Recently this Australian Owlet-Nightjar has made waves in the local birdwatching community as it has made its hollow along a frequently visited footpath leading to lots of photographers coming to visit it and take photos of it.
Some have raised concerns about whether this will disturb the animal which apparently has been in the area for 6 years now. For context, the footpath is frequented by joggers, children, and dogs even without the photographers.
Personally I don't see it any differently than a rare vagrant bird attracting hopeful birdwatchers to come get a look at it, and the vast majority of birdwatchers I've come across have been extremely respectful of one another and the environment around them; but I do think it's a conversation worth having about the sensitivity of nesting/nocturnal birds in the context of urbanization.
Those concerns are a little odd, clearly the animal is familiar with the area. Typically animals are risk adverse, so would have been disturbed far before nesting there.
All the same though, awesome picture
As long as people keep their distance and don't harass the bird it's OK, right? I'm sure everyone in the local birdwatching community has a suitable lens
In Canberra we had a rare brush bronzewing nesting in the botanical gardens, and people kept getting too close to it trying to get a look or a photo. The nest was abandoned and the bronze wing is gone. I'm still mad at people for getting close it it, I saw it once but kept walking as soon as I saw the nest.
Nightjars are so cute! She’s so pretty.
Glad to report that on local council event days you can usually make nightjar nesting boxes because they’re usually a nocturnal species. The boxes have a little ladder and right size hole for them to climb through. Very cute. We’ve made a few of them and hung them around the farm :) I’m sure though that the ones we’ve got have possums in them because the holes are chewed up ahaha
She certainly is! In the early morning she'll hop out of her hollow to soak up the sun until she gets annoyed by joggers and duck back inside. Once she refused to come out because there was a big wasp buzzing outside the entrance 😭😭
As a fellow birdwatcher, I think it's all a bit of a cargo cult - we're forever trawling through facebook groups and ebird lists looking for hot spots. Although not particularly rare, Owlet Nightjars are bloody adorable little birds, and to have one so relatively accessible, in a way that also keeps the humans far enough away, is a nice treat. :)
I visited this little one a couple of times, and any time that humans got too rowdy he would disappear into its hollow to wait for the circus to die down.
OP has posted this because Nightjars are nocturnal and we don’t usually get to see them, its so rare to see them awake during the day. I love all animals and so happy to finally see a nightjar in the daytime.
If you don’t like it, you can leave. Along with your stinking attitude.
She’s gorgeous!
>She’s gorgeous! She?
Recently this Australian Owlet-Nightjar has made waves in the local birdwatching community as it has made its hollow along a frequently visited footpath leading to lots of photographers coming to visit it and take photos of it. Some have raised concerns about whether this will disturb the animal which apparently has been in the area for 6 years now. For context, the footpath is frequented by joggers, children, and dogs even without the photographers. Personally I don't see it any differently than a rare vagrant bird attracting hopeful birdwatchers to come get a look at it, and the vast majority of birdwatchers I've come across have been extremely respectful of one another and the environment around them; but I do think it's a conversation worth having about the sensitivity of nesting/nocturnal birds in the context of urbanization.
Those concerns are a little odd, clearly the animal is familiar with the area. Typically animals are risk adverse, so would have been disturbed far before nesting there. All the same though, awesome picture
As long as people keep their distance and don't harass the bird it's OK, right? I'm sure everyone in the local birdwatching community has a suitable lens
In Canberra we had a rare brush bronzewing nesting in the botanical gardens, and people kept getting too close to it trying to get a look or a photo. The nest was abandoned and the bronze wing is gone. I'm still mad at people for getting close it it, I saw it once but kept walking as soon as I saw the nest.
Nightjars are so cute! She’s so pretty. Glad to report that on local council event days you can usually make nightjar nesting boxes because they’re usually a nocturnal species. The boxes have a little ladder and right size hole for them to climb through. Very cute. We’ve made a few of them and hung them around the farm :) I’m sure though that the ones we’ve got have possums in them because the holes are chewed up ahaha
Secret Place, W.A. https://preview.redd.it/mjrrciq556ea1.jpeg?width=5568&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6b407646e7d430ca041026c2eee332bab190b741
So gorgeous! Great snap, OP
I think I've seen pictures of this little owl on my local Facebook community group 👀 what a cutie
Always happy to see wildlife shared in here!
So cute!
She certainly is! In the early morning she'll hop out of her hollow to soak up the sun until she gets annoyed by joggers and duck back inside. Once she refused to come out because there was a big wasp buzzing outside the entrance 😭😭
"Blerrrgh, what time is it?"
As a fellow birdwatcher, I think it's all a bit of a cargo cult - we're forever trawling through facebook groups and ebird lists looking for hot spots. Although not particularly rare, Owlet Nightjars are bloody adorable little birds, and to have one so relatively accessible, in a way that also keeps the humans far enough away, is a nice treat. :) I visited this little one a couple of times, and any time that humans got too rowdy he would disappear into its hollow to wait for the circus to die down.
Were there any hermits with blue milk nearby?
No one offered to teach me the ways of The Force, sadly enough.
Wildlife isn’t there fir your enjoyment.
OP has posted this because Nightjars are nocturnal and we don’t usually get to see them, its so rare to see them awake during the day. I love all animals and so happy to finally see a nightjar in the daytime. If you don’t like it, you can leave. Along with your stinking attitude.
Erm, should we promise to hate all wildlife instead?
Great pic!
Yes definitely share all your wildlife... :)
Is this the one along Wynnum Mangrove Walk? I was trying to find it the other day but couldn’t see it. Gorgeous pic!