Wedge-tailed Eagle, a bit relaxed on a hot afternoon near Alice Springs

The title says it all really, I hope you enjoy the photos.

Wedge-tailed Eagle

Wedge-tailed Eagles along the Tanami Road

I had been wondering where the Wedge-tailed Eagles were hanging out, as I hadn't seen one for quite a while heading out via Glen Helen towards Papunya. So, one week recently I decided to head up the Tanami Road, not to llok for Wedgies specifically, more for a change of scenery.

The first pair I came across were quite close to the road, one on a roadkill about 5 metres from the road and the other off the road a bit more, probably 15 metres from the road. I then noticed a third one soaring above. Generally it is the crows that make me aware of the possibility a Wedgie could be around as they are the birds that spread from the roadside first. On this occasion, there weren't any crows around, but the one by the roadside was moving on the carcass. I slowed, then stopped. The sun was still rising behind me. The golden hour. Time to try to get out of the car without disturbing the birds. Door open. Foot outside the car. Open the door wider. Camera in hand. Stand up to exit the car completely. Still the birds hadn't moved. Closed the door gently. Still there. Looking wary. Camera starts to come up ..... and there goes the close one. I looked across towards the second one on the ground, still there. I moved around behind the car and managed to get a few photos.

Wedge-tailed Eagle

I then continued driving, and saw another lone Wedgies sitting in a tree, again, the sun was still rising behind me. More photos.

I did see 5 more birds that morning, 9 in total, another couple and another threesome. All of the birds were within 15 kilometres, between the first sighting and the last. I thought this was interesting as generally I would see them further apart, but probably this was where the food was, so this is where they were. I didn't see any more roadkill after the initial threesome location, but it was lovely to see these majestic birds once more in the wild.

Wedge-tailed Eagles - the Royal Family of the birding world in the Centre

Wedge-tailed Eagles are so majestic. As the sun starts baking the earth in Central Australia, the roadkill becomes more prevalent, and so do the sightings of these magnificent birds.

Here are a few recent Wedge-tailed Eagle photos.

A Wedgie on the stare, Chats, Brown Falcon and a gorgeous Central-netted Dragon

There is a young Wedge-tailed Eagle hanging around Papunya at the moment. It gave me a couple of parallel flybys then swung out and headed straight for me. With the reduction of distance due to the camera lens, even though it was still a fair distance away, I did find myself moving backwards. This was one of a few birds around today, but tomorrow may be quieter as a large dust and wind storm has blown through late today. Hopefully the weather will be a bit cooler as the temperature gauge in the car for outside read 50 degrees Celsius before the storm hit. The car was in the sun and out of the wind, but that is still just a bit warmer than I would prefer, and I'm sure the wildlife would agree.

Wedge-tailed Eagle

Brown Falcon

Crimson Chat

Orange Chat

Rufous Whistler

Central-netted Dragon

Birds of Prey Bonanza - photos

Over the past week I have been very fortunate to see and observe a number of Birds of Prey.

Apart from the Grey Falcon experience I mentioned in the previous post, the area west of Alice Springs has been a BoP watcher’s paradise. From the sheer awe of a close-up encounter with a Wedge-tailed Eagle, the exhilaration of hearing the whoosh of a Black Falcon swooping prey only ten feet away, the variety of “sentry” alarm calls echoing across the “killing fields”, to the gentle soaring of a Black-breasted Buzzard and the almost trance-like slow flapping of the Spotted Harrier. The speed demons – Peregrine Falcon and Australian Hobby, the stealth of the Brown Goshawk and the Collard Sparrowhawk, and the hover-crafters – the Nankeen Kestrel and the Black-shouldered Kite. The Whistling and Black Kites, common but still delightful to watch and hear, and finally the inquisitive Little Eagle. All in a week. All different. All inspiring. All large (in bird terms) and generally easy to spot in the sky.

The following is a range of photographs I’ve managed over the past week. I hope you enjoy,

Wedge-tailed Eagle

 Australian Hobby

Black Falcon

Black-breasted Buzzard

Brown Falcon

Brown Goshawk

Collared Sparrowhawk

Little Eagle

Nankeen Kestrel with 9 Willie Wagtails

Spotted Harrier

 Whistling Kite