Malabar Headland – 10 August 2025

After a wet start to the day, I thought that I may get off the bus at Maroubra Beach, and then have to get on another and head home due to rain. But when I arrived at the Beach, the weather looked reasonable, so I decided to keep to my plans to visit Malabar Headland. However, Sue, who I was planning to meet at the beach, had got quite wet earlier and so decided to stay home.

My principal aim of the visit was to photograph Peregrine Falcons, and at this I was reasonably successful. It did rain from time to time during  my stay, but the Headland does offer some shelter in sandstone overhangs.

I walked out, not seeing any raptors. I had been hoping to see the Black-shouldered Kite and, or the Osprey which I had seen on  recent visits while walking in.

I arrived at the Peregrine Falcon cliff area, about noon without spotting any. So I had lunch. Then about 1 pm, I spotted a single Peregrine Falcon perched on a lower ledge.

Then I was distracted by a flock of about six Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoos. Here is one –

I then turned my attention back to the Peregrine Falcon.

Then the second Peregrine Falcon arrived. 

It didn’t stay long.

But, not long after, the first one took off too.

The both had flown towards Boor Point, so I made my way there. I spotted one perched on the cliffs.

It then starts raining. But I could move to small overhang even closer and still lewacth the bird. I could see it was the female.

I thought it might be leaving, but it went to a higher, more sheltered level.

I was ready when it did take off.

A bit later, I located it again, in its original position, on the low ledge. This time I noticed that it been making a scrape in their sand. Would it be nesting here? The spot was certainly sheltered as it had been so wet recently that any likely wet areas would no be wet and dripping.

It then took off –

It circled around and landed in the same spot again. Perhaps it was looking for the male?

I was started by a passing Gannet, and when I looked again, the Peregrine Falcon had taken off and flown away. So I headed back to towards Boora Point. This time I spot both birds. The male is on the right and the female on the left.

The male –

The female –

The male took off first, but away from me.

And then the female took off. Again, away from me.

I did some more looking along the cliffs, but then it looked like a big storm was on the way, so I decided on a slow walk back to Maroubra Beach.

At the landslide area, I spotted one of there Peregrines–

It was the female.

And then it took off. It looked like it had headed off to hunt.