Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Kingfisher shows flying colours


Forest Kingfisher (Todiramphus macleayii) shows some of its marvellous colours in taking off from scrubby brush on the edge of Tyto's main lagoon. Action came courtesy of another birder walking up the lookout knoll and spooking bird at just the right moment for me. Most days I'd not be so thankful for the intrusion.


Also glistening, but with less colourfulness, an Australasian Darter (Anhinga novehollandiae) sleekly glides toward touchdown on the waters of Tyto's entry lagoon. This bird and a Little Pied Cormorant share the small lagoon's spoils and drive off any others of their respective species that drop in.


And here's a bird that's had me flying about over the past few days. Black-faced Monarchs (Monarcha melanopsis) don't often turn up and when they do, unlike this bird, they tend to be juveniles. Much stomping of lantana and chasing through undergrowth today brought sightings and no worthwhile shots. Having more or less given up, I finally got this long-distance shot from the track (which most sensible visitors stick to! Could there be a lesson involved?).

6 comments:

mick said...

The kingfisher photo is fantastic! The colors and patterns are beautiful. Good that you got the photo of the monarch after all the effort!

Lucky said...

Great photos and full marks for your determination and persistance in hunting the Monarch.
I know how you feel about unwelcome people ruining photo ops but you need to buy this person a drink for the moment they gave you :)

Anonymous said...

Great shot of the Forest Kingfisher, a species that is often overlooked in favour of Azure or Little.

Re behaviour of Darter and Little Pied Cormorant - we have noticed a similar situation here. They will perch in the same tree without any apparent problems but if another Darter turns up we certainly hear about it.

Sally Fyfield said...

Amazing photos! I was stunned by the beauty you have captured in the Kingfisher.

Denis Wilson said...

Hi Tony
You keep on out-doing yourself with those stunning images.
Well done.
By the way, pls tell the Black-faced Monarch it ought be heading to Robertson soon. They are annual breeding migrants just up the end of my road.
Cheers
Denis

Tyto Tony said...

Hi Mick: Kingfisher luck makes up for bad break elsewhere: my Azure KF burrow from last year, which I intended to watch again from about now, collapsed when a tree fell on it some time during the Jan-Feb floods. So no easy Azures :-(

Hi Lucky: Repaid the birder with local info about birds he wanted.

Hi Barbara: Pretty hard to overlook the 50 or so Forests here, but I know what you mean. And congrats on Great-billed Heron. Overhead sighting in Tyto by three serious birders last week. Year or more since I saw one fly over.

Hi Sally: Thanks. Bit smallerthrill perhaps than whales.Hope you enjoy Carnarvon.

Hi Denis: Sorry, can't spare any Monarchs.You'll need to get yours from northern NSW I think :-)

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