Influenced Fx

I’d spent a previous day with this kingfisher and got loads of perched shots, but capturing one in flight was painfully difficult.

I injured my shoulder last year and even with physio, needle therapy and everything else, it still hasn’t fully recovered. It’s limiting what I can do with the camera, especially when it comes to action shots. I could use a tripod or monopod, but I’m a stubborn toad and refuse to carry one on my walks. I’ll keep trying though!

Did you know...

The song thrush’s chest markings vary slightly, almost like a fingerprint. Researchers can sometimes use these unique patterns to identify individual birds in studies without the need for rings, especially from photographs. The speckled chest isn’t just pretty, it’s one of a kind, and no two thrushes have exactly the same pattern.

A spoonbill sideway glances me, with its long, spatulate bill open in mid-motion. This distinctive bill, flat and widening at the tip like a spoon, is perfectly adapted for feeding in shallow waters.