After 10 months, I’m back in Africa — and this time, Kenya offers a completely different experience!
We were already thrilled by a few species from this bird family in South Africa, but here in Kenya, we’re seeing several up close, almost daily. And the best part? They are truly stunning birds!
This is one of those birds that always managed to avoid our group — even some of our best birding friends missed it. But after three trips to Africa, we finally had an amazing moment with this special species. It came close and walked slowly right in front of us!
3. Green Woodhoopoe, 绿林戴胜, 綠林戴勝, Phoeniculus purpureus, ミドリモリヤツガシラ
update 202512
It was raining and nearly the end of the day. Just as we were getting ready to head back, I spotted a group of birds with curved bills feeding in a tree right in front of us. I shouted, “Woodhoopoe!”
Everyone was thrilled to see this stunning species up close!
It’s always a joy to see this long-tailed, fast-moving bird. So far, we’ve seen it twice — once a white morph on day 1, and it was actually the second bird of the tour! It moves quickly, so not everyone may have gotten a perfect shot, but I’m sure everyone managed to capture at least a few photos of this stunning bird.
After so many days here — honestly lost count — every day has been filled with excitement from birds, wildlife, food, and endless photography. But this species has always been high on my wishlist.
It’s one of my top targets for this trip, and we were lucky to spot it a few times, not too high up, giving us great photo opportunities. Now just hoping we can still get the “Grey-headed” too!
One of our team members discovered this beautiful sunbird repeatedly returning to the same flower to feed. Even though there were many other birds to look for, we still spent some quality time at this spot. I also took the opportunity to capture some BIF shots of this lovely bird.
Besides discovering many new bird families, even the familiar ones here in Kenya feel extra special. Many are incredibly colorful, and some—like this one—have long, elegant tails. When the light hits just right, their feathers shine beautifully. Truly a stunning bird from Kenya.
As of day 12, we’ve photographed 366 bird species!
After seeing this common bird in South Africa a year ago, I’ve always hoped to see it again.
And now, on our second last day in Kenya, we finally got the chance! This male was actively displaying—trying hard to impress nearby females (though it didn’t seem to work even after an hour!).
Still, everyone was thrilled to capture some great flight shots and videos.
For those who came for specific targets, we’ve got all the key species too!
So far, we’ve photographed 414 bird species over the past 17 days (though this number might grow as not all photos have been checked yet!).
Every birder has their own focus—you can always tell what a birder is watching, even if something else exciting is happening nearby!
In this moment, both the bird and the lions were locked onto what interested them—a group of lions feeding, which is why the vulture flew in and waited nearby.
We were lucky to see it land and stay on the ground right in front of us.
After 18 unforgettable days in Kenya, I’m finally back in Malaysia. This birding trip truly opened my eyes—aside from Sri Lanka, Kenya has become one of my favorite places. Even without any feeding stations, birds were easy to find and photograph. On just Day 1, we photographed 98 species! By the end of the tour, the group had recorded 414 species—and I got about 10 more during solo walks in free time. I’ll definitely return, though 2026/2027 is already fully booked… and I’m too tired to think about 2028 now. Time to relax. More photos coming soon!
It’s not a lifer, but this time we had several close encounters with this seemingly common bird. The two distinct spots on its wings stood out beautifully, especially when the light hit just right. Moments like this remind us how stunning even familiar species can be.
We first saw and photographed this kingfisher at Lake Baringo, but it was either too far or perched on the resort roof—not ideal. Of course, everyone wants a great shot of a kingfisher!
Today, we rushed to Lake Naivasha hoping for a better chance, but under the hot sun, it was still either too far or too high.
Luckily, we spotted some nice birds at the car park before heading for a late lunch. After lunch, I suggested a casual walk by the lake—and to our surprise, the kingfisher was feeding right near where we stayed.
It kept diving for fish—around 10–15 dives, but only caught fish 3 times (maybe not the best fisherman!). Bingo !!! He got the fish !
We first saw and photographed this kingfisher at Lake Baringo, but it was either too far or perched on the resort roof—not ideal. Of course, everyone wants a great shot of a kingfisher!
Today, we rushed to Lake Naivasha hoping for a better chance, but under the hot sun, it was still either too far or too high.
Luckily, we spotted some nice birds at the car park before heading for a late lunch. After lunch, I suggested a casual walk by the lake—and to our surprise, the kingfisher was feeding right near where we stayed.
It kept diving for fish—around 10–15 dives, but only caught fish 3 times (maybe not the best fisherman!). Still, we got some lovely close shots to enjoy.
