Princess of the Pond

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Princess of the Pond

This juvenile Belted Kingfisher unknowingly called me over while I was probably 100 feet away shooting Great Blue Herons at the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge in August 2010.  I recognized the familiar rattle vocalization she made after landing on the perch.  I stopped what I was doing and walked slowly toward the creek where the bird had landed.  The Kingfisher let me get surprisingly close–maybe 30 feet away.  I used my Canon 40D on a monopod at 1/400, f6.3, 400mm, ISO200, 0EV.  Many times, juveniles have not developed the instinct to fly away at the first sign of danger (humans), and that is likely the reason I was able to walk toward the bird a distance of about 70 feet, without it flying away.  Normally, Kingfishers are very skittish around cars and people, at least in my experience.

This juvenile Belted Kingfisher unknowingly called me over while I was probably 100 feet away shooting Great Blue Herons at the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge in August 2010.  I recognized the familiar rattle vocalization she made after landing on the perch.  I stopped what I was doing and walked slowly toward the creek where the bird had landed.  The Kingfisher let me get surprisingly close–maybe 30 feet away.  I used my Canon 40D on a monopod at 1/400, f6.3, 400mm, ISO200, 0EV.  Many times, juveniles have not developed the instinct to fly away at the first sign of danger (humans), and that is likely the reason I was able to walk toward the bird a distance of about 70 feet, without it flying away.  Normally, Kingfishers are very skittish around cars and people, at least in my experience.

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My Gear:

  • Canon EOS 5D Mark IV & Grip
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