For a short time today I had four Kookaburras perched on a retaining wall in my backyard, but when I walked closer to take a few pics they all flew off, which is surprising because they're usually quite a bold bird. Anyway, one came back later and was digging around in the mud looking for food. I ran inside, grabbed my D600, got as close as possible and snapped a few dozen pics. These are a few of the better ones.

This bird appeared to be a juvenile

Nice coloration. Especially the tail feathers.

I'm always impressed by the size of their bill, which they use to good effect in a rather brutal way.

They literally pounce on lizards, snakes or small birds, hold them with their bill and continually bash them on the ground until they're dead.

Yes. Pluck the feathers off that bird, and it's probably 50% beak. Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't they one of the birds used to fill in the jungle sounds for many of the movies?

Yeah, I seem to recall hearing Kookaburras in old Tarzan movies.

His oversized head and beak still grab may attention when I look at these photos. So disproportionate to the body.