Obsessive Compulsive Kingfisher Disorder

[Andrew_McP]

A month ago I'd only seen an occasional blue blur pass me on riverside walks. I had kingfishers parcelled neatly away under 'unattainable'.

Then I ordered a 70D and felt I needed to justify the purchase to myself by making more effort generally. I went out that day with my 40D and, accidentally and for the first time, caught sight of a dark, distant but unmistakeable shape.

Armed with the 70D and new enthusiasm, I put in more time and had more 'luck'.

And the more time I put in, the luckier I got.

There is something terribly addictive about this incredible little bird. It is so unexpectedly vibrant when you see it properly for the first time. It is such a challenge to shoot without disturbing. It is so satisfying to simply share a little time with.

I'm not really a birder. Or at least I didn't think I was! But this morning at 5:30am I was laid in mud under a picnic table covered with a small camo net, protecting my wet camera with my waterproof while rain dripped through the table, down my back. But although it was a miserable photo op., it was an absolute delight to watch this glorious fisherman hunt back and forth across the pond.

After an hour or so I was starting to shiver, so I packed up to a saner position in the hedge surrounding the pool. But as I moved away I found my bird was perched out of sight, on the stick I'd left a few days ago where I could see him from the road. He flew off, but...

Ten minutes later I was stood in the bushes when there was movement on the road behind me. As I glanced left, the kingfisher flew past me at head height, only five or six feet away, and landed on the picnic table only a few yards ahead. It paused, decided there were no threats, despite the fact it must have seen me, and flew onto the stick again.

I was cold, wet, and rather happier than I had any right to be. I'm way too old to be so easily pleased!

But I am beginning to understand how kingfisher specialists get so obsessively engaged with this bird. If this was a location I could set a hide up in and stay all day I'd probably still be there now! So it's probably just as well it isn't, or I'd never make it to work tonight.

Oh, and before anyone points it out: yes, I know that even the most basic of Flickr/web searches will display an endless series of stunning images, a hundred times better than these. But your own children are always nicer than other people's. To you anyway!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/51808870@N02/

PS I'm nowhere near a nest as far as I can tell. 'Loaded' birds always fly off well up stream onto private farm land.

 

[Andrew_McP]

to be brutally honest that's the way wildlife shooting is.

Don't worry, that's what I meant by saying 'luck'. Photography's just like every other human skill, the harder you work at it the 'luckier' you get.

I'd rather it involved less standing around in hedges getting funny looks from passers-by though. Fortunately it's a spot where there are far more cars and MAMILs passing than walkers.

 

[Andrew_McP]

Keep plugging away with your kingfisher, learning its movements and habits and finding it's favoured perches.

I'm kind of hoping the novelty wears off soon and I can get back to normal! But at present it's a real pleasure to expand my knowledge of the pair working this pool. I rarely see the two together, but there's definitely more than one.

Took me three weeks of that to get some shots on my local river culminating with two hours lying on the opposite bank of the river covered in camo netting and watching the bird fly up and down the river half a dozen times (whistling as it went past!)

You're reminding me that yesterday while I was setting up my net and was crouched beside the picnic table a kingfisher came back. It flew straight towards me, chirping as it flew over my head and on into the trees. So I imagine that chirp is a warning call. Either that or it was as surprised as I was when I glanced up.

It was a rather memorable sight, seeing him heading straight over my head. It'd have made a great photo, assuming more light, talent, luck (aiming in the right direction at the right time) and AF which is 10x faster.

I should really invest in a hide for such things.

I contemplated one of these... http://www.wildlifewatchingsupplies...3-Lightweight-Throw-over-hide--bag-hide-.html but I don't drive and don't really want a bike cluttering up my small flat, so everything I need has to fit on my back and be lugged about four miles. I'm already struggling with the idea of adding a decent tripod to my kit, so I came up with a lightweight alternative.

