For many birdwatchers and photographers this species is one of the most beautiful birds from our region.
Look @ those bright colours. Just magnificent.
I knew we had a pair that started with nesting in my area. It's a well know spot to many photographers. But. You need BIG telephotozoom @ that place. Distance to that perch was like +15m i guess. Quite a distance to photograph such small creature.
This is why many of us birdphotographers work with telelenses ranging from 300mm to 800mm focal length. They are so small you need a bigger lens to fill the frame. This image was made with a Canon 800mm f5.6 and yes, that is a beast to work with.
Many many people came to visit those Kingfisher and hope they could catch some images full of action.
As you can see i was the lucky one. :) When they come they mate like 2 (when lucky) times on that branch over a time period of 6 hours. So visiting on a regular times is a key for such image.
Something was very interesting to see from those two. If you know the difference between male and female and you look @ this image. What would your toughts be ?? Is this a male and female? Or are they both female?
A male has black beak. The female has some orange in it.
They both have that orange in their beaks. Many of us really tought like... Hey they are gay! :) ?? !
It was quite a discussion. But this pair succeeded in bringing 4 little youngster to this world.
When the female has her eggs she stays day and night with those eggs. The action is gone and it is waiting if they have luck in breeding.
Daddy goes catch fish and brings food for his female and for the baby's to the nesting hole.
After +-20 days when you see the father catching more and more fishfood it means the eggs have hatched. Then it takes 10 more days to see the baby's come fly out from their hole.
Until now i have not witnessed baby's flying out from their hole. You only have one day to see that action. You really have to nail that day. If you miss it... better luck next year :)
This image was taken 5 years ago i guess? so until now i still hope to see those chicks one day coming from their nest :)
Thanks for watching/reading
Have a great sunday all !