Tallaganda Dreaming III: Southern Boobook Owl, Ninox novaeseelandiae

A surprise find near the burnt Tallaganda Wilderness is this Southern Boobook Owl, the smallest Australian owl and a member of the hawk-owl family (so named because they rise, when disturbed, like a hawk).

A week ago, i observed this rise from a native cherry and fly to cover in a nearby gum. At that time i assumed it was a brown hawk. Yesterday, it rose from the same nesting place, and this time i was able to photograph it, at extreme range.

     

  

Under the nesting tree were feathers and scat.

(Thanks to wild-life expert Kim for confirming identification here.)

Other posts in the Tallaganda Wilderness Firestorm and Recovery series

I:       Index of recovering species, Asura cervicalis in Exocarpos cupressiformis
II:      Creek Zones: Ferns, Mosses, Lichens, Worts
III:    Southern Boobook Owl Ninox novaeseelandiae
IV:    First Wildflowers
V.      Fire sculptures
VI.    Funnel Web Spider  Atrax Sutherlandi
VII.  Trees of the Forest - in preparation
VIII. Heaths and shrubs of the Forest - in preparation
IX.    Highland Bog Zones - in preparation
X.     Mountains Zones - in preparation

Background Chronologies
i.   Tallaganda Wilderness Fire 2019-20: Chronology Part 1 24-29 November
ii   Tallaganda Wilderness Fire 2019-20: Chronology Part 1 29 November +, in preparation
iii. Tallaganda Wilderness immediately before the fire October 2019 in preparation