On a walk up the track to the top of the Moorooduc Quarry I found a dozing Tawny Forgmouth on a low branch. He was quite relaxed until a group of walkers joined me and he stretched into his branch like pose and then eased back once they moved on.
Tawny Frogmouth, Moorooduc Quarry, Mount Eliza, Vic
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After failing to find the Tawny Frogmouth’s nest, I got a few more directions and went back the next night to Elsternwick Park (North) and found it. It was in an obvious position and quite visible when you knew where to look and what to look for. The nest was more robust using more materials than I seem this species use before. I photographed the Frogmouth from a few angles, waiting to see whether the nesting parent would open its eyes. I moved to the front of the nest and took a few images and checked the back of the camera looking for clear shots and exposure when I noticed two yellow eyes looking out at me from the parent’s belly. Turns out the chicks had already hatched and were quite large. I only saw one chick moving about and it was quite curious about me. At one point it even had a good stretch of its wings. After a few shots I left them in peace to enjoy the late afternoon and get ready for evening’s hunting.
Tawny Frogmouth on nest, Elsternwick Park North, Elsternwick, Vic
Tawny Frogmouth and chick
Tawny Frogmouth with chick stretching its wings.
I heard from a friend that there were nesting Tawny Frogmouths at the old Elsternwick Golf Course, now formerly called Elsternwick Park North (and wetlands). I spent some time looking for the nest with no luck. But I did find one of the pair roosting nearby. He was very relaxed and wasn’t by bothered by me at all. He did open his eyes and watch me for a minute while I stumbled around a bit trying to get a clearer shot below him. As it was dusk the sun was right in the worst possible position. These are one of my favourite birds, nocturnal, unafraid, and sit still for a photography to go nuts. They are also invisible to most eyes unless you are looking for the grey coloured lump in a tree that does not quite belong.
Tawny Frogmouth, Elsternwick Park North, Elsternwick, Vic
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Recently I stopped by Braeside Park to look for the reported Long Toed Stint, a tiny, rare, migratory shorebird. It was fairly easy to find with the help of other birders all lined up with their scopes looking for it as well. Eventually we found it working the mudflat on the main lagoon with a few Sharp-tailed sandpipers, a Pectoral sandpiper (another rare shorebird) and a bunch of Red-kneed dotterells. The Stint became my 350th Lifer and 348th Vic Tick.
On the way back to my car I checked the car park area looking for the pair of Tawny Frogmouths that can usually be found in the trees around the cars. I found them on a low branch taking a bit of late afternoon sunshine. Always a favourite find in any location and a nice way to finish the successful twitch.
Tawny Frogmouth, practicing its “just a branch, nothing to see here” pose,
When I visit Braeside Park I always look in a few key spots for one of my favourite birds – the Tawny Frogmouth. Around the carpark there is open area and plenty of medium sized trees that the frogmouths like to roost in during the day. They can be hard to find due to the habit of staying very still and elongating their body to look like a dead branch stump. I have been seeing a pair in the carpark for the last 5 years so knew they were here somewhere. It was hot and I was standing in small grove of Wattles in the shade while I was trying to figure out where the pair could be when I looked straight into the eyes of a frogmouth. I found 2 roosting at head height in front of me and when I turned around to move away so I wouldnt be so close I found another. These were the grown chicks from the pair that I usually see in this area. ( I photographed a parent sitting on the nest last year. )
Tawny Frogmouth
Tawny Frogmouths
In the action no-action pose
Blending right in
The 3rd frogmouth and I would guess a parent as it just ignored me as I almost stumbled into it at head height while moving away from the other two – the breeding pair in this area of the Park are used to people and their cars.
