New Zealand Falcon

I have been watching this Falcon for several weeks. It has been hanging around our pine trees, and quite often flies in to sit on bird boxes and power poles around our Cowshed. Milking this morning, I noticed it on the power pole, but unfortunately I again didn't have my camera with me.

I had already put my photo on blip today (a farm photo), when I received a phone call from Farmerboy, who said that the Falcon was on a fencepost, near the house, eating what we thought was either a mouse or a bird. I grabbed my camera, quickly changed my lens,expecting the bird to have flown away by the time I got myself organised. You could probably imagine my excitement when I got out to the paddock to see that the bird was still there! I got as close as I could, and took a number of photo's of it eating.

The New Zealand falcon (Karearea), also known as Sparrow Hawk, Bush Hawk, is a fast-flying raptor that is endemic to New Zealand (that is found only in NZ). They have been fully protected in New Zealand since 1970.

Have a look at this bird on large - it is rather impressive!

I have to apologise to Rainie and HiliarysView, who had already commented on the first blip that I had put on today. I can put a photo of the farm on any day, but may not be fortunate enough to get another photo of a Falcon!