At the current pace of posting, there’s no way I can share all — or even half — of the photos from Kenya.
Kenya is truly one of those must-visit birding destinations. Absolutely incredible!
This was one of the bee-eaters that got everyone excited!
We only saw it once during the entire 18-day trip in Kenya, but what a moment — such a stunning bird with its bright red color. Truly unforgettable!
This was our very first partridge of the trip — it crossed the road right in front of us, and I was quick enough to get a few shots before it vanished.
Partridges in Africa seem much easier to spot than those in Asia — they’re generally not shy at all, unlike the ones we usually struggle to see back home.
We waited quite a while hoping the Silver Cat would come out from its “nest,” but eventually gave up and only got a few head shots. Just as the car started moving, I spotted a large raptor flying nearby and asked the driver to reverse. At first, we took some record shots through the window glass. Then, due to a small miscommunication with the driver, we ended up stopping just about 5 meters from the bird—resulting in this amazing close-up!
I really enjoy seeing vultures up close.
We were on a long drive, and unexpectedly spotted this “new bird” along the way. Thankfully, I kept my camera ready even while driving — managed to snap this shot just in time!
This was one of my main targets for our Kenya birding trip, and I’m so glad we got it—our very first owl of the trip! As expected, it was sleeping during the day. Of course, we all wished for a shot with its eyes open or in a better pose, but I’m happy we chose not to disturb it just for a photo. Big thanks to my amazing team—you all are awesome!
Such a beautiful bird. I always thought barbets mainly feed on fruit, but we observed this species many times feeding on termites, ants, and other small insects. That likely explains why we often see them foraging on the ground.
Such an adorable bird family. We were lucky to capture four different species in Kenya. I absolutely love the way these birds look, they are incredibly charming.
Day 1 of our Kenya birding tour, and this was the fifth bird we photograph. It was incredibly close, completely ignoring our presence while feeding calmly on flowers near the ground. So far on this trip, we have photographed three different long-tailed sunbird species, a very rewarding start to the tour.
This was the very first bird we sighted the moment we stepped off the plane. They were everywhere around the airport area. An incredibly beautiful bird, very common and surprisingly tame in Kenya. But honestly, who cares how common it is? Beauty is beauty.
This is a hornbill quite different from the hornbills we are familiar with. Unlike most species, this one usually feeds on the ground, which is why it is known as the Ground Hornbill. We were very fortunate to have it walk straight toward us, giving us an excellent close view and a great photo session.
This was our very first Sandgrouse of the Kenya tour, standing right in the middle of the road after sunset. The light was extremely low, but we kept pressing the shutter to capture this rare moment. Truly a beautiful bird.
Another bird that is very common in Samburu—we see it almost every day. Look a bit closer, and it actually looks a little scary too, especially with that bald head.
Not the best-looking bird, but definitely a weird and attractive subject to photograph, with its impressive high crest. Hard to miss thanks to its large size and the way it moves in groups. We watched it feeding on the ground and flying all around us.
This was our very first Barbet of the tour, and it couldn’t have been better. The bird perched unusually low and very close to us. I still remember my first Tinkerbird sighting—way up in the canopy, 20–30 meters high. This cute fellow, however, stayed low and fed calmly just a short distance away.
It is always a joy to encounter this “big-eyed” bird, but this sighting was especially memorable. The bird was staying around a small pond in an extremely hot and dry area, surrounded by thorny vegetation.
Image quality wasn’t ideal due to strong heat haze, but the experience of watching and photographing this cute and beautiful bird made it truly worthwhile.
A bird that’s hard to miss — large in size, moving in small groups, with a long, curved orange bill. Such a strange-looking bird, but I absolutely love seeing it.
Such a beautiful bird! Unfortunately, we only managed a single sighting during a rushed midday drive. The intense heat waves badly affected the photo quality, but we had no choice and still tried our best to capture the beauty of this bird.
We arrived too early to check in, so we squeezed in a quick birding session. What a great decision! This stunning bird came down low and close, giving us fantastic photo opportunities. Within the first hour alone, I think everyone easily shot more than 500 frames of this beauty!
Birding in Kenya is filled with unforgettable stories—I’ll share more once I’m back in Malaysia. For now, every day has been full of excitement. While we’re focused on finding new birds and getting better shots, we never miss out on amazing animals or stunning scenery either.
We’ve seen lions three times already! The most recent sighting was a group of seven, though we didn’t even stop (for a funny reason I’ll share later).
