Cheeky Tawny

Jump into the WayBack Machine for a moment to this post I did back in May 2006 about some of the different birds I get here at Chez Mooselet. Here's what I said about the Tawny Frogmouth (picture from somewhere on the internets, not me) at the time:

Looks like an owl, doesn't it? It's not, as it lacks the sharp talons of the owl. But it is nocturnal. I've come home a few times at night and have found one sitting on my gate, hanging out. We face off for a few minutes before he decides to move up into one of the trees to let me through. Thanks mate!

When I got home last night just after 2 am (so does that make it 'this morning' instead of 'last night'?) from The Large Grocery Store That Employees Me I encountered another of these beautiful birds once again sitting on my gate. He swivelled his head around and peered at me with his yellow eyes as I came down the driveway and turned off my high beams. No need to blind the little guy after all. Then I reached down to pause my iPod and waited for Tawny to flap away like they usually do.

Except he didn't. He turned his head back around and continued doing whatever it was that he was doing before I came home. I flashed him a few times with my high beams, but all that did was cause him to glare at me over his shoulder. I was trying not to startle him and so was reluctant to get out of the car before he flew off, but he wasn't leaving me much choice. I was bone tired and wanted a piece of The Hermit's birthday cake before I collapsed into bed. I put my window down.

"Ok look, " I called to him, and he again did that 180 thing with his head that is cool yet freaky. "I need to get up this driveway so I can get home, so you need to move. You can go back when I'm through, I promise."

He didn't budge. My next step was to open the car door; if the sound of my diesel engine wasn't enough to put him off surely the door opening would. Ha! I shut the door - perhaps the sound of it slamming would do the trick. Silly me. I took a few steps towards him - nothing. He wasn't even watching me now.

"Oh, come on. I'm tired," I whined. I clapped my hands once, twice... even threw in a little foot stomp. I think he laughed at me, quietly, in his head. "Go on, shoo!" More clapping, a few steps closer still. I was practically on top of him and considering giving him a shove when, with a final look of what could only be described as disgust, he flew off into a nearby tree where he prompty turned his back on me.

Must've been a teenager.