day. Who in their right mind would be out birding then?

I also had a close encounter with a young Black Falcon cutting through the park (winter). Well out of its recorded area but I’d been photographing them a week earlier in Queensland and felt they were following me around.

I watched a Nankeen Kestrel grab an Indian Myna in flight and the two cart-wheeled to the ground. I got two shots of it. It would be nice to find them. The birds disappeared behind a hedge in a business property next to the park so I couldn’t go in. Neither bird appeared again, leaving me to imagine the outcome.

Other raptors included, Australian Hobby (regular), Brown Goshawk – I watched being chased away by a team of Black-shouldered Kite and Peregrine Falcon (on one occasion), Collared Sparrowhawk, and Swamp Harrier. 

Pretty cool for a major urban environment!

Little Eagle

Fox

and

Australian White Ibis

Flocking

by Russell Jenkins, posted in Uncategorized
Black Falcons rounding up Feral Pigeons (Rock Dove)

North-west of Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia

as seen with Kevin Williams!!

am March 28, 2013

Been so busy lately but wanted to upload these images. Hope to have time to read other blogs soon.

Thanks for visiting.

Black Falcon

…and late one afternoon a couple of days later >

A Sulphur-crested Cockatoo launches as flocks of birds stir with the arrival of some raptor.

Late afternoon, Near Quinalow, Queensland, a few days after watching the Black Falcons.

Galahs

A couple of Little Corellas following the flock

I saw buckets of birds flocking but only two kestrels were soaring.
A Brown Falcon then appeared

Lots of Little Corellas everywhere but realised after I downloaded
 my pics that this looks like a Long-billed Corella.