This one was incredible—at first, it looked like a typical sleeping lion, but suddenly it stood up, walked to drink, and came straight toward our vehicle—just 15 meters away!
Four more days to go, and we’ve photographed 390 bird species so far!
One of our group members wished to see this, and what a wish—it made everyone happy!
The world’s fastest animal slowly walked toward us, getting as close as 1–2 meters from me. Before that, it looked like it was about to hunt, pausing about 10 meters away as if ready to sprint… but then it stopped.
Still, what an incredible and beautiful sight!
One of the largest animals here—can look quite intimidating, especially when it approaches with alert sounds. But the young ones are just adorable! Always full of energy, running around their mother nonstop—such a lovely sight!
We came across this adorable little animal while walking between the restaurant and our rooms at Masai Mara. It’s an incredible jumper—really reminds me of a Tarsier!
a beautiful bird that real shy and not get close to humans….
update 202603
We just arrived at the viewing tower and the bird calls are everywhere! We heard three of them right next to us at the canopy level. We were hoping for a glimpse, and soon enough, both the male and female flew right up to eye level. They stayed close enough for us to get some great pictures.
202602, Taman Negara Sungai Relau, Pahang, Malaysia
202602, Taman Negara Sungai Relau, Pahang, Malaysia
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update 202509
Sometimes, birding isn’t just about rare birds or perfect photos. A few of us just went out to enjoy the fresh air and see what birds might show up. The whole morning was quiet, but this bird turned out to be the highlight for us.
It didn’t give the best pose, but we still enjoyed a peaceful morning and a delicious lunch!
It was a slow afternoon—so hot even at 5pm that bird activity was low. But this bird quietly approached and surprised us by showing up just 20–30 feet away! Sadly, it wasn’t in the best position for a good photo.
– my first trip to Taman Negara 2024, birding is not fun with quite a lot of rain. But reward with many star birds included Rail-Babbler, Crested Fireback, Garnet Pitta and this lovely forest Kingfisher and etc
– always happy to see this beautiful forest kingfisher low… the female especially so adorable
– 每次看到这森林的翠鸟都非常兴奋。尤其是母鸟特别，优雅。
202307, Panti, Johor, Malaysia
update 202307
– this beautiful girl standing there for long and low. male also nearby but ours’ target yet to been found so skip it but still have some chance to click few photo of the good model
– 这美女，站那很久也很低·。可是一大早，目标鸟还没找到。所以只能按几次就继续找鸟。
202307, Panti, Johor, Malaysia
update 202204
– this bird never failed us coming to show us front/side view
– 这鸟几乎每天都在这让我们拍。
202204, Selangor, Malaysia
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– this canopy bird come down low today before I heading home, and making call
– 通常都站很高的鸟。在我离开前，尽然站很低还叫了几声
update 202203
– another small forest been destroy and sad this bird has to stay in orchard instead soon
– 可怜的鸟，栖居的小森林被砍完乐。
202203, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
update 202110
– another Kuala Lumpur star bird, thanks for those found it but with the current status and situation. very sad ….
– 吉隆坡的另一只明星鸟。可是，这个“状况”非常令人担忧。可是，没办法。一样的事每年都一样的重复。
update 2020 Oct
update 2018 Oct 9
update 2015 Jun 29
– another female close captured … a real beautiful bird that never get bore to see it again
3. Rufous-backed Dwarf-Kingfisher, 棕背三趾翠鸟, 棕背三趾翠鳥, Ceyx rufidorsa, セアカミツユビカワセミ, RAJAUDANG-API BIASA
– a forest kingfisher but still prefer near the waterfall, stream … tiny
– depend on checklist, it different from the Black-backed Dwarf-Kingfisher
update 202407
– a very special and lovely bird from lowland forest. with the shy “red”. Lucky bird before we leaving BRL, Danum Valley
– 非常漂亮的翠鸟，在我们离开丹浓谷前。竟然看到这鸟。
202407, Danum Valley, Sabah, Malaysia
#####
update 202401
– another good start, after lovely Bornean Bristlehead follow by this cute and beautiful Kingfisher stay calm and long.
– 非常好的2024开始，我们先看/拍到婆罗洲棘头鵙。出来时就看到拍到这么快的“小红”
202402, Sandakan, Sabah
#####
update 202211
– a very beautiful and tiny bird. but it just stay a distance from us.
