Indian Ocean - 560 km NW of Australia/ Falcon (1 Viewer)

[Aladdin]

Dear Members and Bird watchers!

Indian Ocean - 560 km NW of Australia

Two days ago and had been waiting for birds for a few hours with nothing. I was feed up and I turned around to clean my tea cup.

When I turn around there are two White-tailed Tropicobirds over deck, but I miss to take pictures. After this I keep a sharp lookout.

And today, suddenly I had a falcon just in front of me, I do not know where it came from. I was shocked and by the time my camera was ready the bird showed the BEHIND flying (picture 4) in to the sun towards Australia 560 km to SE.

Picture was very poor. The bird turned in to a small dot on the sky. I sit down and this time I keep the camera in my lap.

The bird looking like it was crying, red rusty coloured. And I'll be darned, I see another Falcon 10 minutes later, (picture 5 and 6) just appear from an empty sky and it is flying towards SW turning in to a small dot.

Must have been 2 birds as I do not think it was the first coming back but I just reported it as one, falcon sp. But for me it was a Nanteen Kestrel, but I do not want to report any birds I am not sure off.

Is it possible to confirm the ID from my at least to say poor pictures?

And if it is a Nanteen Kestrel, what on earth is the bird doing in the middle of the Indian ocean?

Kind Regards and Happy Birding!
Aladdin
,

 

[Patudo]

There are a surprising number of reports of peregrines appearing on ships that were a long way from land, often using the height advantage from the ship's masts to hunt seabirds such as petrels. A quick google search will find some interesting (and then some!) links, from quite a few different regions. It's a really interesting and little studied aspect of this species's behaviour.

 

[nartreb]

I'm not at all familiar with falcons of australasia, but I get a strong impression of dark outerwings contrasting with reddish back and inner wings, quite consistent with a male Nankeen kestrel. Ebird has reports from Cocos Islands and Christmas Islands (over 2000 km from Australia), so clearly 500km is a distance they can cross (possibly assisted by ships).

 

[Butty]

falcons of australasia

As it's

560 km NW of Australia

it's also (depending on which bit of Australia) only double that, or less, from Java or somesuch - so you also have to be thinking about SE Asian stuff.

what on earth is the bird doing in the middle of the Indian ocean?

Trying hard not to be in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

flying towards SW

One fearful lot of nothing in that direction.

little studied aspect of [peregrine]'s behaviour

This isn't 'it's behaviour' in any meaningful biological sense. Such birds are lost, quite likely doomed, and merely making the best of a bad job. It's not behaviour they exhibit routinely or intentionally.

 

[Aladdin]

There are a surprising number of reports of peregrines appearing on ships that were a long way from land, often using the height advantage from the ship's masts to hunt seabirds such as petrels. A quick google search will find some interesting (and then some!) links, from quite a few different regions. It's a really interesting and little studied aspect of this species's behaviour.

Cheers Patudo!

I reported many in the gulf of Mexico, at most, 5 at the time. Sitting in the mast and many remains of small bird under the mast.

Actually, I reported so many eBird had a hard time beleiving me.

But I dont think they mesnt to be there.

Thanks, appreciated

Kind regards
Aladdin

 

[Aladdin]

I'm not at all familiar with falcons of australasia, but I get a strong impression of dark outerwings contrasting with reddish back and inner wings, quite consistent with a male Nankeen kestrel. Ebird has reports from Cocos Islands and Christmas Islands (over 2000 km from Australia), so clearly 500km is a distance they can cross (possibly assisted by ships).

Cheers nartreb!

I was tken by surprise, the bird just appeared in front of me and I could not muster my camera skills due to my exgitement.

But I got a good look, roufus wings, yellowish/ whiteish face eith the narrow crying stripe.

Thanks, appreciated!

Kind regards
Aladdin

 

[Aladdin]

As it's

it's also (depending on which bit of Australia) only double that, or less, from Java or somesuch - so you also have to be thinking about SE Asian stuff.

Trying hard not to be in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

One fearful lot of nothing in that direction.

