I got the Nitmiluk blues!

Still reliving our holiday up North. These photos are from late July at Nitmiluk National Park which is centred on the Katherine Gorge. The images have a decidedly blue theme!

We start with Blue-faced honeyeater. I'm intrigued when I catch a shot showing a bird's nostrils as "see through 

The rest are kingfishers!

Absolutely gorgeous Forest kingfisher - a lifer for me

Not nearly as endearing in this shot (but also a lifer) was Red-backed kingfisher. It took me a while to stop ignoring these birds as Sacred kingfisher. They were actually a common sighting once we realised what we were seeing!

In southern Australia we are of course very familiar with the Laughing kookaburra and I was on the lookout for Blue-winged kookaburra while up north and wasn't disappointed. Now kingfishers are pretty distinctive looking birds and kookaburras particularly so .....

Blue-winged kookaburra

but this guy went beyond "distinctive" with an early morning "yawn"....

and then the eyes close over......! 

Now that just looks plain freaky!

Nitmiluk was very kind to my "Life List" with no fewer than NINE lifers! See the Eremaea List here. More pictures to follow!

Bird on!