– 非常漂亮，小的小鸟。可是总是站很远。
202211, Sg Congkak, Selangor, Malaysia
update 202210
– this beautiful bird use to be very common, tame and easier to see and photography at RDC, Sandakan, Sabah. But not sure what’s happen this bird just become too mystery, shy for years. Now sudden it seem quite tame and easy again.
– a lovely and beautiful forest kingfisher of Malaysia
– I am using R7 with CANON RF 100-500mm which also 160-800mm (35mm equivalent) and I tested all with 500mm (800mm 35mm equivalent). without any tripod, monopod just handheld with various shutter speed and 10-50 shots (average)
– tiny bird that shies with humans, active in catch fishes …
– active near stream looking for fish, prawn …
– mainly blue and underpart yellow
update 202308
– so far think Kinabatangan river is a best place for this bird, we never missed it even for picture. lovely blue and very common at river bank but the vibrant blue always attract any one
– 京河应该是最容易拍到这鸟的地方。几乎没错失过。虽然普通可是它的蓝几乎都会让每个人停下来看看它
202308, Kinabatangan river, Sabah, Malaysia
update 202105
– getting lazy, ~2km walk with another 2 kingfishers (this and Banded) – this is a male bird that thinks looking for its mate… making call nonstop
– 懒散的一个早上。可是幸运遇上2种小翠鸟。 – 公鸟，叫不停。应该找不到女朋友。
202105, Sg Congkak, Selangor, Malaysia
#
– getting lazy, ~2km walk with another 2 kingfishers (this and Banded) – this is a male bird that thinks looking for its mate… making call nonstop
5. Blue-banded Kingfisher, 蓝带翠鸟, 藍帶翠鳥, Alcedo euryzona,アオムネカワセミ,RAJAUDANG BUKIT MELAYU
– small and shy river kingfisher
– normally prefer clean stream, river or pond
update 202302
– 2022, a pair of shy kingfishers appear in a feeding spot and it make some happening season. after the “season” bird begin to less active and no show after than
– it is not frequent I see the female and decide to share this picture. when I told this picture, just got new CANON R7. even at lowlight ISO6400 situation. the picture still acceptable.
– a very shy kingfisher, which normally prefers a clean, small river/pond. – male with blue-banded on the chest and female orange chest-bellied
– 算時馬來西亞最害羞的翠鳥。通常出現較乾淨小溪/湖。
#
– normally very shy and found near a clean stream, river. – a male bird’s sight for continuous few days but missing yesterday. – a day tour main target, didn’t see the male but saw the 2xfemale in a morning.
– a rare and shy bird – main target of the tour, we hit it early in the morning and got another good view of females also later. – female is distinct from male, the front, whole orange.
– 非常稀有有害羞的鳥。 – 封城前的團主要目標。早上8點就把她拿下。 – 母鳥，橙腹胸。
202105, Sg Congkak, Selangor, Malaysia
update 2020 June 3
2nd last tour before Malaysia lock down .. this bird stay so long and near for first time
Blue-banded Kingfisher, 藍帶翠鳥, Alcedo euryzona, アオムネカワセミ,RAJAUDANG BUKIT MELAYU
6. Stork-billed Kingfisher, 鹳嘴翡翠, 鸛嘴翡翠, Pelargopsis capensis, コウハシショウビン, PEKAKA-EMAS BIASA
– a big kingfisher which found low dense forest, mangrove etc
update 202410
– a big yellow and “big beak” Kingfisher, it does look slight different from Peninsular Malaysia/Thailand/India
– 3 years ago, I am testing R3 at Kuala Selangor with this bird flying and managed to have good result. Now, finally the high megapixel R5markii finally also come with good focusing system. The bird dive into pond without any notice and without any fish it flying back to nearby perch. I didnt prepare for any dive shots but managed to get the bird focus almost immediate I point my camera to the bird.
– finally managed to have some open space for me to trying out more AF test on BIF. many swifts, raptors and etc flying around but it is at various direction and can be any where. You won’t know where the bird come from but just what flying in your’s view than use the Camera capability to focus and track the bird in various Background (river, sky and forest-green)
– this bird flying from forest crossing the river toward me … very soon I point the setup toward the bird. Focus LOCK and track in very fast response. I will review all the files soon to see how many is tacked and how many lost later (I am not a DPP user it really slow even I want try to crop the picture … need more time to use to the DPP for short while)
this is Sabah which look slight different on forehead
Stork-billed Kingfisher ,鸛嘴翡翠
7. Common Kingfisher, 普通翠鸟, 普通翠鳥, Alcedo atthis, カワセミ, RAJAUDANG CICIT
– small size, winter visitor
– found near small river, paddy field with water, water pond etc
– shy to human
update 202509
This year it arrived a bit later than last year, but returned to the same spot with the same behavior—just like the past 5 years. Always a joy to see this beautiful kingfisher back for its winter break!
