Thread: Morepork in my Garden

Greetings All,
I was just looking at doing some more trimming on some of the branches from the trees around our garage. I had just leant the pole saw against a branch I wanted to cut and something flapped away from the branch. We are used to that here with plenty of quail and the odd pheasant plus other stuff but the bird landed on another branch. I took a closer look and it was a Morepork that just sat on his new branch looking at me. We have them around here and hear them at night from time to time. I also spotted one feeding on the moths on the outside of our windows one night but this is the first one I have seen here during daylight. I have been zoomed by a few up in the bush when they were feeding under the canopy. Good to see them still here.
Regards Grandpamac.

They are a real treat to see thats for sure.

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as long as ol Ruru doesnt start calling out "Grandpamac" ......they are neat to see around. we see lots of the wee German owls around at night out in countryside.Used to freak me out when flew across in front of ute while spotlighting untill I realised they werent moreporks.

Morepork are pretty cool, this guy likes to visit now and then.

Greetings Again,
We have had some really shite weather here in HB this year. A normal year of rainfall has already been exceeded but there is stacks of grass for the cows. Today started cold and windy but has now calmed down, the sun is out and is warm on your back. The temperature peaked at 18 degrees and is still around 16 degrees now. No frosts are predicted for the next 10 days or so. It is easy to kid ourselves that we are close to spring but the realist in me says that there is plenty of winter to come and it is just the first of many false springs to come. Perhaps my little Ruru thought it was spring as well.
Regards Grandpamac.

Greetings Again,
We have had some really shite weather here in HB this year. A normal year of rainfall has already been exceeded but there is stacks of grass for the cows. Today started cold and windy but has now calmed down, the sun is out and is warm on your back. The temperature peaked at 18 degrees and is still around 16 degrees now. No frosts are predicted for the next 10 days or so. It is easy to kid ourselves that we are close to spring but the realist in me says that there is plenty of winter to come and it is just the first of many false springs to come. Perhaps my little Ruru thought it was spring as well.
Regards Grandpamac.

I haven't seen a Ruru for a long time, we have a few Little Owls (German Owl) down here

Originally Posted by grandpamac

Greetings All,
I was just looking at doing some more trimming on some of the branches from the trees around our garage. I had just leant the pole saw against a branch I wanted to cut and something flapped away from the branch. We are used to that here with plenty of quail and the odd pheasant plus other stuff but the bird landed on another branch. I took a closer look and it was a Morepork that just sat on his new branch looking at me. We have them around here and hear them at night from time to time. I also spotted one feeding on the moths on the outside of our windows one night but this is the first one I have seen here during daylight. I have been zoomed by a few up in the bush when they were feeding under the canopy. Good to see them still here.
Regards Grandpamac.

I live within New Plymouth city limits fairly high up - can hear up to four male and female calling at night around the suburbs below me

My best ruru encounter was cycling to work up Carrington road. It was just after dawn break and up at the bushline when a ruru flew across the road right in front of me at head height carrying a blackbird. It was going so slowly that I could have reached out and grabbed it.

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Walking up the back of Pukeaha (Mt Bruce) one flew past my head
Apparently the feathers on the leading edge of the wings are much softer or something so they make less noise when flying - I certainly heard the merest whisper if anything

They are regulars around here and I love going to sleep listening to them all singing out their territories in the bush outside

They are cool alright. I once got a helluva fright when one swooped over me as I was walking in pre-dawn for a day hunt. We spent a few minutes checking each other out while he sat quite happily on a branch three feet away. Eventually I left him to it and continued on my way.

Originally Posted by Ned

My best ruru encounter was cycling to work up Carrington road. It was just after dawn break and up at the bushline when a ruru flew across the road right in front of me at head height carrying a blackbird. It was going so slowly that I could have reached out and grabbed it.

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they eat blackbirds!!!!! we better breed some more moreporks and release them around here..the blackbird numbers are unreal. right pain in arse up in the bush.

Cool birds that can make a lot of noise. Had them out the sounds where I grew up. Been spooked many times by these little things.
One used to sit on a post by a gate to the farm, going spotlighting it would jump up and down and screech its Mary little head off. Gave you such a fright.

We have a couple around the house, hear them most nights.
This guy decided to land on a hay feeder I was welding up at the time, just before it got dark.

We've got a bit of a resident population around us, get them in the trees around the house quite often.

Fascinating little creatures, almost completely silent. Good video on it here https://boingboing.net/2016/11/22/wa...microphon.html