This isn't 'it's behaviour' in any meaningful biological sense. Such birds are lost, quite likely doomed, and merely making the best of a bad job. It's not behaviour they exhibit routinely or intentionally.

Cheers Butty!

Yes, flying in to the sun, 560 km to go to reach Australia.

As Patudo said, there is a lot of falcons. I remember you beeing involved in helping me with all the falcobs and merlins.

Someone even suggested that s made the bird myself because of the poor picture quality.

But you are right, they dont want to be there. I found a couple of dead falcons.

I tried to feed them with chicken but no interest. I also made a feeding and water station on the boat for the small birds.

Thanks, appreciated

Kind regard
Aladdin

 

[Andy Adcock]

Doesn't look to have the structure of a Kestrel to me, especially the slightly, heavier bill?

 

[Patudo]

It's not behaviour they exhibit routinely or intentionally.

Do we actually know that? All we know is that there are a good number of records, in different oceans and spanning many decades (and therefore consistent, though maybe not routine), of peregrines turning up on ships. Sometimes the vessels are close enough to land that they could conceivably been taken as hunting points by birds migrating along the coast, but there are some instances where the birds showed up at what would appear to be incredible distances from land (2,600km off the W coast of Costa Rica in one case). Some of these were adult birds, so not inexperienced juveniles. The pretty regular records from remote mid-ocean islands like the Hawaiian and Azores chains are similar.

It would be fascinating to satellite track these birds to know what becomes of them. It's not totally inconceivable that they could ship-hop back northwards from Hawaii to the Aleutians or wherever. Apparently there have been a couple of birds ringed in North America that turned up in Japan (!!!), presumably ship-assisted. Agreed, the most probable outcome is that they perish. But it'd be really interesting to know what actually happens.

 

[Aladdin]

Cheers Patudo!

I also think most of the birds perish like you and Butty suggest. I was very worried about the Red-backed Kingfisher that I spotted the other day.

I put out water and food, but what food to give a Kingfisher. I put rice and cookies. Rice is OK for some birds and I had a Bunting for several days before it showed any interests in the cookies.

I was in Panama and every night after sunset I had a Peregrine Falcon landing in the mast. Gone in the morning and came back in the evening. We were in Panama City so the bird was obviously off to hunt during the day time.

And if we leave during the night the bird will find it self far away from shore.

Regarding the falcons. I am pretty sure they came from Christmas Island, at least this was their flight path. I think they spotted the boat and they came to have a look coming in low and then leaving again towards Australia in SE.

I think it was a couple as there were about 5 minutes between the birds, same flight path. And I studied birds flying a bit. There is a swallow that are flying 11 months per year, only come down to have eggs. Birds flying from Alaska to New Zealand non-stop.

So maybe the falcons knew exactly what they were doing? 1500 km from Christmas Island to Australia and if they keep 50km/h it is a 30 hours flight?

I spent a couple of years at the gas fields in Gulf of Thailand and there was a lot of birds, especially during the migration. And I had been surprised several times.

I just seen egrets wading in the water fishing so to see them in the middle of Gulf of Thailand was a surprise. They were diving from structures to catch fish and I have also seen them fishing gull style. Hovering and catching fish with their long necks, mid sea.

But I have buried a lot of birds found dead on the boat as well, and some of them falcons.
But it is really interesting to study the birds on the sea. And since eBird started the trip report I report everything, most as BIRD SP. As I cannot ID the birds, but to keep as a record for how many birds I see on the ocean.

Kind Regards
Aladdin

 

[njlarsen]

Could it be Australian Hobby? They seem to winter to areas in Indonesia ...
Niels

 

[Bowerbirder]

Cheers Patudo!

I also think most of the birds perish like you and Butty suggest. I was very worried about the Red-backed Kingfisher that I spotted the other day.

I put out water and food, but what food to give a Kingfisher. I put rice and cookies. Rice is OK for some birds and I had a Bunting for several days before it showed any interests in the cookies.

I was in Panama and every night after sunset I had a Peregrine Falcon landing in the mast. Gone in the morning and came back in the evening. We were in Panama City so the bird was obviously off to hunt during the day time.