update 202403 – this bird seem pretty common at Kinabatangan River .. not less than 20 birds over 2.5 days there – 今年没什么候鸟，可是这一种却还好。2.5天看到不下20只吧
202403, Kinabatangan River, Sabah, Malaysia
#####
update 20221012
– a common winter visitor, which normally very shy to human when arrive
– 非常普通的候鸟。可是非常害羞。
202209, Kuala Selangor, Selangor, Malaysia
update 20220924
– when on tour, we seldom having a lot of time for single bird. But lucky to see this bird suddenly dive in and with the simple setup CANON R7 and RF100500 managed to got few pictures.
– a common kingfisher here (Malaysia) … easily found near mangroves, beaches … some location, it is easy to get close …
– medium size, blue and white
– juvi sometimes confuse with Sacred Kingfisher
update 20230323
– a date to be remember, a beautiful lights with 2 noisy kingfisher start our’s day and received a bad new…. my best buddy leave me 🙁 he will be forever with me …
– this Kingfisher just like someone, like eat crab so much
– 这翠鸟，有如某人非常喜欢螃蟹。
202211, Jeram, Selangor, Malaysia
update 202201
– always got free crab to eat
– 终于有螃蟹吃咯
202201, Selangor, Malaysia
update 202104
– drop by here to looking for any bird in flight again before heading for meeting friend for main target birding
– this bird finally got a crab for breakfast, got this manual focus before it lands on a perch
– 去目的地之前，到这看看有什么鸟飞版拍拍。尽然看到这翡翠一早捉了一只螃蟹。手动对焦拍下这一幕。
202104, Selangor, Malaysia
update 2020 Nov
202011, Sg Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
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Collared Kingfisher 白領翡翠 humii Group
9. Rufous-collared Kingfisher, 栗领翡翠, 栗領翡翠, Actenoides concretus, アオヒゲショウビン, PEKAKA-RIMBA MELAYU
– medium size jungle kingfisher, male and female look different
update 202407
– a bird that use to quite easy at Sabah but getting tough to have good view .. may be I am losing luck to see ti good at Sabah. But a lucky group of people see it close and good with front, side and back view.
– a forest Kingfisher that normally stay not that high from ground.
– sometime I really thing, without disturb how long a bird will stay at nearby active area for how long.. this bird seem active here (Panti) since 2013 and each time I am there sure it will show up…
– 是不是越少打扰，鸟会一直活跃在一个地方永久或很久？
202308, Panti, Johor, Malaysia
update 202307
– a very good birder from Canada (born Malaysia), “enjoy the moment”
– not a very rare bird, but it is a last request from guest. It calling deep in the jungle. light got dark and we decided to walk in to find it .. lukcy not that long found it and it allow us approach ~12 feet from it
– a very quiet in the forest, this bird stand low and quiet at the edge of forest.
– 非常安静的一个下午。这鸟一样的静静的站在森林边缘。
202210, RDC, Sabah, Malaysia
update 202208
– few months ago, everyone seem concentrate on Rufous-backed Dwarf-Kingfisher and now everyone seem waiting for Blue-banded Kingfisher instead. same this bird no one really care … a beautiful bird .. one of my favorite
– 几个月前，每个人都拍小红（棕背三趾翠鸟）。现在，每个人在意小蓝(蓝带翠鸟).一样没人理会这鸟。
202208, Sg Congkak, Selangor, Malaysia
update 202205
– everyone seem attract by the “red” one .. no one care about me .. lovely male forest kingfisher
– 几乎全部人去拍小红了。没人理会这林翡翠
202205, Ulu Langat, Selangor
update 202105
– one of the 3 forest kingfishers of Malaysia. This considers medium size Kingfisher, male with overall blue on the wing and female greenish with yellow dots.
– not really common to meet female at this spot over the years. But lucky to have it calling in the morning lets us found it and photograph it.
