Black Falcon Nesting in Lockyer Valley

Black Falcon

Black Falcon is a rare bird in south-east Queensland and nesting records are especially sparse.

Black Falcon

So I was happy to find a pair of Black Falcons nesting in a tall eucalypt on private property near Lake Clarendon in the Lockyer Valley, about an hour's drive west of Brisbane.

I first noted a single bird soaring above the trees when it was joined by a second. Both falcons then landed on the nest.

Black Falcon

The first bird departed, leaving the other sitting tightly on the nest for an hour or so, when I left. The falcon was generally obscured but at one point in emerged partially, allowing these images to be taken. It's difficult to be sure but in some of these pictures the downy head tops of two nestlings appear to be showing.

POSTSCRIPT: It appears this breeding event was successful. Two fully fledged juveniles were seen at this site, along with their parents, on November 9 by Tom Tarrant, Gopi Singaravel, Raja Stephenson and Nikolas Haass: http://www.eremaea.com/BirdlineRecentSightings.aspx?Birdline=7.
.

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet

Plenty of parrots and pigeons were in the vicinity.

Common Bronzewing

I called it at a property I formerly owned at the foot of Mt Hallam, where several Common Bronzewings were hanging about.

Australian Hobby

Other raptors about in the Lockyer Valley included this Australian Hobby, 3 Spotted Harriers, 3 Swamp Harriers and 200+ Black Kites.

Yellow-rumped Thornbill

In a patch of woodland in the area I couldn't resist playing around with a couple of thornbills.

Yellow-rumped Thornbill