Brisbane, QLD


Wednesday, January 17, 2018

CURLEWS HAVE MOVED INTO THE VILLAGE

A pair of Bush Stone-curlews have made the village gardens their home and they have raised a chick. I have been trying to photograph the chick for days but it is difficult because the parents protect it very well. These birds are hard to see because their colour blends in with the leaf litter where they spend their time during the day. They are nocturnal birds and they have a high pitched wailing screech at night.
 Here they are hiding the chick and it can't be seen. 

 The next day I was lucky to capture the chick with a zoom lens. Unfortunately walking away from me .


 Another evening one walked right up to our front door.

We had to shoo it away.

They stand very still during the day.

24 comments:

  1. Fantastic photos - and a fantastic photo opportunity. We have a few migratory Stone Curlews that turn up in the Brecklands, about 40 miles from here. They are incredibly elusive, very well camouflaged and certainly don't come anywhere near to human habitation. Otherwise they are very similar looking birds.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've not come across this bird before. Fascinating. I loved the way they place one foot directly in front of the other when they are walking. Not keen on the screeching at night though. I had that occasionally in New Zealand and it can make one's blood run cold.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow lucky you having them on your doorstep and breeding. Great photos and even more so as they are difficult to take. Hope all is well there, t'other Diane

    ReplyDelete
  4. I don't know that bird, looks very fragile with those thin legs.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I didn’t know they were nocturnal animals- no wonder they have such large eyes! Aren’t they unusual looking birds! Lovely photos xxx

    ReplyDelete
  6. Interesting bird! The last photo is really great!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hello, I love these cute birds. I would love the see them and the cute chicks. Great photos. Happy Wednesday, enjoy your day!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Those are neat birds. Do they fly very well or prefer to run?

    ReplyDelete
  9. cute little chick, and they do blend in perfectly. glad i can't hear the noise they make. they have birds on the lake in the condos where my friend lives, starts with L and can't remember, and people are threatening to kill the birds because they are so noisy.

    ReplyDelete
  10. These curlews certainly are camouflaged when in the garden! I would imagine hearing their calls at night is startling!

    ReplyDelete
  11. How wonderful that you were able to photo graph them so well in the end. Persistence pays! I've never seen them before and would love to, but I think I'm glad I've never heard them!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Interesting bird but I don't think I would like the wailing screech.

    ReplyDelete
  13. So glad to see you on here! Loved your curlew photos, especially that you were able to capture the chick too! They remind me so much of roadrunners in our west!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Lovely captures Diane. That screeching is rather gruesome in the night we came across some in the middle of the night in Lucinda in 2016, thought a women was being murdered :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hello!:) Wow! This great looking bird is usually so shy, and one walked up to your door, just amazing! The chick is adorable. All great shots, and the close-up is brilliant.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Exciting and exotic. How lucky for you to be able to enjoy!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. What graceful and beautiful birds and those eyes!

    ReplyDelete
  18. How amazing. Great photos too. We have a type of Stone Curlew over here but it is rare, confined to a very few areas and very secretive. They are carefully camouflaged, as your photos show, and so quite hard to spot.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I know there call but had no idea what they looked like. Thanks for showing me.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Well, that is pretty cool -- not the kind of yard birds I'm used to seeing, that's for sure! It must be eerie to hear that noise at night though!!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Interesting birds for sure.... Love seeing the little chick... So special!!!!! Does the screeching at nights keep you awake????

    Hugs,
    Betsy

    ReplyDelete
  22. You managed to get some great photos of the elusive birds.

    ReplyDelete
  23. What wonderful images of this beautiful creature.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Wonderful shots Diane. Such fascinating birds and what a treat that you eventually got to see the baby.

    ReplyDelete