western australia

A sacred kingfisher visited our friend

@JudyEv (340653)

Rockingham, Australia

September 29, 2020 6:16pm CST

While we were visiting our friends who live in a suburb of Perth, two kingfishers came to visit. Our friends have several acres. Their property was once on the outskirts of a marginal suburb but is now surrounded by dozens of houses. They have two Dorper sheep and some chooks (chickens) as well as being visited by a number of bird varieties. This is a sacred kingfisher. It is common in Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, eastern Indonesia and all the islands in between these countries. It is medium in size, measuring 20–23 cm (7.9–9.1 in) long. The upper parts are mostly blue-green, with white underparts and collar feathers and a black mask. The Polyesians believe them to be holy birds which have control over the waves. The photo is Vince’s. I took some too but they don’t show the colouring as well. We were both shooting through a window and got about two decent shots out of several dozen. That’s the way it is when trying to photograph birds.

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25 responses

@LadyDuck (471766)

• Switzerland

30 Sep 20

This is a colourful pretty bird. They are present also here in Europe.

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@LadyDuck (471766)

• Switzerland

30 Sep 20

@Fleura Thank you Fleur, how are you?

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@Fleura (30484)

• United Kingdom

30 Sep 20

@JudyEv @LadyDuck We do have kingfishers but they are not the same variety

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/animals/birds/kingfisher/

www.woodlandtrust.org.uk

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/animals/birds/kingfisher/

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@JudyEv (340653)

• Rockingham, Australia

30 Sep 20

That's interesting. I didn't know that.

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crazyhorseladycx

@crazyhorseladycx (39509)

• United States

30 Sep 20

what a beautiful bird! 'tis this 'lso'n many totems 'f the peoples? i'd somehow thought 'em a bit bigger?? not sure why. i'd prolly miss such a shot, seein' this gorgeous creature 1st hand. 'tis tricky shootin' through windows. yepperz, birds'n general 're jest a test 'f great patience, lol. if'n 't makes ya feel any better, i took o'er 500 yesterday 'n kept 87. many'f that jest due to diff'rent angles with hopes i can identify 'em proper.

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crazyhorseladycx

@crazyhorseladycx (39509)

• United States

30 Sep 20

@JudyEv i flattened 4 batteries 'twixt 2 cameras :) missed lots 'f 'pportunities fer perhaps more clearer shots.

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@JudyEv (340653)

• Rockingham, Australia

30 Sep 20

It is certainly a test of patience. None of mine really showed the colours properly. 500 is a lot!! Did you have a flat battery after that? lol

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@JudyEv (340653)

• Rockingham, Australia

1 Oct 20

@crazyhorseladycx We sometimes flatten batteries at the rides but have spares.

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@RasmaSandra (80203)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

30 Sep 20

What a very lovely bird, I love its coloring, I have never seen one before,

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@JudyEv (340653)

• Rockingham, Australia

30 Sep 20

In shape, they are like our kookaburra and they lift their tails when landing too, like the kookaburra.

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@Fleura (30484)

• United Kingdom

30 Sep 20

You/Vince did well to capture such an image. If they're anything like our kingfishers they are very fast!

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@Fleura (30484)

• United Kingdom

1 Oct 20

@JudyEv Just be thankful you haven't wasted several rolls of actual film, like in the 'old days'!

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@JudyEv (340653)

• Rockingham, Australia

1 Oct 20

@Fleura Oh goodness, yes! Remember how careful you were with taking photos and not wasting film? So much has changed in that regard.

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@JudyEv (340653)

• Rockingham, Australia

1 Oct 20

It barely stopped still for an instant. We took a lot of 'duds' for the few good ones we managed. lol

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@DocAndersen (54402)

• United States

30 Sep 20

your yard is amazing! that is a great picture as well!!!

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@JudyEv (340653)

• Rockingham, Australia

2 Oct 20

@DocAndersen I do the same. And once I asked a question and the answer was in the title of the piece. DUH!

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@JudyEv (340653)

• Rockingham, Australia

1 Oct 20

It was a friend's yard but we do occasionally see them here.

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@DocAndersen (54402)

• United States

1 Oct 20

@JudyEv i realized that after I posted my comment - sorry about that. Sometimes i read for content, sometimes i seem to read for spaces between letters.

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@jvicentevalera (13671)

• Santiago, Chile

30 Sep 20

Great shot Judy. I have never seen a kingfisher in my life. They look so beautiful. Thanks for sharing about it with us!

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@JudyEv (340653)

• Rockingham, Australia

1 Oct 20

I guess you don't have them there but I'm sure you have some equally beautiful birds.

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@jvicentevalera (13671)

• Santiago, Chile

1 Oct 20

@JudyEv aw you know what? I guess we do, in Venezuela there are plenty of common birds in my country, but I did not pay attention to them. In Chile, where I currently live, I haven't had the chance to see many birds yet, only doves.

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@JudyEv (340653)

• Rockingham, Australia

1 Oct 20

@jvicentevalera I hope you get to see some soon.

