Kingfishers...

Can you guys give me any tips for shooting kingfishers? (not literally ). I know they're awfully small, will my 55-200 do? Mind you it did fine with baby birds. Should I put food out, set up and tripod and wait? Or do you not feed kingfishers? Thanks

its pointless feeding kingfishers - they are exclusively small fish feeders.

You really need to try the ambush approach whereby you know where they regularly perch, set your gear up (on a tripod if possible) and hidden from view. If you have a lng release cable even better.... if not, then you will just have to use good fieldcraft skills.

Sounds like you have an exciting opportunity at hand. I look forward to seeing what you manage to capture.

Thanks JR

Look forward to the pics Sarah, sorry can't be of any real help. xx

They are quite shy , and wary birds aren't they? so a good hiding place I would of thought would be important.

In plenty of light and a fast shutter speed too

I hate to think of the amount of time spent trying to find and photograph these elusive little birds. I have yet to even see one which is one ambition of mine, but people I have spoken to about photographing them say you need a long lens say 300mm or 500mm and loads of spare time as in spending days to get a picture.

Bazza

Thanks loads for the advice Bazza, I will be saving for a (much) longer lense then. Think I'll wait for the Spring when I'll have more time and light available .

you can get a Nikon non VR 70-300mm lens quite cheaply around £70 if my memory serves me right on ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AF-Zoom-Nikkor...1%7C240%3A1318

Bazza

I cannot give much advice on the photographic skills required, being a relative newcomer to this game, but I can offer some advice on getting the subject.

First, at the risk of stating the obvious. Find your kingfisher.
They are highly territorial little devils and if you see one today you can be pretty sure he will be about tomorrow too. They do move about regularily and can cover a lot of ground so be patient.
Once you know they are in the locality, discreetly observe their habits, they have favourite perches, so once you find that you can work on getting close enough for a shot.
As the spring progresses watch any holes in the river banks where they occur closely as that is where they nest.
This is probably by far your best chance of a shot.
They do get used to the regular presence of humans as long as you do not approach too closely or do anything too dramatic.
Fishermen see them regularily as they become "part of the scenery" as far as our little blue friend is concerened.
If you need to build a hide do so very gradually using stuff that is already there such as branches rush and straw carried on the winter floods.

The thing you will need most of is patience.

Good luck.

Thanks hillmouse, much appreciated