SPITBALL 👣

Faster than the eye can see, the Malachite Kingfisher expels a spitball of its last meal.

It was literally 1/4000 of a second at 30 frames per second. Only three frames caught the moment. The other two will be published at some point, but this one was simply a stunner for me. Initially, I thought it might be a passing beetle or some other insect flying by, but on checking the previous frames, I saw it. The little kingfisher was preparing to expel it at that moment.

Looking it up on the web was even more interesting ("kingfisher spitball"). There only seem to be one or two photos that have happened to capture this moment (please do let me know any others you might come across). Back then, in 2014, the one shot I did find was still with the spitball in the malachite kingfisher’s beak, so I was even more surprised when checking with other wildlife and bird photographers that it was uncommon to capture this behaviour in a photo. Looking at it again, it's not a pretty sight, but photography is a mental challenge for me to not only capture a shot but also to capture something unique in the aspect of it.

I also took licence to create a more artistic version of this shot with a black background.

FEATHERED FRIENDS COLLECTION

Welcome to our feathered friends, with their flights of fancy, twitchers' delight, and the lightest touch.

Ever-present in our lives, birds fill the skies, settle in tree branches, and thrive on the ground. Their movements fill us with delight and awe; their silence is broken by delightful songs or anxious craws. This collection celebrates these moments in time with our feathered friends.