Back with the Kingfishers

miccro · #1 (**permalink**) 20-08-2011, 12:43 PM

Thought id share some photos of the pair of kingfishers residing near me.

Sadly work restricts my photography more and more, yet i managed to take a few days off to visit a pair of kingfishers that are doing well.

The female has been a longtime resident of the area and even stayed through the winter the past 2 years. She nested last year and was successful with producing 4 chicks. This year she paired and nested however upsettingly the nest was abandoned/ destroyed due to the owner of the land clearing a large stretch of the riverbed (the land is a private fishery and he wanted to make the stretch of river bed accessible).

i left the pair 3 months ago hoping they would re-nest in peace. yesterday i went back to see if they had survived the landscaping or moved along. Within 30 mins the pair appeared looking very healthy and busy.

They had their little flyby route planned and i managed to spot 2 fishing spots. Previously they had fished from overhanging trees notoriously difficult to photograph them in, however due to the landscaping there are now a lot of bare riverbank they just fly past. Prime fishing spots.

so i decided to set up some perches for them on their flight path - previously i had tried this but due to the choice they never used them.

within 30 mins of setting up the first perch the male landed and fished from it. He continues now with it as his choice perch!

He is also quite a bold little character and had no reservations about the shutter noise of the camera, quite happy to go about his day allowing for some photo opportunities.

I went back today but rain prevented much action. I did however set up another perch and the female took a likening to it. I managed to catch a single frame of her luckily, which is pleasing as she seems far more tuned into the shutter sounds.

As both perches are now in use i hope to return in the next few days with remote triggers to try and get some strike shots, sadly the rain prevented this.

ill let you know how i get on

Mike

(for any concerned persons -i watch/ photograph the birds with a portable hide and 600mm tele, the birds are quite undisturbed and happy going about their day to day)

miccro · #2 (**permalink**) 20-08-2011, 12:50 PM

female in rain - 20/8/11

male close up

thanks
mike

The_Moaner · #3 (**permalink**) 20-08-2011, 04:13 PM

Very Nice images micro..Look forward to seeing more from you soon.
Well Done.

miccro · #4 (**permalink**) 20-08-2011, 07:39 PM

thanks for the encouragement,

The sun came out for this evening so decided to go back. set up the remote trigger on 2nd body under the perch with pre-set focal plain and shutter.

sat for ages until the female appeared, id set the tele on the tripod on the perch and got carried away taking photos through it, totally missed firing the remote on the strike but saw where she entered the water and would have been a superb shot -if only i had pushed the dam button! - novice mistake.

and she was successful. i was really kicking myself, i even took the tele down so as not to distract me.

ahh well you cant have everything in a day....

weather permitting ill be back tomorrow for another go.

mike

DRB · #5 (**permalink**) 20-08-2011, 07:43 PM

superb pics am very envious

The_Moaner · #6 (**permalink**) 21-08-2011, 12:56 PM

Excellent images..Well Done. Your patiance has payed off.
I bet you get that shot you want next time.

Veldranian · #7 (**permalink**) 03-09-2011, 12:49 PM

Wow anmazing pics. What lens were you using to get that close?

galanthophile · #8 (**permalink**) 03-09-2011, 02:08 PM

Well done for getting any photos! They certainly are a difficult subject. Great pictures!

operanut1972 · #9 (**permalink**) 03-09-2011, 10:57 PM

They are brilliant shots miccro. You are very lucky. Let's hope you have this setup for a while to come. With a bit of luck this will cover the expense of the art!

miccro · #10 (**permalink**) 05-09-2011, 01:10 PM

Thanks guys for all your kind comments, the set up for these photos was canon 600mm f4 ( not shooting below f7.1 ) on canon 1ds mk3.All were taken from a portable dome hide set about 8-10m from perch. The trigger set up was a borrowed canon 1d mk4 with my 85mm 1.2 on it- although ive not posted any shots with it, with a set of pocket wizards as trigger.

sadly ive had to leave the kingfishers for work- im actually off to Australia for 6-12 months and have to leave the lens in the UK- my father is 'looking after it'

which he is very pleased about.

looking into access to kingfishers here (Perth WA), they have 2 local species that id like to photograph, if i can get the time i may get the lens to follow me out but brought out the pocket wizards and a 200mm f1.8. They also have alot of osprey here

thanks again,
mike