ANIMALS

The Incredible 6-Year Journey of a Photographer in Capturing the Perfect Kingfisher Dive

A heartfelt journey fueled by childhood memories transformed into a determined six-year mission for Alan McFadyen. With the aim of paying tribute to his late grandfather, he tirelessly pursued the ideal photograph of a kingfisher in mid-dive.

For more than 4,200 hours and through the lens of his camera, the 46-year-old Scotsman captured an astounding 720,000 images before finally capturing the perfect moment.

Vivid memories of observing kingfishers alongside his grandfather, Robert Murray, at a picturesque lake near Kirkcudbright, Scotland, remained deeply imprinted in McFadyen’s mind.

Four decades later, these cherished memories ignited a passion within him, transforming a childhood hobby into a dedicated pursuit of photographing this extraordinary bird.

The flawless moment: Mr. McFadyen dedicated six years of his life and took a staggering 720,000 photos before successfully capturing the kingfisher’s perfect dive.

Image source: Alan McFadyen

Every year, the kingfisher’s nest would get flooded by the rising tides. To solve this problem, McFadyen created a safe and sustainable home for the birds by carving a hole in the riverbank and filling it with clay.

In his quest, McFadyen, a father of three, made frequent visits, dedicating around 100 days each year to patiently wait at the lakeside location, hoping to capture the kingfishers’ iconic dive.

With over 720,000 photos taken and countless hours of unwavering commitment, he was able to immortalize the bird’s flawless dive, capturing the moment with no trace of a splash.

Before successfully capturing the perfect shot, Mr. McFadyen spent a total of 4,200 hours at Kirkcudbright in Scotland, tirelessly working towards his goal.

Image source: Alan McFadyen

From his home in the Dumfries and Galloway region of Scotland, McFadyen looked back on his incredible achievement, saying, “Capturing such a shot takes a considerable amount of patience and a healthy dose of luck.

The kingfishers dive at bullet speed, making capturing a good photo a significant challenge. I often snapped hundreds of photos in one session. While most of them didn’t meet my expectations, they represented steps toward my goal.”

Sadly, McFadyen’s grandfather Robert passed away in 1994, never getting to see his grandson’s success in photographing the beloved bird they both cherished.

The instance when the kingfisher plunged into the water silently, without creating any ripples.

Image source: Alan McFadyen

The dad with three kids visited the lake several times each week, spending around 100 days every year, to take pictures of the kingfishers as they gracefully dived into the water.

Image source: Alan McFadyen

Every year, the kingfisher’s nests would get flooded with water. To solve this problem, Mr. McFadyen created a nest for them by digging a hole in the riverbank and filling it with clay.

Image source: Alan McFadyen

McFadyen shared his deep desire for his grandfather to witness his achievements, noting that his grandfather’s impact on his life was significant, and his approval would have meant everything to him.

Moving forward, McFadyen intends to carry on his exploration with the kingfishers, finding comfort and happiness in this unique lakeside location.

His ultimate aspiration is for his eight-year-old son, Leighton, who recently spotted his first kingfisher, to carry forward his legacy.

The photographer thinks that the ideal kingfisher he captured in his photograph was a fully grown female, aged approximately two or three years.

Image source: Alan McFadyen

His passion for kingfishers developed when his grandfather, Robert Murray, took him to Kirkcudbright as a young boy, 40 years ago.

Image source: Alan McFadyen

Mr. McFadyen would visit the location twice a day, for approximately 100 days each year, and during each visit, he would typically take around 600 pictures.

Image source: Alan McFadyen

‘I felt very proud as my grandfather brought me up as if he was my dad, so it really meant a lot,’ – Mr. McFadyen on his great achievement.

Image source: Alan McFadyen

Mr. McFadyen would spend about seven hours every day sitting in a photography hide that he constructed himself, in his quest to capture the elusive shot.

Image source: Alan McFadyen

The 46-year-old photographer describes the kingfishers’ diving speed into the water as fast as a bullet.

Image source: Alan McFadyen

Before creating a new home for them, Mr. McFadyen noticed that 70 percent of the kingfishers would either perish from flooding or struggle with diving.

Image source: Alan McFadyen

According to Mr. McFadyen, female kingfishers would sit on a perch about four feet above the water and would only dive three or four times a day.

Image source: Alan McFadyen

Even though he achieved the “perfect” shot, Mr. McFadyen stated that he has no intention of quitting photographing kingfishers at the lake.

Image source: Alan McFadyen

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ANIMALS

Amazing Video of Unseen Ocean Creatures in the Ningaloo Canyons

The Schmidt Ocean Institute recently explored the Ningaloo Canyons on the western coast of Australia using a robotic underwater vehicle called the ROV Sebastian. Check out the amazing video of what they discovered in the deep parts of the Indian Ocean.

More info: Youtube

ANIMALS

These Pics Are Art and the Artists Are Insects

Flying insects move so quickly that they are hard to follow, but new technology and some smart ideas have helped Spanish photographer Xavi Bou do just that. After spending 10 years focusing on birds in flight for his Ornithographies project, he turned his attention to insects.

For Entomographies, he uses high-speed video footage taken by Adrian Smith, an insect expert at North Carolina State University, to study and record how insects move. Bou then picks multiple frames and combines them into single images that show the fast movements of one or more insects through space and time.

With Smith’s help, Bou has captured the aerial tricks of wasps, the jumps of leafhoppers, and the fluttering of butterflies in amazing detail. He hopes that by doing this, he can make people more aware of the decline in important insect populations around the world.

1. Zebra longwing

This butterfly, which is common in many areas of the Americas, really fits its name. It can fly very high with just a few flaps of its large wings.