Azure Kingfisher

First encounter with this species. Some of our birds just appear out of nowhere and are gone just as quickly...

Yes, they are fast. This Kingfisher is one type I targetted for a while, and eventually got one good enough to put up on the wall :) Your image is excellent too.

The only other one I have seen (apart from kookaburras) is the collared kingfisher. This one certainly wins the plumage stakes.

Are you near Sydney? Further north?

North, up in Queensland. We get many types. I have photographed, Sacred, Collared, Forest, both Kookaburras, and Azure.