[Leica] Kookaburra in Sydney today

[cummer at netvigator.com (H&ECummer)]

Hi Marty,
Thanks for the additional detailed info which I will incorporate into  
the description.
Much appreciated. I agree the collective noun for kookaburras should  
be "raucous"
they are really loud!
Cheers
Howard
> Date: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 08:07:21 +1030
> From: Marty Deveney <benedenia at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Leica] Kookaburra in Sydney today
> To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
>
> Hi Howard,
>
> Although his wings have some blue flecks, this is a laughing or common
> kookaburra Dalcelo novaeguineae, not D. leachii.  The latter is found
> in northern Australia only, from Brisbane to Shark Bay, and has a much
> larger area of much brighter blue on its wings.  It also has a
> conspicuous blue eye and a smaller head.  This is an easily made
> mistake, as few guides mention that the laughing kookaburra has blue
> flecks on its wings.
>
> The laughing kookaburra is famous in Australia for killing and eating
> snakes, even some of our extremely venomous elapids.  Large flocks
> (that seems like a poor collective noun for this animal, maybe 'a
> raucous of kookaburras' would be better) were famous in the house
> where I grew up for waking us up at dawn.
>
> It's a lovely shot.  I hope Sydney remains pleasant; there's some hot
> weather coming this way that may make it there eventually.
>
> Marty