Butterbill because kingfishers don’t have fingers…
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Two days ago I photographed this male Belted Kingfisher with a fish (a weather loach) here in Salt Lake County. Immediately after it landed on this perch he started beating the crap out of the fish to stun it by slamming it against the branch.
I’ve photographed quite a few kingfishers with fish and even though they sometimes toss them into the air and catch them again this is one of the very few times I’ve seen the bird accidentally drop the slippery prey. Sadly I missed capturing the fish as it fell but I did get the reaction of the kingfisher to the loss of his prize and I thought it was hilarious.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
The kingfisher almost fell out of his shoes trying to grab the fish before it was too late…
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
but he missed it and all he could do was…
1/2500, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
watch as it fell back into the water below and most likely swam away. This was one pissed-off kingfisher as evidenced by his repeated and very loud rattle calls in reaction to the loss.
He had fish slime and pond scum all over his bill so once he recovered from losing the fish his next concern was to get rid of that mess so he…
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
shook his head violently and the stuff went flying. I’ve cropped the image to include as much of the flying debris as practical but there was even more of it than this.
At first I wasn’t going to include this shot because the bird is quite soft but it illustrates something unfortunate that can and often does happen to bird photographers trying to capture fast action. If you look carefully at the image you can see that my focus point grabbed on to the twig behind the kingfisher’s left wing. That made the twig sharp and the bird soft because my depth of field is very shallow at this focal length. In the previous four photos the exact opposite is true.
In bird photography “stuff” happens, especially when the action is fast.
Ron
This is a wonderful series. I saw the female Kestrel chick (of the first batch of chicks from the nest in our neighbor’s palm tree) lose a meal on one occasion. She was out of the nest but not yet flying, so all she could do was stare after it. I’m betting she learned from that experience. Unfortunately, I doubt that a Kingfisher would change its habits on how it treats a fish, because it’s an ingrained habit, and they all do it. I guess that losing the occasional fish is part of the life of a Kingfisher.
All I can think is “Crestfallen”! Thanks for being there to capture the moment!
Butterbill, indeed! 😀 He looks quite surprised. I keep hearing the sound heard when cartoon characters shake their heads rapidly whenever I look at the last shot. Fun series (for us — for Mr. K., not so much).
I’ll echo the others’ comments about admiring your skills, ethics, and desire to educate when it comes to bird photography. Rock on! 😀
Well, that same sound is now going through my head, Marty! Thanks for the kind words.
In your last picture, the one in which the bird is shaking the slime off his bill, is the grey over his eye nictitating membrane?
Yes, that’s what it is, ED. For eye protection he had the membrane closed the entire time he was pounding the fish too – check out the first photo to see that. Their actual eyes are such a dark gray they’re very nearly black.
Thanks for your pics and your comments. I have only recently returned to your site and find the postings a welcome relief from the news of today’s politics and today’s catastrophes (sometimes they are the same thing.) In any case, thanks. Feel free to edit from your posting any of my comments that may seem to you inappropriately political for the identity of your site. And again, thanks for what you are sharing with us.
Ed, Rest assured, this blog is one of my escapes from the ugly realities “out there” these days and many of my blog readers have said the same thing. But occasionally those realities just can’t be avoided by any of us, even here at Feathered Photography.
All of the compliments and admiration for Ron, his experience, insight and talent, is deserved and true. I also appreciate the daily contributions from EC, Patty, Laura, Charlotte, Judy, Carol and Dick, among the many people I admire and probably and most unfortunately will never meet, but for this generous post.
Thanks very much, Robert. Wouldn’t it be fun if we could all meet up one day!
Thank you for the kind words Robert. They’re greatly appreciated.
I second Laura’s comment Robert, many thanks.
Thank you. I learn so much here. From Ron, and from the community he has gathered around him.
We all have moments like that. (Or I do anyway). And a rattle call would be insufficient to express my displeasure.
ANOTHER brilliant series. Thank you so very much.
Actually, the rattle call does a pretty good job of it, EC. It’s very expressive, very loud and very distinctive. Thank you.
Interesting series…especially like the second…score one for prey!!!
Thanks, Patty.
Oh and just more proof that we’re more alike than different! We ALL have those Ah-POOP moments that annoy the heck out of us! 😉
I rarely call my moments like that “AH-POOP” moments. My terms are much more descriptive…
Yeah, mine too. Don’t forget I grew up at a race track and turned into the girl reporter at the race track back in the day when the rude comments flew like birds! I had to keep up! I can (and do) swear like a drunken sailor. LOL! But this is a family-friendly blog, so I use my public words here 😉
Dick Harlow nailed it. While you pick all the nits on your photography, WE, your audience, look forward to you sharing your magic (almost) every morning. Because you go out to The Great Out There with the skills to capture these slices of moments, we get to see marvelous sights that those of us who can’t do photography would rarely get to see. Even if we are out there, the action happens far too rapidly for our sluggish vision to keep up with it. But more than that, you provide so many delightful teaching moments, sharing your abundant knowledge about photography, species behavior and overall life in The Great Out There. The combination is outrageously wonderful–so outrageously wonderful that I really don’t have the words to adequately describe it.
In all honesty, I don’t think you truly GET the magnitude of the special gift you have, the impact you make on those of us who follow your adventures and the sheer delight for us to wake to your magic.
And yes, I know that the nit-picking is part of the photographic teaching. Just know that I REALLY need a whole new string of superlatives here. I’m far too redundant with the mostly inadequate words of our language, so I’m going to try to make up a bunch more as soon as I’m through my post-visit, post-cleaning nap (which could last a while–just a warning. I’m old now…LOL!)
And another thing. I rarely mention the absolute wonderfulness of your ethics in capturing these moments, but I appreciate it at my core level–in my DNA. That’s just another aspect of the pure joy you bring (almost) every morning. Just know that, OK?
YES.
Thank you Laura.
Those are very kind words, Laura. I hope I truly deserve them. Thanks so very much!
You deserve them and much stronger words (new superlatives) I hope to develop in the near future 😉 But in short, YOU ROCK!
Super series, the one that got away!
Charlotte
I loved this for the humor and the bird really does look incredibly annoyed.
Yes, I know the feeling of looking at a shot and saying to myself “You got to be kidding, that is where my focus point was, that isn’t what I intended, damn!!!!” Of course, I tend to use stronger language when by myself!
However, in all honesty Ron, there hasn’t been any shot that you have posted since I’ve been on your blog that I haven’t liked! I do enjoy your comments and it makes me smile when you show some of the problems and frustrations that we all have when trying to photograph nature,
Love these shots and I’m amazed that this male is preforming so well for you! Must have a ton of loaches in the pond.
Many thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Dick. There’s a story behind the loaches in that pond that I hope to tell with a post one day.
Great series !!! Love kingfischers !! As always with the great action who notices depth who field?
Thank you, Marina.
So beautiful! I’m new to your blog and LOVE the photographs and your descriptions of the “behind the scene” events which went into getting these photos. Thanks for capturing the beauty and personality of this little guy.
Welcome to Feathered Photography, Carol. I hope you enjoy your visits in the future.
Whoa! It did do a headstand of sorts! 🙂 They do loudly express their displeasure/presence for sure. The ones here always make an evening run through the yard loudly announcing their presence. Good capture, Ron. 🙂
Exactly, Judy – we usually know when they’re in the neighborhood. That’s one of the very few things that can make them a little easier to photograph. We have to FIND them first!
Excellent
Thanks, Barbara.