Some kingfisher pictures

[colincurry]

We were lucky enough to spend Christmas in Ethiopia where the birds were wonderful, plentiful and obliging.

These are the nearest that I can get to GeoffH's wonderful kingfisher diary pictures.

I have to say that the birds here were very easy to approach, seemed used to human presence and lived happily alongside the local fishermen. These pictures were taken around Lake Awassa.

This is a pied kingfisher - about the size of a collared dove



The pied kingfisher hovers like a kestrel



This is a woodland kingfisher - slightly larger than the pied



Here we have the malachite kingfisher which relates to ours in terms of size but not in sociability - the bird posed happily a couple of yards away



We only saw one grey headed kingfisher and this further off than the others



Back to the pied kingfisher - I could have spent all day trying for the perfect picture but our timetable dictated otherwise



Finally, another woodland kingfisher



A small memento of a memorable trip.

Colin

[NickCantle]

Nice to see you again Colin, and a bonus to see such beautiful photographs of beautiful birds! It seems that the Kingfisher family was much larger than I had first expected! Favourite shot out of all of those for me is definitely the last one. Incredible colours. Glad you had a good time mate! Good to see you back here at WAB

Nick

[JeffH]

WOW - superb shots Colin. Some of these exotic types make our local birds look positively plain

Jeff

PS. nice to see you back on WAB

[ron1863]

Beautiful shots Colin, you lucky man.

[tufftie]

Great piccys - seems like you had a good trip!!!

[mousychicken23]

Wow they are amazing!!!!

We went to India and saw some beautiful birds- one of which was a kingfisher. I don't have a clue what type it was though

Great pics

-mousychicken

[Seajay]

Hi Colin, welcome back! Were all the birds approachable like these or just the Kingfishers? (and I don't mean the female of humans)

Colin

[LoveT]

Wow, what a fantastic variety of kingfishers!

Cracking shots too !

Thea

[aeshna5]

Nice stuff- memories of seeing these stunning birds in Ethiopia + other places too! Did you manage to see Half-collared Kingfisher? A real elusive bird not too dissimilar to our own species of which I had some brief views.

Fortunately I'm on a tour there next month so look forward to seeing them again with a bit of luck!

Enjoyable photos.

[colincurry]

Thanks for the kind words.

Most of the birds we saw were pretty co-operative - but those around Lake Awassa and at Ziway more so becuase they lived alongside the fishermen and co-habited well.

We saw over 300 species and I kept around that number of pictures. We have been to Zambia but Ethiopia beats it hands down for birds, but has far fewer mammals. The accommodation was pretty basic and the results of the civil wars and lack of investment are patently obvious. Nonetheless, we were very well looked after and real birders don't care about much else! My wife is not a birder but still managed to enoy what would best be regarded as an experience. I would go back tomorrow.

Aeshna (have I spelt that correctly?), we did not see the kingfisher you mentioned. I hope you enjoy your trip next month - post some pics!

Jeff - I may have access to a local garden with and active kingfisher and am hoping for good pics of our native bird.

Regards

Colin

[Ukwildlifeo]

good photos. The pied seems to be eating guppies or at least livebearers of some kind

[JeffH]

Originally Posted by colincurry

.....Jeff - I may have access to a local garden with an active kingfisher and am hoping for good pics of our native bird.
Colin

Good Luck Colin - I hope the garden visitor proves to be as accommodating as your Ethiopian birds

Jeff

[galanthus]

Lovely pics colin, the birds look stunning. Makes me want to wander off to warmer climes, must get over flight fright