Kingfisher Park - Day 2
October 2006
Kingfisher Park Birdwatcher’s Lodge--Friendly Neighbors
It usually doesn’t take long to find out who your neighbors are and whether or not they’re friendly. Around the forested grounds of the Kingfisher Park—much more bird-friendly than the heavily manicured landscapes of most Australian campgrounds—live many bird species used to being around people. Orange-footed Scrubfowl scratch around below the shrubbery, Emerald Doves and Red-browed Finches scavenge seeds under the feeders. Just what a photographer needs!
To my delight, the campground is home to a family group of Australia’s most well known bird, the Laughing Kookaburra. My attention is first drawn to their presence by their wildly raucous calls. Then every day I see them sitting on their favorite perches around the property, quite approachable and out in the open so I can use natural light.
Laughing Kookaburra
The Kookaburra may epitomize Australia, but I bet this country’s most-photographed bird is the Rainbow Lorikeet. It’s the one that comes to feeders at seemingly every tourist attraction in eastern Australia. Its natural food is flower nectar, though, and I’m happy to be able to photograph one feeding at a sunlit Grevillea flower early one morning.
Rainbow Lorikeet