On the weekend I went for a walk around Braeside Park. I wanted to see if I could find any of the resident Tawny Frogmouths. I know quite a few of their regular roosting trees but with the breeding season well underway it can be a bit more difficult to find them. I only found one Tawny and it happened to be a large one sitting on a well made nest. The nests I have previously seen have been quite flimsy but this one looked more robust. Along with the Rainbow Lorikeets, and the nesting Tawny Frogmouth, I found a White-faced Heron, a wind-blown Black Shouldered Kite and a Wood Duck that seemed confused by my antics – I was standing on the walking path with my binoculars looking up into the trees looking for Tawny’s. I heard a squawk and just above me was the duck. It must have had a nest in the tree hollow or it would not have stayed on the branch so close to me…
Tawny Frogmouth, Braeside Park, Victoria
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White-faced Heron
Black-shouldered Kite
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Australian Wood duck
trying to figure out what I was doing…
I have been looking for this bird species since I started birding a few years back. It can be found in most old growth and mature new growth forests with lots of tree hollows. It is often reported first thing in the morning sun-baking on the edge of its hollow. Over the last several years I have looked into every hollow in just about every tree I have walked past…while I have found many possums and one Boobook owl I have never found an Owlet-nightjar. On a recent trip to the You Yangs (about 45 mins west of Melbourne), I was exploring the woodlands section below the ranger station with a friend when a nightjar burst out of an old dead tree stump and flew to a nearby branch. It allowed us to get close and photograph it…it was much tinier than I expected – probably a third the size of the other Nightjar species that I photograph quite frequently – the Tawny Frogmouth. The Owlet Nightjar has superb camouflage and huge black eyes for great night vision.
Australian Owlet-nightjar, You Yangs Regional Park, Victoria
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Australian Owlet-nightjar, You Yangs Regional Park, Victoria
St Kilda is an old sea-side holiday destination of Melbourne city. Tourists would travel all day by horse and buggy and coach to go to St Kilda and areas of Elwood for a holiday at the beach. It had many old residential mansions and private hotels that are now sub-divided into units. As an old area that was a thriving holiday resort and had a vibrant local business scene, it was lucky enough to create and retain a beautiful Botanic Garden that is still going strong today. It has a good range of mature trees and enough feeding opportunities to maintain a local and resident population of bird species. As usual one of my favourites is a small family of Tawny Frogmouths.
Rain Man, St Kilda Botanic Gardens
Red Flowering Gum, St Kilda Botanic Gardens
Tawny Forgmouths, in the native section of the gardens
Keeping an eye on the watchers…
Flowers around the Rose Garden Rotunda,
While heading downstream along my local creek I noticed a lump on a dead branch of a Willow Tree that did not quite look right. Moving closer I realised it was one of the local nocturnal Tawny Frogmouths on a daytime roost. It was difficult to photograph but I found a way to get closer by walking into the parking area of one of the apartment blocks nearby. As I moved around the tree I found the partner of the Frogmouth that I had seen from across the creek. It was tucked into a little branch shelter and just about invisible. This species are masters of camouflage and often roost in the open. They are rarely noticed and survive well in an urban space. Even when discovered that can just watch you or move into their camouflaged pose (I am just a branch stump) or just go back to sleep. They are territorial and will roost in a close-by series of trees in a neighbourhood. It is surprising how many pairs there are in Elwood considering it is an inner city suburb. Always a welcome find…
An football sized object in the tree that did not quite blend in…
Elongated branch stump pose
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Expressive and curious eyes
The partner on the other side of the tree.
Whenever I visit Mallacoota I try to get to the Double Creek area several times a day. There is always a good variety of bird species (local and migrating through) and several vegetation types to explore from creek side vegetation, wetlands, woodlands, rain-forest and ridge-lines with tall forests. It is a compact site with four paths to wander down.
Along one of the creek sides I found a pair of Leaden Flycatchers singing away declaring their territory while above I spotted a white morph Grey Goshawk. The white/grey Goshawk is the only pure white raptor in the world. I knew that a raptor was cruising above by the danger calls of all the nearby birds. The bird alarm gave me just enough time to get the camera pointed skywards and set for a bright sky. The Goshawk cruised just above the trees.
Male Leaden Flycatcher, Double Creek Nature walk, Mallacoota
Female Leaden Flycatcher
Grey Goshawk (white Morph), Double Creek Nature walk, Mallacoota
I found the Tawny Frogmouth when I stopped at the small carpark to have some lunch and was staring into the trees when I noticed someone staring back….
Tawny Frogmouth, Double Creek Nature walk, Mallacoota
White Browed Scrubwren Double Creek Nature walk, Mallacoota
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Lewin’s Honeyeater, trying to stay cool along the creek on a very hot day
Eastern Whipbird working hard to feed two chicks that were following closely
As I watched the Whipbirds move around the undergrowth I spotted the little Antechinus hunting. It is a fearless tiny marsupial hunter, and given its mouselike size I am always surprised to see them out and about hunting in daylight.
Antechinus, I have not worked out the local species yet – could be Shy, Brown or Swamp.
