The forest in which I found the Kookaburras this weekend is only five minutes from my house. Fog had been forecast for this morning. Then it was expected to yield to a beautiful sunny Monday. With the opportunity to photograph trees in the mist and Kookaburras, I took the day off work, hitting the park by 7am for the foggy trees. Home for breakfast at 09:30. And back at 10:30 to find the Kookaburras. Home at 12:30 for lunch and to lodge a few 'have to lodge' returns ... work till 4pm ... then rush back to the Kookaburras by 4:15. What a day!
"Kookaburras are terrestrial tree kingfishers of the genus Dacelo native to Australia and New Guinea, which grow to between 28–42 cm in length. The name is a loanword from Wiradjuri guuguubarra, onomatopoeic of its call." (wikipedia). We also call them Laughing Kookaburras because they do, seriously, cackle away as if in hysterics.
The birds were soon found. Their modus operandi is: perch on low branch and watch. Hear or see lizard, insect, worm, or anything that looks like living protein: plummet from tree and grab it. Kill it by beating it against the ground. Eat it on the ground. Then rocket to another nearby branch. They're very smart. Smart enough to admit you to their 'comfort zone' if you don't make sudden moves. And to work around you. This makes them easy to photograph in a tree. But they are not easy to photograph in the air because the flights are erratic, short, and between trees. Well that's my experience anyway. The lack of strong light and/or varying light levels between trees also complicates photographing them in flight in the forest. Basically I pre-set parameters (shutter speed / aperture / ISO) and then just wait... and try to resist taking too many boring 'in the tree' shots. Put a few hours in and hopefully come away with a couple of print-worthy moments.
The thief: One of the 'flock' had caught a smaller bird ( I don't think that happens everyday ). There was much commotion, laughter, and arguing and I suspect this Kooka had stolen some of the other's meal!
Eye on the branch: You look where you want to go!
Those wings!
Escaping the tree. It's amazing how it can thread its way between branches at a crazy speed. Almost looks like a sea creature!
Always alert: The next meal could be moments away!
Wow, those colours!
Feathered rocket: Vertical flight to the branch!
And that's a wrap!