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Flashing Kingfisher Part 2

13/4/2020

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Picture

Stuart Mcteare, Head Keeper of the Piscatorial Society, has been very helpful with my endeavours to get the target shots for the book. He knew there were kingfishers nesting near his house on the Avon, so I tried a number times to locate the birds to get my shots. Inevitably, after  spending a couple of unfruitful and uncomfortable hours staking out likely spots, I came back to base to chat with Stuart when of course the kingfisher flashed by us! Much to the amusement of Stuart and others who had seen me on several occasions wandering back and forth on a fruitless search loaded down with camera gear.
On another trip I staked out a location where I had found a natural perch for the kingfisher to fish from. I was suitably well hidden (or so I thought) behind some shrubs and reeds. Sitting on a flimsy stool that was constantly sinking into the mud. I had managed one more two hour stint and decided it was time to go. I got up and moved back a yard to answer the call of nature, glanced back at the perch and, you’ve guessed it, the kingfisher appeared at the perch. I lurched for the camera on the tripod but only managed one out of focus blurred photo. The bird had quickly spotted his prey in the water, dived and flown off! 
Fortunately, on yet another trip, a two hour stint finally resulted in a couple of snatched shots as the light was fading. I got my shot for the book - a kingfisher in natural setting. While I had help with locations and combined these photo shoot days with other target species, it took something like six 160 mile round trips and many patient hours just to get one suitable shot for the book! 

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