Five Years of Frogmouths

I have been watching and photographing the progress of a pair to Tawny Frogmouths now since 2014.  This Blog is a selection of their nesting activities.  As always, the male hatched and guarded the young, while the female was close by to assist if ever the nest was attacked by other birds.

During winter of 2014, I noticed a pair at the start of my normal morning walk with my dog.  That year, they started nesting mid-October and raised and fledged one bird.

2014

2015

In 2015, they built their nest in the same spot and hatched out three young, but one did not survive.

2016

During the winter of 2016, their nest tree blew down in a storm, and although the birds were present in the area, I did not find their nest, and did not know how many were fledged.

2017

In 2017, I happened to notice the male bird sitting high in a dead tree, apparently on a nest.  They raised and fledged three youngsters.  

It is possible that this is where they nested in 2016. 

2018

In 2018, a nest was again built in the same place as 2017, but was either destroyed by wind or Pied Currawongs, and was rebuilt in another tree.  The pair again hatched and raised three young.

2019

This year, 2019, the nest was again built in the original 2017 tree, and again the pair hatched and raised three young.

2019 October's Opportunities

October is done and dusted - with a full range of Spring weather - from 'just a frost' to 30 degrees C.  With the dry conditions in western NSW, we are also experiencing a few very dusty days, and the pollen and dust count in the air is very high.

The Kangaroo that Esme didn't chase - she had her ball instead.

Kookaburra working on a nest hollow

Sleeping Dogs

With school holidays, we were dog sitters for a while.  The black & white staffy cross is Hudson - Connor & Jamie's dog.  The black hairy one below is Mackie - Andrew's Labradoodle.

Mackie

Kookaburra looking for food

The Tawny Frogmouth was still on the nest at the beginning of the month, but around the end of the first week he was shifting around, protecting young nestlings.

Still waiting

Magpie season - this one took a dislike to the dogs

Dampiera diversifolia Blue Haze in full flower at #33

Nesting time for a Red-Brown Finch

Olive-backed Oriole

First view of the nestlings

Brown Goshawk or Collard Sparrowhawk?

A pair of birds has started nesting along my walk, but what are they?  The Collard Sparrowhawk and the Brown Goshawk are very similar.  The local birdwatchers seem to be divided, and I cannot make up my mind either.

Lavender in the garden

Move over Dad - the nestlings are growing

Cunningham's Skink playing peek-a-boo

Sparrowhawk or Goshawk

Takeoff

Airborne

The Drone looking down over a pine forest

Milky Way over a BBQ spot - West Belconnen Pond

Bathing - Crimson Rosella

Cycads on Clyde Mountain

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike

Living dangerously - perched over the raptor's nest

Dust in the air

Cunningham's Skink

Eastern Water Dragon

Growing up - and curious

Mailbox

Taemus Bridge over the Murrumbidgee River

Looking down the middle of the Taemus Bridge

Taemus bridge from the drone

Dozing in the sun