So close and yet so far... the Kingfisher that never was

[theMusicMan]

Hi All

Well, what a disappointment yesterday when I was sat on the river bank in my hide. I set up along the bank of the River Usk at a location called the Bryn, and managed to get right on the waters edge. The river at this point is freshwater, clean, shallow and to say the least... beautiful. I placed a convenient branch into the water about 5m from where I was in my hide - hoping that maybe something might perch on it. I waited for two hours and nothing... despite there being a plethora of Sand Martins, Wagtails (Pied and Yellow), Linnets, Buntings etc... nothing landed on it. So... I decided to move a little further down the river bank, about 50m or so where I had seen some Plover, a Green Woody and a Buzzard.

I moved the hide... and would you believe it, after 10 mins of settling in I looked back to where I was initially set up, and lo & behold... look what had decided to rest on the branch... grrr...

To say I was disappointed is an understatement.

E-3 Sigma 50-500mm plus EC14 - fl of 640mm. Handheld - sorry for the tight crop and slight blur!

[Chillimonster]

Re: So close and yet so far... the Kingfisher that never was

Always the case. I would have been happy to catch the shot you did - Never seen a kingfisher in these parts

Chris

[andym]

Re: So close and yet so far... the Kingfisher that never was

John

I have a pair of Kingfishers on the River Roding just over the back from my house.I have tried many times to photo them but no luck.
They normally just seem to buzz up and down the middle of the river.When I get to where I think they have landed nothing.
The same with the one I saw at Crossness on the Thames today.

So you've done one better than me and got a picture

[Ellie]

Re: So close and yet so far... the Kingfisher that never was

Isn't it a gorgeous little fellow, I think you're lucky to have managed to get this picture, I've only ever seen a flash of blue out of the corner of my eye.

[Malcolm Cousins]

Re: So close and yet so far... the Kingfisher that never was

super composition.. This would have been great if you could have made it sharper.

[theMusicMan]

Re: So close and yet so far... the Kingfisher that never was

I agree Malcolm, it would have been nice if I could. Thing is, this was about 80' away, with the Sigma 50-500 plus Oly1.4x - max range... and the shot was taken handheld!!

I was so disappointed at only just having moved away from where I was initially sat... if only I was there when she appeared.. darned it!!

[Malcolm Cousins]

Re: So close and yet so far... the Kingfisher that never was

Never mind John, it's still a nice image. Thanks for showing.

[Ian]

Re: So close and yet so far... the Kingfisher that never was

This morning just as I was getting in the car, there was a loud crowing from above and a I looked up to see a Heron swoop serenely by. I didn't realise they could make so much noise! We're just a few hundred yards from the Grand Union canal and the river gade, but I have never seen kingfishers around, though there are apparently some further downstream in Watford.

Ian