This American Robin lookalike was first described from the Falkland Islands and was given the name Turdus falcklandii, but recently it has been lumped with the South American Austral Thrush, aka Magellan Thrush (T.f.magellanicus). So it is now the nominate subspecies of Austral Thrush, that differs in being larger and more richly coloured buff on the underparts. I photographed this one foraging on the strandline on Saunders Island.
Tags: Turdus falcklandii Falklands Magellan Thrush Falkland Islands Tim Melling
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I am fortunate to live close to the Peak District population of Goshawks so I see them fairly frequently, well in spring at least, when they are displaying. But they are wary birds, and usually fly off if anyone gets too close. So this is only the second time I have managed to photograph a perched bird. Most photographs of perched Goshawks are taken at baited hides, which is fine, but it's a route I have chosen not to go down as I prefer to use my own knowledge and skills to secure photo-opportunities. This young bird landed in a quite near Beech tree, but was distracted by the presence of another Goshawk so was calling loudly.
Tags: Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis juvenile Peak District Tim Melling
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Kelp Gulls (Larus dominicanus), sometimes known as Dominican Gulls breed on islands and headlands around the south of the planet. I saw them with young chicks right down in Antarctica, which is where I photographed this. I don't generally like such frame-filling bird photographs but this was taken with a prime lens from a Zodiac so I didn't have much choice. With all of the geographically inappropriate names you might think that this was named after Dominica in the Caribbean, but it was actually named after Dominican (aka Jacobin) Friars who wore black and white habits. I have photographed Kelp Gulls several times but the only photos I have ever uploaded are of a vagrant bird that turned up in Cambridgeshire in 2022, the first British record. That vagrant bird was of the South African subspecies vetula (which bizarrely translates as old woman) that characteristically has a dark eye. Here's the Cambridgeshire subadult bird: www.flickr.com/photos/timmelling/52273363097/in/photolist
Tags: Larus dominicanus Kelp Gull Antarctica Tim Melling
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I was out walking with my wife in the Peak District yesterday and saw my first Ring Ouzel of the year plus some good views of Goshawks. This morning I returned to the place with my camera and had some amazingly close views. This is an immature female hunting over the moors. According to the BTO there are 620 breeding pairs of Goshawks in Britain but they can be frustratingly elusive so I really appreciate every photo-opportunity that comes my way.
Tags: Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis Peak District Tim Melling
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Caracaras are very closely related to falcons, but not to other birds of prey. DNA studies have shown without doubt that Caracaras and Falcons are not closely related to Eagles and Hawks, but their predatory life has led to similarities through convergent evolution. This is bit like Guillemots and Penguins looking the same because of a similar lifestyle. So who are Caracaras closely related to? Almost unbelievably it is Parrots. Parrots, Caracaras and Falcons share large sequences of highly conserved genes within their genome that are markedly different from other birds of prey. This explains why up-to-date field guides and checklists place Falcons and Caracaras in a different place from Eagles and Hawks.
Striated Caracara is now a very rare bird that is classified as "near threatened". It breeds on a few islands off Tierra del Fuego but is commonest on the Falkland Islands. But the numbers on the Falklands are massively depleted so the population there is only around 500 pairs. They are totally indifferent to humans, which led to their downfall when formerly sheep farmers perceived them as a problem to livestock. But it is primarily a scavenger, feeding on carrion around seabird colonies, especially penguins. But they will also prey on weak or injured creatures, including new-born lambs, which led to conflict.
Incidentally the name Caracara is a Tupi word for this family of birds, and striated refers to those pale streaks on the chest. Its scientific name Phalcoboenus australis translates as Southern Walking Falcon. I photographed this adult near a penguin colony on Saunders Island in the Falkland Islands.
Tags: Phalcoboenus australis Striated Caracara Falkland Islands Tim Melling
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