I went to the park this morning, it was sunny and I was thinking I might get some more blackbird photos on the way to my studio. When I got there I scanned the vast expanse of green and not one blackbird could I see. Strange! Then I looked up in the elms an there was a large brown bird that resembled a small hawk. I got closer and it appeared to be a falcon but who would believe there'd be a falcon in the middle of a suburban park. Through my zoom I decided it most definitely WAS a falcon. Small and not as brightly coloured as others I've seen but it had the right shape and distinctive dark eye bands. It seemed quite relaxed and not at all worried by me. Something caught its eye and it swooped silently down and landed in the middle of the park near some bushes. Maybe there was a mouse in there but it circled on the ground peering into the dry leaves. I got quite close and it still didn't seem phased. It flew into a nearby silver birch where it began preening. It was only about fifteen feet above the ground and I got some cool photos before I filled my memory card. Damn. Ran back to the car, grabbed a new card and returned to take two more pics before it flew silently away. After talking to a friend who lives nearby I found out there have been three resident falcons during the last couple of years. He thought them to be two adults and one offspring. If thats the case I think it was the younger one I saw today.
My Huia painting is coming on ok. Still a fair way to go with it but its an enjoyable piece to work on.
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