Kingfisher Paradise

Having read about the Oasi di Cervara and about the Kingfishers living in that area, I was very curious to go and see myself, hoping to be able to take some good shots of these beautiful birds. It's not very close to home, it takes three and a half hours to drive there, so I decided to leave on Friday evening to be already on location on Saturday morning, ready to go to the hide.

It couldn't have been a better decision: The place is lovely, the structure very efficient and the couple of Kingfisher had been quite active during the two days I spent there.

For the occasion, I brought a Canon EOS 1D X because of the higher frame/sec rate vs my 5D MkIII (12 vs 6) so I could have better chances to catch the Kingfisher in flight. The light was not 100% ideal the whole time and I had to push the ISO of my camera quite a lot in order to have short enough a shutter speed to frame such bullet-fast birds. Trying to freeze the birds in action, called for not longer times than 1/3200 or 1/4000 sec and depth of field was very important as well, to get a higher probability of having the subject in focus. I couldn't keep it that fast when it was darker, and many times I got shots not perfectly frozen (so I am not posting that many in flight, here). The high ISO required also often caused loss of detail and thicker grain.

After a few times, I could tell the bird's behavior and know from which perch it would dive or where it would go after a missed catch, but sometimes it would surprise me diving from a tree or from a distant perch. It's incredible how fast and precise the Kingfisher is, how it can spot, target and catch a fish from such a distance and so fast, usually piercing it with its pointed beak. Another wonderful perfect creation of God: how wouldn't you be amazed?

I am quite happy with some of the shots I took, but I consider these more like a first test, rather than top captures, and I hope to be able to go back and take advantage of what I learned from this first experience, hopefully with full sunny weather. Many thanks to Erminio for his kindness and hospitality.

             EOS 1D X – Canon EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM + 1.4x III @420mm f/5.6 1/1000sec ISO 1000

             EOS 1D X – Canon EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM + 1.4x III @420mm f/5.6 1/1250sec ISO 1000

             EOS 1D X – Canon EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM + 1.4x III @420mm f/5.6 1/2500sec ISO 1000

             EOS 1D X – Canon EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM + 1.4x III @420mm f/6.3 1/1600sec ISO 1000

             EOS 1D X – Canon EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM + 1.4x III @420mm f/4.5 1/4000sec ISO 1600

             EOS 1D X – Canon EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM + 1.4x III @420mm f/4.0 1/4000sec ISO 2000

             EOS 1D X – Canon EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM + 1.4x III @420mm f/5.6 1/2500sec ISO 1000

             EOS 1D X – Canon EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM + 1.4x III @420mm f/5.6 1/5000sec ISO 1000

             EOS 1D X – Canon EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM + 1.4x III @420mm f/5.6 1/1000sec ISO 1000

             EOS 1D X – Canon EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM + 1.4x III @420mm f/6.3 1/1250sec ISO 1000