Spring adult male Belted Kingfisher – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Saturday morning I was delighted when a male Belted Kingfisher flew in and perched in front of pussy willow catkins high in the Wasatch Mountains. There are about 15 different species of native and nonnative willows in the county and I am not certain about which species these catkins belong to. What I do know is that the out of focus willow catkins added points of interest to the background of my photos and perhaps even a touch of whimsy.
I had heard Belted Kingfisher calls on my trip up into the mountains on Friday. On Saturday this male flew in, caught several fish, and perched close enough twice that I was able to get frame filling images of him. This photo is from the first series of him on this perch.
Alert male Belted Kingfisher and pussy willows – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
The last three photos of him are from the second time he landed on this well weathered branch in front of the blooming pussy willow. The kingfisher was very alert. He focused on the water below for fish and on the sky for aerial predators.
Pussy willows and a male Belted Kingfisher – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Last year I followed and photographed a family of Belted Kingfishers throughout the spring and summer in this same general area. I learned quite a bit about this species as I observed and photographed the adults and the young kingfishers. The fishing is good for them in this area so they may breed, nest, and rear young there again.
Male Belted Kingfisher in front of pussy willows – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I felt as if I was saying hello to a friend I hadn’t seen in several months while I photographed this male kingfisher. I don’t know for sure if this is the same male I photographed last year because he may well be a different bird but I was happy that he showed up and that I was able to take a couple hundred photos of him before he flew away.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Belted Kingfisher photos plus facts and information about this species.
What striking and textured shots! The detail and eye contact you caught is really wonderful. Thanks Mia.
Wonderful! I can’t wait until the day when one will fly in for me. Great job capturing the texture of his feathers as they dried.
I’m delighted by both the Belted Kingfisher (crest up and down) as well as the Pussy Willow. What a double treat! 🙂 The last shot is especially striking.
A couple of hundred shots of him? Wow.
And thank you.
Excellent shots of an elusive subject, Mia.
These are fantastic photos of the male Belted KIngfisher! I have been trying for years to get a good on and the male I have been watching will not sit still!
My nemesis but still a gorgeous bird & gorgeous shots!
Beautiful shots!