Tawny Frogmouth

Excitement prevailed at Kobble Creek this afternoon when I spotted this bloke trying to look inconspicuous.

According to my battered but trusty A Field Guide to the Birds of Australia book by Graham Pizzey, it is a Tawny Frogmouth. I've seen one in captivity but not in the wild, not least -- I suspect -- because they are so well camouflaged.

Pizzey notes that that are 'mostly sedentary'. No kidding. I went right up to him and he just gave me this 'give me a break mate, it's too hot to fly and just want a kip' look. Shortly thereafter -- possibly when I got a little too close -- he took on the defensive 'dead-branch' posture (see my blipfolio here).