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Leaving its nest in a tunnel in a river bank, this smallish bird (28cm), pirouettes on the wing as she rockets low across inland rivers in seach of the native bee which is a substantial part of her diet. Once the sting is rendered harmless, the bee is killed before being consumed. The exquisite tail feathers are shorter in the female. It is part of the Kingfisher family, as is the more well-known Laughing Kookaburra.
A member of the Skywatch Friday community.
great capture. A marvelous blue color.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info.
Dani
what an exquisite creature.
ReplyDeleteI've seen these in southern Europe - they make such a bright flash across the landscape when they fly.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen such kind of bird. Thanks for sharing. I like the contrast of the bird's feather and the branch of tree against the deep blue sky.
ReplyDeleteGreat capture against such a blue sky.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful shot. Great blue sky in the background.
ReplyDeleteSO BLUE!
ReplyDeleteHappy weekend, Evelyn
What a gorgeous deep blue sky! Beautiful colours on the bee eater, fantastic shot. Thank you for your lovely comments today :)
ReplyDeleteA lovely rich photo, - I think I could drown quite happily in that beautiful blue sky.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful shot of the blue sky and great pose of the bird, what he is staring up?
ReplyDeleteWell done. You are getting very good at capturing birds.
ReplyDeleteJulie, How interesting!
ReplyDeleteI see that you joined my blog as a follower. Thank you for that. If you read it now, you'll see that I've had some trouble and deleted my last post.
Nice to meet you.
Fantastic shot, the sky is gorgeous
ReplyDeleteGreat shot! Love it!
ReplyDeleteVery clean lines, although my neck is getting sore looking up. Australian birdlife is so enormously rich and varied.
ReplyDeleteAnd that ever-blue sky again!
That is a great shot,,specially with such a wonderful blue sky as a background. It was a good idea to add some information about the little cute bird. Then again,,the sky is great!!
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ReplyDeleteYou're doing jolly well with those birds ... would you believe I have not got a single bird shot from my current trip ... too cold to sit about waiting for them.
ReplyDeleteNow this little chap was in the same tree as a Whistling Kite (raptor) and they were hovering over a picnic ground. THAT is why he is getting a crick in his wee neck! If you want to see more photos of them (but not together!) check out my Crickey blog in about 30 minutes.
ReplyDeleteGreat shot of that colorful bird! He is a beauty. Nice light on his face.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed so much this great shot of the wonderful variety of things nature provides us. Well done.
ReplyDeleteWhoa! Well taken shot!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, Julie!
ReplyDeleteI'm familiar with the kingfisher, but this is extraordinary (at least for me). Thanks for leaving the hi res... I liked seeing it up close. Great photo, as usual, Julie.
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing bird.
ReplyDeleteJulie, thanks for your comment just now. Thank you for articulating and sharing those thoughts. I appreciate knowing that. It is what makes blogging worthwhile.
I find Rainbow Bee-Eaters quite fascinating. I first saw them in Hidden Valley north of Townsville but have also seen one on our farm in the Adelaide hills. The poor little thing must have lost its way and been carried south on some strong winds.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful colors against the sky. I find bee-eaters fascinating, and I didn't know that they lived in riverbanks or that they were related to kookaburras.
ReplyDeleteAnother incredible visit to your blog. This photo tells quite a story. Very nicely done.
ReplyDeletep.s. being a Leo are you having a birthday soon?
Just had it ... 10th
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