Predators 1

The most obvious avian predator to visit the garden is the Wedge-Tailed Eagle, Aquila audax. While not really a threat to the tiny Blue Wrens, it is seen as a danger by many of the larger species and treated accordingly.
A single Wedge-Tail will be shown the exit by a fighter escort, usually of Magpies or Ravens, but the morning that the pair flew over the house and landed in the closest big tree was another thing all together. Alarm calls rang out and every mono-chrome bird took to the sky. The poor eagles were harassed by Magpies, Chuffs, Currawongs and Ravens until they left the area. Unfortunately the birds seem to know when I'm too far from my camera and make that the time to exhibit distinctive behaviour.

Above is a photo of a distant pair, too high to worry most of the locals and a single combat that I took a few years back.

The sequence below I took at the end of June this year. I managed to get a few photos of the eagle solo before he entered the conflict zone, and then a magpie had to see him off. The Eagle was only a little perturbed, but the speed and sharp-turning ability of the Magpie meant that he could stay close to and harass the other bird.

Really wish I could get closer, but there is a limit to my camera lens budget :)

What I didn't notice until putting this post together is the the Wedge-Tail is carrying home dinner. Looks like bunny is on the menu. Not sure if this is for his own consumption or for family, but end of June doesn't seem like the right time for chicks in the nest.

Cropped and enlarged image.