My friend John Bullock and his wife, Stephanie, have a son living in Australia, so they go there annually to see grandkids and fit in a little birding. Here is his latest email:
“We’re being included more and more by the local birders who have taken us to some fantastic private properties. We’ve befriended a French Canadian who can’t wait to take us to find the latest special bird. He insisted on finding the Beach Stone Curlew (not at all Curlew-looking), and finally succeeded.
“He now wants to take us “spotlighting” which means “owling”. He’s also determined to help us find a Noisy Pita, and a Riflebird.
“These Frogmouths are nesting in a Paperbark tree in a beachside park near a caravan park, with tons of people and dogs running around under their nest tree. Amazing.”
If you followed along on Noah Strycker’s Global Big Year, you will surely recognize this bird as species #5657.
If you followed along on Noah Strycker’s Global Big Year, you will surely recognize this bird as species #5657.A little taxonomy is called for. Frogmouths are in the same order but different family from our nighthawks. Both are also allied closely to the potoos and oilbirds of tropical America.
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Marvelous caprimulgids!! Funnily enough, frogmouths have been on my mind lately. Had the idea two days ago that a children’s book with frogmouths as the main characters would do the world some good.
-Brandon
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By: Brandon Breen on November 18, 2017
at 5:26 pm