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The bush has a thousand eyes

  • RTBCC
  • Mar 3, 2022
  • 2 min read

A walk in our bush is rarely without incident. It can seem dry, desiccated, without life, but you're generally being watched by something. And if you're silent and observant there's a chance you can watch it back. Or hear it as it bounds, slithers or flies away at your approach. Other creatures just seem to ignore you - like the young Echidna who waddled along towards me outside my house, sniffed at my sandals, decided I wasn't full of ants and therefore of no interest, and waddled off.


The nights here, as the song goes, have a thousand eyes and a head torch is all you need to catch them. Tiny jewel flashes from ground spiders or the more insistent glow of sugar gliders and phascogales.


But some creatures remain elusive: beautifully camouflaged and as still as statues they watch you as you pass by, oblivious to their existence. I have been here for two years now and though I have heard the intoxicating call of the White-Throated Nightjar and the distinctive "hoot hoot" of a Powerful Owl, I've never seen either. That is until last Saturday.


We were out walking and my partner was watching the flight of a Scarlet robin. It happened to fly between us and a large tree and something drew her attention to the background. Suddenly she grabbed my arm and said (using the common vernacular) "Oh My God!". There, sitting on a large low branch, not 15 meters away was a Powerful Owl, its two huge yellow eyes staring back at us with intense indifference. Hanging from one of its talons was a limp ring-tail possum. We sat and watched it for a few minutes. It stared back at us as still as if it had been painted. I managed to get a photo on my phone then we left it to sleep.


It would have been so easy to miss.


I doubt that I'll ever see a White-throated Nightjar but I'm content with that. Just to know they're out there and to hear that wonderful call in summer, on a warm night when the moon is full is enough for me.


Richard Laurie

Richard is a recently joined Member of the Co-op.

This is the first in a series on living with wildlife.

 
 
 

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© 2017 RTBCC.

We thank the following for images used on this website: Frank Pierce, Sirion Pierce, Kay Hawkins, Neill & Karyn Kamminga and other members of Round the Bend Conservation Co-operative. © Images supplied by Sirion Pierce

We acknowledge the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nations as the Traditional Owners of the land on which the RTBCC stands. We respectfully recognise Elders both past and present and endeavour to demonstrate this respect by managing this unique land and protecting its integrity.

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