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.

He showed himself again yesterday. Light was terrible and they don't let one get very close so quite a heavy crop...

And again today, light not quite as bad but still difficult...

Finally some sunshine...

It's a game of cat and mouse as to how close one may be allowed to get. Managed to sneak up behind a tree today.

The Azure is one of the River or Pygmy Kingfisher sub family Alcedininae. Quite a bit smaller than the other Kingfishers.

There is a pair so I am hoping they will breed next summer