I Can't See Any Lipstick

I went to RSPB Rye Meads this afternoon as I fancied capturing a kingfisher. I'm a bit ambivalent about shooting from hides as it is and I feel uncomfortable when they are very busy. That was the case today, I occupied the hot seat of someone who was leaving. There were photographers with drainpipe-sized lenses, tripods and gimbal heads who had been there for days. They informed me that a female kingfisher was in a hole in the artificial bank.

After about half an hour the bird appeared to a multiple high speed burst of shutters releasing. I took just a few single shots. It stayed far away from the hide, dipped in the water a few times, sat on the sitecam for a while then flew off. It is always wonderful to see these amazingly vibrantly coloured birds but it's so much more exciting and rewarding to spot one when out walking.

Female kingfishers wear lipstick in that the lower part of their beaks are orange. I can't see any orange on this bird's bill. Seems like the obsessive halcyon spotters might be mistaken or maybe I just wasn't close enough?