On my recent visit with “Boy” to Upington, work of course, I had an early morning photo session. I managed to get myself amid the reeds and the birds flew in mostly without seeing me….
This Pied Kingfisher landed three metres from me and was just not sure what the hell it could see… of course it was me…
“What the … is that the Bulldog sitting there?”
“I’m sure that is the Bulldog, but he has an odd eye…. big and black…”
“May be I should skedaddle…. but he is not moving….”
“Lets give him a portrait photo and then move… he looks as though he needs to take a breath….”
and then it flew off…..
The Photographic Journey of bulldog. 
Now this one looks more like our belted kingfishers, although this one looks bigger.
You are the Doctor Dolittle of bloggers!
Thank you Frank…. you think so
What a wonderful experience (getting this close to a bird).
I try to wear dark clothes all the time outdoors which I think makes birds wonder if I’m a tree.
I was lucky with this one… but khaki cloths and reeds work well together
Perfect! I could have told that kingfisher that what it was looking at was just a big old teddybear!
aaaaahhh thank you
You did a great job getting these kingfisher photos Rob – really good.
Thanks Brian
Great close ups.
Thanks Anneli
Great shots. I love that last profile. I do believe he was posing for you.
I think he was posing and said take it before I go…
I can also hear the kingfisher squeaking at you….great camera!
It was not very sure what it could see but hung around long enough
Apparently he wanted to give you a good look at his best profile. Just like a model or movie star!
he did give me both sides but he thought this one was the best
Those birds of yours have quite the vocabulary 😉
I have to translate it all so maybe I get things wrong occasionally…
Nope! I understood completely.
I love seeing kingfishers but they’re not as common here as they are in Africa. Lovely image bulldog. Have a great weekend 🙂
Had the Malakite also make a turn at the dam for me … posting it soon
Will look out for it bulldog. Have a good weekend. Happy snapping 🙂
Beautiful bird. Beautiful shots bulldog! He’s so considerate, allowing you to get the portrait shot and then leaving so you could take a breath! Do you have a black eye? ❤
Diana xo
It was the breath that I desperately needed
OMG, what a special moment! 🙂
Thanks LuAnn
what a beauty! fab fotos!
Thanks Cindy
I love your shots of the kingfisher. I saw one for the first time last summer off our back deck. They are fun to watch!
They are fun to watch.. specially this one… tends to do a lot of hovering…
hehehe – lovely words with pictures
Dankie Spokie…
I chuckled when the bird sad “skedaddle”, haven’t heard that word in awhile and coming from a bird it as even more funny.
Great shots, Bulldog.
Thank you… there used to be a blog by that name as well
Oh yeah, I remember that blog now that you mention it, is it gone now? I used to follow it. If not, do you know the URL?
Beautiful shots, bulldog. I think he stayed just long enough for you to get some good ones, before he had to leave for a meeting. 🙂
Love the commentary…always brings a smile to my face.
Thanks Mrs P… I don’t always hear the conversations these days…. getting very deaf…. this disease called old age is not for sissies. .. lol
my abiding memory of Uppington is that they abandoned apartheid but that the township was still 20kms out of town with the busses stopping at 6pm. Beautiful little town none the less. P.S. Pat, the most important part of a camera is the six inches behind it.
So very, very true.
The town has grown such that I’m sure it is no longer so far out…. anyway since 1994 they have probably all moved into town…. 6 inches behind my camera is an amazed head in disbelief on how good the camera is… thanks for the complement though….
I was last there in 1996 or 1997 I think, yes camera’s and lenses help but they are blind without us
Great closeup! That is a marvelous camera.
Thank you Pat… specially for recognising a great camera that my fairy Godmother bought me
Can I borrow your fairy godmother sometime?
I wish she would let me tell everyone who she is… but no she’s mine and I don’t like to share,….lol