– 馬來西亞3種森林翠鳥的其中一種。母鳥較少見到。通常在潮濕暗的林子裡活動。
202105, Sg Congkak, Selangor, Malaysia
#
– one of the lovely forest kingfishers of Malaysia. she made a call low and only available at the small open window
– 马来西亚另一种森林翠鸟。很漂亮的母鸟。在低，暗的一直叫。
#
update 2020 May 12
Rufous-collared Kingfisher,栗領翡翠, Actenoides concretus,アオヒゲショウビン, PEKAKA-RIMBA MELAYU
– a very shy bird … it is difficult to approach to take photo or video
– winter visitor prefer to be at mangrove area or river
update 202412
A quick morning birding session before my trip to Indonesia turned out to be unexpectedly rewarding. Despite a long search for the target bird, which didn’t show up, another bird appeared instead, standing incredibly close to us. To our surprise, it even struck a few poses before flying away. It lingered nearby for quite some time, leaving us with an unforgettable experience.
– a mid-size of Kingfisher calling Collared Kingfisher alike, but unmistakable with bright white-with rufous on chest and dark-blue back+black.
– a casual visit nearby beach which I told my buddy, his target Black-capped Kingfisher can be found here … very good environment. But I didn’t see it last 3 visits but today.. when I arrive, spot a familiar bird far and inside palm tree. After a while of keep looking, found it making pre-roosting shower … bingo
– depend on the checklist this split from Banded Kingfisher (if split it is Borneo endemic)
update 202405
– wonderful last day of the tour, this main target came down low after long wait .. and it carry a mantis to feed his wife too
– a canopy bird that coming low for use take some wonderful picture of this handsome
– 一年前安排的摄影行，几乎要被取消（火山爆发）。可是朋友们的执着，到最后一天+最后一只主要目标。
– 这鸟都是在树顶活动的，很小通常都不好拍。这次下来低+捉了只螳螂喂老婆。
202404, Sugud, Sabah, Malaysia
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update 202404
– another good bird seen while waiting for target bird, this bird just came not that high and making some call .. beautiful male bird
– 沙巴另一只低海拔的主要目标鸟。在等其他鸟，这鸟飞在我们附近不高。
202403, Sepilok, Sabah
#####
update 202402
– while we waiting for ours target, a pair of this special Borneo endemic came really low while the target also came close to us… make everyone of us so busy to look for 3 of them 。。 this such a beautiful girl
– ours’ last day at the Tawau, just want spend a morning for anything as main target ticked. everyone seem happy with yesterday Blue-Banded Pitta show, and today almost not really in mood for anything and raining… we just walking around but all of sudden this bird make a call and with little bit of wait and searching .. it stand at eye-level for us.. but sad one of outs’ team fall down with minor injure hope he recover soon
– a bird that every love to seen and photography. Before heading to no internet again, let’s share another good picture from previous tour. This bird just stand so low giving us a good view and picture.
– 应该是最上镜鸟之一吧。等会又开始没网的日子。让我分享上一团我蛮喜欢的照片之一。
202307, Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
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– a lucky quick walk, this bird just stand so low for good view and picture
– 非常幸运的遇上这么美丽的鸟站这么低
202307, Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
update 202210
– lucky of the day, we got this lovely bird end of the day even quite dark but still good view of the female
– 非常幸运的在最后一刻，看到这么漂亮的母鸟。
202210, RDC, Sabah, Malaysia
update 202106
– depend which checklist, this bird may split as Borneo endemic
the male bird in Borneo look different from Banded Kingfisher (Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Java, Vietnam etc). The mae with obvious black face but female look same
– 不一样的鸟单, 有些新的把这鸟分为婆罗洲特有种。
– 只有公鸟脸是黑的。母鸟一样，叫声，都一样。
201808, RDC, Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
update 202105
– one of the most beautiful forest kingfishers of Malaysia. Some split this from Banded Kingfisher which has the same behavior and call. except the male have black-face
– 馬來西亞最漂亮的森林翠鳥之一。與馬來西亞西馬的橫斑翠鳥相同。除了，公鳥帶有黑臉。
201805, RDC, Sabah, Malaysia
update 2019 Dec 13
one of the big print for Panasonic G9 ..
update 2018 Aug 18
finally little bit free time to update what I got last few months
lucky to see 2 stand together again .. may be the angle how come the female bigger than male so much !!!
update 2018 Aug 20
it is amazing how this kingfisher calling without move it head
– another very common kingfisher which found urban, edge of forest
update 202602
Today is Chinese New Year’s Eve, and there is a beautiful tradition we follow: “Nian Nian You Yu.” In Chinese, the word for “surplus” (余) sounds exactly like “fish” (鱼), so we always look for fish to symbolize having extra savings and abundance for the year ahead.
