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rather by accident too, a big fluffy baby tawny frog-mouth owl flew up and got caught up with me roof bar. I was only going slow and kept hearing him flap and scratch around until I stopped and got out and just picked him off the roof. He seems OK , but now missing a bit of his undercoat, and is resting on me ova-alls in the back of the Brumby cabin - away from cats until the WIRES people come tomorrow morning. He's got big bloody feet and a big mouth, looks full size !!

naww poor lil birdy. lets see a pic

He needs those big feet for snatching sheep and needs big eyes cos sheep are much bigger than owls. He has to be able to see what he's eating

Good on you Jono.

Have come across a number of these on the road that appear to have been injured. They all weren't. They just can't be stuffed moving when a car comes or someone picks them up. Seem quite a lazy bird.

had a family living in a tree on the end of my veranda when i lived in northern territory i didnt know they were there for a while and was having a quiet beer one night and had a weird feeling i was being watched and looked into the tree and saw 3 little fellas and mum sitting there stareing at me they are cute they used to hop around on the tree and stir my dogs up i gotta laugh out of them for years cutist looking birds ive ever seen

Good for you...a good story..I think I've got one here in my yard at night..they do no harm.

Love owls. We have tawny frog mouths and boobook on our property.
Did you get him down in the burbs jono? Didn't think you'd get them down there.

He was about twenty houses from the edge of town, and still got him, never saw or heard from WIRES (wildcare). Fed him a bogong and a snail - it's easy, as my hand goes nearer his mouf opens up and in goes the food. One moth flew out before he shut his beak! Kanga mince is next. Concerned he ain't crapped all day (u don't eat, u don't sheet, u die) He is going off for a proper looking over by a vet tomorrow.

Well, after much drama , here he is - say hello to Isaacs.

On the following Monday morning Wildcare rang to follow up to find that I still had him, and promptly got the bird lady to ring me. Laurel suggested I stick him in a box to transport him back to his home area and try releasing him at dusk. So, last Monday night he refused to get in and stay in ANY box so I put a towel over him which he promptly scrambled out from. He travelled on the rear floor of the Brumby.

I had him to the stage where he was happy to sit on my arm and stay there, so we walked deep into the scrub at dusk where he took off and crashed .

I sat him on a fence post where for the next twenty minutes he sat there poised with beak skywards , waiting in his feeding pose. I was not gonna chance it, with feral pussses around. If he was not flying off he was coming home.

It wasn't until later the next day I felt I'd better take him to the vet and say goodbye to him. Mate, he was popular with the three girls at the vet, one just itching to get him to sit on her arm as I'd brought him in that way.

From conversation with the bird lady, the vet had the impression I had a juvenile, but NO, this fella is the largest tawny the vet has ever seen !! So much so that he didn't even have acommodation for him. No broken bits confirmed, maybe some swelling or bruising

He was somehow transported to Laurels joint for recovery time and yum-yum PINK JELLY BABIES (baby mice )

I immediately missed his little personality, his soft belly and his warm feet and especially those eyes that watched all I was up to in the shed - peering at me through two cars worth of windows !! What I do not miss is his duck sized turds !!

If you ever get one of these guys you need to ensure you do not damage plumage as you can ruin their hunting ability for life. A light cloth like a tea towel over them before you handle them,

For feeding time, I got some Insectivore by Wamberoo (available at pet food places) & mixed it in with premium mince. Laurel recommends feeding with chopsticks not Chinese, or for fear of his beak, but to avoid imprinting in them that food comes directly from humans.

And, the good news for last. Isaacs resumed normal bird life on his successful release at dusk on Sunday night, 03FEB08

:

thats a real nice tail,so how do you feel now that hes gone, has he stayed somewere colse or found some new mates and gone off with them? all the some I bet you MISS not having him around.

Bravo Jono.

thats a cool story jono good on ya
glad it ended happily

I didn't do the release and only have a rough idea where it was. These guys blend into their surroundings visually something awesome - wouldn't find him if I tried. I only did what I reckon all ausubaruers would do in the same situation.