Everybody wants Kingfishers?

littlemonster

littlemonster

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I'm sure I must be missing something blatently obvious.. but why all the interest in photographing kingfishers??

I get that they're a gorgeous bird, and that due to speed they can be hard to get decent pictures of, and they're not common - but even so, there's still a nice amount around, there's plenty of places where a few evenings and you'll almost certainly see one, and everybody else already seems to have pictures of them anyway :shrug:

Is there some special reason I've not seen? I've done a search but out of the 200 results it seems 190 of them are - you guessed it - pictures of kingfishers! :thinking:

Also is this a TP thing or is this in photographers outside this forum too? :shrug:
 
littlemonster said:
I get that they're a gorgeous bird, and that due to speed they can be hard to get decent pictures of, and they're not common
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I think you've answered your own question.
 
littlemonster said:
I get that they're a gorgeous bird, and that due to speed they can be hard to get decent pictures of, and they're not common
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:shrug:

They're one of most peoples landmark species to get a decent shot of, why? For the reasons posted above :) They're one of the more accessible species, over say ospreys and eagles.

If everyone else has pictures.. then you wouldn't want to be the odd one out ;)
 
I just love them one of my fav birds, I can t get enough of them, here's a couple of my favourtite dive shots that I took and believe me they dive really fast

kingfisher6-2.jpg


kingfisher5again.jpg
 
Why does everyone want to shoot Kingfishers?

Because they taste so darned good!
 
Charlie Hamilton James is the person people most often associate with kingfisher photographs. He did a BBC series called The Halcyon River Diaries which primarily followed a year in the life of kingfishers and otters amongst other things. To partner the documentary he released both a book by the same title and another titled Kingfishers. I have the latter and it's amazing the quality of his work and the dedication he has put into a single stretch of river that passes his house.

Kingfishers are one of those birds that few people ever see and most of those who are fortunate enough to see only get a fleeting glimpse of blue as it flies low and fast over the water past them. Then there's the colour. How many other birds in the UK do we have with such striking plumage? Not to shoot (pun not intended) the other birds down because there are some beautiful ones, but most are smallish and brownish which doesn't seem to spark interest the same way pearlescent blues and oranges does. Add to that the challenge of getting close enough to photograph one without causing disturbance and the incredible behaviours that can be captured and you have an entirely unique bird that nothing else really compares to.
 
Did someone mention KFs ?

Just another bird on a stick?

When you've waited and watched them for a while and experienced their magic, and if your fortunate enough to photograph one, you wont need to ask "what's it all about" :)

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Sorry Ian they're only branch piccies :geek:
 
Anthony I really wasn't meaning that in a bad way. I can appreciate the time and patience that must go into it all and I would be more than pleased if I could take one.

Your pics are fantastic and show why they are so popular the colour and texture you have captured in them to are stunning.

Karen,

Its a true art and is a great skill to get pictures that sharp with a bird so small and fast, it makes landscape photography look so easy in comparison.
 
Donki said:
Anthony I really wasn't meaning that in a bad way. I can appreciate the time and patience that must go into it all and I would be more than pleased if I could take one.

Your pics are fantastic and show why they are so popular the colour and texture you have captured in them to are stunning.

Karen,

Its a true art and is a great skill to get pictures that sharp with a bird so small and fast, it makes landscape photography look so easy in comparison.
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Only joking Ian :) I know what you were saying.

I saw those photographs too in the Mail, awsemome shots :)

I also watched the BBC series The Halcyon River Diaries, that too has some incredible shots. Charlie Hamilton James is definitly one of my favourite KF photographers :)
 
TriggerHappy said:
Kingfishers are one of those birds that few people ever see and most of those who are fortunate enough to see only get a fleeting glimpse of blue as it flies low and fast over the water past them. Then there's the colour. How many other birds in the UK do we have with such striking plumage? Not to shoot (pun not intended) the other birds down because there are some beautiful ones, but most are smallish and brownish which doesn't seem to spark interest the same way pearlescent blues and oranges does. Add to that the challenge of getting close enough to photograph one without causing disturbance and the incredible behaviours that can be captured and you have an entirely unique bird that nothing else really compares to.
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Obviously they are stunning, but... few people ever see? They're not that uncommon are they? :shrug: If they are I suggest people come to cornwall, I doubt I've ever gone a year without seeing them and I've not gone looking... :thinking: And know of 2 or 3 places within a 20 minute drive that has them - 1 of which I will be stalking some morning soon hopefully, but I'm going for the otters really :love:
 
Well it's not just about seeing them.I spent 12 hours staking out a Kingfisher perch recently and a solitary female showed up for all of 15 seconds and that was it for the whole day!

To make matters worse, I was shooting right into the sun so the pics I did get are way below the standard I was aiming for - very disappointing.

