Baby Tawnies

There is great joy at our house when the Tawny Frogmouths return to nest in the tree outside our kitchen/family room window. While we relax in comfort on the sofa, Mum or Dad Tawny perch on their egg/s for weeks as rain and strong winds threaten to push their knitted collection of down and twigs off the intersection of branches they have chosen. It must work for them as every year they choose the exact same spot.

 After two weeks visiting New Zealand, there was good news for me on my return. A chick had hatched; a creamy bundle of fluff with wide eyes was staring at me as I made my breakfast.

 This mini me, carbon copy mimicked Mum's every stance.

 And grew day by day, turning a light grey with beautiful markings and inquisitive eyes.

 The orange glow of a bush fire reflected on matching feathers.

But is this the same baby chick? 

Wasn't there another rustle of down on the other side of the nest?