Possibly there’s an Owlet-Nightjar on my place. Are there any tips out hereon how to sight them??? Judith jlukin01@postoffice.csu.edu.au
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Thanks, all! I’m no good at recording/videoing by night. However– The sound resembles the call on Morcombe’s mobile app, which he describes thus: “…Also gives a single, sharp, penetrating, metallic ‘aeiiirk!’ ” The website of Graeme Chapman’s lovely assortment does not include this call. Cheers, Judith. jlukin01@postoffice.csu.edu.au On 18 April 2015 at 17:09, Marie Tarrant < sittella@gmail.com> wrote:
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Hi Jude, I believe we live in the same area. The Owlet Nightjar that was so reliable at my place recently would, without fail, give a call around 5am before it entered it’s favourite hollow for the day. When I first became aware of it I checked out any hollows in the general direction and managed to spot it during the day. I don’t know if it’s still using the hollow as I’m away at the moment, but it was very reliable for a good month – so much so, it was like the proverbial Austrian clock cuckoo and I awaited it’s 5am call and also knew it would be sitting at the front of the hollow around 9am each morning and around 3pm each afternoon. Marie On 18 April 2015 at 14:44, Peter Shute < pshute@nuw.org.au> wrote: — Marie Tarrant Kobble Creek, Qld
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“Metallic whip sound” doesn’t sound quite right, but I suppose some of the calls could be described that way. Have you listened to any recordings to compare? Can you make a recording? Often they start calling at the entrance of their hole just before dark, so you might be able to find it while it’s still light. The hole can be very small. I’m not sure if they use the same roost every day. This is Steven Debus’s reply, from Shirley’s reply: Best detected by call at night, then approach the call with a spotlight. Not much eyeshine. They can be seen by driving slowly around on bush tracks, sometimes fly up from the ground. They call from their hollows during the day, and may be seen at the entrance or they might flush out when approached (though vulnerable to attack when flushed, so I wouldn’t deliberately flush them). At dusk they emerge and fly around, though not much more than a silhouette in that light level. In daytime or dusk their flight is undulating like a rosella or shrike-thrush. Peter Shute Sent from my iPad
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Thank you. Was there an Attached reply from Steve Debus? I’m having trouble opening it here. I’m at 500m in SEQ. The area is ex-dairy (previously red-cedar timber-getting), being now semi-rural /regrowth. Earlier I sent the following to Tim: I’ve never heard this call/sound on the place before, but can’t think of what else it could be… It’s a metallic whip! sound. My puzzle is how few hollows are close to the sound-source. Over the road & down the road there’s some old hollows left, but if the species’ territory size is as small as the bird’s size might suggest… well, I’m not surprised to have not heard it before. Meanwhile, I’m trying out these suggestions, but am having difficulty in the pitch-black locating the bird, which seems to fly/flee quite freely. Judith jlukin01@postoffice.csu.edu.au On 15 April 2015 at 16:38, Tim Dolby < Tim.Dolby@vu.edu.au> wrote:
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Yes, agree with Angus, spotlighting would be a good way to see them!
When spotlighting Owlet-nightjar I’d recommend holding the torch at eye level and look straight down the beam of light. (This is actually a good way to spotlight most birds and mammals.) In the case of Owlet-nightjar specifically I’ve found that, for some reason (perhaps the shape of their eyes?), if you don’t do this, it can be a little hard to see their eye shine, perhaps why Angus recommends using a headlamp. Cheers, Tim ________________________________________ Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2015 3:07 PM Hi judith, I would suggest spotlighting them is much easier, using a headtorch is fine. They have very obvious eyeshine and can be tracked down fairly easily when calling. Cheers Angus McNab ——– Original message ——– Hi Judith, At night, when you hear it, you could try a little bit of call-playback. Not too much – you don’t want to upset the bird in anyway – just enough to see if it comes in. Otherwise, often the best way to see Australian Owlet-nightjar is to find their daytime roosting tree and hollow. Scratch the base of any tree that has small hollows. If present, the bird may flush, thinking the noise is an intruder such as a Goanna. Interesting to know where you are you, urban or country? Cheers, Tim ________________________________________ Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2015 12:51 PM Possibly there’s an Owlet-Nightjar on my place. Are there any tips out hereon how to sight them??? Judith jlukin01@postoffice.csu.edu.au
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Hi judith, I would suggest spotlighting them is much easier, using a headtorch is fine. They have very obvious eyeshine and can be tracked down fairly easily when calling. Cheers Angus McNab ——– Original message ——– Hi Judith, At night, when you hear it, you could try a little bit of call-playback. Not too much – you don’t want to upset the bird in anyway – just enough to see if it comes in. Otherwise, often the best way to see Australian Owlet-nightjar is to find their daytime roosting tree and hollow. Scratch the base of any tree that has small hollows. If present, the bird may flush, thinking the noise is an intruder such as a Goanna. Interesting to know where you are you, urban or country? Cheers, Tim ________________________________________ Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2015 12:51 PM Possibly there’s an Owlet-Nightjar on my place. Are there any tips out hereon how to sight them??? Judith jlukin01@postoffice.csu.edu.au
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Hi Judith, At night, when you hear it, you could try a little bit of call-playback. Not too much – you don’t want to upset the bird in anyway – just enough to see if it comes in. Otherwise, often the best way to see Australian Owlet-nightjar is to find their daytime roosting tree and hollow. Scratch the base of any tree that has small hollows. If present, the bird may flush, thinking the noise is an intruder such as a Goanna. Interesting to know where you are you, urban or country? Cheers, Tim ________________________________________ Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2015 12:51 PM Possibly there’s an Owlet-Nightjar on my place. Are there any tips out hereon how to sight them??? Judith jlukin01@postoffice.csu.edu.au
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