Wednesday 25 April 2018

Wild Bird Wednesday 300 - Laughing Kookaburra

I'm not sure if there is a more iconically Australian bird than the Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae).  This bird is famous the world over, and even managed to sneak into the sound track of some early Tarzan films, which were set in Africa but not filmed there!

Apart from the fact that they are tremendous birds to watch and listen to, one of the things I like about this species is the number of names it has been given.  Here is a sample:

Alarmbird, Breakfastbird, Bushman's Clock, Settler's Clock, Shepherd's Clock, Giant Brown Kingfisher, Giant Kingfisher, Laughing Kingfisher, Jack, Jackass, Jacko, Jacky, John, Kooka, Laughing Jack and possibly most remarkably Woop Woop Pigeon.  

I have to say that the last one is a bit of a mystery to me, given I have never heard one go Woop and it does not look like a Pigeon.  But who am I to argue.

This bird (or these birds) came to visit us most morning when we were in the Grampians - although it was at a more civilised hour than their "clock" names would suggest!

At 450mm long they are one of the world's largest kingfishers, and no matter how many times I see them I always like them.  Their visits to the rails on the deck of our Grampians accommodation was a bit of a highlight.








300 weeks ago, on the 17th July 2012, I started hosting Wild Bird Wednesday (after 86 weeks of World Bird Wednesday, by Dave at Pine River Review) - and here I am, in 2018, still hosting!  I'm reasonably proud of the fact that I have not missed a single week of Wild Bird Wednesday in 300 weeks!

We dont get as many people linking up as we once had - so feel free to share, remind and generally suggest that people get involved.

All feedback welcome on this anniversary!

As ever, to link to WBW just click on the blue button below!  SM

28 comments:

  1. These guys are fantastic! I love the heavy beaks! Congratulations on 300!

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's a super bird and great pics Stewart. The Grampians huh? I think I need to get up to Scotland.

    Thanks for the link today

    ReplyDelete
  3. WOW! 300 editions Srtewart. CONGRATULATION. I also love this bird and can do a great impression of its voice!! Thanks for hosting all this time and have a wonderful week ahead.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This bird has a certain intelligent expression. Really very handsome in these tack-sharp closeups. Happy Blogaversary!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Any time I see any member of the Kingfisher family I am happy -- and I'd be overjoyed to see a Kookaburra (I'd be pretty just to be in the area where they live). But as that dream is unlikely to come true, I appreciate you showing him off to us! Thank you for all 300 editions ... I love WBW!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. pretty happy that was supposed to say. It would take more than a kookaburra to make me pretty.

    ReplyDelete
  7. when it comes to birds this one was one of the reasons I wanted to visit Australia. I was not disappointed :)

    Congrats to the 300 wekks of hosting. You have done a great job for us every week. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Happy anno.

    Great shots, my friend.

    To be honest...woop woop pigeon is my fav.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I was fascinated by these birds when we visited Australia. Only wish then that I had of owned my Nikon that I have now! Fabulous photos. Well done. Cheers Diane

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hari OM
    g'day Stewart... fabulous to celebrate your 300th with such a fine fellow - I do so miss the kookas. Am joining your celebration linky party today. To be honest, I am not a 'bloghopper'. I have trouble enough keeping up with my current collection of blogs!!! However, this is a special occasion... YAM xx

    ReplyDelete
  11. And that is why we need scientific names!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Fabulous photos of a great bird! Well done on all that posting! Not an easy feat!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Congratulations Stewart! wow! That's a lot of weeks. Good for you and thanks for doing it... we have a lot of fun coming to visit and posting a few of our photos ...

    Love the kookaburra.. I'll probably never see one in person so it is a good thing I can see him here.

    Vee

    ReplyDelete
  14. Fantastic shots, Stewart, and I loved your description. You gave me the first laugh of the morning. Thanks for hosting this; you make a lot of people smile.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Congratulations on 300 weeks. One of my favorites along with Bird D'pot. Beautiful pics. I listened to them on YouTube. I remember their call on Tarzan. :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Happy Anniversary Stewart! I have always appreciated your faithfulness, especially since you travel so much! Love this pretty kookaburra! They definitely look like kingfishers. But their call is so iconic. How wonderful to wake up to that when out in the wilds! Hope you have a great week, and 300 more weeks and more ahead!!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Stewart, great close-ups. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Great pics! What a cute little bird.

    ReplyDelete
  19. What a handsome bird..cute..great pictures!! 300 weeks..Wow!!

    ReplyDelete
  20. "Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree
    Merry, merry king of the bush is he
    Laugh, Kookaburra, Laugh, Kookaburra!
    How gay your life must be!!!"

    One of my favorite songs when I was a Girl Scout, many moons ago!!!

    Congratulations on 300 weeks!!! That's awesome! The Kookaburra is one of the few birds I've actually taken a photo of...just about a year ago when we were visiting your beautiful country!!!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Awww - gorgeous! And I love the laugh they have too.

    ReplyDelete
  22. 300 linkups! Awesome! As soon as I saw the name kookaburra, I thought of the song that TheChieftess quoted.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Great pictures of an exciting bird!

    ReplyDelete
  24. The one Australian song every American of a certain age knows -
    "Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree
    Merry, merry king of the bush is he
    Laugh, Kookaburra, Laugh, Kookaburra."
    I cannot image seeing one without a big smile on my face if not laughing out loud!

    ReplyDelete
  25. What an awesome looking bird. Great shots.

    ReplyDelete
  26. What a pretty face and styled bill!

    ReplyDelete