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@rebelann (112909)

• El Paso, Texas

30 Sep 20

Beautiful bird. Is it a small bird?

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@rebelann (112909)

• El Paso, Texas

30 Sep 20

We don't have them here @JudyEv are they bigger than sparrows?

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@JudyEv (340653)

• Rockingham, Australia

30 Sep 20

They call it 'medium' but I would have thought to qualified as small.

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@JudyEv (340653)

• Rockingham, Australia

1 Oct 20

@rebelann I'd say about the same size but perhaps a little bigger.

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@RebeccasFarm (90063)

• Arvada, Colorado

6 Oct 20

I have seen a few king fishers in my time but not one as lovely.

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@JudyEv (340653)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Oct 20

They are pretty, aren't they?

@wolfgirl569 (107025)

• Marion, Ohio

30 Sep 20

Very pretty

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@wolfgirl569 (107025)

• Marion, Ohio

30 Sep 20

@JudyEv You guys get some really cool animals and plants there

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@JudyEv (340653)

• Rockingham, Australia

30 Sep 20

@wolfgirl569 Thanks. I guess we do or maybe it's just that they don't get a lot of press.

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@JudyEv (340653)

• Rockingham, Australia

30 Sep 20

Thanks. They are almost iridescent in the sunlight.

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@DianneN (247186)

• United States

1 Oct 20

That is a beautiful bird. We have kingfishers in Florida, but only my friend with cancer can spot them. Sad for sure.

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@DianneN (247186)

• United States

2 Oct 20

@JudyEv Thank you. She's been battling this for almost 3 years. I also feel awful and helpless when a myLotter comes down with the virus, especially after fearing it as I do.

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@JudyEv (340653)

• Rockingham, Australia

2 Oct 20

That's very sad. I'm sorry about your friend - and I feel awful/helpless when a myLotter tests positive too.

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@DesirousDreamer (34776)

• Peoria, Arizona

30 Sep 20

Such an amazing bird! Also, that's where the word Chooks comes from! There is a video game called cheeky chooks, and you raise chickens and I just thought it was a silly word, it is an actual thing, I love that!

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@JudyEv (340653)

• Rockingham, Australia

30 Sep 20

'Chooks' is used all over Australia but it seems the term isn't too common anywhere else.

@DesirousDreamer (34776)

• Peoria, Arizona

30 Sep 20

@JudyEv I like it! It is adorable!

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@FayeHazel (40243)

• United States

1 Oct 20

Chooks. I like that. I'm going to start saying it. :-) We have a sculpture of a Kingfisher. Don't have them here though. Interesting to know they are so highly thought on

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@JudyEv (340653)

• Rockingham, Australia

1 Oct 20

I thought everyone knew about chooks when I first joined myLot. Now I always put 'chickens' in brackets afterwards. lol

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@FayeHazel (40243)

• United States

1 Oct 20

@JudyEv lol Good idea I hadn't known of it before

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@CarolDM (203422)

• Nashville, Tennessee

30 Sep 20

I have never seen one in person. They are beautiful.

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@JudyEv (340653)

• Rockingham, Australia

30 Sep 20

I'm a bit surprised that they are so widespread. I don't see them very often.

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@CarolDM (203422)

• Nashville, Tennessee

30 Sep 20

@JudyEv SO beautiful.

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@sophie09 (34236)

• Indonesia

30 Sep 20

it is small and cutie

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@JudyEv (340653)

• Rockingham, Australia

30 Sep 20

They are very pretty - and cute, as you say.

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@sophie09 (34236)

• Indonesia

1 Oct 20

@JudyEv yes i totally agree

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@snowy22315 (181221)

• United States

30 Sep 20

What a beautiful bird!

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@JudyEv (340653)

• Rockingham, Australia

1 Oct 20

Thanks. It is really pretty.

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@jstory07 (139774)

• Roseburg, Oregon

30 Sep 20

What a beautiful bird.

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@JudyEv (340653)

• Rockingham, Australia

1 Oct 20

Thanks. We thought so too.

Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (317115)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

30 Sep 20

He's a beautiful bird. I'm glad you were able to get a good picture of him from all those you took.

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@JudyEv (340653)

• Rockingham, Australia

1 Oct 20

He hardly stayed still for a minute.

@lovebuglena (44653)

• Staten Island, New York

30 Sep 20

I've never seen this bird before in real life. It's a beauty and a cutey.

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@JudyEv (340653)

• Rockingham, Australia

30 Sep 20

They seem widespread but only in the southern hemisphere it seems.

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@Ronrybs (19463)

• London, England

1 Oct 20

Very colourful birds and a joy to see. Haven't seen any this year

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@JudyEv (340653)

• Rockingham, Australia

1 Oct 20

They are quite iridescent in the sunlight.

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@LindaOHio (179874)

• United States

30 Sep 20

Great shot. I haven't seen a kingfisher in decades.

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@JudyEv (340653)

• Rockingham, Australia

1 Oct 20

Some come and go it seems. You don't see any for ages then they turn up again.

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