Birds Kingfisher on the River Stour

[Nick L]

Morning,
I prefer the close version as it proves the detail, Kingfishers can look soft as the feathers look soft, as someone who dabbles in bird photography as I have a camera that can capture small fast moving birds (the R5) I am pleased with the results I have got photos of

• Canon EOS R5
• EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM +1.4x
• 560.0 mm
• ƒ/8
• 1/2000 sec
• ISO 2000

this kingfisher in the last 3 weeks. I have to say as a long term camera club member I am not a lover of dark underexposed backgrounds with the dreaded bird on a stick. I am trying to catch birds in flight and diving and have managed both. But I still need the fish in mouth and actually entering and leaving the water, but I can only hope.

 

[royd63uk]

To be honest they are all excellent images.
Close detailed images and environmental images all have their place.

 

[Dave Williams]

As I originally posted Nick, I didn't intend to be rude in any way, just trying to offer constructive comments. The last shot you posted is more pleasing to my eye but that is of course a personal opinion. If you are happy with what you end up that's probably the most important thing but when we post a shot on a forum or other media and all the comments are positive we don't learn unless people are totally honest? How many times have you seen something very average and the comments are totally inappropriately describing it as awesome?
Anyway, keep on dabbling in avian photography, but beware,it becomes addictive!!

 

[Red Dexs]

Excellent shot Nick.

 

[Nick L]

From a recent trip to the river Stour in Dorset, in 30 minutes he dived 4 times (I caught two of them) and caught 3 fish and two he ate right in front of me

• Canon EOS R5
• RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
• 500.0 mm
• ƒ/10
• 1/2500 sec
• ISO 2000

• Canon EOS R5
• RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
• 500.0 mm
• ƒ/10
• 1/2500 sec
• ISO 2000

 

[RichMan]

Nick,
Could you give some back story on these photos? I have been trying A LOT to get a good picture of a Belted Kingfisher here in Florida. We don't have a lot of them in the area I live in, but I spotted one at a small pond one day and have been hunting it sense. I've got a good, but distant, picture of him flying, and some closeup picks of him setting on an ugly metal fence, but nothing I really like yet. I have set up a perch in the water about 3m from shore, and set my blind on other side of the pond bank about 13m from the perch. I have set in that blind I don't know how many hours waiting with no luck yet.

Could you tell me how you found this bird; is there just one or several, what does your setup look like? Anything you could share would be interesting.

BTW, I like the pics a lot.

Thanks

 

[Nick L]

Hi Rich,

This is a well known place to get very close to this Kingfisher on the river Stour about 2 miles from my home. the branch he fishes from is not natural, someone attached the stick to a small post in the river and there are often a couple of other perches he uses and some of the trees nearby as well. I have been to this place a few times in the last 7 months and have seen him most times I have been there. When he is on the branch he is 3-4 metres from me so the 500mm is fine. He or his relatives have been at this same place for a number of years and on occasion two Kingfishers have been seem on this branch (not by me tho). Like you when he is on the other side of the river he is far to small to photograph, and these are very fast birds the dive really quick so I normally use 100-200mm and try to guess where in the river he may dive.

Best of luck !

 

[MrSparks999]

Wow some awesome Kingfisher pictures