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Archive 2022 · The Belted Kingfisher

davidrhorer
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · The Belted Kingfisher

As many of you know, this is one tough bird to get close to let alone photograph. But I routinely visit a farm pond one has claimed as its own. I've learned its habits, its perches, its flight paths, how the light falls, etc. I've also learned how to approach it and where to stand. As a result, I've been able to get some decent shots like this. Would enjoy your feedback as well as learning about your own experiences with the bird. 9/18, Mechanicsburg, PA.

Male Belted Kingfisher

Canon EOS R5 EF500mm f/4L IS II USM lens 500mm f/4.5 1/2500s 640 ISO -0.3 EV

Edited on Oct 19, 2022 at 03:43 PM · View previous versions

Sep 18, 2022 at 04:07 PM

louie champan
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · The Belted Kingfisher

Very nice shot.

Sep 18, 2022 at 04:37 PM

Karl Witt
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · The Belted Kingfisher

David for me one of the toughest birds to get close to. I hear them, see them, watch them but rarely get close.

This is a beautiful IF image on one, really nice coloring and such a beautiful pose with wings and tail spread!

Karl

Edited on Sep 18, 2022 at 09:17 PM · View previous versions

Sep 18, 2022 at 05:12 PM

davidrhorer
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · The Belted Kingfisher

louie champan wrote:
Very nice shot.

Thanks, Louie.

Sep 18, 2022 at 06:46 PM

davidrhorer
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · The Belted Kingfisher

Karl Witt wrote:
Gary for me one of the toughest birds to get close to. I hear them, see them, watch them but rarely get close.

This is a beautiful IF image on one, really nice coloring and such a beautiful pose with wings and tail spread!

Karl

Thanks, Karl. Enjoy learning about others' experiences with the bird. They are tough, no question. Dave

Sep 18, 2022 at 06:49 PM

johnohio
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · The Belted Kingfisher

Dave it sounds like you have done your homework. This beautiful inflight shot is proof !! Your's and Karl's observations definitely hold true for me also. Like Karl, hear them, see them but never get close. Probably explains why I don't have any " decent " shots. All the more reason to appreciate shots like yours

John

Sep 18, 2022 at 07:19 PM

morris
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · The Belted Kingfisher

Nice flight image David. There tough to get in flight as there so fast and that leaves little time to get the whites correct which requires under exposing the rest and then bringing it up in post.

Morris

Sep 18, 2022 at 07:24 PM

davidrhorer
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · The Belted Kingfisher

johnohio wrote:
Dave it sounds like you have done your homework. This beautiful inflight shot is proof !! Your's and Karl's observations definitely hold true for me also. Like Karl, hear them, see them but never get close. Probably explains why I don't have any " decent " shots. All the more reason to appreciate shots like yours

John

Thanks so much, John. It has been like homework. You have to study the bird, learn its behavior, pick up on cues, learn where it goes, and so on.

Sep 18, 2022 at 07:52 PM

davidrhorer
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · The Belted Kingfisher

morris wrote:
Nice flight image David. There tough to get in flight as there so fast and that leaves little time to get the whites correct which requires under exposing the rest and then bringing it up in post.

Morris

Thanks, Morris, and good to hear from you. I catch the bird in the morning flying against the same backgrounds and in the same light and have memorized my settings for those. I still have trouble from time to time, but not like I did when I first started. This whole thing has taught me a lot about how to approach shooting birds to get better results. Very few, like you said, get good shots of these birds.

Sep 18, 2022 at 08:15 PM

armd
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · The Belted Kingfisher

Yes, they are incredibly elusive and difficult to track and capture outside of a hide. Great grab.

Sep 18, 2022 at 08:30 PM

dclark
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · The Belted Kingfisher

Your preparation and patience has been rewarded.
Excellent shot!!

Dave

Sep 18, 2022 at 09:05 PM

dudewglasses
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · The Belted Kingfisher

nice shot

Sep 18, 2022 at 09:19 PM

RKnecht
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · The Belted Kingfisher

Great image of the elusive devil bird. Well done

Sep 19, 2022 at 12:16 PM

Dave_E
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · The Belted Kingfisher

Beautiful shot. Preparation is a great provider of good luck . I agree with everything you said they are difficult to get close too. A really nice image.

Dave

Sep 19, 2022 at 12:22 PM

davidrhorer
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · The Belted Kingfisher

armd wrote:
Yes, they are incredibly elusive and difficult to track and capture outside of a hide. Great grab.

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dclark wrote:
Your preparation and patience has been rewarded.
Excellent shot!!

Dave

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dudewglasses wrote:
nice shot

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RKnecht wrote:
Great image of the elusive devil bird. Well done

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Dave_E wrote:
Beautiful shot. Preparation is a great provider of good luck . I agree with everything you said they are difficult to get close too. A really nice image.

Dave

Thank you all. I've been away for a while, and it's nice coming back and getting all these great compliments. 'Preparation is a great provider of good luck.' I like that, Dave.

Sep 19, 2022 at 06:07 PM


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