This tiny male Kingfisher (17 cm) caused quite a stir while we were in Singapore, attracting the big gun photographers with their $10,000 plus lenses. Known as the Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) it apparently isn’t that common in Singapore and is very shy and is highly sort after. It is migratory from August to March. We hung around the big guns, rewarded with some flashes of metallic as the bird zoomed by.
I thought that might be as good as it gets.
However, we were rewarded on the following day when no- one else was around. I heard the distinctive call first and was then lucky enough to see it’s feathers glittering on a small branch leaning over the river. Excitement on steroids.
I was able to sneak around on the opposite bank while the bird basked in the sunshine. What a beauty. Very similar to our Sacred Kingfishers in Australia but with a very buff coloured breast.
I was happy with the few shots I made from my $1700 lens
They are very territorial as they have to eat about 60% of their body weight a day. They can live up to 21 years
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