The meal

By CALLY
There was gorgeous evening light on the hilltop church in Old Noarlunga - which I visited for the first time- and I thought that was going to be my blip. It was built in 1850.
As I got out of my car a mass of birds seemed to cascade down from the tower. It could have been a brilliant shot - except that I couldn't manouevre my camera in time & missed the opportunity. Never mind. I took several shots of the church with its walls glowing in the evening sunlight, walking through the graveyard and right around to find the best angles. I was staring up at the tower (on which is perched a decorative wrought-iron wind indicator) and noticed a strange box with broomlike bars attached to one side of the tower. I thought at first it was an airconditioning unit, although it did seem to be in an odd location. I think maybe it was a pigeon roost. Then I saw some movement and realised a bird was perched at the edge of the box . I assumed it was a pigeon, and watched as it seemed to be tugging at something. Through the zoom lens I discovered it was a bird of prey and it was disposing of a smaller bird. I could see the extra legs. Now I understood why birds had suddenly cascaded from the tower - a flight of panic. One hadn't made it. It wasn't easy to get clear shots between the 2 bars, this was the best. I stayed a while observing and this bird of prey (maybe someone can identify it for me) made a few more flights from the tower, coming back with smaller items and settling on the narrow ledge which runs around the tower. It seemed to be "king of the castle".

Use the magnifier on this to see the bird better.