And if we leave during the night the bird will find it self far away from shore.

Regarding the falcons. I am pretty sure they came from Christmas Island, at least this was their flight path. I think they spotted the boat and they came to have a look coming in low and then leaving again towards Australia in SE.

I think it was a couple as there were about 5 minutes between the birds, same flight path. And I studied birds flying a bit. There is a swallow that are flying 11 months per year, only come down to have eggs. Birds flying from Alaska to New Zealand non-stop.

So maybe the falcons knew exactly what they were doing? 1500 km from Christmas Island to Australia and if they keep 50km/h it is a 30 hours flight?

I spent a couple of years at the gas fields in Gulf of Thailand and there was a lot of birds, especially during the migration. And I had been surprised several times.

I just seen egrets wading in the water fishing so to see them in the middle of Gulf of Thailand was a surprise. They were diving from structures to catch fish and I have also seen them fishing gull style. Hovering and catching fish with their long necks, mid sea.

But I have buried a lot of birds found dead on the boat as well, and some of them falcons.
But it is really interesting to study the birds on the sea. And since eBird started the trip report I report everything, most as BIRD SP. As I cannot ID the birds, but to keep as a record for how many birds I see on the ocean.

Kind Regards
Aladdin

"There is a swallow that are flying 11 months per year, only come down to have eggs". Do you mean "swift" instead of "swallow"?

 

[Thijsdekruif]

Looks suspiciously like a Eleonora's falcon. Very unlikely on that location, but you never know and they are long distance migrants.

 

[Aladdin]

Could it be Australian Hobby? They seem to winter to areas in Indonesia ...
Niels

Hello njlarsen

Thanks, no, it was not an Australian Hobby. I do not know much about falcons, nothing actually. I can ID the Peregrine Falcon as I had so many of them on the boat back in October/ November 2023.

If I had seen the Australian Hobby I would have thought Peregrine Falcon because of the black head and chins. I had a very good look of these birds, and they had light chins with a long narrow tear.

The pictures are garbage because the birds was between me and the sun. And I was so excited I just took picture without overexposure. And they were gone in a few seconds.

Thank you , appreciated
Aladdin

 

[Aladdin]

Looks suspiciously like a Eleonora's falcon. Very unlikely on that location, but you never know and they are long distance migrants.

Thank you Thijsdekruif

This bird have the "TEAR" but it is too dark. Of course, hard for me to give a good determination of the shades in the strong sun light coming in from the side when the birds did the de-tour to come and say hello.

My bird do not look like that dark and more roufus winged. I checked Eleonora's falcon and they also seems to come in different shaded, very dark to lighter on the belly.

Thanks, appreciated
Aladdin

 

[Aladdin]

As it's

it's also (depending on which bit of Australia) only double that, or less, from Java or somesuch - so you also have to be thinking about SE Asian stuff.

Trying hard not to be in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

One fearful lot of nothing in that direction.

This isn't 'it's behaviour' in any meaningful biological sense. Such birds are lost, quite likely doomed, and merely making the best of a bad job. It's not behaviour they exhibit routinely or intentionally.

Butty

Of course, it should have been SE towards Australia. Sorry, my mistake

Kind Regards
Aladdin

 

[Thijsdekruif]

Thank you Thijsdekruif

This bird have the "TEAR" but it is too dark. Of course, hard for me to give a good determination of the shades in the strong sun light coming in from the side when the birds did the de-tour to come and say hello.

My bird do not look like that dark and more roufus winged. I checked Eleonora's falcon and they also seems to come in different shaded, very dark to lighter on the belly.

Thanks, appreciated
Aladdin

It is a difficult bird. But light phase Eleonora is especially rufous on the belly, which rules out pergrine in my opinion.

 

[Aladdin]

It is a difficult bird. But light phase Eleonora is especially rufous on the belly, which rules out pergrine in my opinion.

Thank you!

The light and reflections can make it very hard. I remember seeing a Brown Booby on Tonga. Flying low over the water and I was in a small boat for swimming with the humpback whales and the bird looking to be blue from the reflections

Kind Regards
Aladdin