Eye-balling a Tawny Frogmouth
NEW NEIGHBOUR…VERY QUIET

Did you ever have a tawny frogmouth take up residence in your garden? What a strange but lovely creature. Never steals your fruit and scarcely makes a sound.

He is certainly imposing when he wakes up at dusk and prepares to go hunting. Look out lizards and frogs!

PHOTO – WIKIPEDIA

A fork of a gum tree is our tawny’s daytime perch at Acer Corner, Blackheath. I hear its mate calling nearby during the day sometimes; that low and slightly eerie ‘oom, oom‘. I have searched everywhere for the second bird, but thus far it has defeated me. They are the true masters of camouflage.

Winter sun on your back is such a treat.

Have a rest tawny frogmouth.

But here in the Blue Mountains winter is very cold and can it rain for days. Just keep that head tucked in and wait until it passes Mate.

Head tucked in, a tawny frogmouth in pouring rain.
NASTY WEATHER

Night falls, and it’s a full moon rising. Tawny is starting to stir.

I can see his chest rising and falling and hear him calling, more and more insistently

Look how perfectly he matches the silvery bark on a tree.

It’s the end of July and when the rain clears, blue skies are a reminder that spring is not far away. Of course spring means….nest building. I was amazed to find that Tawny must have run out of time to place this maple twig before dawn arrived. Mind you, frogmouth nests look like the builders just threw a few sticks together.

This tawny frogmouth has  nesting material in its beak
THE BUILDER WITH A SMALL PLANK

TROUBLE IN THE ‘HOOD

Danger ahead! Oh no, a currawong is also ‘pruning’ my maple trees for building material.

Currawongs prey on the eggs of tawny frogmouths.
HOPE I CAN CARRY THIS!

The tawny frogmouth and the currawong will have eggs around the same time, which could be a disaster for the frogmouth. Currawongs crave the protein in those large eggs, to sustain themselves during breeding season. They will sometimes get a family gang together and harass a sitting frogmouth until the eggs fall from the admittedly rough nest.

SHALL WE ROB OLD FROGGIE, BOYS?
VULNERABLE EGGS

It’s just nature I guess, but utterly heartbreaking to watch.

 

 

I have been searching for my Tawny’s nest. I wonder if this could be it?

Is this a tawny frogmouth's nest?

I wish you the best of luck Tawny, and hope I have the privilege of seeing your fluffy little chicks this spring.

PHOTO – WIKIPEDIA

UPDATE – January 2025

Four years on, and the pair are using the same roosting spot again. So special to see them together. I do love that errant feather after their bonding/grooming session.  

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