I bought a camo mini-umbrella which I can tie to a nearby bush or tree or whatever (possibly even a tripod), and then throw camo netting over the top. It's not perfect, but it weighs very little and can be part of my regular kit rather than something I have to make a real effort to bring.

we had rain not long after then a really wet winter which I don't think the bird, a solitary male, survived.

Things are a bit gentler down in the southeast, and kingfishers seem pretty well established along the Darenth Valley.

Your bird looks like a male (females have a reddish/orange lower bill).

Yes, definitely male. There are at least two in the area, but I very rarely catch sight of them together. So I haven't been able to work out if it's a pair still raising young or one of the earlier offspring bugging dad. Hopefully I'll find out before the autumnal stroppiness begins.

I mainly go out to do birds of prey.

Around me there used to be loads of kestrels and quite a few buzzards, but this year I've only seen one of each (obviously I might be seeing more without realising). There are certainly fewer in the sky without any shadow of a doubt.

The only compensation for me this year was when I went off the path through woodland recently and disturbed a sparrow-hawk. All I got was a quick view of its outstretched wings as it flew away. Haven't seen it since, but then in dense woodland I'm unlikely to without knowing a good place to pitch my 'hide' and sit for hours on end

It's a satisfying hobby though, that's for sure.

 

[Andrew_McP]

I like watching them shoot across the water like little blue exocet missiles

The first spot I located them/it at is a bridge with a cluttered view about a hundred yards upriver. If I stare hard enough and long enough, eventually I catch sight of them zooming towards or away from me. If there's decent light it's a really impressive sight.

They seem to fly so much faster than most birds, but it's supposed to be an illusion. They just fly lower and more directly, cruise (or exocet!) style.

one time he went to get inside it and the kingfishers were sat on the hide whilst he was in it

Yes, I've seen that written by quite a few kingfisher observers. I guess positioning a hide next to a good perch has a habit of making the hide look like an even better perch. I've been surprised at the variation in fishing heights depending upon time of day and light conditions. Yesterday in the pouring rain the kingfisher I was watching was perching literally at water level. But the first shot up above was the bird hunting from about 3m up.

biggest bird project I ever did was short eared owls

I'm not aware of owls in my area, but I tend to be out in my body clock's evening, which is everyone else's morning. However I've been following this guy on twitter http://www.stevewardnature.co.uk/ and he has owl shots that make you want to sell your camera and get an easier hobby.

it's so rewarding when the damn thing decides to play ball

Absolutely. It was airshows which got me into buying my 100-400L, and I hesitated for many months while saving. But when I eventually gave up shooting fish in a barrel (essentially what airshows are) I discovered the real satisfaction comes from nature. There is a pattern of behavioural activity which gives relatively predictable opportunities, but you simply never know what you're going to get.

Often it's nothing, of course.

I also spent a month driving around putting dead rabbits various things

Back when I was actively trying to photograph a kestrel near me (before the farmer started mowing that field again and ruined its hunting ground!) I did go as far as to put a bird feeder to encourage little brown jobs into the area. But it seemed more interested in the rodents, so I tried porridge oats for them.

Not sure it made any difference, but it made me feel I was doing something useful. And I'm now going to invest in some fish food for the minnows the kingfisher is eating. I don't want to mess up the ecosystem, but a little light feeding around the most convenient (for me) perch may encourage a bit more fish activity in that area.

The last thing I want to do is mess up the local equilibrium though. I just want to nudge things in my direction slightly. :->

 

[Andrew_McP]

but it was a day I just wanted a good walk, without the burden of carrying a camera

We've all been there. I nearly always take my lightweight bridge camera at times like that. It's not perfect, but fate will always find a way to poke you in the eye if you're not prepared... though even when you are prepared that troublesome digit can still sting.

Today I finished a typically tedious night shift at 6, left home by 7, was on site by 8:20, bread left for minnows beside my stick by 8:25, and...

KF showed up for about 30s at 11:05, and nowhere near me. I got wet again too. But apart from that it was a really satisfying morning.

Still, at least he hasn't let me down so far. I see him every time I go there, I just need to wait long enough. So I can't complain really.