Kaptivated Kookaburra
It’s amazing what you can find on a wildflower hunt!
This very good looking specimen of a male Dacelo novaeguineae (Kookaburra) was photographed along the Ocean Drive Fire Trail in Queen’s Lake Nature Reserve , North Haven, NSW, Australia, about a thirty minute drive south of Port Macquarie .
I was on safari again with two of my Port Macquarie Panthers Camera Club mates who wandered off ahead while I photographed some wild grass heads. When I had finished I looked across the track and saw this fine feathered fella sitting up in a tree watching every move I made. I set my camera up for a possible shot and slowly sauntered along, getting closer to the tree. Monsieur Kookaburra never even flinched when I eventually got as close as two meters (six feet) away so I took my time and bagged a few shots as he posed quite readily for me. I kept talking softly to him as I went about my business and he followed me as I moved into different positions trying to get the best shot in the best light. He was the most friendly, helpful, fearless Kookaburra I have yet encountered.
I used the pop-up flash at full power to throw at least a bit of light into the beetle-browed eye of my flying model as no matter which way he turned his head his eye was in shadow.
Fuji S9600: Manual setting of f/5 @ 1/800sec, Manual focus, Hand held.
Lightroom 1.1 & Photoshop CS3.
Visit the Aussie Birds collection in my BubbleSite Gallery for more fine feathered friends.
UPDATE:
10-09-08
This fine feathered fella has been featured in the New South Wales Photography Group.
UPDATE:
28-09-08
This fine feathered fella has been featured in the Australian Wildlife Group.
Enjoy!
AUSSIE BIRDS
(Click the links!)
Dacelo novaeguineae – Kaptivated Kookaburra
Gymnorhina tibicen – Indifference
Butorides striatus – Rufous Morph
Butorides striatus – Rufous Morph
Sterna bergii & Anhinga novaehollandiae-
Porphyrio porphyrio, Gallinula tenebrosa & Anas castanea
Gallinula tenebrosa & Threskiornis molucca
Gallinula tenebrosa & Threskiornis molucca
Kaptivated Kookaburra belongs to the following groups:
Former DPF Members (2 uploads per 24 hours limit), New South Wales Photography and The Birds Available for sale asGreeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters
Thordis
Perfect use of flash against the bright sky. Handsome bird Dennis. :)
Dennis Gay replied
G’day Thordis,
Great to see you along the fire trail on my wildflower/bird hunt and that you are the very first Bubbler to comment on this laughing Aussie icon.
Many thanks for your very supportive and encouraging “Perfect…” wrap for my fine feathered Aussie bird.
GB
Dennis
Dawne Olson
So THAT’S what a Kookaburra looks like!! We used to sing this song in gradeschool (maybe you know it?) “Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree….” I always wondered what the heck a Kookaburra was… I will definately follow your link and find out more! What a fantastic capture against that vibrant blue sky!
Dennis Gay replied
G’day Dawne,
Great to see you along the fire trail on my wildflower/bird hunt and that you have spotted this laughing Aussie icon.
Many thanks for your very supportive and encouraging “…fantastic…” wrap for my fine feathered Aussie bird.
I use to sing the very same song in primary school.
By the way, I didn’t capture it. It is still flying free. But I did make a decent photograph. 8-)
GB
Dennis
Gilberte
the Kookaburra watched you to see the settings you were going to use to catch his feathers so perfectly and the cloud above his head.Hope he is satisfied!
Dennis Gay replied
G’day Gilberte,
Great to see you along the fire trail on my wildflower/bird hunt and that you have spotted this laughing Aussie icon.
Many thanks for your very supportive and encouraging “…so perfectly…” wrap for my fine feathered Aussie bird.
I think you are right. He was very interested in what I was doing. I thanked him before I moved on. 8-)
By the way, I didn’t capture it. It is still flying free. But I did make a decent photograph. 8-)
GB
Dennis
Anthony Vella
Excellent capture my friend. (But are you sure he wasn’t deaf and blind to let you get so close to him?.....maybe too old to care lol)
Dennis Gay replied
G’day Toninu,
Great to see you along the fire trail on my wildflower/bird hunt and that you have spotted this laughing Aussie icon.
Many thanks for your very supportive and encouraging “Excellent…” wrap for my fine feathered Aussie bird.
Thank you too for the honour of adding this work to your favourites.
Oh I didn’t capture him. He is a free as a bird. But I did make a pretty good photograph though.
He was not an old bird. He was very bright, alert and mobile. He followed me along the track for a while and I think he was more interested in what lizards or other litle critters I disturbed for him than in what I was doing. They are very opportunistic birds and can be quite fearless around humans. 8-)
By the way, I didn’t capture it. It is still flying free. But I did make a decent photograph. 8-)
GB
Dennis
GailD
Ah yes. The things we take for granted. They are often around here. Don’t bother to stop & shoot (photographically speaking) them.
Good detail in this fine feathered friend. The flash was a good idea.
Dennis Gay replied
G’day Gail,
Great to see you along the fire trail on my wildflower/bird hunt and that you have spotted this laughing Aussie icon.
Many thanks for your very supportive and encouraging “…Good detail…” wrap for my fine feathered Aussie bird.
I know what you mean. When we first spotted him I was saying it was not worth making a shot of yet another bird on a stick. Then I ended up with seven shots on my card! 8-)
By the way, I didn’t capture it. It is still flying free. But I did make a decent photograph. 8-)
GB
Dennis
Mick Davson
Excellent capture Dennis.
Dennis Gay replied
G’day Mick,
Great to see you along the fire trail on my wildflower/bird hunt and that you have spotted this laughing Aussie icon.
Many thanks for your very supportive and encouraging “Excellent…” wrap for my fine feathered Aussie bird.
Oh no, I didn’t capture it, the Kookaburra came of his own accord. But I did set about making a darned nice photograph though. 8-)
GB
Dennis
SharonD
Great photo Dennis.
Dennis Gay replied
G’day Sharon,
Great to see you along the fire trail on my wildflower/bird hunt and that you have spotted this laughing Aussie icon.
Many thanks for your very supportive and encouraging “Great photo…” wrap for my fine feathered Aussie bird.
GB
Dennis
Dennis Gay
UPDATE: 10-09-08
This fine feathered fella has been featured in the New South Wales Photography Group.
My thanks to the Hosts and to all who have supported my handsome Kookaburra.
GB
Dennis
SharonD
Congrats Dennis,that’s great.
Dennis Gay replied
G’day Sharon,
Muchos gracias for your virtual applause.
GB
D!
Dennis Rubin IPA
Congratulations, DG!
Dennis Gay replied
G’day DR,
Thank you so much for that mate!
GB
D!
Rosina Lamberti
how beautiful !!
Dennis Gay replied
G’day SRosina,
Great to see you along the fire trail on my wildflower/bird hunt and that you have spotted this laughing Aussie icon.
Many thanks for your very supportive and encouraging “how beautiful!!” wrap for my fine feathered Aussie bird.
GB
Dennis
Dennis Gay
G’day TRWPhotography …. wherever you are …..,
Thank you for the honour of adding this work to your favourites. I can only assume by this action that you like it. Please fell free to return any time to let me know just what it is you like about it.
GB
Dennis
Dennis Gay
UPDATE: 28-09-08
My thank to the Hosts of the Australian Wildlife group for featuring this fine bird shot and thanks also to all who have supported this work.
GB
Dennis
Dennis Gay
G’day Laura S …. wherever you are …..,
Thank you for the honour of adding this work to your favourites. I can only assume by this action that you like it. Please fell free to return any time to let me know just what it is you like about it.
GB
Dennis