General Chat

We were sitting outside having a sunset drink..

OH said......"look at your basil.... not THAT basil, the old one..."

I couldn't see anything, cos it's nearly dark.

Looked again, thought the basil looked a bit big........ then it moved!

What's that? A Tawny Frogmouth!

Find info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tawny_Frogmouth

They've built a loose "twiggy" nest on top of a half-dead basil in a pot! Not a safe place for a nest. It's right out in the open.

Ahh, Scozz, at least our bobtails seem to be safe from cats. We have two cats who, at various times, have sniffed around the lizards, but seem to leave them well and truly alone.

I'm not sure how tawny frogmouths would be treated :-(

That must have given you a fright :-D

I thought you were talking amphibians and imagined a load of frogs balancing in the basil :-0

They are cute! :-D

lolol

I keep peering outside, but haven't seen them. If I put the light on I'd scare them away! But they could be in the tree, right in front of me, and I wouldn't see them, even during the day, as they blend in so well with the spotty trunk (I think it's a Tuckeroo). They make a funny noise, sort of oooom ooooom ooooom (not at all like a yoga chant!)

Island ~ we bought a packet of teeny frogs (as a joke!) and put them on top of the sundial. Next time we looked, the frogs had no feet. Birds pecked them off.

This year's basil is in a BIG pot. He has friends with him - two little men made of flowerpots & a metal daisy on a stick. So I've got Bill n Ben n Basil and Little Weed.

There must be eggs in the nest (it's a very loose twiggy thing).

One of the Frogmouths is always sitting on the nest.

They don't seem to be bothered by us. The nest is in an awful spot, on the corner of the deck on a rail.

It stinks a bit!! Don't think we'll be eating outside until the babies have flown.

Got up this morning..........

Vacant nest

Two broken eggshells on the deck.

I don't know what happened, but OH thinks a water dragonmay have got them (they eat their young!)

I was so looking forward to seeing the chicks.

I have had a couple of Welcome Swallows building a nest above my back porch fly screen for the last couple of weeks or so, but I havent seen any sign of them today. Usually if I go outside they scold me and tell me to b****r off. I hope they havent been attacked by bigger birds or a cat or blown away in the strong winds we have had.

One of the Frogmouths came back last night, just at dusk. He/she stayed for less than a minute then left.

I'll leave the pot there, they might come back, but I doubt it.

And I have seen my swallows again. I think this weather is too wet and windy for them to want to do much. I dont blame them either.

They came back today.

Took away all the twigs!

I hope they build the new nest somewhere safe, where water dragons can't get to the eggs & chicks.

They're back!

Two of them, sitting in the big tree all day :-D

The old Basil pot has gone, so we thought we'd help them out. We've hung a basket on a chain & suspended it from a tree branch. Hopefully the water dragons won't be able to get to them.

Can't do anything about other birds or snakes, but I hope we get to see chicks this year.

:-D

Brilliant news Scozz! Keep us posted :-D

How lovely that they have another chance. I hope they will make a new nest and manage to rear young ones so you have the pleasure of seeing them. You too, Huia, with your Swallows.

Our birds aren't around much at the mo altho I did see the robin yesterday and a couple of blackbirds, one with a very distinctive bill, are outside all the while looking for food. They love the bread I put out but do eat insects etc as well. Babies are all gone now. Roll on next Spring altho I don't want to wish my life away, I do hate the thought of winter coming.

Lizxx

Haven't seen them today

Wait until dusk, when they start making noises... a weird Hoooooom Hoooooom sound. They sound like they are doing yoga & chanting lol

OH has gone mad....... he got out the extension ladder and put old pots (the plant type, not saucepans!) in trees!

I hope they come back :-D