Bird of the Week: 23rd of July - Tawny Frogmouth

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Holly
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Bird of the Week: 23rd of July - Tawny Frogmouth

Hi all - I am back so we can sticky the bird of the week again!

 

This time I have selected the Tawny Frogmouth, a fascinating bird with one of my favourite calls.

Everyone please share some photos and stories about this very groovy bird.

birdie
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Good call Holly and one I have had the pleasure of observing many times so I will start the ball rolling smiley

A pair taken over a year ago on my regular morning walk in Buderim ..... sadly I have not see them this year

I just adore these lovely creatures

Sunshine Coast Queensland

kathiemt
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Love these, although I've never heard their call. The first pic was taken in my daughter's driveway over 3 years ago. I'd never seen one before then. They set up residence and had a bub.


And then after we shifted up here to the hills, a local paper ran a story about an exhibition I was having and then a local resident called asking if I could come take photos of a family in his backyard.  Only mum and dad weren't that co-operative.

But I got the babies' interest and have since printed this shot off on different things (with the permission of the guy who asked me to take the pics).

Kathiemt
Selby, Victoria
 

pacman
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I like the classic Frogmouth pose - you can't see me, I'm just a big tree branch

Peter

Araminta
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Cath& Shane told me where to find this one, it was exactly where they said it would be, in the car park of the Coolart Wetlands. They don't move much, just scratch or look bored. Mainly bored, or asleep.

DSC03142 (4) DSC03146 (1) DSC00046

M-L

kathiemt
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Awesome close ups M-L.  Fancy being able to look down its open beak!

Kathiemt
Selby, Victoria
 

kathiemt
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Peter, that shot really does make you realise how much they look like a branch. I wonder how many people pass them by and don't even realise they're there?

Kathiemt
Selby, Victoria
 

matt
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Found this fella on the back gate fence post one nigh at about 10pmish

Matt

Araminta
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wow, there some fantastic photos here. I would have loved to see many more. One more of mine:

DSC00094 (1)

M-L

kathiemt
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I've got more pics but just of the same birds I've posted above. Haven't seen any others, not even around here frown

Are you using a 400mm lense M-L?

Kathiemt
Selby, Victoria
 

Araminta
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Yes Kathie, I am. I have a SONY SLT-A55 V, and used my SONY 70-400mm F4.0-5.6 G SSM

M-L

kathiemt
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Araminta wrote:

Yes Kathie, I am. I have a SONY SLT-A55 V, and used my SONY 70-400mm F4.0-5.6 G SSM

mmm, that's what I thought. lens envy....  I hope to get a 400mm sometime but it might take a while to save up for it.  Good goal though laugh

Kathiemt
Selby, Victoria
 

margaret
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wow what an impressive set of photos

Woko
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Can you spot the 2 tawyn frogmouths?

No. Neither can I. This shows how well they're camouflaged. Either that or the server can't handle my resized tawny frogmouths which, as you can see, are now down to zero Mb.

Araminta
Araminta's picture

Wow Woko, these are tiny .....

M-L

Holly
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Woko wrote:

 

Can you spot the 2 tawyn frogmouths?

No. Neither can I. This shows how well they're camouflaged. Either that or the server can't handle my resized tawny frogmouths which, as you can see, are now down to zero Mb.

 

Wow Woko they are basically invisible!

Windhover
Windhover's picture

I love Tawnies (didn't see much of this site for over a week due to accessing issues).

They have a cool, booming oooomph oooomph oooomph kind of a call mostly, that I have heard a few times, even while laying in bed at midnight. So lovely to listen to, I didn't want to fall asleep.

Here is my tawny gallery link:

http://amatteroflight.com/gallery2/v/ausbirds/tawnyfrogmouth/

And one image that stands out for me.

Karen
Karen's picture

These two taken in my backyard, the adult bird most recent.  The baby was taken with my very old camera and is too small to do anything more with.  The adult came in on a very hot day to get some water, which is most unusual.  The tawnies have lived here as long as I've been here (35 years).

Karen
Brisbane southside.

Woko
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Better late than never, I suppose, but can anyone spot the tawny frogmouths?

Karen
Karen's picture

I can see a pair.  I love these birds.

Karen
Brisbane southside.

sue818
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Wonderful camouflage Woko but spotted them. My couple are a little easier to see although I lost them each time I looked away. They do not move far and were in the same tree yesterday in my local park. Hoping to see young ones this season. Between the wonderful  camouflage of colour & pose and the huge eyes for night vision, they make for an interesting bird.

Woko
Woko's picture

My pair were an adult & a young one, recently out of the nest the birds were sitting on. There should be another young one there, too, but I can't for the life of me see it. Plenty of exposure but plenty of camouflage.

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