{"id":53009,"date":"2017-10-28T05:41:08","date_gmt":"2017-10-28T11:41:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/?p=53009"},"modified":"2017-10-28T06:02:42","modified_gmt":"2017-10-28T12:02:42","slug":"kingfishers-in-flight-my-first-rough-legged-hawks-of-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/2017\/10\/28\/kingfishers-in-flight-my-first-rough-legged-hawks-of-the-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Kingfishers In Flight (+ My First Rough-legged Hawks Of The Year)"},"content":{"rendered":"

The kingfishers in flight\u00a0are a work in progress but I’m definitely getting there.<\/p>\n

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1\/8000, f\/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n

This photo of the same male Belted Kingfisher I’ve been photographing for a while now was taken yesterday. My two biggest problems with photographing\u00a0kingfishers in flight are keeping\u00a0them in frame (kingfishers are fast and erratic fliers) and getting\u00a0them sharp, especially with all the trees in the close background that want to grab my active focus points. I have quite a few shots of\u00a0this male\u00a0in flight that aren’t quite tack sharp but this one is\u00a0very, very close.<\/p>\n

The branches behind him are a bit of a bother but that’s the way it goes with kingfishers. The bird is centered in the frame because I had no choice.<\/p>\n

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1\/4000, f\/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n

This shot was taken two days ago soon after he lifted off from his favorite\u00a0“dining table” perch and\u00a0almost immediately after\u00a0he had gobbled\u00a0down a fish. I was lucky to catch him with a clean background with his beak open, his tail spread out\u00a0and a wing position I like.<\/p>\n

I’ve been happy with my progress with kingfisher flight shots in most situations but success with\u00a0one type\u00a0still eludes me…<\/p>\n

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1\/1600, f\/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n

and that’s when he’s coming out of the water after diving for a fish (they only spend about one second in the water). As you can see I’m getting close but still no cigar.<\/p>\n

This type of shot may be the most challenging I’ve ever repeatedly attempted to get and failed of any bird species. But I’m determined to eventually succeed if the kingfishers continue to “cooperate” (which may not happen for more reasons than one).<\/p>\n