This Laughing Kookaburra was trying to spot an evening meal when I turned up. The pose suggests he was contemplating flying away, but he stayed around for a couple more photos. Kookaburras love to call together at dawn and dusk. The family loves a laugh, apparently! They are probably the largest (at least the heaviest) Kingfishers in the world and like to eat mice, lizards, large insects and snakes.

[MetteHHH]

So pretty! I am a great fan of all the kingfisher family... and now you made me want to visit Australia.

I like the cool colours - most nature photography tends to overheat a bit on the white balance if anything, but here the colours and wb fits the motive. Like you say, the difference between no. 1 and 2 is very subtle - possibly no. 2 is even better.

[RobG]

Nice one, Rob. I don't usually notice how much blue there is in their wings. We` have one that sits on the fence most mornings or afternoons, looking for lizards in the garden I presume.

Thanks! The Blue-winged Kookaburras from about Rockhampton to the north have even more blue of course! I agree though, I'd guess that most people think of Kookaburras and being a dumpy brown colour.

I like the second one more, as you said it looks more natural. Good work!

Fair enough!

nice shots Rob, he looks fairly young, beautiful bird, crisp & detailed shot
cheers

Thank you! He certainly looks very healthy! All the wildlife around Canberra is enjoying the recent spring growth. I wish I could say the same; the hayfever is not fun at all!

Just wow!! Great picture. Nice colours

Thank you!

this is amazing and you are very sure shot!

Thanks! The DA*300 is a bit heavy for hand held, but cranking up the ISO helps a bit.

---------- Post added 04-11-14 at 10:46 AM ----------

So pretty! I am a great fan of all the kingfisher family... and now you made me want to visit Australia. I like the cool colours - most nature photography tends to overheat a bit on the white balance if anything, but here the colours and wb fits the motive. Like you say, the difference between no. 1 and 2 is very subtle - possibly no. 2 is even better.

Thanks! There's lots of Kingfisher species in Australia. The Kookaburra is probably the most common. There's lots of Forest Kingfishers and Sacred Kingfishers, which are much smaller, similar in size to the common Kingfisher in the northern hemisphere. The prettiest one I've seen is the Azure Kingfisher which has a stunning patch of blue on its back, usually seen as it zips past along a river bank. They are more common in coastal areas of Northern NSW and southern Queensland. There's a couple of species in the far north which I haven't seen, since I haven't spent much time around Darwin or north of Cairns. Unfortunately I don't have any of my photos of other species online.

[robjmitchell]

Nice Kookie shot Rob, often they have a evil look in their eye, although thats when their stalking my BBQ!
It should be noted that there is a second species of kookaburra in Aus called the blue wing!

[Na Horuk]

I really like this bird, it seems so exotic to me! Not used to this proportions on birds here in Europe.
Did you manage to get a recording of its famous laugh?

[RobG]

Nice Kookie shot Rob, often they have a evil look in their eye, although thats when their stalking my BBQ!
It should be noted that there is a second species of kookaburra in Aus called the blue wing!

Thanks! Yep, I mentioned the Blue Winged Kookaburra above. They don't laugh like the southern ones - maybe it takes too much effort in the heat?

I really like this bird, it seems so exotic to me! Not used to this proportions on birds here in Europe.
Did you manage to get a recording of its famous laugh?

They are huge compared to most Kingfishers, I agree! I think the largest native species I've seen in Europe would all be waterbirds like Swans or Egrets. I have plenty of video with Kookaburras laughing in the background somewhere, but it's usually a thing they do as a family rather than on their own. There's lots of videos on Youtube of it, if anyone is curious.

[imaspy]

ah yes, the kookaburra. a species of kingfisher native to australia, but somehow gets a gig in every hollywood film that involves a jungle, as part of the ambiance

[RobG]

ah yes, the kookaburra. a species of kingfisher native to australia, but somehow gets a gig in every hollywood film that involves a jungle, as part of the ambiance

That's because it's an exotic sound which few people outside Australia have ever heard, at least prior to the Internet. Yes, I laughed every time I heard it used in the background of every Tarzan movie and even Indiana Jones, I think. Mind you I also laughed in Indiana Jones when he claimed that fruit bats were "giant vampire bats". The irony is that Kookaburras don't live in rainforests, although they can be found around the edges of them!

[MetteHHH]

Thanks! There's lots of Kingfisher species in Australia. The Kookaburra is probably the most common. There's lots of Forest Kingfishers and Sacred Kingfishers, which are much smaller, similar in size to the common Kingfisher in the northern hemisphere. The prettiest one I've seen is the Azure Kingfisher which has a stunning patch of blue on its back, usually seen as it zips past along a river bank. They are more common in coastal areas of Northern NSW and southern Queensland. There's a couple of species in the far north which I haven't seen, since I haven't spent much time around Darwin or north of Cairns. Unfortunately I don't have any of my photos of other species online.

You know, that REALLY didn't help me out of wanting to visit Australia!

I did visit once, as a teenager, with a film camera and without a proper tele... I remember getting some nice shots of rosellas at Wilson's Promontory National Park - but they flew down and landed in our hair, begging for biscuits, so it didn't require a tele (or any skill!)

I remember lots of birds - although I wasn't much of a birder then. And mind blowing scenery. And great people.

...so much travelling to do, so little time and money!

[olegp]

Good telephoto, but it would be better to correct the white balance.

[RobG]

You know, that REALLY didn't help me out of wanting to visit Australia!

Just trying to do my bit for the balance of payments!

I did visit once, as a teenager, with a film camera and without a proper tele... I remember getting some nice shots of rosellas at Wilson's Promontory National Park - but they flew down and landed in our hair, begging for biscuits, so it didn't require a tele (or any skill!) I remember lots of birds - although I wasn't much of a birder then. And mind blowing scenery. And great people....so much travelling to do, so little time and money!

Please have a look at my photos on Flickr. Unfortunately I don't have photos from my trip to NT in there, but there's lots of interesting species to see just about anywhere in Oz! Glad to hear that you enjoyed Wilson's Prom!

Good telephoto, but it would be better to correct the white balance.

Thanks! As I've mentioned earlier, I felt that the white balance was reasonably accurate to the lighting at the time. Would the bird have looked better in normal daylight? Certainly. However, it was in shadow after direct sunlight was gone and possibly after the sun was below the horizon, so the dominant colour in the ambient light was blue from the sky.

[Weevil]

I'm colorblind, so I don't care about white balance and I found it very good !

[RobG]

I'm colorblind, so I don't care about white balance and I found it very good !

Awesome! Thanks!