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Kingfisher in flight (with dedication)


Kingfisher in flight (with dedication)
Photo Information
Copyright: Anghel Eliz (eliz) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 167 W: 20 N: 271] (1537)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-12-30
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 400D, Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 L USM, RAW ISO 400
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/1000 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): CeltickRanger's favorite bird in-flight photos, My B.I.F.`s [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-12-31 10:11
Viewed: 5637
Favorites: 2 [view]
Points: 20
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I dedicate this picture to my friend Mircea Costina with whom I spent some beautiful days together trying to capture scenes of wildlife.
I dedicate exactly this image because as before came in Romania he said that he would like to photograph this species. Fortunately I think he fulfilled his desire.
This is the second picture that I dedicated to him. Like the first, the second has a spectacular story in the back. If until now the mating ritual of Little Ringed Plover was that moment that impressed me the most from when I do wildlife photography, I can say now that I saw a more spectacular one. I spent 2 minutes trying to take a picture of this small Kingfisher that was in a tree at 10 meters distance. At a moment I toked my eye from the viewfinder trying to visualize in my mind a route besides trees that the Kingfisher will be more difficult to observe me approach. When I made the first step, something like a big dark gray arrow coming from the back past beside me flying exactly in the Kingfisher direction. I didn't understand exactly what happened but the Kingfisher avoid it like about 10-20cm and I don't know why he thrown himself in the water. I capture this image after 5-8 meters when it flew scared out of the water.
At the moment I do not knew what was the gray bird, but soon I realized that 10 minutes in earlier I saw a Sparrowhawk into a tree 100 meters away.
Neither now I can't realize which bird flew first and why the Kingfisher throw himself into water.
1) Was the Kingfisher try to catch a fish and the Sparrowhawk was in the tree behind me and tried to catch him in flight?
2) Kingfisher saw the big bird coming toward it and knew by instinct that predatory birds would not be able to follow in the water.

I tend to considerate more the second option because Sparrowhawk speed was too high to be in a tree that close behind me. I don't know if the Sparrowhawk attack static targets or only birds in flight.

The other two small pictures are made in another session, when I noticed a Kingfisher hovering above the water. It was the first time I saw on the Kingfisher a behavior similar to a Kestrel hunting.

P.S. In the big picture I had to clone the top of the beak and left wing because they were covered by a branch.

@later edit: I posted as workshop a 100% crop of the Sparrowhawk picture toked 10 minutes before this one.
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SPECIES: Alcedo Atthis (lat.) // Kingfisher (en.) // Pescaras Albastru (ro.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcedo_atthis
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HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL !
trekks, Elsimon, mlines, mirceax, CeltickRanger has marked this note useful
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To andrei99: cred ca sunt singuruleliz 1 01-01 12:41
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Critiques [Translate]

hello Anghel

A superb capture of the kingfisher on its elegant flight path across the water. Good color and sharpness. Nice insets.

Happy 2009 to you!

tfs, bill

  • Great 
  • zetu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 967 W: 26 N: 3888] (16941)
  • [2008-12-31 11:47]

salut Eliz
frumoasa captura, in sfarsit ai reusit ce ti~ai propus. asteptam si altele.
numai bine si un an nou cu tot ce iti doresti.
razvan zinica

Superba Captura!Este greu sa reusesti o poza la un Pescaras albastru stand pe ceva dar tu ai reusit ce este mai greu sa-i faci o poza in zbor.Pana acum am vazut Pescaras albastru pe raul Mures de pe podul care duce la Soimus si la Balta Aurel Vlaicu.Pana acum am o singura poza despre el.Dar nu a iesit clara si era intunecata.
Un an 2009 fericit cu tot ce iti doresti tu si cei dragi!
Andrei.

frumoasa poza Eliz,
imi place ipostaza in care ai prins pescarelul - plutind deasupra apei;
culori frumoase , claritate si lumina buna !
un An Nou Fericit , plin de impliniri , tie si celor dragi!
septimiu

Hello Anghel, Interesting history, my guess is the second one too, great action shot too!

Happy 2009!

Simon

  • Great 
  • mlines Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 556 W: 26 N: 668] (3116)
  • [2008-12-31 16:52]

Anghel, A beautiful photograph of a beautiful bird in flight. This is not easy to achieve, but you did it well. As we have similar camera and lens it is good to see what is possible. Congratulations. Murray.

PS It is amazing how similar to a modern jet aircraft this looks. Man's designs are not so clever after all!

  • Great 
  • foozi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2791 W: 0 N: 6696] (25839)
  • [2009-01-02 3:14]

Hi Anghel,
an excellent shot of thids flying KF. Well frozen moment and indeed still intact with clarity and sharpness.
Superbs composition and great blurry background.
Brilliant presentation.

Regards,
Foozi

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1739 W: 224 N: 6872] (24909)
  • [2009-01-03 14:04]

Hi Anghel,
three superb shots of this Kingfisher!
Great poses.
Superbly done.

Happy New Year to you too!

Joe

Salut si merci mult pentru dedicatie. O fotografie extraordinara cu o istorie pe masura!!
p.s. mii de scuze pentru intarzierea raspunsului.

Mircea

hello Anghel

excellent in-flight panning photography
of the Kingfisher, i love the POV showing
the bird from above, well frozen flight
of the bird, excellent sharpness and details, TFS

Asbed

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