Grey Falcon (Falco (Falco) hypoleucos), Lake Pinaroo, Sturt National Park, NSW, Australia
© David Cook
We're just back from a round trip that took in Mutawintji National Park, Sturt National Park, Cameron Corner, Innamincka, Lyndhurst and Gluepot Reserve. Our primary target was this bird, the Grey Falcon, having looked for it for years all over northern and central Australia. On a particularly hot and windy day we were lucky enough to find a pair of GFs on the shore of Lake Pinaroo. Having seen something that looked interesting from about 500m away through my binoculars, we snuck up quietly and were rewarded with two Grey Falcons, which were in the process of dismembering a Whiskered Tern on the ground - they were down behind a log so we could get reasonably close to them without being detected. They then flew up into a tree, allowing good views (and photos), but eventually flew away across the lake when we tried to get a bit closer. A magic experience, one we'll never forget!
Photo taken on 16 Oct 2013
Photograph location coordinates are -29.08645:141.22485.