Sharing the beautiful creatures in our forest..
Today I have been watching some of our beautiful resident kingfishers and thought I would share them.
Forest Kingfisher Mungarru Lodge Sanctuary 2013 D Dickson
We are blessed with a wonderful array of kingfishers at different times of the year.
For most of my life I have only been able to read about them and never dreamed that they would be part of my daily life. Moving to the tropical north 20 years ago changed all that; we share our home with 137 bird species and 20 years on, we are still spotting new species here.
Mungarru Lodge Sanctuary has a year round presence of kingfishers. The Forest Kingfishers Todiramphus macleayii live here all year round.
The Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus, the Buff Breasted Paradise Kingfisher Tanysiptera sylvia join us during the wet season .
Immature Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Wet Season Mungarru Lodge Sanctuary D Dickson
If we sit quietly along the bank of Meunga Creek on the southern boundary of the sanctuary we often catch a glimple of the Azure Kingfisher Alcedo azurea and the stunning Little Kingfisher Alcedo pusilla is sighted from time to time near my studio.
(Collared Kingfisher Todiramphus chloris can be found close by in the small coastal melaleuca wetland at the southern end of Cardwell by the Sea)
They really are some of the most beautiful birds.
Cloe up in care- Amazing Blue -Forest Kingfisher feathers Mungarru Lodge D Dickson
As an artist I struggle to capture the brilliant shades of blue in their plumage.
We have the privilege of caring for these delicate creatures from time to time at the sanctuary and our mahogany glider “glide enclosure” makes a wonderful flight aviary for recovering birds when gliders are not in residence.
Little Kingfisher – Post TC Yasi – stunned but OK – after a little quiet rest he flew off.
January 14th
Mungarru Lodge Sanctuary
Daryl Dickson & Geoff Moffatt