7 June 2013

Malachite Kingfisher - regurgatating pellet

Being a keen bird photographer I generally spend a fair amount of time observing birds. Quite a few birds like Kingfishers and Owls aren't able to digest everything that they eat so they somehow have to get rid of this. In the case of Kingfishers it is normally a pellet of fishbones, scales and some other indigestable remains. I have only ever seen  this behaviour a couple of times and it normally happens very quickly, some would say in the wink of an eye. I was a while ago watching a particular Malachite Kingfisher through the lens waiting for him to fly and low and behold I saw him stretch his throat and then I knew what was coming.. My camera was set on high speed mode which allows me to take 12 photographs per second. I pushed the shutter release and caught 5 frames with this action.. that means that it happened in less than half a second from being in the throat till it was falling past the bird.

Captured with the Sony A77 and 500mm F4 lens.

On the way up

Just showing

On the way out

Already passing the wing

Falling under the bird - all over

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