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Wildlife Photographer

Autumn, a season for perches

Frequent visitors can notice that I am getting just a few images since autumn came. Usually, in this part of the year, I use to spend my time with migrating waders that stop along the coast but this year I decided to do something different: setting a few perches for raptors exploiting their habit to leave the breeding territory during the autumn in a manner that I can act quietly. It is like an investment: i spend my time now to get benefits during the breeding season.
First, I want to state that I put perches far from the nest to let the birds undisturbed during the most important part of the year.
For example, i am setting a perch for Golden Eagle about 500 meters far from the nest on a mountain slope where they use to stay perched and where, during the breeding season, it's so easy to escape from their outstanding sight by exploiting a thick cover of foliage. Unfortunately, their favourite perch (display.php?cat=&code=1522&request=) there has been broken by a storm so I decided to replace it (despite in a slighlty different area more favorable for light conditions and for the hide). When everything will be done I'll show you the pics of my job For now I am at the half of the effort: I've carried (all alone) a dead maple about 5 meters long and 40kg of weight for about 1 km on that steep mountain slope! Now I have just to put the perch in its position (because of a sudden rain I had to renounce this morning). The dead maple must protrude in the air in a manner that the birds can perch on it comfy. I am aware that will be so difficult that adults will use my perch (they're so smart), but I hope it will be a good invitation for their juvenile. Anyway, every species has its preferences. Maybe only after years of observations it's possible to to understand what is the best kind of perch for a bird and where to put it.
I've set a perch for Kestrel as well but in this case I just gave a better shape to a dead plant it already likes to use. I didn't exceed, I will try to get some pics first and then i will give the perch a more "clean" and interesting shape. The great advantage is I can comfy check the perch from my balcony! :) The Kestrel required almost 10 days to use again that perch after my job!!
And after the Kestrel... the Peregrine!
You will realise if my efforts will be vain looking at my pictures!

There are 1 comments

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By Riccardo Farina

26-10-2010, 09:21

Complimenti per la nuova veste del sito e per il lavoro che stai facendo.Spero che tutto quello che stai seminando sarà raccolto a tempo debito,le premesse sono buone,un saluto Riccardo.

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