I spent the day with friends at a famous local spot known for eagle and kingfisher feeding. It wasn’t long before this kingfisher spotted its target and dove straight for the water. What a perfect sight to start the new year! Wishing everyone a prosperous and abundant year ahead.
202602, Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
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update 202211
– common kingfisher of Malaysia, but it is still a such beautiful bird to seen and photograph
– 马来西亚非常普通的翠鸟。可是，看或拍起来非常漂亮。
202211, Kuala Selangor, Malaysia
update 202110
– another long distance tour after the long lockdown. But the target bird seem missing and we driving around to take opportunity to test the CANON EOS R3 capability.
– this common kingfisher widely spread across Peninsular Malaysia and pretty common to found them at Paddy field
– 封城后，第2次远行（700+公里）。可是，目标鸟没看到。当然，在这么好的稻田。我尽量运用手上的“新”佳能 EOS R3。 测试对焦的本领，拍飞行鸟照。
– this is a special bird for Sulawesi as it is only for South-Sulawesi (we got this from Makassar). the rest of the area having “Blue-headed” instead of Black-headed
update 202310
– a special target at South Sulawesi, it is not as easy as the Tangkoko version of Green-backed. Look different on head , darker
– an old picture captured 2014, clearing my hdd and I think worth to process one more to plan more trip to Indonesia. with beautiful light think very beautiful bird
20. Common Paradise-Kingfisher, 普通仙翡翠, 普通仙翡翠, Tanysiptera galatea, ラケットカワセミ, Cekakak-pita biasa
– A long-tailed kingfisher of lowland forests. White underparts and rump, dark blue upperparts with pale blue shoulder and crown. Long white tail with 2 extended central tail feathers ending in spatula tips. Sits still for long periods whilst slowly pumping its tail. Very similar to Little Paradise-Kingfisher, but Common Paradise-Kingfisher is larger, with a paler crown, white rather than blue outer tail feathers and a heavier bill. The safest way to separate, however is by vocalization. Heard more often than seen. Song, a rapidly accelerating and slightly rising series of dry notes. [Ebird]
One of the more common yet challenging birds to photograph is the kingfisher. Even though it often appears at feeding spots, we usually don’t have time to focus on it due to our busy shooting schedule. However, our local guide, Pak Wan, mentioned that it’s actually easy to spot near our hotel. So, we decided to spend a quick morning there after breakfast. To our delight, three kingfishers were flying around, and on several occasions, one even perched for us! The excitement of seeing them in flight had everyone in awe. It was absolutely worth it—even if we hadn’t managed a photo. But we did!
– a beautiful Kingfisher, even is common but shy for picture
– 蛮漂亮的翠鸟。虽然普通，可是还是不容易拍照。
202304, Halmahera, Indonesia
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update 202304
– a beautiful Kingfisher, and for the first time feel such a beautiful bird such annoying. Each time the Pitta come near, this bird will fly from far to flush the Pitta away 🙁 no choice to wait and wait until it get bored.
– a Halmahera endemic, overall pied like Kingfisher
update 202504
Night birding can be a bit challenging at times, but it’s been incredible to photograph 11 species of kingfishers over the past 7 days—including this special Halmahera endemic with food in its beak!
– a small kingfisher just like other Dwarf-Kingfisher but overall blue
– 非常小的翠鸟。
update 202310
– a small kingfisher seem like to stay together with the North Moluccan Pitta, always calling while we waiting for the Pitta
– 这翠鸟，总喜欢与八色鸫一起生活。在等八色鸫时总听到它叫。
202304, Ternate, Indonesia
23. Small Blue Kingfisher, 小蓝翠鸟, 小藍翠鳥, Alcedo coerulescens, ヒメアオカワセミ, Rajaudang Biru
a very common small blue-white small Kingfisher at Bali-Java, can be seen almost any where near stream, pond …but quite shy as usual
这小翠鸟在巴厘岛几乎蛮普通，可是还是不容易拍。很害羞。
update 202402
– this is a very good example of need more fps .. so not always correct we do not need .. I normally shoot ~15fps in most of the camera by default … when this bird sudden dive in I am too late to change the fps .. and most of the frame without very good “eye contact” or I would say too less frame within the dive action (~7frames)
– small and noisy Kingfisher pretty common at East Sumba Island almost heard any where .. and saw few locations . region endemic here
– 小，漂亮的翠鸟。这区域的特有种。
update 202512
It’s not a lifer for most of us, as we’ve already seen it on Sumba Island. But this time in Lombok, we were just taking it easy when the ranger mentioned the bird was nearby.
