![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/belted-kingfisher-5480b-ron-dudley.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
1\/5000, f\/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II,<\/em> Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/p>\n All three of these photos were taken exactly one year ago today and I’ve been hoping she’ll return on a “schedule” so I’ve been down to the pond looking for her at least once (sometimes twice)\u00a0every day for the past several weeks. So far I’ve struck out but I’ll continue to watch for her.<\/p>\n I usually photographed her in a cluttered setting and in this shot I’m not fond of the branch in front of her head and bill but…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/4000, f\/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II,<\/em> Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/p>\n when she turned her head to look to her left that branch became much less of a problem for me. Anytime I can get this close to a kingfisher is a good day for me – no matter the setting.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/3200, f\/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II,<\/em> Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/p>\n Eleven minutes later, while she was perched much further away (this image has been cropped heavily), she threw a pellet. Many folks are unaware that kingfishers cast pellets but they do. Here we can see the pellet rising in the back of her throat. I was very lucky to get light on the pellet so it can be easily seen – usually in this situation it would be in deep shade inside that cavernous mouth.<\/p>\n I’ve been lucky enough to photograph kingfishers casting pellets several times. If you missed my post of this pellet being ejected\u00a0those images\u00a0can be seen here<\/a>. And the previous month (Dec 2016) I photographed a male kingfisher\u00a0throwing a pellet at Farmington<\/a>.<\/p>\n With my 500mm lens on its way to California for cleaning, testing and possible repair I’m anxious to try out my 100-400mm with attached teleconverter on birds but the weather and light aren’t cooperating. It’s been mostly cloudy for weeks and this morning it’s finally mostly clear out there but the wind\u00a0preceding a storm front has been howling for two days now\u00a0(it kept me awake\u00a0much of the night last night).<\/p>\n But where this kingfisher hangs out is very\u00a0close to my home so whenever there’s a “sucker hole” in the clouds (and if this wind ever\u00a0dies down)\u00a0I’ll be down there looking for her – with a lens combo I’ve had very little practice with.<\/p>\n I sure hope I find her again.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I’ve been looking for this female Belted Kingfisher for weeks now.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n