Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) 2022:
Kingfishers skim the water for several reasons: when their hot (they sit and pant like a dog), for cleaning, during territory disputes, during courtship & I like to think just because they can for fun sometimes. Like most moving Kingfishers they do this in a hurry! I was chuffed to get this today it was a complete fluke really.
I have also included some preening shots; Kingfishers spend a lot of time looking after their feathers, even though they spend all day diving in the river they will jump in especially to get wet before and during preening.
There are also some shots of the birds in ‘alarm’ mode, wings up and beak wide open. They do this when there are other Kingfishers about but also when a potential predator shows up. They absolutely hate Crows (I’ve seen Crows mob them to snatch fish), Herons and Jays. I once briefly saw a Kingfisher being chased by a Sparrow Hawk (the Kingfisher got away). If anything gets to close they will fly to a low branch low on the river bank and hide. It’s amazing how such a brightly coloured bird can disappear.
Juvenile Kingfishers: Female has smaller orange bib on lower beak, often referred to as its lipstick and muddy orange feet.
Male has black beak and muddy orange feet. Both young juveniles have white tips on their beaks.
Jack
Exmoor Photography

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Kingfishers (Action)

64 photos
Kingfishers (Action)

Kingfishers (Juvenile)

20 photos
Kingfishers (Juvenile)

Kingfishers (Portraits)

21 photos
Kingfishers (Portraits)

Kingfishers (Preening)

24 photos
Kingfishers (Preening)