“She had blue skin,
And so did he.
He kept it hid
And so did she.
They searched for blue
Their whole life through,
Then passed right by-
And never knew.”
~ Shel Silverstein
We have a family of Tawny Frogmouths that nest in the teak tree outside our kitchen window every year. They are nocturnal creatures, and seldom seen, so I always delight in having them in plain view.
During the day Tawny Frogmouths camouflage themselves by lifting their heads, staying very still, and trying to pretend that they are part of a branch.
After a big storm about a month ago they abandoned their nest, and in the unseasonal heat that followed the youngest fledgling baby was unable to make it back up to the tree where the family was roosting and took up a position in the shade of one of our machinery sheds, pretending to be part of a wheelbarrow. (Great info here on what to do if you find a fledgling Tawny out of the nest.)
Very cute, don’t you think? We kept an eye on her, and Mum and Dad came down to feed her each night until she was ready to fly back to a higher position.
After another big storm here at the farm (that knocked out our power and internet for almost a day) we went for a walk and found Mum, Dad and the eldest baby perched on fence posts in the deep shade of the coolest corner of the house paddock. The oldest fledgling was up above, in one of the trees and I couldn’t get a good picture of them!
The baby has gone from a little white ball of fluff to something that very closely resembles her adult plumage colours. She’s still adorably fluffy though, and I keep finding her soft downy feathers on the ground, which I’m keeping to make another talisman.
Mum looks so cross with me for getting close, and I still kept my distance so as not to frighten them. That expression in her eye! They are a fine family, don’t you think?
Apologies that the pictures are not especially crisp. They are taken on my iPhone from a distance, and my dodgy eyes are still not all that crisp themselves, making photography a little more of a challenge than usual. Still, I am making great progress with restoring my vision, and I’m hopeful that my sight will continue to improve.
Sending hugs, love and a cuppa your way, Nicole <3 xoxo
(PS – in case you’re not sure, a cuppa is a good cup of tea!)
Adorable!
Nicole – great news about your eyesight. So pleased for you.
Interestingly enough in the last week or so I have been invited to speak about Australia to some of the younger children at the school where I teach. I’ve tried to speak about unusual animals and the tawny frogmouth was featured. The kids loved the information. They’re such fascinating creatures.
Loved your photos and the mother’s fierce stare – too funny!
What total darlings Nicole! I love love love them! Mum and all!! ❤️ I think mum looks like she’s saying “ok, I guess you’re not going to hurt us, but just don’t get any closer!” Thanks for sharing, brought a feeling of warm cuppa all over 🙂
I definitely felt Mum’s disapproval, and it made me feel so tender-hearted watching her display of motherly protectiveness!
That’s sweet!
Owls are my favourite, when I see one I feel like I have been tapped on the shoulder by my elders and my destiny all rolled into one.
I am so glad that there is some improvement in your sight – I know it is early days, but any little improvement is fantastic.
Much Love – Susan
Thanks, Susan. I feel like that about owls too. But you knew that 😀
That Mumma is one grumpy owl! Brilliant photos, lovely. They are so stinkin’ cute!
My dodgy eyes think the photos are crisp enough. I’m delighted to see them at all. Just wonderful that you managed to capture a photo of them at all! Thank you for that. They are just delightful!
I felt pretty lucky to get their picture!
Amazing Birds! They had me fooled. The cool thing about nature is there is always something new to learn.
Oh so cute