Laughing Kookaburra

Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae)

These photos were taken at the Mount Elliot Lookout at Katandra Reserve, on the New South Wales Central Coast.

The Laughing Kookaburras (Dacelo novaeguineae) at this location will allow humans to approach to within 3 metres.

(click on the photos for a larger image)

Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park

Bobbin Head, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park

Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park is part of the Hawkesbury River system and in fact is where the Hawkesbury meets the sea. These photos are from a short day trip I made to this location.

Backyard lorikeets #2

Rainbow Lorikeets (Trichoglossus haematodus)

The local flock of rainbow lorikeets (Trichoglossus haematodus) made a very rare visit to my backyard yesterday afternoon. Attracted by their hisses and screeches, I went outside to discover that they’d descended from the neighbour’s Jacaranda tree to perch on the Hills hoist and colorbond fence.

I turned right around and went back for the camera, hoping that they wouldn’t emulate last week’s sulphur-crested cockatoos and fly away as I replenished the batteries with excitedly shaking hands.

Delighted to find them still there when I re-emerged from the house, I approached to within five metres and took some photos to remember them by.

Jurong Bird Park, Singapore

Hapsis and I spent a manifestly inadequate 5+ hours at the Jurong Bird Park on 09 December 2009.

Backyard lorikeets

Trichoglossus haematodus (Rainbow Lorikeet)

An unseemly cacophony heralded the arrival of a small neighbourhood flock of Rainbow lorikeets on this unseasonably hot spring morning. My camera and I were of course bound to follow. Here are some of the results.

A private showing

I had the greatest of luck on a visit to the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary last October: a chance to watch a bird training session and a TV filming. It was, I think, my second day at the Gold Coast (Qld), and being on holiday and having driven up from Sydney (NSW) I’d forgotten the time difference. We ended up, exhausted and thirsty, at the free-flight show an hour early on a hot and sunny day.

Elanus axillaris (Black-shouldered kite)

About half an hour in, a keeper appeared with a little raptor on his wrist and with clicks, soft whistles and a handful of treats put it through its paces. We were silent and the man didn’t invite us to leave, a mutually satisfying situation.