Mating Kingfishers

Gallery: AvianPosted June 4, 20082,048 views30 comments

Here's a shot of a couple of mating Kingfishers. I have been hoping to get a shot of mating Kingfishers for a long time and yesterday i finally got a (2 seconds) chance..!

Greetings,

Jeroen Stel

Canon Eos 1D Mark3
Shutter speed: 1/100 sec
Aperture: F 6,3
Exposure mode: AV
Exposure compensation: - 1 1/3
Flash:no
Flash exposure compensation: -
Metering mode: Evaluative
Drive mode: AI Focus
ISO: 500
Lens: Canon 600mm F4
Focal length:780 mm (incl. crop factor)
AF mode: Auto Focus
On tripod and Wimberley Sidekick from hide
Levels/Curves/USM/Contrast/Saturation/Noise Ninja/Lab-Sharpening

_________________
Good things come to those who wait...
Golden rule in Nature & Wildlife Photography

www.jeroenstel.com
www.wildpixels.nl

Comments

30 comments

Comment posted by Dennis Patrick Lor on June 4, 2008 at 7:56 AM

Awesome shot Jeroen. I love the brown BG in contrast with the blues and oranges of the birds. Congrats

Registered on January 15, 2006, 91 Posts, 2052 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Reichert on June 4, 2008 at 8:30 AM

Kinky and spectacular!! A very rare shot. How is ity thyat you were set up and ready to snap this? Were you focused on a favorite perch?

Saw bald eagles mating 3 weeks ago but, as timing is everything, the shot was not gotten.

Again, super! Bill

Registered on April 8, 2007, 0 Posts, 14 Comments

Comment posted by Jeroen Stel on June 4, 2008 at 9:10 AM

Hi Guys,

Thanks for your comments!
To Bill: I have been studying Kingfishers for a long time and now what to look for. The female was sitting on this perch and called out for the male as the male arrived he reacted in the way he would do whe he wants to mate. Then he flew up and landed on the spot so to say..

greetings,

Jeroen Stel

Registered on November 10, 2003, 366 Posts, 481 Comments

Comment posted by BernieMonette on June 4, 2008 at 9:48 AM

Amazing image-

Cheers,

Bernie

Registered on June 3, 2008, 8 Posts, 41 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on June 4, 2008 at 10:24 AM

Great shot, Jeroen. It doesn't take the birds long, does it?

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on June 4, 2008 at 10:55 AM

This is awesome Jeroen, big congrats.

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Harbour on June 4, 2008 at 12:20 PM

Great Shot! Jeroen. awesome timing, beautiful colors and detail. background is great. and a rare capture of the mating behavior. Spectacular!

Registered on January 4, 2008, 113 Posts, 2416 Comments

Comment posted by Keith A Anderson on June 4, 2008 at 12:48 PM

As has been said...Spectacular image!! Your patience and perserverance have been well rewarded with this one.

Registered on February 13, 2006, 166 Posts, 1818 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on June 4, 2008 at 1:11 PM

Very nicely done!

Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments

Comment posted by Derrick Lipinski on June 4, 2008 at 1:46 PM

Wow! A super shot, Jeroen; congratulations!

Registered on October 5, 2007, 58 Posts, 2039 Comments

Comment posted by Juza on June 4, 2008 at 2:07 PM

Awesome!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 374 Posts, 10466 Comments

Comment posted by Jose Anselmo d'Aff on June 4, 2008 at 9:15 PM

Hi Jeroen, super shot. wonderful colors and light. Amazing image.

Registered on April 28, 2008, 38 Posts, 156 Comments

Comment posted by May Haga on June 4, 2008 at 10:15 PM

Pretty amazing.
May

Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments

Comment posted by Doug Backlund on June 4, 2008 at 11:08 PM

Absolutely spectacular!

Registered on September 29, 2005, 252 Posts, 3380 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on June 5, 2008 at 12:05 AM

Knowledge of the birds behavior has resulted in a wonderful image, congratulations Jeroen.

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Avi Hirschfield on June 5, 2008 at 12:09 AM

Beautiful behavioural shot with great action

Good detail

Registered on November 1, 2003, 518 Posts, 2114 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Inglis on June 5, 2008 at 4:37 AM

Hi Jeroen,

No 2.0x TC!

Beautiful, simply beautiful image!

Registered on October 23, 2007, 26 Posts, 2832 Comments

Comment posted by Giorgio Gregori on June 5, 2008 at 10:04 AM

Unique image , big congrats

Giorgio

Registered on November 16, 2007, 87 Posts, 793 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on June 5, 2008 at 10:52 AM

Wonderful image Jeron, great action & detail

Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments

Comment posted by Alex Mody on June 5, 2008 at 10:42 PM

Very nice! Great exposure and soft background. I do wish that you could have captured the wing a bit sharper, but by reading your stats it doesn't seem like that was too do-able.

Registered on December 25, 2007, 163 Posts, 1896 Comments

Comment posted by Ganesh H Shankar on June 6, 2008 at 12:37 PM

Beautiful moment captured

Registered on March 1, 2004, 324 Posts, 1867 Comments

Comment posted by Andrew Yip on June 9, 2008 at 7:52 PM

Wow! A great moment of behavior and technically perfect. I love that the shutter speed is slow enough to get some movement on the wings. Congrats on the EP!

Registered on May 7, 2008, 130 Posts, 679 Comments

Comment posted by Larry Gloth on June 9, 2008 at 8:11 PM

Beautifully composed image. Great color. I like the angle and positioning of the birds in the frame. I don't mind the blurred wings, they give a sense of motion and the background compliments the color of the birds very well.

Registered on August 29, 2007, 96 Posts, 1003 Comments

Comment posted by Brian J. Porter on June 11, 2008 at 7:22 AM

Congratulations on this shot (and the recognition it received) -- the preparation and technique (your's) are spectacular -- and thanks for including the technical data.

Registered on March 16, 2008, 55 Posts, 323 Comments

Comment posted by Marty Preslar on June 13, 2008 at 5:46 PM

And it looks like you were up to the challenge, just like Mr. Kingfisher. (Sorry, I couldn't resist the pun...

) Huge congrats on your EP

Registered on June 10, 2006, 51 Posts, 111 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on June 14, 2008 at 2:46 AM

Congratulations on the well-deserved EP! A terrific shot.

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

Comment posted by BorgesiusBeckles on June 16, 2008 at 5:28 PM

Lovely shot Jeroen.The image is really in balance nothing is distracting,instead every aspect of the image complement each other.

Registered on November 25, 2003, 253 Posts, 434 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Langford on July 17, 2008 at 1:18 PM

Great shot with perfect focus, like the movement in the wings, makes it a dynamic image.