Another Day to Celebrate

Another day of celebration. This time a personal achievement as I took my first ever pictures of a kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) and it was one I discovered for myself rather than having been directed to it by someone else.


Unfortunately, the kingfisher was directly between me and a bright clear sun causing severe exposure problems. I overexposed to get detail in the shadows but then the rim-lighting has consequently burnt out. I'll have to go back on a slightly duller day.

I watched it for over half an hour. It first regurgitated a pellet and then set about fishing for lunch. I saw it plunge over half a dozen times. Sometimes it took the fish back to a perch where it beat it to death and ate it. Other times, it flew off with it (maybe to a mate?)

This was one occasion where I wished I had a camera with 'burst-mode' in order to have captured more of the action but I am pleased with what I have for now - 'something' is always a lot better than 'nothing'.


I have processed 4 of the images I took and placed them in my Blipfolio


#1 - On the lookout for food

#2 - Simply perched (the image above)

#3 - Regurgitating a pellet

#4 - With a freshly captured small fish