Azure Kingfisher
Deep in the casuarina forest on an island in Tuross Lake a pair of Azure Kingfishers (Alcedo azurea) hunted for food. It just happened that we were drifting silently by in our canoe, and I was able to capture this one good image before they flew. We were actually at narrow and impassable end of an inlet, so they just flew further along and we had to turn about and go back. More Tuross Lake birds tomorrow.
dadirridreaming 
King fishers and many kinds are common in Florida Everglades just west of where I live in Miami.
i would love to visit and photograph your florida birds carl!
How interesting you had this encounter… “Kingfisher indicates a period of increased mental and spiritual activity. He will show how to manifest your destiny by listening to your intuition. Since psychic perceptions are increasing, he will instruct how to remain grounded in the earth and be comfortable in doing so. Take time for yourself in quite solitude connecting to Mother Earth. Grounding and centering is needed. Although he may be shy, he knows how to strike with determination. How are you using your “dagger-like bill”? He will teach the art of timing and when to act. Kingfisher demonstrates excellent visionary skills and will teach how track your “prey”. He directs attention to feelings and what is unseen. Watch carefully what is going around you. Listen to your dreams and visions. He shows it is time for forward movement, letting go, forgiving the past. Kingfisher’s medicine guides in seeing into the depths of emotions and into the un/subconscious. His lesson goes much deeper than what is on the surface. This is another opportunity to balance masculine and feminine energies. He aids communication and reaching higher spiritual energies along with the ability to express ideas with coherence. Take care of your upper energy centers for they will increase in sensitivity. Kingfisher presents a time of prosperity, love, warmth, and a new found peace of mind. The time period for Kingfisher is about a month of exploring and learning and another month of adapting the new energies. Pay attention to its color which correlates to the area in which to personally reflect upon.” http://www.starstuffs.com/animal_totems/dictionary_of_birds.html 🙂
fascinating elladee … my mind is spinning but my heart feels right with the Kingfisher story … i was really struck by the azure and the orange together … so vivid!
Throat and Sacral chakras 🙂
yes i was asked to teach meditation locally … need the throat chakra clear and strong, and the sacral chakra for energy, will power and self-confidence!
Looks like he heard something. Nice photo!
BE ENCOURAGED! BE BLESSED!
he was watching us and wondering when to fly!
Awesome shot 😀
How lovely, here they are so elusive you’re lucky to spot one.
same here gilly!
Kingfishers are among my favourites, but this fellow, with his azure dress coat complemented by russet waistcoat and scarlet booties is a new one on me. Was the female as colourful? Was the other a female? What a terrific capture Christine – congratulations!
good questions … it was a pair, both the same colours as far as we could see … they seemed to be identical … and no mention of any difference in the literature … which also says “Habitat includes the banks of vegetated creeks, lakes, swamps, tidal estuaries and mangroves. Often difficult to see until it quickly darts from a perch above water. Feeds on freshwater yabbies and small fish. Nest in a chamber up to 1 metre long in an earthen creek bank.” … so we may have been near a nest …??
Though it’s autumn, maybe a little late for there to be young with them still?
you are right of course , breeding season Sept to January … Eddy is here tonight so i am quite distracted!
Wow, beautiful catch. 🙂
Thanks for sharing!
it was a thrill to see the pair, and i was so glad to have at least one decent photo from the rather unstable canoe ….
How lucky! They are stunning.
quite a thrill to see them!
Beautiful kingfisher, Christine. Just the right pose,too.
i was pleased the camera focused on the bird and not the casuarina needles in front of it …. quite tricky from a moving canoe …
Lovely kingfisher! That is a cool shot! Thank you for sharing, Christine!
so glad you enjoyed the beautiful bird amy!
Magical birds and usually so shy that a photo would be impossible. Beautiful shot Christine.
right place at right time … a challenge from a moving canoe all the same 🙂
What a lovely bird! So fortunate to be able to see one.
we certainly were 🙂