23 Apr 2025 FILM DIARY

I was thrilled to find a pair of tawny frogmouths perched on my balcony when I opened my curtain, luxuriating in the morning sun. I have been fortunate to receive regular visits during winter. This year’s was midway through autumn, but on the coldest night of the year so far. Frogmouths are an attractive subject both because of their striking appearance and their quirky behaviour, such as sitting in the middle of the road at night. Although they look like owls and are nocturnal, frogmouths are not raptors. They lack talons and a beak capable of ripping flesh. Instead, they catch their insect prey on the wing. They are found throughout mainland Australia and Tasmania. When I closed the curtain in the evening, the birds were gone.