With love from mother nature at RDC...

Those beautiful colorful Kingfishers are in every visitor's and a photographer's "must" list.  They can be loud birds; if you got lucky and found one sitting on a branch  you might notice that it can sit motionless for a very long time in the same spot, though, do not try to approach the bird or you will lose the moment.  This tiny (14 cm) Kingfisher passes my path many times during the day; always fast, like a wild, tiny flame of fire pierching through the forest - clearly busy with catching the daily food, anything from spiders to snails, frogs and dragonflies.

 

 

 

Nearly lost the moment! Luckily my new friends told me that the bird that just crossed my path is a female Rufous-collared Kingfisher( 23cm) and that it actually landed just a few meters away, so, I was lucky to take some photos of this secretive silent and shy bird in spite of the darkness in the rainforest.

...and not to forget, another tiny, beautiful bird, the Blue-eared Kingfisher( 15 cm).  I did not see one for a while, but now it seems to be my "apple of the eye" near the ponds and streams every time I visit RDC.  Just amazing colors of iridescent blue and orange, and such a fierce bird!

 

 The largest Kingfisher here in Sabah , the Stork-billed Kingfisher (35 cm), easier to be seen fishing around the ponds ( and mangroves), truly a beautiful, confident bird!

 

 

 

Collared Kingfisher (24 cm) can be seen around about  everywhere.  It's a very loud and noisy  bird and seems to be the one to alarm the other birds about approaching dangers, such as Eagles

 

 

And last, but not the least, the rare Ruddy Kingfisher (25 cm). A secretive bird.  It feeds on all kinds of insects and earthworms, crabs and geckos and snails. Maybe hardest  Kingfisher to find, but you might just get lucky one day!

Oh no!  No photo of that beautiful Banded Kingfisher or Common Kingfisher either...
Time to pack the bags, cameras, lenses - the rainforest is waiting -

Please, enjoy,

Paula Camilleri