They're a spectacular bird and are always great just to see - and to photograph when conditions are right.
 
littlemonster said:
Obviously they are stunning, but... few people ever see? They're not that uncommon are they? :shrug: If they are I suggest people come to cornwall, I doubt I've ever gone a year without seeing them and I've not gone looking... :thinking: And know of 2 or 3 places within a 20 minute drive that has them - 1 of which I will be stalking some morning soon hopefully, but I'm going for the otters really :love:
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I'd imagine that cornwall and the south west is the region of the country where they are most prevalent. I don't know this for certain but I'm assuming that the low levels of industry make for more clean water networks which are of a huge benefit to the Kingfisher. There's only ever been 2 places I've seen kingfishers. One was in the southern Ireland and the other in Devon. I've never seen them local to me in the midlands although I do know there are a few spots they can be seen.

Just as you seem to be hung up on otters, others feel that way about kingfishers. Find what makes you passionate and pursue that but certainly don't criticise others for doing the same thing when it takes them a different route from your own. :thumbs:
 
TriggerHappy said:
I'd imagine that cornwall and the south west is the region of the country where they are most prevalent. I don't know this for certain but I'm assuming that the low levels of industry make for more clean water networks which are of a huge benefit to the Kingfisher. There's only ever been 2 places I've seen kingfishers. One was in the southern Ireland and the other in Devon. I've never seen them local to me in the midlands although I do know there are a few spots they can be seen.

Just as you seem to be hung up on otters, others feel that way about kingfishers. Find what makes you passionate and pursue that but certainly don't criticise others for doing the same thing when it takes them a different route from your own. :thumbs:
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Must be more here I think, wish people holidayed in cornwall for the wildlife instead of the nightlife :lol: All we have really is clay effected waters which don't seem to cause anything much of an issue.

I'm not hung up on otters, just seems a good idea :lol: Not photod any yet actually. But wasn't critisising at all, was just curous if there was a reason so many wanted to photograph them :) I don't mind seeing the end products :D


Shame a local holiday park shut its gates to non stayers, 1 of their lakes has a colony of kingfishers (well did a few years ago), they were very unbothered by people! Anybody going there would get good pics!
 
littlemonster said:
Must be more here I think, wish people holidayed in cornwall for the wildlife instead of the nightlife :lol: All we have really is clay effected waters which don't seem to cause anything much of an issue.

I'm not hung up on otters, just seems a good idea :lol: Not photod any yet actually. But wasn't critisising at all, was just curous if there was a reason so many wanted to photograph them :) I don't mind seeing the end products :D


Shame a local holiday park shut its gates to non stayers, 1 of their lakes has a colony of kingfishers (well did a few years ago), they were very unbothered by people! Anybody going there would get good pics!
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You're fortunate to have such wildlife opportunities on your doorstep. I recommend getting out and trying to photograph or even just watch kingfishers for a little while. If they don't float your boat then that's cool there's an infinite number of other subjects that could captivate you. Give it a go and you might see what the fuss is about ;)
 
TriggerHappy said:
You're fortunate to have such wildlife opportunities on your doorstep. I recommend getting out and trying to photograph or even just watch kingfishers for a little while. If they don't float your boat then that's cool there's an infinite number of other subjects that could captivate you. Give it a go and you might see what the fuss is about ;)
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You have a point :D Due to health issues I'm sometimes limited as to when I can get out, annoyingly!

Hoping to go of amorning 1 day soon :thumbs:
 
AndySwinden said:
Just WOW ! :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
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Agreed.

Back to OP, as others have said, it's elusive and so damn quick, not to mention beautiful. When you've spent time in the field looking for them, then you find a popular feeding post and you wait.......and wait........and wait...... then you manage to get a sighting, and if you're lucky you might get a shot or two, and if you're even luckier you'll get a shot worth keeping.

Much the same as the bloke who gets up at all hours to photograph fox cubs, commitment that has it's rewards.
 
how about bats
 
You have set the shutter speed at very high speed. So that You have captured that photos as well. Yo have also used good lance for the photos. I will also plan to take some animal photos at the zoo as soon.
 
littlemonster said:
I don't think my lens will cope with bats at night :lol:


Canonite, you may get luckier if you look near streams instead of in fields.. :D :exit:
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its done with high speed strobes but only by members of the preservation society

you can photograph them in the daytime....:love:
 
Taking a slight side step on this thread from the KF guru's on here, was talking to my folks about the wildlife in the garden and apparently there is a regular KF that sits on the willow tree over looking the canal...

Is there a time of day where he is more likely to appear, will be trying to get dfown here more as I would love a shot of a KF myself or is it a matter of lazing in the garden all day hoping for him/her to pop his head up ?
 
kaz10 said:
I just love them one of my fav birds, I can t get enough of them, here's a couple of my favourtite dive shots that I took and believe me they dive really fast

kingfisher6-2.jpg


kingfisher5again.jpg
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No 2 is quite possibly the best shot of a Kingfisher I have seen to date
 
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