Belted Kingfisher

Gallery: AvianPosted March 14, 2011282 views20 comments

I was amazed to find this gal yesterday in the rain (yes, this proves it isn't always sunny here!

) at a local spot of mine. I have never ever seen a Kingfisher here before, so it's most likely a one-off lucky encounter!

To me there seems to be an illusion that the angle is steeper than the almost eye-level that I was at. I have no idea why....maybe, I am seeing things!

Thanks for looking; C & C please.

1D MkIV, 500mm + 1.4X, 1/80 @ f7.1, ISO 800, car-hide, about noon PDT, no flash.

Comments

20 comments

Comment posted by Fabio Giarrizzo on March 14, 2011 at 1:09 PM

Great capture- The dark Bg is perfect on this image (and with the rain)- Nice details and perfect composition- My congrats, Fabio

Registered on December 3, 2010, 90 Posts, 1614 Comments

Comment posted by Randy Bacon on March 14, 2011 at 1:17 PM

A beautiful image of this pretty lady, congratulations on being in the right spot at the right time and ready to do her justice. I love the regal looking pose with the puffed up breast and the gorgeous colors. My only small nit is a step to the right would have created a little more room between the verticle crown feathers and the overlying branch. Small issue - gorgeous photo as posted.

Registered on November 24, 2008, 56 Posts, 492 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Holguin on March 14, 2011 at 2:04 PM

Really wonderful pic. Great perch and pose. I really like the background as it brings out the bird. Nice detail and the rain drops really add to the pic. Well done.

Registered on January 25, 2011, 44 Posts, 294 Comments

Comment posted by Karen Summers on March 14, 2011 at 2:25 PM

love this one the rain really adds to it and good details

Registered on December 3, 2009, 83 Posts, 818 Comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on March 14, 2011 at 2:34 PM

Angle doesn't bother me but the detail looks a little lacking (a combination of high ISO, crop and wet feathers I'm sure). Perhaps a slight curves adjustment will make the bird look a little less flat. Also I really like how it shows the feather patterns of the female.

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Cloran on March 14, 2011 at 2:47 PM

sweet capture. I like the way the twigs above almost perfectly frame her crown.

Registered on April 6, 2004, 119 Posts, 1989 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on March 14, 2011 at 3:00 PM

I've seen Belted Kingfishers on Vancouver Island, Kwan, although it was a few years ago and nearer the north end.

Very good capture; I've found these birds to be terribly difficult to approach, even from a car. Near-perfect pose, too. The rain-induced feather-clumping cost you a bit of detail but the shot is very sharp and the whites are nicely exposed. I like the water drops on the tail and branch tips.

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Andy Shepherd on March 14, 2011 at 3:26 PM

Nice one KC, I like the way the BKF is almost framed by the branches, and the blurred rain drops really add to the scene.

Andy...

Registered on September 24, 2006, 123 Posts, 1254 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on March 14, 2011 at 3:29 PM

Nice to find this female KC. I almost never see females. The angle looks great to me. Nice comp, exposure, and sharpness (a bit tough to judge from small image). The rain adds to the shot IMO.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Jenaya Launstein on March 14, 2011 at 4:06 PM

I love the way you made the rain streak through the image! She has a cute little pose, and I really like that catchlight in her eye!

Registered on February 8, 2011, 254 Posts, 1302 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on March 14, 2011 at 4:18 PM

Sweet Photo Kwan!!! Great perch and background.

Ken Archer

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on March 14, 2011 at 7:20 PM

Neat catch Kwan. The rain drops are great against that dark background, as is the kingfisher. This looks very close to eye level to me.

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by Matt Shellenberg on March 14, 2011 at 9:32 PM

The rain is great in this image, KC. Really nice detail and very well composed. It does not look too steep to me, but it does look like the kingfisher was tilting it's head back a bit. Very nice image.

Registered on February 6, 2008, 168 Posts, 3118 Comments

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on March 14, 2011 at 9:58 PM

Lucky you to get so close with great detail. I love the rain as well

Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on March 14, 2011 at 11:57 PM

Beautiful shot KC, had to add my applause too :^)

Kind regards,

Ashley

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on March 15, 2011 at 12:22 AM

Delightful!
Great pose, bright eye, nice branches and the rain streaks adds a lot.
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Graham Brown on March 15, 2011 at 4:37 AM

These really are a beautiful photogenic Kingfisher species. Obviously a nice moment for you to capture this image, I like the dark background it shows both the rain and bird to good effect.Exposure of the whites looks very good and sharpness through the rain looks ok at this resolution. Graham

Registered on November 20, 2007, 275 Posts, 1365 Comments

Comment posted by Simon Bennett on March 15, 2011 at 4:59 AM

A beauty especially given the low light.

Registered on February 4, 2007, 350 Posts, 4614 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on March 15, 2011 at 5:41 AM

Don't you love the unexpected. Great capture KC. It looks pretty much at eye level to me.

cheers
Rob

Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments

Comment posted by Angela McCain on March 15, 2011 at 9:26 AM

Very nice, KC. Excellent detail in a tough subject. I like the diagonal perch and the raindrops are an added bonus.

Registered on April 19, 2009, 367 Posts, 3589 Comments