The kingfisher and the crab

I am fast learning that bird photography has LOTS of challenges. Lately I have been following the tides with the sea birds, but this means that the light is not always how I would like it. Add Winter into the mix and a cloudy day and it wasn't ideal. Today I shot a heap images and am really not happy with any of them, I know I can do better. So I have put today's effort down to practice and will go out again at the next opportunity.

I did learn lots though and that was a bonus. I already know that Kingfishers are territorial birds, so if you see one somewhere you should be able to find it there again and again. Today I not only saw one but watched it fishing. Every ten minutes of so I would see it swoop down into the water, pluck something out and fly off. And every time I missed it!!  So I got stubborn and smart and focused on the water where it was fishing and waited. My hands were getting cold, my back was aching but I was determined to catch this bird fishing.

As it turns out I did catch it with a burst of six frames, but the light was against me and they are not the best of shots. They have shown me that I can do it, I just need to get the settings right and try again another day - and I most definitely will do just that!  Below are the images from that one burst of shots - they show the bird and the crab, just not as clear as I would like.

Got it!

Take off!

Heading back to the tree.