Hunting and Fishing

Belinda Baccarini

It is 3pm and I set-off on my daily walk to Austinmer beach, I always take my camera in case I see an interesting bird, a beautiful scene, or an unusual visitor (like humpback whales during winter).

Today I can instantly tell something different is happening. The giveaway was the Silver Gulls, they were creating quite the scene and quite nosily. Focusing on the scene I noticed the gulls were mobbing a bird that was hunting by swooping down to the water, but not entering or landing on the water. I was a long way away and it was not till I got home that I was able to ID the bird, with it enlarged on the computer. It was a Whistling Kite. I was able to ID it with the from the unique white bars under the wings; I confirmed my ID with friends from the Illawarra Bird Observers Club.

This is the first time I have seen this species at the beach (I have only seen them in the desert or inland before). The Whistling Kite spent a lot of time diving, catching, and then dropping the fish as it was being mobbed by Silver Gulls and a Pacific Gull. After catching several fish the Kite eventually flew away with one for dinner!