Hey Margaret,
It is not unknown for Tawny Frogmouths to
call during the day but it is something I have only seen and heard on a couple
of occasions. The other birds to consider may be Common Bronzewing or Painted
Button-quail. Best to listen to their calls on a CD, it is a bit difficult to
put the differences into words.
I did hear a Button-quail sp. calling from
the long grassy paddocks beside the SW corner of Narrabundah Hill (Duffy) last
Thursday evening (late dusk). Beth and I were away from Friday so in the rush I
forgot to let Jack Holland or Tobias (the other local birders) know to go and
have a look for it. I would be surprised if this bird was a Painted BQ –
the habitat is certainly not typical. I realise Painted BQ are occasionally
recorded from paddocks but I think it would be unusual for them to be calling
in such an environment. Although I know Tobias and others have seen Painted BQ
in an area of reveg only a km or two to the south. I think the obvious
candidate would be a Little Button-quail.
The field the bird was calling from is
probably still part of the horse paddocks and is the very last field on your
left as you head to the SW corner of Narrabundah Hill. The grasses are thick
and knee high with no trees or shrubs (other than along the margins of the
field). Other birds in the area include Southern Whiteface, Diamond Firetail,
Brown Falcon, Dusky Woodswallow, and loads of Rufous Songlark. I thought I was
doing well counting 9 on the full walk around the hill but Jack H has recorded
8 in this area alone.
Cheers Dan
-----Original
Message-----
From: Margaret
Leggoe
[
Sent: Monday, 16 November 2009
11:21
To:
Subject: [canberrabirds] Familiar
call, wrong time of day
Down at Kambah Pool early this morning, it was cool,
overcast, and the bush was unusually still and silent. A few birds were
calling, notably the grey butcher bird, a flycatcher, the psittacines and a
baby magpie. But in the distance I could hear the “Oooommm, ooommm,
ooommm, ooommm” of a tawny frogmouth. In WA some years ago, a pair
of tawny frogmouths roosted in a tree beside my house, and many an evening you
would hear the same gentle call. But I have never heard it in daylight.
Can anyone suggest what else it may have been?
Margaret Leggoe
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