Diving Belted Kingfisher Series (plus 1)

Whether the bird is perched or in flight, it’s unusual for me to like a kingfisher photo more for its aesthetics than for its action and/or behavior. But that’s the case with this first image.

And yes, I’m still working on the male kingfisher I’ve been photographing lately. We’re in a stormy weather pattern and he’s about the only ‘reliable’ and interesting bird I’m aware of that I don’t have to drive far on potentially snowy and slick roads to photograph.

 

1/5000, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

He has two favorite fishing perches and one of them provides virtually no opportunities for decent photos. But yesterday, after a war of patience and wills between the two of us, he finally landed on this more promising perch to try his luck.

This is the first photo I got when he dived on a fish. Despite the less-than-optimal light and nearly white sky in the background I like the photo a lot for its aesthetics, in part because it reminds me a little of Oriental art (but what do I know about art, especially Oriental art?).

At first his dive wasn’t very steep. But the instant his right wing cleared the branch on his right…

 

 

1/5000, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

the steepness of his dive increased quickly and dramatically. I chose to crop this image to include the perch he just left.

 

 

1/5000, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, canvas added for composition, not baited, set up or called in

I got one more shot before he exited the frame. His flight posture is very similar to that in the previous photo.

 

 

1/4000, f/5.6, ISO 400, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

As an afterthought I decided to include this photo of the same male kingfisher taken the day before. I seem to have a knack for catching him in the same flight posture but this background certainly is… different.

“Different” isn’t necessarily a good thing but at least I was closer to him so the bird has better detail.

Ron

 

16 Comments

  1. Reliable, beautiful and downright fascinating.

  2. “the only ‘reliable’ and interesting bird…”. That’s a long way from being your nemesis bird for so many years. Regardless, I appreciate the art in all these photos, oriental (perhaps Japanese?) or otherwise.

    • “That’s a long way from being your nemesis bird for so many years”

      Very good point, Lyle. Funny how things change and in this case I don’t know why it did.

  3. So focused and determined! I have trouble with the size of these birds. I think I’ve only ever seen one to recognize as a Kingfisher. From the characteristics in the photos (long bill, tiny feet, short tail, compact body), my mind reads fish-hunting hummingbird. But I know they are bigger – Sibley says 13 inches with wing span of 20 inches. So crow-sized?? That’s a pretty big bird! I think I prefer the image of fish-hunting hummingbird😊

  4. That first photo had a real feeling about it. Then I read your comment about it resembling Oriental art. I think you are right on about that. It’s the bird, the pose and posture it is in, and the branch. It certainly has that feel.

    Very nice.

  5. Everett F Sanborn

    Outstanding job Ron. I know for sure I would not keep up with the speed of a diving Kingfisher. Just imagine hitting the water at that speed and then being able to grab hold of a tiny little fish. Always amazed at the huge difference in size between that large beak and the tiny feet.

  6. I like photo # 1 a LOT…….also, it’s a visual reminder – aren’t the trees showing extra early budding of new growth ?– it seemed to start on about Dec. the 1st
    this year. But those pointy shoots are a nice echo of kingfisher’s feathers.

  7. Neat! Your “reflexes” seem to be consistant as far as catching his take off! 🙂 Beautiful bird going about his daily “business”. Like the detail in the spread wing feathers.

      • Handsome dude (the bird, Ron, the bird). And I can almost see your reference to Oriental art in the first shot, although, truth be told, if you hadn’t mentioned it, would I have “seen” that? And the detail in that last shot is really superb. You may be playing on a smaller field, Ron but your batting average doesn’t seem to have suffered. (Oh, dear. There must be something in my tea. I just used a sports metaphor. 🙄🤭🤫😆)

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