A falcon big difference in Wellington

General birdwatching discussion, help with bird identification, and all other things relating to wild birds and birding in NZ that don't fit in one of the other forums.
Colin Miskelly
Posts: 912
Joined: Sat Jul 11, 2009 6:31 pm

A falcon big difference in Wellington

Postby Colin Miskelly » Sun Dec 03, 2017 5:32 am

Hi folks

We have kept records of birds seen and heard since we moved to our current property in central Wellington in mid 2010. Our house is in the suburb of Mt Cook, and is about 500 metres inland from the old Dominion Museum building (and 1.7 km inland from the waterfront museum building).

New Zealand falcon is one of the more notable species on our garden list, and for most of the time that we have been here we have recorded one or two sightings (or ‘hearings’) per annum. Something has changed this year, with falcons so far being seen or heard on 10 days over 6 months. At least three different birds have been involved, with a pair of adults seen together on 8 July, and a juvenile male seen on several occasions.

Does this reflect an increasing population around Wellington city, or a change in distribution of the birds that have formerly bred in Zealandia and Tinakori Hill?

Records
2010 11 Aug, 25 Oct
2011 30 Oct
2012 13 Jul, 17 Dec
2013 25 Aug
2014 25 May, 8 Jun
2015 14 & 21 Nov
2016 16 Jan, 22 Jul, 5 Aug
2017 18 Mar, 8 Jul (2 birds), 24 Jul, 10 & 29 Sep, 25 & 30 Oct, 16 & 24 Nov, 2 Dec

Cheers
Colin & Kate
ashercook
Posts: 83
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2013 9:36 am

Re: A falcon big difference in Wellington

Postby ashercook » Fri Dec 15, 2017 8:26 am

Interesting you mention this, I've seen/heard falcon in Newtown probably 6 or 7 times in the last 3 months. Before that I'd only seen them a handful of times in Newtown.
Colin Miskelly
Posts: 912
Joined: Sat Jul 11, 2009 6:31 pm

Re: A falcon big difference in Wellington

Postby Colin Miskelly » Fri Dec 15, 2017 8:54 am

Thanks Asher

For those unfamiliar with Wellington geography, Mt Cook and Newtown are adjacent suburbs, roughly spread between the old Dominion Museum building, past Wellington hospital to Wellington Zoo.

Cheers
Colin

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