I heard about this pair of Tawny Frogmouths last week and had a chance to look for them late last Sunday evening – I found them but it was too dark to take any pictures. After a week at work and a morning of rain I finally just got back from observing them again and taking a few pics. They are still one of my favourite birds to photograph. This pair is a bit unusual in that they are roosting in an exposed spot over the road near a suburban intersection in a large plane tree without any leaves. They still have decent camouflage with their colouring but just stick out a bit to a keen observer. I have added these guys to my local birds page.
Tawny Frogmouths, Elwood
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On a recent visit to Braeside Park, I looked out for the resident Tawny Frogmouths. There are many Frogmouths in the park but they are well camouflaged and while they do stick to their territories they move to different trees and roosts every few days. I found 5 on this particular day. (My best day was 14 Frogmouths). To find them you need to look for a suitable area and then look for the right sort of tree, height, and position. Once you find a suitable area you need to look for something that does not quite fit in, a colour variation or round lump that does not quite belong.
The Frogmouth is in my top 10 favourites due to its calm nature, its camouflage skills and the serene look it gives you when it acknowledges your presence. When agitated, some will pretend to be a branch stump while others will ignore you with just a yellow eye watching you now and again.
A large Tawny Frogmouth, Braeside Park in May
Tawny Frogmouth, with mate tucked down behind – he was a little nervous as I made my way around the tree for a clearer shot
A pair of Tawny Frogmouths, keeping an eye on me, much more relaxed
This pair were quite wary of me even though they are quite high in the tree. They relaxed from their camouflage pose after a few minutes…
When you spend some time looking for Frogmouths your eyes start tune into objects that seem to stand out from the norm. I could not quite figure out what this furry lump was from a distance but when I got closer it turned out to be a Brush Tailed Possum with its bum hanging out of its daytime hollow getting a bit sun while it still slept.
Brush Tailed Possum, soaking up some warmth
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When I visit the You Yangs I usually pop into a local bird and animal sanctuary at the base of the You Yangs Range. It is little known park close to Melbourne, free to visitors, with breeding programs for several rare birds. It also maintains a sanctuary for injured birds and animals, some too badly injured to be released. It is a great place to see and photograph rare and hard to find birds. The aviary birds are used to people and so are quite relaxed and offer photographers a good chance to get in close. Around the site are many wild birds breeding and taking advantage of the abundant food and protection. There are some large wetlands and many migrating visitors. The park also has resident populations of emus and Brolgas.
Sulphur Crested Cockatoo
Emus are free to wander around and don’t bother people too much.
Emus – these two snuck up behind me to see what I was doing (unsuccessfully trying to photograph a family of Black Chinned Honeyeaters)
Emu and chick walking and feeding along the edge of the main lagoon – the chicks are very cute and there were a number at the Sanctuary but considering how protective (and big) the parents are I kept my distance.
Black Wallaby – relaxed and snoozing in the shade.
Black Wallaby II
Magpie Geese – several thousand were spread across all the lagoons and wetlands.
Magpie Geese
Magpie Goose – does not quite make my top 10 prettiest birds list…
Tawny Frogmouth – nocturnal specialist and master of camouflage.
Tawny Frogmouth II
Bush Stone Curlew
Red Rumped Parrot
Red Rumped Parrot II
Buff Banded Rail – secretive wetlands bird that birders only usually get glimpses of – but at Serendip there is an aviary full of them that allows for long views and many photos. In fact you have to be careful while you move around taking pics. They get under your feet while looking for insect snacks.
Buff Banded Rail II
Large Whistling Kite nest – the Kites were still around and making a nuisance of themselves amongst the nervous flocks of Magpie Geese
Cape Barren Goose – this one followed me around the Wallaby/Kangaroo Pen – he must have been expecting a feed. He made me a bit nervous as every time I turned around he was a few steps closer to my backside.
Frogmouth family Braeside Park Dec 2014
As I need to keep practicing with my camera setup I drove down to an old haunt for a few hours to see what was around….best pics of the day were of a Tawny Frogmouth family that a birding mentor (Steve “the bird man” MacDonald) pointed out to me as we met up on the Red Gum trail. The two smaller birds on the right are still quite young and the parents are still watching over them. The other parent was on a branch just to the left. The young birds watched what I was up to as I moved around trying to get a clear shot.
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The Gap Year and Beyond 