Look Wut I Got! (Scroller and Photo)

[monstersinthedungeon]

This is Screech.

For the last couple of months we've had a very diligent Tawny Frogmouth pair sitting on their nest close to the house.  We've watched with anticipation and were finally rewarded by seeing a little bundle of fluff popping his head out of the nest.

Then last weekend - DRAMA - I walked outside to see a massive monitor making his way towards the Tawny tree.  Screamed at hubby to come and help, we tried to avert disaster, but the monitor was way too fast for us and scaled the tree.  

Mumma Tawny was very panicked, as the monitor came closer to the nest she flew off into a nearby tree.  She gave me a look of absolute desperation HELP ME! (yes, she did!) but the nest/monitor were way too high for us to do anything.  Hubby tried to throw things at the monitor, but I stopped him as the monitor's life is no less precious than the chicks - I didn't want to see the monitor get toppled out of the tree and hurt or killed.  Plus hubby damn near hit my car with a rock. ;\

I put some eggs around the base of the tree so the monitor could see them, in a vain attempt to lure him away from the chick.  We had to go out briefly, so wished the Tawnys good luck.  Alas, when we came back, the nest was empty :_|

Went about our afternoon chores when suddenly I spotted baby Tawny!  Sitting on the ground next to the tractor.  We dropped everything, made him a makeshift nest and put it up in the tree, then caught him and put him in the nest.  We saw Mumma and Pappa Tawny watching nearby.

Cut down a long story, Bubba kept jumping out of his nest over the next three days and Mumma and Pappa abandoned him, so the decision was made to bring him inside to keep him safe from both the monitors and our dogs. (our four young ones would kill him). 

He will be released as soon as he can fly properly and learn to catch his own bugs (I am catching them for him at the moment).  He's all puffed up and hating me in the photo, that's a good thing, we don't want him imprinting on us. He's feeding really well though (I hate you, I hate you, yum, yum, more please, I still hate you). 

[latina4621]

what a cutie, i love owls :-x

[j*oono]

Oh that's gorgeous.  I hope he does really well.  Good on you.  It will be hard to give him up so extra good on you.

[bright.ton42]

I love owls too and Screech is so cute. 

Pardon my ignorance but what is a monitor?

[monstersinthedungeon]

Oh that's gorgeous.  I hope he does really well.  Good on you.  It will be hard to give him up so extra good on you.

Joona, to be absolutely honest I did briefly think about the possibility of keeping him, apparently they do really tame down and do well in captivity.  But when I looked into his eyes and saw how unhappy he was in a cage, I realised there was no way I could keep him, he has to be released, for better or worse, back to where he belongs to live out his life the way nature intended.  I am well aware that that may mean a short life, but better a short happy life than a long miserable one in captivity.

Latina, he's not actually an owl, he's a Tawny Frogmouth. He looks just like an owl, but is more closely related to the nightjar family, which includes Kookaburras and Kingfishers.

[monstersinthedungeon]

Bright, a monitor is a GREAT BIG lizard.

Google for pics, they are neat animals, but unfortunately have a taste for eggs and young chicks.

Can scale a tree in seconds. Whilst you are supposed to stand still for a snake, "they" reckon you run fast in the other direction with a monitor, as it may mistake you for a tree and scale you - they have great big claws.

[purple_haize]

He is so gorgeous!

[love*today]

I like this thread 🙂 x

[my2cuddlycats_not]

Sad, make me cry, but, this IS the circle of life, *sigh* he is gorgeous, so glad he survived the attack, hope he has a long and happy life.

[mum*of*goldens]

What a lovely thread, and what a gorgeous frogmouth.

You are doing a wonderful job there in caring for him or her.

Well done.