02/12/2025
While I was walking around Lake Benalla one morning in late October, as I usually do with my camera in hand, I noticed something on a stump in the middle of a grass area. I initially thought it might be a kookaburra or something similar. I slowly walked up to the stump, and as I got closer, I could make out a Tawny Frogmouth chick that must have fallen out of its nest. I looked around (my eyes are not the best these days) and I couldn’t see a nest. I contacted Kristy from the Benalla Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation. After I told her of the chick, she went straight out to check it out. The chick had learned from its parent, the stance of the Tawny Frogmouth. It was doing exactly that and not really moving around. I was reasonably happy and started to head off home. Kristy then informed me that she had made the decision to take the chick back home. The parents didn’t seem too fussed at the chick’s plight and were not protecting it. After a few days, I found the other sibling and parent. I took a few more photos.
Some time later, and a few updates from Kristy, she then said the chick was ready to be released back into the wild. I jumped at the chance to grab a few more photos. I headed off to the Lake that night and met up with Kristy, her husband Matt and the little Tawny Frogmouth. After a minute or so, the Tawny Frogmouth took off and stopped on a branch nearby. It seemed to be ok. Let’s hope this Tawny will live a long and fruitful life.
Thanks must go to Kristy and Matt who nurtured and looked after the chick to allow it to go off into the wild.
