Free theme for this week's SMAP contest; a perfect theme to feature this little guy. I could probably name my theme as "my favourite unusual shorebird"!
I posted last week about the hooded crows catching limpets like a pro in Croatian beaches. But there was another species on the beach that I wasn't expecting to see. It's one of my favourite bird species; one that I hardly see, let alone photograph it. It flashed before my eyes first time, and I felt soo lucky to see it. There's no way to mistake them, with those colours.
Then it flew by a second time.
Then a third. And a forth!!
I decided to get up from my towel, and walk a little bit in the last direction it flew with the camera on my hand; and after just a few meters...
There he was! A kingfisher, perched in a pine tree, contemplating the crystal clear waters!
I snepped a ton of photos, since normally they look great on the camera's small screen; only when I see them on the computer screen I discover how blurry they are. And I tried to get closer and closer.
He kept perched, and I finally was able to get decent photos!
Kingfishers, as the name implies, feed on fish; but normally not the salt water kind! And I haven't noticed any freshwater nearby. There are reports of kingfishers feeding in partially salted water, especially in Winter time, when rivers and small streams freeze; but this was the end of Summer. Oh well, probably Croatian birds are built different! :) I won't complain, loved seeing him!
Sexes are identical, apart from the beak colour: females have a little bit of red at the base of the lower part of beak; so I guess this was a male, trying to catch his lunch.
I think I was busted here. Still, he didn't flew right away, I was still able to get a couple more photos before the takeoff.
Being able to admire this guy for so long had already made my day; but after seeing him fly by after some more time, when I was already leaving the beach, I tried to find him again.
And where did I found him? In the ground, near a small pool by the seashore.
The little bugger spotted me right away, and tried to hide, ninja style!
He flew shortly after, and I followed my way as well. This was definitely a lucky observation; I was so glad that I had decided to take the zoom camera with me, or I would be banging with my head on the trees! :)
Hope you have a great weekend!
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