Cotter Azure kingfishers

[Kim Farley via Canberrabirds <>]

Very interesting, Martin and Sandra.  My experience of them in NSW coastal areas is of sedentary birds but they have been designated historically by COG (as per COG website) as summer visitors in the ACT. 

Kim

On Thu, Feb 3, 2022 at 7:23 PM Martin Butterfield <> wrote:

In my CBN  article about azure Kingfishers I commented about seeing then in Northern NSW (Inverell?) when the temperature was -4C so cold wouldn’t fuss them too much.  It might be worth someone collating all sightings since one appeared at Point Hutt as I think this shows their movement to the Cotter.

On Thu, 3 Feb 2022 at 19:04, sandra henderson via Canberrabirds <> wrote:

Azures are apparently mostly sedentary , rather than migratory like the Sacreds, so it’s to be expected they’d be there year round. 

Sandra

On Thursday, 3 February 2022, Kim Farley via Canberrabirds <> wrote:

Hello all

That is a lovely video David. Thank you for sharing it. 

David's post prompted me to look through eBird for local records of this species. In summary, over the last 4-5 years Azure Kingfishers have been reported in Bird at multiple locations in the ACT.  And interestingly, they have been recorded in every month of the year.  

Azure Kingfishers are mostly reported along the Murrumbidgee, Cotter and Molonglo Rivers - including at Stony Creek and Woodstock Nature Reserves, Uriarra Reserve, the Uriarra Loop Track, Casuarina Sands (once), Kambah Pool, Point Hut, Pine Island and of course at Cotter Bend.  They have also been reported at Macgregor (July 2021), at Lake Ginninderra, Ginninderra Creek at Giralang, and at Sullivans Creek at the ANU.  All these locations include records confirmed by photographic evidence and/or were submitted by some of our most well regarded local birders. 

There are indeed more records for summer, but that may (or may not) reflect birder activity rather than the presence of the birds. Most records are of a single bird, with multiple birders having reported what is most likely the same bird being present over weeks or months.

It will be interesting to see if they become a rare summer visitor again in the future or whether they are here to stay. 

Kim

ACT eBird reviewer

On Wed, Feb 2, 2022 at 10:27 PM David Rees via Canberrabirds <> wrote:

Many of you will be aware that there is a pair of Azure Kingfishers
again in residence in the very public locality of the Cotter Reserve.

had the pleasure of film one of the birds a couple of days ago.

you may see it here https://vimeo.com/672646948


David

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