There are very few bird photographers who don’t bellyache about the elusiveness of Belted Kingfishers and I’ve done more than my share of whining about it myself. They rarely allow a close approach and when they almost inevitably fly off before we can get close enough for decent photos they rub salt in our wounds by scolding us with their annoying (in that situation) rattle call.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I make many dozens of special trips to a pond in the valley (usually once per day) with the sole purpose of looking for kingfishers before I ever find one there and on those rare occasions when I do find one it usually flies off before I can get close enough, even though I’m in my pickup (my “mobile blind”).
I’ve been making those trips without success for many months now but yesterday I finally got lucky with this male. After so many frustrating trips I literally gasped when I spotted him in his fishing tree and he was so intent on his fishing he actually stuck around for a few shots after I drove up.
This is the best photo I could manage before he dove unsuccessfully after a fish and returned to another nearby branch on the same tree where…
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
the setting was severely cluttered with other branches. Because of the pervasive clutter I’m only including this shot for the interesting pose. My shutter happened to fire just as he was beginning to flip 180° on his perch, thus his flared tail, raised wing and turned head.
So there’ll be no great kingfisher shots posted here today. But the first one isn’t bad and for me anytime I can get close enough to a kingfisher in good light for decent photos is something to celebrate.
Ron
The punk rocker of birds. 😀 I was driving recently when I was rewarded (the other drivers may not have felt this…) by a kingfisher who landed on a wire in the middle of the road. I fear my sudden braking may have caused that rattling call…but not from the bird!
Arwen, folks like us need signs on our vehicles – “I brake for birds”.
True story!
Ron, that is a feisty looking Kingfisher. Just look at that hair style and that gives it away. I like the 2nd photo with the flared and one can see the “attitude” clearly. Thank you for sharing.
Believe me, they’re ALL feisty, Alice!
Clutter. Schmutter. That second shot is a winner! 🙂 Totally shows off the beauty and the feistiness of the species! (I’ll give you a fantastic pose, but screw it up just enough. 😉 )
Yup, that’s almost certainly what she said to herself. Thanks, Marty.
I think the clutter is totally appropriate for this guy. You can bet if I was fortunate to be close enough to get a shot then I’d take it regardless of the extraneous elements. Love that flared tail and is that the nictitating membrane about half retracted in the second photo?
“is that the nictitating membrane about half retracted in the second photo”
Lyle, I’m not sure but I don’t believe it is. I think it’s just a wonky catch light. That happens.
Gotta “win” once in awhile! 😀 I’ll live with the clutter in this case….nice view of the flared tail. 1st photo is usually how I see them on the power line. Their “rattle call” through the yard at dusk certainly lets everyone(thing) know they are in the vicinity!
“Gotta “win” once in awhile!”
Ha, with kingfishers I’m far from convinced that’s true!
They look good to me, better than anything I have been able to capture.
Thanks, April.
‘If you are going to pursue me…I shall make it difficult’! I do believe that is their main purpose. I would gladly accept each of these photos. Clutter or not the second photo offers much for the eye to behold. Love, love, love those tail feathers!
I wouldn’t argue with you about their main purpose in life, Kathy. We don’t get to see a kingfisher with its tail flared very often so I appreciate that photo too.
Wonderful photos, Ron!! I love hearing the kingfisher’s call and always enjoy my subsequent search for the bird. They are truly as elusive to my eyes as they are to your lens! Thank you for your talent and your persistence.
Thanks for the kind words, Melanie
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Beautiful Ron and one of those very rare opportunities to photograph one of these guys. Clutter is always a problem for bird photographers, but that pose definitely overcomes the clutter. Saw a female yesterday just resting for quite a while where you could have taken dozens of great shots but was too far for my camera. Recently over at our Goldwater Lake I was focusing in on a male and as so often, just before I clicked, that sob took off like a jet with that raucous laughter sound and was gone.
Yup, that’s their modus operandi. Frustrating isn’t it Everett.