Featured image adapted from Wong Keng on Facebook and image courtesy of Wong Keng.
Havelock recently became the site of a battle between a peregrine falcon and a brahminy kite, struggling over a meal.
Photographer Wong Keng attributed the capture of the moment on 15 July to his wife.
He explained to MS News that he had recently switched to focusing on landscape photography rather than birding.
Image courtesy of Wong Keng
“If I had not accompanied my wife to Jalan Kukoh, I would not have taken photos of this falcon,” he said.
Wong Keng first photographed the ernesti peregrine falcon on Block 3 Jalan Kukoh. It had caught and killed a pigeon, which it ate on the rooftop.
Suddenly, a fellow bird of prey, in the form of a brahminy kite, swooped down and tried to snatch its meal away.
Source: Wong Keng on Facebook
The photo captured the falcon in an expression of shock as it reached out and seized the kite with its talons to stop it.
Wong Keng told MS News that the peregrine falcon fought off the kite. It then flew away to the next building with its prey gripped tightly.
Image courtesy of Wong Keng
The peregrine falcon then perched on Block 4, right in front of the birdwatchers, and stared at them.
“I felt blessed and privileged to have witnessed this scene.” Wong Keng remarked.
Image courtesy of Wong Keng
He additionally confirmed that the falcon was one of the local ones that had nested in the OCBC Centre building, suggesting it was the adult female in the family.
Netizens on the Bird Sightings Facebook group praised the photograph depicting the struggle between the birds.
Source: Facebook
One commenter dubbed it the ‘Battle of the Raptors’, using the alternative name for birds of prey.
Source: Facebook
A user claimed that there were many pigeons in Jalan Kukoh and the surrounding areas, making them easy pickings for the speedy falcon.
Source: Facebook
Also read: Photographer captures OCBC Centre’s peregrine falcon mid-flight bringing dead pigeon home
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Featured image adapted from Wong Keng on Facebook and image courtesy of Wong Keng.