[Rassie]

I was near a little stream today when I heard a Belted Kingfisher twittering. I was surprised that they were already back in the area while it's technically still winter.
The bird was in a tree, so I slowly went closer along the trail to get a shot, but no, the bird took off and went to perch in a small tree near a bridge. This was far off the trail and the landscape was too rough for me to bushwhack closer to the bird. I ended up taking a few shots from the trail.

Imagine if I could have been closer. This is a unique image since it's seldom one gets a perfect pose like this. 500mm PF with TC-14E III was not enough so this is cropped like crazy. I'm only going to keep this image to remind me of what could have been...... The background is formed by the concrete pillars of the bridge. I blurred it some and darkened it as well.

You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.

 

[JAS]

Nice capture, well presented! Sometimes you just have to crop away and take the best you can get. I would readily keep this photo in my files and share it with others.

 

[BarkingBeans Coffee]

Like my Red Tail and Kestrel this morning. 600 wasn't enough at 100 yards. Yeah always wonder about how people think 400 is enough.
Glad you got the experience though.

 

[Larry S.]

I think it’s great Koos! You work with what presents itself. Tells a story “I’ll watch your back, you watch mine”….

 

[Callie]

Mooi, Koos! I will keep it! you will not sommer get this pose again!

 

[Rassie]

Nice capture, well presented! Sometimes you just have to crop away and take the best you can get. I would readily keep this photo in my files and share it with others.

Like my Red Tail and Kestrel this morning. 600 wasn't enough at 100 yards. Yeah always wonder about how people think 400 is enough.
Glad you got the experience though.

I think it’s great Koos! You work with what presents itself. Tells a story “I’ll watch your back, you watch mine”….

Mooi, Koos! I will keep it! you will not sommer get this pose again!

Thanks, gents. Not the best image, but this one was all about the pose. I don't think I've ever seen an image that has two kingfishers perched side by side like this.

 

[ssheipel]

Wow, nice sighting! Just yesterday walking along the Don River I heard two Kingfishers and was shocked they were back already. Tho the water is obviously wide open (surely never froze solid where it's moving well at all this 'winter.' And I saw lots of minnows moving in a wetland's ponds nearby, so I guess spring is fully underway.

 

[Rassie]

Wow, nice sighting! Just yesterday walking along the Don River I heard two Kingfishers and was shocked they were back already. Tho the water is obviously wide open (surely never froze solid where it's moving well at all this 'winter.' And I saw lots of minnows moving in a wetland's ponds nearby, so I guess spring is fully underway.

Thanks, Steven. I got this image on the Etobicoke Creek Trail immediately southwest of Pearson Airport, just off Courtneypark Drive East. I always drive that way to look for Red-tail hawks. I never expected to see kingfishers there.