 During our Tasmania trip, we were hoping against hope that we might see a Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle. A different sub-species and the largest of the Australian wedgies, this bird would be a sight to behold! Well, on South Bruny Island, we had an unexpected encounter with two, possibly three, wedgies. On our second day on Bruny, we decided to drive a short distance from our digs to some bushland, and take in the treescape and the sounds of the bush, and maybe see some birds. For no particular reason, we chose the Lutregala Creek Forest Reserve. You may know about the Bread Fridge on Bruny: on the corner of Sheepish Road and the Bruny Island Main Road, there are two fridges where a local provides sourdough bread for sale. We can attest that that bread is very yummy! Well, a little further along the main road, we made a sharp left onto Musketts Road, and proceeded to drive up the steep incline towards the forest. Within the first hundred metres, we slammed on the brakes - there was a wedgie flying overhead. No wait, there were two! And there they were, wheeling very close over our heads, then off across the valley. What a breathtaking experience! Despite the excitement, we managed to get a few seconds of footage as one of the eagles coasted on the thermals and then went behind the trees. As they disappeared into the blue, we stared at each other in joyous disbelief. Wow, what an experience! It was going to be hard to go back to bush birds after that. But wait there's more... We drove on and crested the hill, and there sitting on his stump was an even larger wedgie. Once again, we were out of the car, approaching with caution so as to photograph this apex predator. "Then off, off, forth on swing, As a skate’s heel sweeps smooth on a bow-bend"* - the eagle took off and was riding the thermals right over our heads. He perched momentarily in a tree, and then he too went off across the valley, no doubt to catch his supper. "The achieve of, the mastery of the thing!"*  * These excerpts are from Gerald Manley Hopkins' "The Windhover", a magnificent poem loved by many birders and non-birders. It just seems so apt for this experience, we had to include it.
Comments
|
