Too dark to see, I flipped open the flash, pointed the camera at the sound, and snapped. And got what has to be the luckiest shot of my life:
It was a Tawny Frogmouth, probably about 16 inches from tip of the tail to head. They're owl-like—but they are not owls, nor are they closely related to them.
Here's a closer look:
More here. And more images of the messy-faced Frogmouth here.
• Fromouths are classified as belonging to the order Caprimulgiformes. The name means "goat-sucker," because of the mistaken belief long ago that another bird in the order, the nightjar, sucked milk from female goats.
Neato.
ReplyDeleteVery cool Thom! I had read about those birds but never hoped to see one or be one degree of separation from someone who had.
ReplyDeleteInteresting note: "nightjars" are mentioned in the Elton John song "Come Down In Time".
In the quiet silent seconds I
Turned off the light switch and I
Came down to meet you
In the
Half light the moon left
While a
Cluster of Nightjars ( or it could be nightjar, I could never tell...)
Sang some
Songs out of tune
A mantle of bright light
Shone
Down from a room...
Come down in time
I still hear her say
So clear in my ear
Like it was today
Come down in time
Was the message she gave
Come down in time
And I'll
Meet you half way...