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). 

[monstersinthedungeon]

Nup, unfortunately can't blame temporary insanity or dementia on Hagar's Horrible personality, he was like that from an egg. He's only quite young, so just trying to assert his dominance I guess. But Mr Frizzle has priority; he was my first rooster and is a lovely placid, gentle being, so I refuse to have him attacked. Hagar will be roasted if he tries it again. He's currently still in the quarantine cage, which he is not happy about, but if he knew what the alternative was...

We'll get the paddock set up in the weekend so can move him over then.

Your story reminds me of a nasty old goat that I had to walk past every day on the way to and from school. There was a huge hill with 98 stairs and the goat was tethered at the bottom third of the stairs. If you didn't get past him quickly enough he'd make sure you flew down the rest of the stairs courtesy of his horns. 

Fortunately I found out that he loved weeping willow leaves; a tree that grew close to where he was tethered. So I quickly learned to pluck a handful of leaves before approaching him and fling the leaves at him as I raced safely past.

Now that the rain has gone Screech has moved back to his tree, but he spent the three horrible rainy days underneath the eaves of the house. First night he was under just the guttering, but he figured out how to get right up under the eaves, very protected from the weather, so we didn't end up having to move the trellis for him. He's a very clever birdie.

The other night he got told off though; we had come home in the dark and driving down the driveway there was a Tawny on a post on the driveway side of the creek, quite a distance from the house.  Stopped the car and got out; yup, was Screechy boy.  I told him he was a very naughty boy and to get back to the house immediately. Of course he completely ignored me.

[tasfleur]

Oh no I'm not Freddie, I'm going to be standing at the gate with an axe waiting for Hagar ...  :^O

[tasfleur]

"Nup, unfortunately can't blame temporary insanity or dementia on Hagar's Horrible personality, he was like that from an egg"

[b3llag1na]

I can only agree that some roosters are born that way, monsters!

Years ago when we kept chooks, we were given a rooster a couple of hens by people who were moving, to add to our own hens - our lovely placid rooster having died of old age.

He was a gorgeous black pure bred something or other, as were his girls, but he was an absolute terror! Beat up the kids, the dog, all the 'girls' and had several goes at us as well.

Luckily some friends of ours living on acres wanted a new rooster  - so we gave him to them with 2 of his girls..... and within a week he was gone! No - not a fox, someone decided they wanted a rooster and some hens and stole the lot! 

All I could think at the time was it was poetic justice - the thieves would have got much more than they bargained for!

[monstersinthedungeon]

Coupla photos:

My clever birdie sheltering from the rain:

And my sookie puppy under his blankie:

He wears his jimmyjams each night, but lies down on his pillow and cries until I put his blanket on him. This is in my office where I spent most of my evenings; at night he starts off in his bed beside my bed and somehow ends up under the covers beside me in MY bed before the night is over.

[channys_mum]

Oh the animal cruelty stands out like a beacon in those pics, especially that poor pup

[lyndal1838]

Oh the animal cruelty stands out like a beacon in those pics, especially that poor pup

Yes, I agree....we need to see proof that the poor neglected pup is really wearing his jimmyjams.:^O

[tasfleur]

[lyndal1838]

:^O:^O:^O

[cat_mioux]

Gorgeous photo's monsters. Oh how I love this thread!

When I was 14 we moved to another property and inherited a few geese. OMG they ruled the backyard. They'd chase us and peck the back of our legs.It wasn't long before Dad sold them to the local chinese restaurant. 😐

My fat waddle Thai kitty cat, the one I just spent $1000 on for dental surgery, the one who is supposed to be on a diet and actually put on 200g ... decided to lay flat on his back last night with his legs splayed. He looked like a shag rug. :^O