Collared Sparrowhawk at Redbank Waterhole

Another short stop off at Redbank Waterhole was mind-blowing. There must have been well over 1000 Zebra Finches and a lot of Budgies although not as numerous. Other birds there included Sacred Kingfisher, Black-fronted Dotterel, Rainbow Bee-eater, Grey Shrike-thrush, White-plumed Honeyeaters, Yellow-faced Miners, Red-tailed Black Cockatoos, Pacific Black Duck and Grey Teal, as well as Black Kites, Whistling Kites and the one that really caught my eye, mainly because it was so close, and had upset the budgies and finches, was the Collared Sparrowhawk.
I was sitting by the bank, trying to get a photo of lots of budgies drinking from the water. I had been nice and still for about 10 minutes, and the Zebra Finches didn't seem to mind me as they sat on the bush over my left shoulder, almost touching distance away. The budgies had been circling the water quite a few times and had nestled in a tree opposite me. Finally they decided to come down for a drink, alas a bush in front of me spoilt my view, but rather than get up and move I hoped they would move along and I would get my photo. Before that opportunity arose, Zebra Finches and Budgerigars scattered everywhere, and noisily. I took my eyes away from the camera and saw movement to my left. At first I thought it was one of the Rainbow Bee-eaters who had been sitting in the same tree 5 minutes earlier, but then when I looked I was thrilled to see a Collared Sparrowhawk sitting about 15 metres away. I had seen either a Brown Goshawk or a Collared Sparrowhawk yesterday at Uluru, but now I knew yesterdays bird was a Brown Goshawk and the one before me was a Collared Sparrowhawk - much smaller. For those of you who read this blog on a semi-regular basis will know I love my Birds of Prey. And this one was no different. Although I felt I could possibly get better shots if I moved, I was a bit awestruck by this magnificent bird, and stayed put: