Barking Owls

At night, from my tent, I typically hear all sorts of noises: howling dingoes, hopping wallabies, screaming Bush Stone-Curlews, gruff Boobook owls, and yapping Barking Owls. It’s a jungle out there – or, at least, a tropical savanna.

Most of those things are hard to find during the day, though, so I’ve been happy to see the same Barking Owl twice this week during fairy-wren surveys along the north end of Annie Creek. It probably wasn’t quite as happy to see me, since I flushed it from its nap, but there you have it. Even got a photo to prove it.

I have now managed to see almost all the nocturnal birds around here on day roosts. Spend enough time outside, and you’ll flush them from hiding: Spotted Nightjar, Australian Owlet-Nightjar, Tawny Frogmouth, Southern Boobook, and Barking Owl. The only night bird I haven’t yet seen in daylight is the stone-curlew; they must hide exceedingly well, since they’re common enough on the roads after dark.

4 replies
  1. Patrick Gallagher
    Patrick Gallagher says:

    Noah,

    Does having tourists at Mannington change your diet? Or are you still ordering food from afar?

  2. Noah Strycker
    Noah Strycker says:

    Hey Pat – I still order food from afar. It joins a massive food order placed from our restaurant, brought in on a truck once every two weeks. Fresh veggies are like Christmas!

  3. Denise
    Denise says:

    My husband and I saw our stone curlews in the morning hours at a cemetery in Cairns in 1998. Gave a whole new meaning to “stone” curlews! Would love to see all those owls and nightjars!

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