We thought, “Why not?”—and that led to the toughest hike of the trip! Thankfully, it paid off with a wonderful view of this beautiful Kingfisher.
– ours 2nd target of the day after the beautiful Pitta. very soon we stop we heard and spot the bird and the bird around for almost whole day while we looking for other bird. It still around calling and appeal
This endemic kingfisher of Halmahera is fairly common, but we were lucky to enjoy an incredibly close encounter—especially for our lucky ladies’ group. Truly a beautiful bird!
One of the most common birds around, but this time it kept its distance and wasn’t too friendly. Still, we managed to get plenty of nice flight shots. Such a beautiful bird, especially when its wings are fully open!
Excited to revisit this amazing birding spot soon! During our last trip, we spent quite a bit of time searching for this unique “hook-billed” bird—but the effort was totally worth it. Can’t wait to try again in West Papua!
28. Beach Kingfisher, 白头翡翠, 海灘翡翠, Todiramphus saurophagus, シロガシラショウビン, Cekakak Pantai
update 202509
This kingfisher is quite common from Maluku to Papua Island—not a rare bird, but like many kingfishers, it can be shy when approached. Also, it’s not the easiest to photograph, especially with its bright head that’s easy to overexpose.
After our noon break, we explored along the river and were lucky to spot one perched nearby. Even better, it came back again for another look!
This forest Kingfisher is probably one of the shyest I’ve ever encountered.
I tried photographing it during my last trip here but failed after several attempts. This time, we finally had a clear and prolonged view. Still, the bird remained very shy, making it challenging for everyone to get good shots.
A bit of a shame that some angles didn’t give a clear view, but still a rewarding sighting!
A medium-sized kingfisher with a distinctive chestnut belly, sapphire blue tail and flight feathers, ashy-gray head and breast, and vermillion bill. Pairs inhabit dry and moist woodland, especially riverine woodland; has been known to breed in riverbanks. It has complex movements and is a migrant in the southern part of its range. Calls a strident trilling “t-t-t-t-t-t-t”, although this can be weaker and less obtrusive than other kingfishers; also calls a repeated, squeaky “tsury, tsury”. [Ebird]
This is another colorful bird we spotted during our South Africa bird photography trip. We had many great sightings, but this was one of the closest and most perfectly angled shots we captured.
We first saw and photographed this kingfisher at Lake Baringo, but it was either too far or perched on the resort roof—not ideal. Of course, everyone wants a great shot of a kingfisher!
Today, we rushed to Lake Naivasha hoping for a better chance, but under the hot sun, it was still either too far or too high.
Luckily, we spotted some nice birds at the car park before heading for a late lunch. After lunch, I suggested a casual walk by the lake—and to our surprise, the kingfisher was feeding right near where we stayed.
It kept diving for fish—around 10–15 dives, but only caught fish 3 times (maybe not the best fisherman!). Bingo !!! He got the fish !
We first saw and photographed this kingfisher at Lake Baringo, but it was either too far or perched on the resort roof—not ideal. Of course, everyone wants a great shot of a kingfisher!
Today, we rushed to Lake Naivasha hoping for a better chance, but under the hot sun, it was still either too far or too high.
Luckily, we spotted some nice birds at the car park before heading for a late lunch. After lunch, I suggested a casual walk by the lake—and to our surprise, the kingfisher was feeding right near where we stayed.
It kept diving for fish—around 10–15 dives, but only caught fish 3 times (maybe not the best fisherman!). Still, we got some lovely close shots to enjoy.
We spent our last morning at the same spot and decided to just have some fun with this lovely kingfisher — lots of laughter and great moments. The whole morning was covered in mist, so quite a bit of post-processing was needed to reduce the noise and haze. The bird dived around five times without any success, but this rather unskilled fisherman still gave us plenty of action and a fun session capturing BIF shots.
A short birding trip to northern Thailand turned into a pleasant surprise. After securing our two main targets, we decided to keep birding and see what else we could find. We knew a Crested Kingfisher was around, but the local ranger and guide kept telling us this species is usually only active in the morning.
Still, we decided to try our luck and reached the site at noon. After a few minutes of chatting by the river, a large bird suddenly flew in and perched right in front of us. We all shouted, “Kingfisher!”
The beautiful Crested Kingfisher perched not far away and even fed on a fish, putting on a fantastic show and giving us a great chance for photos. Sadly, I missed the actual fish-catching moment—I couldn’t decide which direction to wait, and just as I was moving, it dived!
