{"id":87927,"date":"2020-07-28T05:56:26","date_gmt":"2020-07-28T11:56:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/?p=87927"},"modified":"2020-07-28T06:35:04","modified_gmt":"2020-07-28T12:35:04","slug":"more-belted-kingfisher-reactions-to-a-barn-swallow-attack","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/2020\/07\/28\/more-belted-kingfisher-reactions-to-a-barn-swallow-attack\/","title":{"rendered":"More Belted Kingfisher Reactions To A Barn Swallow Attack"},"content":{"rendered":"

Same kingfisher and swallow as before but this time both the perch and background are different and the setting is much less cluttered.<\/p>\n

Four days ago I posted a series of photos of a Barn Swallow repeatedly attacking a Belted Kingfisher<\/a><\/span><\/span> near a mountain stream. Soon after that series was taken the kingfisher flew to a perch that was closer to me and tried to resume her fishing routine but the swallow wasn’t about to let that happen.<\/p>\n

This time the kingfisher was closer to me so I never captured the swallow during the attack because there wasn’t enough room in the frame but I think the kingfisher’s reactions tell the story well enough.<\/p>\n

The following four photos are sequential shots in a burst without any skips.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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1\/3200, f\/7.1, ISO 800, 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

Just prior to the attack she had her back to me so I didn’t include any of those shots. Here she has just spotted the swallow coming at her from her right so she’s in the process of assuming a defensive posture.<\/p>\n

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1\/3200, f\/7.1, ISO 800, 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

After so many previous attacks the young kingfisher was becoming pretty adept at the fancy footwork required to…<\/p>\n

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1\/3200, f\/7.1, ISO 800, 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

turn on her perch quickly enough to meet the incoming feathered missile. Her stubby little legs weren’t much help but she still managed to get turned in time.<\/p>\n

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1\/3200, f\/7.1, ISO 800, 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

Based on her posture and the direction she’s looking by the time this fourth shot in the burst was taken the swallow had veered off to its left at the last second and beat a retreat.<\/p>\n

There were additional attacks both before and after this series was taken, even after the kingfisher had moved to a third perch. That swallow was nothing if it wasn’t persistent. Each attack was quick, very quick – this series of four shots was taken in only four tenths of a second.<\/p>\n

Action like this keeps the photographer on his\/her toes, especially since both the timing of the attacks and the directions they came from were completely unpredictable.<\/p>\n

Ron<\/p>\n

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Notes: <\/em><\/p>\n