Malabar Headland – 14 October 2019 – New Fledglings!

Over three last few months I have done quite a number of visits to Malabar Headland National Park. One of the primary reasons was to photographically document the Peregrine Falcons. I had done the same thing last year, and saw one chick successfully raised and fledged. This year I had seen the adult Peregrine Falcons reunite at the same nest area, and also seen them mating. I had seen the adult birds keep other possible predator birds away from their nest area, so hoped there were some chicks on the way. The adult birds have chosen a typical nest area – on cliffs that face north east, in a protected cave that is not visible from any clifftop position. So you have to wait to see if any eggs hatch and if chicks manage to survive.

Last season, I had seen a single chick make an appearance about his time on a ledge connected to their scrape (Peregrine Falcon nest). Shortly after the chick had fledged. Soon after the mother took it away from the nest area where it was tutored in flying and hunting. The east part of Malabar Headland National Park had recently been closed due to a shooting festival in the adjacent rifle range, so this was the first opportunity to make a visit for a while.

So the usual bus trip to Maroubra Beach and then a walk out along the track to the Headland. On the walk in I spotted some Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos. Here is one –

Close to the National Park entrance, I spotted my first raptor – a Nankeen Kestrel hunting for food. Here are some photos –

I think this Raven was trying to copy the Kestrel –

There were also a number of Superb Fairy-wrens around.

And the wildflowers were very nice. The Flannel Flowers were out, and they are always the home to a lot of insects.

And the Slender Onion Orchids –

I then arrived at the Peregrine Falcon nesting area, and soon spotted a Falcon perched in one of the usual spots. But when I got closer I saw that it was a chick. It could only get to that ledge by flying, so it must have fledged sometime during the park closure.

This was nice to see! I waited to see if it would take off. It did eventually.

I also noted one of the parents was flying overhead.

The fledgling flew down to the nest area and disappeared out of sight. I moved to ledge which would give me a view if it wandered along that way from the nest area. When I looked down I was startled to see the chick and a sibling.

I started taking some photos, and was then astonished further. A third chick was joining them.

This was truly great to witness. Three chicks had been successfully raised. Now I wondered if they all had fledged? The answer turned out to be yes. But I had to wait to find out.

One took off and then flew with one of its parents. It was short flight and it soon returned.

Then I took some photos of the other two as they watched one of their parents fly past –

I thought it was time to let the birds have some peace, so I wandered around to the south side of the headland.

On a post, I spotted my third species of raptor for the day – a magnificent Black-shouldered Kite. It was perched on a pole. I waited nearly half an hour in case it took-off, but it didn’t.

I then made my way back to the Peregrine Falcons. Here are some more photos of them taking off and flying with parents –

A parent and one of the fledgelings in a cave –

One of the other chicks makes series of dives close to where they are perched. It was showing off its flying skills.

The chick in the cave is eating. The parent must have provided it with food.

I had taken quite a few photos and had forgotten to bring my spare camera a battery. So I left the area earlier than I would have liked. One the way back to the Beach, I spotted a Sea Eagle cruising out to where the fledgling where. I hoped they would be OK. I would find out the next day.