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Friday, 4 May 2012

Black-breasted Buzzards and Wedge-tailed Eagles

Drove back to Alice Springs via the Barkly and Stuart Highways from Alpurrurulam and had encounters with these majestic birds of prey.

The both birds were completely absent until I pulled onto the Stuart Highway and then they became the more frequent birds being observed, although the Whistling Kites may have something to say about my observations.

The first was the Black-breasted Buzzard. I have been spoilt in one of my first encounters with one of these at Easter last year down at Uluru, and have been looking for another one sitting in a tree by the side of the road. These ones were circling and soaring above the highway, the first has a budgie as its prey in its feet (normally this would stop me posting photos, but there are so many of the bidgerigars around it is little wonder I haven't seen this more often), and the second (last two photos below) was a bit higher up from the road:







After the B-bBs, I stumbled across I think the family of the Wedge-tailed Eagle I had seen on Monday. In all, there were 5 of them, all scavenging this measly piece of carrion on the highway. I imagine I was there for the final sitting. I took photos of a couple of them sitting in trees, one on each side of the road:






Happy Birding!

1 comment:

  1. WOW!
    Eagles are so attractive!
    Beautiful series of pics, here, Richard!
    And if I may show a preference it is for the second Wedge-tailed Eagle pic! I would have been sooooo proud to take it!
    Congratulations!

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