Kingfishers in flight as they’re about to land on their next fishing perch. Kingfisher landing shots are tough to get.
I’ve been posting so many kingfisher photos lately I’d vowed to stop posting them for a while. If I didn’t have anything else new to post I wouldn’t post anything at all. But today I’m breaking that vow because most of these shots are quite different than my typical kingfisher photos.
Yesterday I decided to try something new with the male Belted Kingfisher I’ve been photographing lately. Instead of focusing on takeoff/diving shots I wanted to try to photograph him as he was about to land on a new fishing perch just after a dive on a fish. For reasons that I won’t go into, but that bird photographers will understand, that kind of photo is much more difficult to get than takeoff/diving shots.
For a while he was giving me plenty of chances so I decided to go for it. Sometimes he had a small fish in his bill as he was about to land and sometimes he didn’t. When it comes to fishing there are no guarantees.
What I really wanted was photos of him emerging from the water with a fish but in this location that wasn’t possible because of vegetation on the shore that blocked my view of most of the water he was diving into. Getting him in flight just prior to landing was the next best thing.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
That’s not to say that I didn’t go for diving shots too. I did. I like this one because his diving angle is very nearly straight down (no, I didn’t rotate the image to make his diving angle look steeper than it really was).
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
I didn’t succeed often with the pre-landing shots but I got a few. In this one he had a small fish in his bill as he was about to land on the branch just above him. On different occasions I got several other photos similar to this one but most often he had his back to me.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
In this photo, the first of a series, he’s flying almost straight up and about to land in the tree after an unsuccessful dive on a fish.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
In the next shot in the burst it might look to the viewer like he’s about to land on the branch right in front of his belly but that wasn’t the case. His chosen next perch was above him and to the right, in the direction he’s looking.
Normally this photo would be the last shot I’d post because of composition issues in the rest of the series. But I wanted to show you where he really landed.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
His chosen perch was still above him and mostly out of frame to the right. We can see just a tiny portion of it in the extreme upper right-hand corner of the frame.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
In order to get to his destination he had to thread his way through a tangle of twigs and branches. In this shot his tiny feet are just beginning to wrap around his new perch but without zooming in further we can’t see that detail very well.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Here he’s finally landed. Almost immediately after this shot was taken he turned around on the perch and fished the water in front of and below him with his back to me. When he eventually took off after a fish all I got was butt shots. Soft butt shots at that.
I like new challenges like this, especially when I have some degree of success. I’ll keep trying for them but my new dream goal is to get quality, sharp photos of a kingfisher emerging from the water, with or even without a fish. It may never happen but that’s now my carrot on a stick.
Nothing puts the pressure on and provides motivation like announcing such a goal publicly…
Ron
Ron, you have done another fun blog and photos. I sure agree with what every one else has mentioned I too noticed the items hanging and wondered what they were for sure. I thought fishing filaments at first. I hope you are right. I only see the Kingfisher in flight when it calls out as it is speeding by me!
Trudy, the only fish in this pond are small, tiny really. Nothing in there a fisherman would be after. But then there are some pretty dumb fishermen 🙂
Totally balletic (is that a word) action from him, and an amazing challenge for you.
Loud applause for both participants.
“is that a word”
It works for me, EC. But then your words usually do.
He definitely looks pleased with himself in the last shot — “Ta-dah! Stuck the landing!” I would have pegged him going for the thicker branch just below the one he chose as it seem to me it would be more stable. I have to remind myself how light these birds are.
Definitely looking forward to more shots of this little charmer as you pursue your goal! Don’t worry about posting “too many Belted Kingfishers” — there ain’t no such! 😉
“I have to remind myself how light these birds are”
Marty, believe it or not, immediately after this shot was taken the branch he perched on bent down a lot more than this from his weight.
I chose to post this photo, rather than others of him on the same perch, for two reasons – his wings are still slightly out from landing and in those later shots he’d sunk down far enough to expose a twig behind his head that looked like an ugly hat. If you look very carefully you can just barely see a tiny portion of that twig behind his head.
Awesome series Ron!
Charlotte Norton
Thanks, Charlotte.
What a wonderful series! The curves of the twigs and the curves of the bird, the pointy bits on the twigs and the pointy bits on the bird – Nature and Art, WOW! And he looks like he is having so much fun!
The last photo reminds me of a Zuni Shalako kachina, with the big eyes, crest, and big clacking bill.
(Had the privilege of attending the dances once way back in junior high school – a magical night. Thanks for the reminder!)
“The last photo reminds me of a Zuni Shalako kachina”
I see what you mean, Carolyn.
The flying verticality these kingfishers achieve seem to defy gravity!
Agreed, Kathleen.
That really is a challenge Ron and you got it. Take offs are so easy compared to landing shots especially with a small very fast bird like the Kingfisher. All these shots are outstanding, but I especially like the one where he is weaving his way between those branches to land. Looking at that from your view it looks impossible for him to get there without slamming into something. Again just amazed at the size difference between his beak and those tiny feet. Great job.
” it looks impossible for him to get there without slamming into something”
Like most kingfishers he’s a helluva athlete, Everett. Which makes it quite the challenge for the photographer.
Descending and ascending verticals, a good look at the alulae, a “ta-da!” pose in the 2nd to last photo, in the last shot crowing upon attaining his perch, and damned if you didn’t get eye catches in all of ‘em. Delightful and kudos.
Lyle, I positioned myself relative to the sun very deliberately so I had more of a chance to get catch lights in his eye. It worked most of the time.
VBG! Wonderful shots of a very difficult subject! Love those stubby little legs grabbing the skinny twig! Well done, Ron……. 🙂
Thank you, Judy.
Spectacular! Angles I never see, these birds are so fast.
They sure are fast, Sallie. Blink and you’ve missed the action. I spent most of my time tensed up and staring through my viewfinder
Before I read the description, I thought that first photo had been mistakenly rotated the wrong way. Then I went on to the other photos. Those little guys with the oversize bill and the undersize feet are quite the flyers.
And you sir, are quite the photographer! I was trying to imagine how you can possibly maneuver that camera with that huge lens from inside a truck to catch a bird like this small and swift fella making such a radical approach and landing. And I’m guessing it was not the warmest of days either.
I don’t know who is more amazing; you or the subject of this photo essay.
Thank you for sharing.
Much appreciated, Michael. These photos were taken in the late afternoon so by then it had warmed up considerably – to the low 40’s.
Low 40’s is what we call a really cols night here is SoCal.
That is definitely a challenging situation. Very well done!
Thanks, Bruce.
Nice sequence Ron! It’s great that you continue to challenge your skill set.
Thanks, Brett.
Another great series, Ron! That first deep dive photo is really a beaut!
I agree Joanne, I really like it too. Thanks.
Really unusual shots, and I especially like the first one… The composition
is just stunning–totally dynamic ! I admire the way you set new goals in
order to keep yourself challenged, and the results are very fresh–congrats !
Much appreciated, Kris. It keeps life from being boring, not that bird photography is ever boring…
Fantastic series, great job!!
Thank you, Dick.
Great series!!!
Thanks, Bob.
G-Morning Ron, Yes, great Kingfisher action flight shots! I noted the leaded split shot fishing line with hook & bait? snagged onto the tree twigs; brought back long ago memories of did & done that! Don
Donald, at first that’s what I thought it was too but I have other photos showing it and I’m really not sure. The biggest portion of what you describe is a leaf and when I zoom in the filament looks organic rather than being fishing line. And I suspect the “split shot” is really some kind of fruit or seed. There’s another one stuck to the leaf.
But I can’t tell for absolute sure so I’m not saying you’re not right.