Australian Owlet-nightjar
No Comments »22nd April, 2010; Category: Garden birds, Nocturnal birds, Owls Frogmouths and Nightjars
Australian Owlet-nightjar
During recent evenings there have been times when our house and garden are undisturbed by noise. No television and no noisy neighbours – the nearest are about 60 metres from our house. During these times we are aware of the wildlife in our garden – if they call. Last week it was a Brush-tailed Possum – I’ll write about that soon.
Tonight and last night we heard an Australian Owlet-nightjar calling briefly – not long enough to get a torch and track it down. Being nocturnal it had come out of its hiding place to feed. The photo above was taken a few years ago now. It shows “our” nightjar sunning itself in the entrance of its roosting hollow. You don’t often get a chance to see this species in broad daylight.
The Australian Owlet-nightjar looks like a miniature owl. It is only 20 – 24 cm long. It can be found all over Australia but is more often heard than seen.
Is it a bird? Is it a… possum?
A few nights ago we were sitting in our lounge room reading. The sliding door leading out to the back veranda and back yard was open because it was a pleasant evening. Our attention was suddenly attracted by a loud hissing from nearby outside.
I immediately thought it might be a nocturnal bird, something like an owl for example. I grabbed the torch and within a minute had located the source of the noise. Two Brush-tailed Possums were in a tree near the house having a territory demarcation dispute, hence the loud hissing.
I raced inside for my camera and clicked off half a dozen shots before they disappeared out of range up separate trees. I was very disappointed that the photos were very blurry. I need more practice taking photos at night, I think. This is the best of them:
Out of focus photo of a Brush-tailed Possum in our garden
You can see a much better photo of a Brush-tailed Possum here.
I nearly hit a Barn Owl
3 Comments »15th January, 2010; Category: Bird Behaviour, Nocturnal birds, Owls Frogmouths and Nightjars
Every Friday night I have a small job to do. I used to be a relief driver for a local courier company until my back told me I’d better quit. I’m still on the payroll, however, doing a small but light delivery job every Friday night. Truth is, none of the regular drivers wants to do a Friday night job. This simple delivery involves taking some newspapers and several light boxes to nearby town, leaving at about 9:30pm. Not much good for seeing any birds.
Except nocturnal birds.
A few weeks ago I had just pulled out of our driveway when a Barn Owl swooped down from a nearby tree, snatched something from the road surface and then flew off with its supper, probably a mouse. If I had been going at speed it would have become another road kill. I was just only beginning to accelerate, so I didn’t hit it.
Barn Owls are common and widespread throughout South Australia but one usually only gets to see one in the car headlights as it crosses a road at night, or being mobbed by smaller birds while roosting in a tree.
Sadly, I don’t yet have a photo of this species. UPDATE: I forgot that do have several photos – see one below.
Post updated on July 12th 2015.
Barn Owl, Taronga Park Zoo, Sydney
Australian Owlet-nightjar
No Comments »27th November, 2009; Category: Bird Behaviour, Garden birds, Nocturnal birds, Owls Frogmouths and Nightjars
Australian Owlet-nightjar
One of the endearing little birds we have frequenting our garden is the Australian Owlet-nightjar, a small nocturnal bird more often heard than seen. Last night around midnight I was checking my emails because we had been in Adelaide shopping all afternoon and at a dinner in the evening. The house was quiet with no television or music.
From just outside my office I heard this small owl-like bird calling several times. Normally the sounds of the television would drown out its call.
Last year we had one roosting during the day time in a hollow limb of a tree near our house. It would come out most days about mid-morning to sun itself in the opening of the hollow. It would call several times before retreating back into the hollow. This daily habit enabled me to eventually get a reasonable but not brilliant photo.
It is nice to know it is still around.
Good birding.
Australian Owlet-Nightjar
I was delighted a few evenings ago to hear an Australian Owlet-nightjar calling in the garden. It’s really nice to observe that it is still around.
A few months ago we would hear this delightful nocturnal bird calling during the day. That’s right – during the day. It would come out of its hollow and sit in the sun for a half hour or so, calling occasionally.
Being a nocturnal bird I had not thought I’d ever get a chance to photograph this species, so it was a double delight – actually seeing the bird AND getting a reasonable photo.
To read more and see a photo click here or here.