I have been neglecting some of the birdlife in my local area, so I cycled down to the Cooks River with my camera.
A commenter to my blog, Steve, had mentioned on a previous post about a new Tawny Frogmouth nest. I had been down several times to see it, and seen a bird sitting on some sticks in a fork, not too high in a Casuarina tree. I though that it was about the time the eggs should hatch and there may be chicks.
Tawny Frogmouth’s form a pair bond for life and share duties. They usually build what looks like an alarmingly flimsy nest out of a few sticks and twigs. These in my limited experience are not that high up – perhaps 4 – 6 metres. They take turns at sitting on the eggs, the male usually during the day and the female at night while the male gets food for both. The incubation period seems to be around 4 – 5 weeks. I think the chicks when hatched are perhaps hidden in the nest under one of the parents – so don’t seem to be visible for a while. Later, when larger, they perch on a branch, close to the nest with one or both parents. The branch they perch on can be in a different tree to the nest, and can change from day to day, but is usually close to the nest tree for at least the first few weeks of fledging. Most Tawny Frogmouth pairs would be breeding around now, and can breed twice in a season.
This nest is close to the path on the south side of the river near Younger Avenue. On this visit, I first spotted the non-nest bird. it was perched on a nearby tree, about level with the nest height. The nest was about 5 m away. I could not see any chicks – so perhaps hidden or still sitting on eggs (clutch size is from 1 – 3).
I have seen Tawny Frogmouths near here before – with chicks. Whether these are those parents or one of the other pairs of tawny Frogmouths along the river I don’t know.
I then headed upstream to the Cup and Saucer Ck Wetlands and had a look. Not too much to see on my visit. On the bridge over the creek, I could see a Heron on the bank. I stayed and watched it hunt for a while. I didn’t seem to catch anything.
So I crossed the river. I stayed on the bridge for a while and photographed some Cormorants, a Silver Gull and Pelicans.
On the north side, I went upstream to near the Dog Area and looked for the Tawny Frogmouth pair there. Earlier I had seen a nest, but no bird sitting on it, but I had seen one perched not too far away. And that nest site had been used twice by the pair last season. On this visit – I spotted a nest in a different tree, near the old tree. On the nest, one of the Tawny Frogmouths was sitting. I could not spot the second bird of the pair.
Soon there should be some Tawny Frogmouth chicks in several places along the river. There is also a pair usually resident near the Boat Harbour. Lately when visiting that area I have been swooped by a Butcherbird on one visit and another time by a Noisy Miner. So have not had a real good look.
My wife and I spotted this Younger ave nest around the early September so 5-6 weeks ago. Originally we saw the pair then for a few weeks afterwards we couldn’t see the female of the pair around it (male sits on the nest during the day apparently and they take turns overnight) and now it always seems to be back in the same spot in a neighboring tree. I wonder if that is related to hatching? Anyway hopeful of seeing fledglings in the next few weeks.
Yes – I have only noticed the male on my most recent visits. There could be a chick or more, but I can’t see them – may be under the parent until larger? Further up the river, and on the other side, at the Dog Area, there is the second nest – and here I can only spot the bird on the nest. So perhaps the second bird (female?) turns up later when the eggs have hatched?