How to photograph wild Kingfishers

Hi

 

I live in a very normal suburb here in the UK. I am fortunate enough to have a

public park only a few hundred yards from my house that has a brook that flows

through it leading to the River Derwent about a mile away.

 

When I walk my dogs (usually early morning) I frequently see either a single

Kingfisher or, on one occasion the other day (whih motiviated this thread) a

PAIR of Kingfishers flying together along the brook.

 

Now in the UK, especially in a suburb, that is a big deal! Kingfishers are not

common in the UK anyway, especially in towns!

 

So I was thinking how I could ever photograph them. And frankly, I have no clue.

I have read http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=0001LY and I have

read the 'Learning --> Nature' articles, but most of what I read seemed to talk

about setting up 'traps' with equipment set up.

 

In my case, I'm wondering how I'd ever capture these wild birds without using

traps.

 

Is it just a case of going down to the brook, setting up my camera on a tripo,

and then waiting and preying that at some point a Kingsfihers flies past my

viewfinder? Surely there must be more cunning tricks than that?

 

I was wondering if anyone could help?

 

Thanks

 

Ted

Short of placing lures, you are indeed relegated to exercising patience. Truckloads of it.

That's how Attenborough c.s. do it.

You'll probably need to observe them for a while from some kind of blind. Cars are

sometimes useful for this - and use a very long telephoto lens. How long will be determined

by how close you can get under some kind of cover. I see Kingfishers often in Florida, but

they are the most paranoid birds I have ever seen. It seems to me that they can be freaked

out by your presence from 30 yards away. Good luck - they're very difficult to photograph.

I have a similar situation here in the Maryland suburbs of Washington DC. I walk the park with dog every day and hear a kingfisher almost once a week but rarely see one -- or if I do its when its flying up or down stream away from me!

 

Its nearly hopeless in summer when the leaves are out, but once or twice a year I get a shot -- usually from mid-winter thru early spring. And when I do get a shot, its usually because the fellow just sits on a branch over the stream and chatters for five minutes or so about how bad the fishing has become.

 

For that once or twice opportunity a year, I always carry my Nikon 1000mm f11 mirror at those times of the year. And I keep an electronic collar on the dog to keep her from interrupting the kingfisher's indignant rap. I think its worth the effort.

I'll echo Bruce's comments (and not just because I also walk dogs in a Maryland suburb!). I've found that the local Kingfisher pair is VERY territorial. Early in spring, while other birds are looking about (including herons, etc), the Kingfishers do indeed tend to find a branch or other perch that lets them look down on or across their favorite fishing hole, and then: yak yak yak, complain complain complain. Whenever we go by with the dogs, we get scolded, a lot.

 

Watching them hunt, I've noticed that they tend to do a circular pattern around the body of water they're observing (usually while loudly warning everyone else to back off), and then they'll do a near-hover about 20 feet up before diving like a missle into the water. Their body language/flight pattern always tells you when they're getting ready to do this. The rest of the time, they seem to just be on turf patrol, bitching at the crows and other birds.

 

One thing I didn't know about these birds until I did a little homework is that they nest in long burrows (up to 15 feet deep, just a few inches in diameter), usually dug into the steep slope of a creekbed or other similar formation. They don't usually range too far from headquarters, so perhaps you can ambush your local KF by looking around for a likely digging spot. Have fun!

Ted,

 

While I was out photographing eagles one day, one of the other photographers had a remote robotic camera rigged up trying to get a photograph of the kingfisher that was frequenting the nearby swamp. It wasn't that we couldn't get a glimpse of the kingfisher, or even get close, but that the SLIGHTEST hint of human movement and the darned thing was gone. I've personally taken a total of ONE fuzzy picture of a Kingfisher, but I haven't really make it a mission.

Hello Ted, I've seen a couple of kingfishers on the Thames. From my experience you need someone with some local knowledge who is going to point you to the spot where they can be found. I have a good friend who is a lock keeper and he's told be where to find them.

 

As discussed above, they are territorial and once you have an idea where to find them, you have to wait and hope.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Pete

I see a few on the small river near where I live. Never tried to photo them though. My thoughts are you are going to have to put some real time into this one. You will need a blind (don't you folks call this a "hide"?) It can be a simple bit of camo material to cover your position tied to branches etc. They do seem to have their favorite perches, so find that, set up, keep quiet and still, and wait it out. I would prefocus on the branch, to keep movement to a minimum when something shows up. And keep your eyes open while sitting. You never know what else what show up.

 

 

Kent in SD

Allon Kira from Israel takes some of the best kingfisher pics I've seen.

 

http://www.pbase.com/allonkira/kingfishers

 

 

He also gives some great advice on how he does it.

