Spotlighting at Monarto

On Saturday I had the opportunity to go spotlighting for nocturnal birds with an experienced birder and excellent photographer Teresa, whom I also recently discovered is my neighbour! We left at around 7:30PM and headed for Browns Road at Monarto. I'd been up there a couple of times before during the day, hoping to find some owlet-nightjars, but discovered I had been looking in the wrong part - the apparent entrance is all replanted vegetation, the good stuff where all of the cool birds hang out is further back with it's own entrance gate! We arrived as the sun was setting, and took some time to adjust camera settings, and Teresa explained to me what to do - most importantly, once you have your spotlight on a bird, don't take it off them or they will most likely fly away as soon as you do! 

Once it was dark we started looking, first going along the road sides either side of the reserve before entering. We saw a whole lot of possums in the trees, as well as a few magpies and a red wattlebird. Then eventually, about an hour in, Teresa spotted our first nocturnal bird - An Australian Owlet-nightjar! One tiny little bird was perched out on a branch all by itself, with grass seeds stuck on its whiskers. This sweet little bird was a lifer for me, and one I had been wanting to see for a while.

Australian Owlet-nightjar, Browns Rd, Monarto, SA

Possum, Monarto, SA

 After leaving the Browns Road reserve, we continued driving along some of the back roads in the area to see what else we could find. A little while later, on Preamimma Road, I spotted a Barn Owl! Teresa was quick to spot that it had a friend with it. We listened to them screeching to each other, and one peeked down towards us from the higher branches, while this one sat and posed for a while before flying off.

Barn Owl, Monarto, SA

We kept on going, but shortly afterwards the car overheated and we had to call the RAA to come and save us! We got home safely, both happy with our exciting night of nocturnal birds.