![\"belted](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/belted-kingfisher-5705-ron-dudley.jpg\")
<\/p>\nFor me a “nemesis bird” is a species I haven’t been able to get any (or very few)\u00a0decent photos of. Recently I had some luck with two of them in that category.<\/p>\n
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1\/3200, f\/5.6, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon<\/em> EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM +1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/p>\n I see Belted Kingfishers occasionally but they’re so darned skittish that I can never get close enough to them for acceptable images. But six days ago at Farmington Bay this female was so intent on fishing a small creek that she forgot to fly off as I approached in my pickup. I’d like to have been a little closer still\u00a0but I should be grateful for the opportunity she did<\/em> give me – enough time for about a half-dozen shots.<\/p>\n When she took off she gave me an excellent chance at a top-drawer flight shot. She launched to my left which would have given me good light on the bird, I was the right distance away for a flight shot, I had enough shutter speed for those rapidly moving wings and the background was a good one to isolate the bird.<\/p>\n But a millisecond before she launched I took my finger off the shutter button to make a camera adjustment so I missed the shot. I’m not likely to have another chance like that anytime\u00a0soon.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/1600, f\/6.3, ISO 400, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon<\/em> EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM +1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Despite being the most abundant and widely distributed rail in North America the Sora is more often heard than seen and until recently I had no photos of them out in the open. But earlier this month I found this one swimming in a small\u00a0private pond next to the South Road in the Centennial Valley as it foraged for food. It was midafternoon so the light was less than ideal but I was happy to get a few clear shots of the bird with good detail and in a natural setting.<\/p>\n Neither of these images is in the “awesome” category but when it comes to nemesis birds it’s my philosophy that small victories are infinitely preferable to no victories at all.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n Note: Sorry about the late post today. “Technical difficulties” raised their ugly head again…<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For me a “nemesis bird” is a species I haven’t been able to get any (or very few) decent photos of. Recently I had some luck with two of them in that category.<\/p>\n![\"sora](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/sora-8568-ron-dudley.jpg\")
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