 

http://www.pbase.com/allonkira/kingfishers_photography__a_few_useful_tips

Hello Ted,

 

basically, there are two ways to photograph kingfishers:

 

a) at a feeding site (so you would have to provide small fish over a longer period of time); this could be done on a small private pond.

 

b) next to the nest

 

In both cases, you absolutely have to use a hide and a long lens (300mm upwards) and be very very patient.

 

But, and this is the most important thing to consider, you must never disturb the animal in its natural behaviour. And that is why, if I remember well, it is prohibited by law to photograph kingfishers at their nest in the UK, unless you have a special license that allows you to do it.

 

I know of at least two people in Germany where you can ophotograph kingfishers at close range in a hide that has been set up on their private ground. It is very easy to get excellent pictures there (I have not been there, but have seen many pictures from their clients).

 

I have been photographing kingfishers here in Luxembourg for many years now and I still can't get enough of this beautiful bird.

 

Regards

 

Aender<div></div>

Or you can do what a National Geographic photographer did a few years ago; use stuffed birds and pass them off as real! He sure fooled a lot of people.

 

No, I wouldn't suggest anyone REALLY do this.

Hello Ted,

 

I found an article on photographing kingfishers on this web site: -

 

http://www.wildlifewatchingsupplies.co.uk/

 

It's under the photo tips tab.

 

Pete

Something I have found interesting is how different species of Kingfishers can range from extremely shy to extremely complacent. The Belted Kingfisher of N Am. seems to be the former (though I have seen some approachables on wires along the California coast, while the Ringed Kingfisher of tropical Am. will sit for an hour without a care.

 

Some of the best Belted Kingfisher shots I have seen were taken by a guy with a pond in the backyard from a blind. :) -Greg-

These have been great answers and they help me. My house backs onto a river and every so often I see the red flash of a Kingfisher passing by, but don't have a clue where it nests or feeds. I will now go out with a branch and try to entice one to use it.

hi ted you can see where kingfishers nest by walking along the banks of the stream they have small holes next to the waters edge they use perches to fish from which is the best place to set up camera/hide so you can watch them and get to know there habits i have a few near my home i have made a hide so i dont disturb them you can tell when they are coming home as they make a really hi pitched sqeeking sound hope this helps,wayne

I am probably just echoing others, but I wanted to chime in. I have taken pictures of Belted Kingfishers in NY. They aren't very good, but I was able to shoot a few. I went to a creek with the camera to look for Herons that I had seen before. I stood by a tree (slightly behind) and while looking to the right, a Kingfisher landed to my left. He stayed for quite a while as long as I didn't move too much. I got the pictures, but only by luck and patience. I did do it without a blind, but being in one would work better. I also didn't have a long enough lens with me (the bigger the better). I hope you stick with it. When you have a nice shot, let us see it on the net. I would love to see your results. Good luck!

Realistically, find their favourite fishing spot, and then go there and setup and wait. After the chicks have hatched, is when the father has to work overtime to feed the family, so if you can find the spot that it likes to fish and hover and it's accessible, then you've got it.

 

You'll have to keep a decent distance away, so a 500mm lens will be needed.

Thank you all so much for your replies - they are very insightful.

 

Unfortunately my problems are as I feared :

 

a) My longest lens is a 300m Nikon Nikkor. Can't afford anything higher really which is a shame, although I guess I could hire one for the day but then if Mr Kingfisher does not turn up....

 

b) I might have given the impression that 'the park' is a nice dreamy park like those you see filmed in New York with attractive females dressed in pink outfits jogging round. The park I made reference to, while conveniently close to home with a brook running through it, is actually not the kind of place where I could sit for hours with lots of expensive (perhaps hired) equipment - if I did it wouldn't take long before someone mugged me and ran off with it all! So I couldn't set up a hide (or blind as most of you guys refer to them) and wait.

 

c) the park is VERY busy with dogs, kids, prams, football games - there's even a little golf course built inot it. So if I sat there with my camera, even if I didn't get mugged, it wouldn't be long until there was a croud of people hanging around waiting to catch a glimpse of the bird. And as we know, we don't want to result in that happening - not fair on the birds (and perhaps not even legal as was suggested above).

 

I expected that what was required wwould be what you guys have mentioned. But I feel that in this case it might not be possible to get close enough and to wait long enough.

 

But as I say, this is why I found it to be so remarkable that Kingfishers were there at all. You just would never have expected it. The joy of wildlife!

Just like all have said above, patience and lots of luck. I was in my truck taking photos of gators at Paynes Prarie and when I took my eye away from camera to see results, I happened to see this little gal sitting on a metal post about 25 feet away. Shot with a Nikkor 600 and D70. I repeat the part again about "Lots of Luck."<div></div>