The agony and the ecstasy of kingfisher photography.
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I’ve seen and even photographed kingfishers in this area of Farmington before but they’ve always been a little too far away for quality photos. But two days ago this female unexpectedly flew in and landed on a much closer fishing perch for long enough for me to get quite a few photos of her. Given my ongoing photo gear problems many of my shots of her were a little too soft but I think this one looks pretty good.
Typical of me, especially with kingfishers, one of my goals was takeoff and flight shots but each time she took off from this perch and others she either took off away from me or she was shrouded in twigs and branches.
Except for one time. Near the end of my time with her I did catch her in flight with a flight posture I like with no obstructions in front of her. I even had a catch light in her eye and she was sharp.
1/6400, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
But she was nearly 100 yards away when it happened.
Figures.
Ron
Note: This didn’t end the story of my frustration with her. Perhaps 15 minutes later, after I had driven away to another area about a quarter mile away from where she had been fishing, she appeared from out of nowhere and flew very close to my pickup in good light. But she was flying fast so of course I didn’t have time to raise my lens and get her in my viewfinder, much less get her in focus.
She was rubbing salt in my wounds, I have no doubt.
Coincidentally, I passed a female the day before yesterday. I thought of driving back to get a better look, but the “voice” of Ron Dudley said it would be gone if I even began to slow down.
We have them here year-round, but I only see the ones at the harbor near our house in winter-time. Latitudinal migrants? Altitudinal? Who knows…
I hear that voice all the time, Lyle. With kingfishers it leads me astray sometimes but not often.
They know exactly what they’re doing, don’t they! 🤣 (Sorry for the bit of schadenfreude. I’ll be sure to let you know the next time that I either get peed on by a dog or trip over my giant feet when I’m at the shelter — it may even be today!)
Can hardly wait for your report, Marty… 🙂
I have never seen these outside of a photo but they are so gorgeous I almost thing I would gladly trade the agony for even a few instances of the ecstasy. I just feel privileged to share in your experiences with them of either sort.
Granny Pat, kingfishers are one of the few birds I’m getting more photos of than I used to. For most species it’s the other way around.
She is a beauty. And of course she was delighting in rubbing salt into your wounds.
Of course. After all, she’s a kingfisher.
Exquisite portrait!
Kingfishers kause kursing.
“Kingfishers kause kursing”
Wish I’d thought of that, Wally!
Kingfishers ARE a challenge! Glad she showed up and gave you a bit of time anyway…… 🙂 The 2nd photo really captures the “zoom” to go after something or just “move”. 🙂
Glad the camera cooperated at least some of the time tho for me it’s more frustrating when something is intermittent that just not working right….
Thanks, Judy. While I was out shooting this morning the problem with my camera gear became even more of a mystery.