The Kingfisher Thread - how to shoot one

[hdh]

This is just to follow up on the off topic in the D850 thread. 

1 hour ago, arterra said:

 

Didn't mean to  ............................... OH YES, I DID 

 

Cheers,

Philippe 

 

...... or you could try with a snowball 

 

Tip for the top: a good time to shoot kingfishers is at the end of a dry spell when most of a stream dried up. Look for bends (which are deeper) which still hold pockets of water. That'll be where all the fishes gather and those are a kingfisher's heaven. Remember: THINK like a kingfisher 

 

Are we off-topic again? 

 

 

Philippe, 

I had a look at all your kingfisher pics some day in the past.  I failed to see the snowball one - (great picture this is) 

Maybe you want to review the tags on that  (if not done already).

 

As for the tips I'll keep the one up there in mind - not applicable to the lake I usually get to (and which is a 5 min bicycle ride from my house) but I know a waterhead nearby and it is currently not too dry. Also kingfishers have been seen there by others. this one is a 30 minute bike ride, so not too far off either. 

 

Now repeating the Philippes other good advice from the other thread, where we slightly went off topic ;). 

 

Don't stalk kingfishers. You need:

1. a hide (I use a cheap childrens' dome tent painted in camouflage colours, fitted with a sleeve to stick my lens through)
2. look for a nice, photogenic branch of the ideal length
3. think like a kingfisher: what would be the ideal spot to fish (in the shadow to see the fish below more clearly)
4. think like a photographer: place the stick in a spot conform to n°3 but also which provides a pleasing background and good light
5. sit still in the hide and wait........ wait ......... wait .........wait .......... 

Portrait of Eurasian / Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) perched on branch with caught fish in beak   Arterra Picture Library / Loulou Beavers

Common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) female perched on branch over river

 

Cheers and good luck,

Philippe

 

I'm off topic again, ain't I? 

 

 

 

 

[hdh]

1 minute ago, arterra said:

 

Tip for the top: to lure kingfishers to a spot in a lake

1. place the inner tube of a bicycle in the water near the shore
2. attach a closed net with fine mesh to it so it floats just under the surface
3. throw plenty of little fish into it
4. place a photogenic branch over it
5. sit in your hide and ..... wait, wait, wait 

Why an inner tube and not a wooden or plastic frame? Because herons can't land on it 

 

Cheers,

Philippe

 

 

I just learned that food attracts animals. 

Now I started feeding them I have great tits, robins, red squirrels and many more birds in my garden. 

 

I was thinking how to do this with the kingfisher, but that method did not dawn on me. 

Presumably the net needs to go deep enough, so the kingfisher does not get trapped and drowns for the sake of a picture. 

 

Herons and cormorants also find habitat at that lake; the water is shallow on the edges and I guess a heron might just wade to it to get his breakfast .  

 

 

[Phil Robinson]

Alternatively walk to the next village, which has a stream running through it with a pair of resident kingfishers, and kneel on the footpath as the locals walking their dogs barely stop and say 'oh, there it is again', while the kingfisher perches on a reed about 8 feet away, occasionally diving in to catch a fish and not even flying away when the dog belonging the the woman taking photos next to you starts barking. 

 

[hdh]

I need to find a place like that. 

The pair I have seen lives on a lake 250 acres large.

Did not have the time recently to go and recheck, but planned for this or next week. 

So still no kingfisher photo in my portfolio. 

[Phil Robinson]

I had a couple zoomed last week - fingers crossed.

[TeeCee]

I have one comes in my garden, and sits in the cherry tree overhanging my pond.

I have no pictures of a kingfisher in my port, not because I don't have the equipment or patience to do so.

I have no pictures of a kingfisher because everytime I see him, I run outside flapping my arms like a madman and shouting "Gerroff my fish, you thieving little b#@&+*d"

[hdh]

Have not got a shot yet, as was too busy with other stuff.

My wife suggested that I use Philippe's proposal with the bicycle inner tube and fill it with some small Koi's from the local pet shop ..... 

The first half I agree with, the latter not really. 

 

Appear like the kingfisher visiting you confused your pond with the inner tube filled with koi's as suggested by my wife. 

[NYCat]

7 hours ago, TeeCee said:

I have one comes in my garden, and sits in the cherry tree overhanging my pond.

I have no pictures of a kingfisher in my port, not because I don't have the equipment or patience to do so.

I have no pictures of a kingfisher because everytime I see him, I run outside flapping my arms like a madman and shouting "Gerroff my fish, you thieving little b#@&+*d"

 

I'd love to see a picture of that.

 

Paulette

[hdh]

14 minutes ago, NYCat said:

 

I'd love to see a picture of that.

 

Paulette

thinking of that, I could also do with a video of the arm flapping and shouting madman. 

 

[TeeCee]

1 hour ago, NYCat said:

 

I'd love to see a picture of that.

 

Paulette

Hmm, it may be a while before I can pose for that, as our little visitor seems to have all but emptied our pond of fish. He started coming when the river was high a month or so ago (we only live about 150 yards from it) and we guess he quickly realised they were fairly easy prey. Certainly easier than river fish....
We were ready for herons, seagulls, and even the odd egret, but the kingfisher was a real surprise.

For the moment, we're not restocking with fish, just rethinking the pond thing a little.

 

[spacecadet]

OT and far too fast to photograph, but we did see one on the Mosel last week. It's my first complete one.