More birds from Downunder #3

We've come from here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/925268/#new

The bird life at the Osprey nest site is remarkable in itself and there's a constant chattering, chasing and squawking going on. There are Port Lincoln Ringneck parrots, Rainbow Lorikeets, Willie Wagtails, Pardalotes, Kookaburras, Ravens, Laughing Turtledoves, several species of Honeyeater and other tiny little birds that never stop still enough to be identified.

This afternoon I saw this bird, which I believe is a juvenile Sacred Kingfisher. They used to be seen in our area quite frequently but this is the first one I've seen in probably fifteen years. It didn't stay long, but long enough for me to get a few shots.

This message was edited Jan 1, 2009 8:47 PM

The Sacred Kingfisher is a small-medium sized bird, is very quiet and shy and belongs to the same family as the Kookaburra, which is a much larger bird.

Heavily cropped for detail.

Last one of this beautiful little bird. Hopefully I'll spot it again.

Baby Willie Wagtail fluttering its wings in anticipation of food about to be provided by one of the parents. Wasn't able to get a shot of it being fed as they moved behind a stack of twigs and leaves.

Excellent photos with great clarity, Margaret. These birds need to be added to the Birdfiles. Whow, to get shots like that of the Sacred Kingfisher, when you haven't seen one for 15 years, is just fantastic.

Thanks, Linth. It really was a thrill. I was disappointed with them when I first looked at them on the LCD screen on the camera. It wasn't until I got home and saw them on the computer that I thought they were OK. I was so surprised to see it.

What a way to start the New Year and a new thread Margaret! Those are fantastic shots...that Kingfisher is just so beautiful! I think we all need to think about a group trip to Australia...I will bring my sleeping bag!!

Happy New Year to you and yours!

Nice as usual!

He is beautiful!!

Funny thing isn't it...so many times, by what I see on the camera screen, I think I have a really good shot, only to download it to the computer and see it is awful!

Wow after 15 years? That's SO exciting. Great pics Margaret!

Fantastic that you saw the Sacred Kingfisher Margaret! It must have been a spin-off of your constant visits to see Aussie Osprey, you may not have seen it if you hadn't gone there so often.

I agree that you should add all of your birds to the BirdFiles, there are so few people from your part of the world, namely probably just yourself from WA, lol, to do this.

You captured some very nice shots of the Sacred Kingfisher.

I have to agree with nanny, often think I have captured good pictures when viewing them in the camera, only to download to the computer and find they are grainy or lack detail.

I love any kind of kingfishers! Thanks! That wagtail is so cute. You got any pictures of kookaburra? They are really cool.

Thanks Rose and yes, wouldn't that be a hoot. A group visit. But regarding the sleeping bag, that's no way to refer to DH.

Thanks Nanny and Gary, I am always so anxious when I open my shots of the day and breathe a sigh of relief when some are OK. It's even worse since I've been playing around trying to understand histograms, (which I still don't).

They are really beautiful birds Pelle and Mrs Ed. Thanks.

As requested, rntx, and not one but two Kookaburras. I have posted this one before.

I love them!! Can I trade you a woodpecker or belted kingfisher for one?

What sort of Woodpecker? I don't want one of the Downy's like nanny has. They explode!

Haha I would be willing to part with a Pileated for you

Done deal. D'ya know, when I open the thread and read your comment and request for a shot of a Kookaburra, I could hear three or four of them "laughing" a short distance away.

OOOOH that is too neat! They must be calling to me. Tell them to get their tails to Texas!

LOL!! :)

Lol, I can see the kookas laughing! Very nice character shot!

don't you just want to tickle their little tummies to make them laugh?

Tickle their tummies and you might just be missing a finger or two.

I feel like I'm listening in on a party line. LOL Beautiful kingfisher, and cute little 'ol ww baby.

Because I'm a lover of the australian parrots and the grass keets I picked up this bumper sticker at an orlando bird show. I get more comments from total strangers how they just love it, and they ask what kind of bird I have, etc.

I like that...LOL!

Hoping you're all OK Downunder, particularly in Victoria

Sounds absolutely awful.

Resin

Resin, I was just watching the early morning news. 108 people confirmed dead. 750 homes lost. Police and fire services now going to start the onerous task of going from house to house and the death toll is expected to rise. It's a ghastly situation, especially when you consider that a lot of the fires are thought to have been deliberately lit and even re-lit when they've been brought under control. As usual, there's some small mention of stock losses, but no reference to the millions of birds, reptiles, marsupials, insects and other animals who would have experienced excruciating pain and the countless thousands still out there, alive and in agony. We're expecting heat wave conditions from today so we can expect some losers will be out there setting fires. King's Park had 22 hectares of bushland burnt out recently and since then another small fire was started.

The cost of the bushfires is unable to be measured in any understandable terms. The pain, loss and anguish is overwhelming. Birds and other native and non-native animals alike need all the help they can get. Can I direct you to this site.

http://shop.theanimalrescuesite.com/store/item.do?siteId=310&itemId=29396&origin=52424

White-cheeked Honeyeater.

That is a beautiful shot Margaret...you got great detail in your whites!

That article is heartbreaking....but I am glad that the surviving wildlife is getting aid.

The amount of devastation to lives of all kinds is so astounding...

That's the way I feel about clear-cutting timber the way they do here. They give no thought for the effect on the wildlife in the area. I realize human life is more important, no question, but the life in general needs to be considered as well.

I hope they catch whoever set those fires!

I cried when I saw that little koala on the news. It said the animal drank three bottles of water, and that they usually get enough moisture from feeding, so don't drink. It even allowed the man to pet it for several seconds.

The story about the koala.
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/29123220/

I went to a couple of bushland reserves by the river yesterday and thought I'd add them to this old thread as I have quite a few shots to post.

I particularly wanted to get some photos of the Rainbow Bee-eaters before they start migrating north in about a month's time. The first thing I saw was a large Banksia filled with White-tailed Black Cockatoos (AKA Carnaby's Black Cockatoo), having a feast on the dried seed heads. The male birds can be distinguished by a pink eye ring. The females and immatures are similar in appearance and unless side by side so there's a size comparison, I can't tell the difference.

So, this is either a female or a juvenile. The really young juveniles have a cleaner, less weather-worn beak, but after a couple of months of chewing dry, woody vegetation, they soon take on a less pristine appearance.

Edited to change bill to beak.


This message was edited Jan 28, 2010 3:28 PM

This one wasn't taking off, just doing a bit of a balancing act on the foliage swaying in the wind.

I went down the embankment (this one has a proper path) as I could hear Rainbow Bee-eaters down there. This Willie Wagtail came and landed close by to check me out.

There was a fig tree down on the flat. It was alive with Silvereyes, lovely little fruit eating birds that can form quite large flocks, which can be a problem to orchardists.