The Wild Bank Premium Edition

The story behind this print

Am I mad I asked myself that morning, sitting there in my hide watching the twig that I had put out for Elvis (the name I call the male kingfisher) in the hope he would land and I might get a shot.

I’ve been coming to this spot on the River Dodder for four years now, ever since I heard there were kingfishers here. Before, I used to focus on a large branch on the opposite bank of the river - he would often land there but by now I had hundreds of pictures of him on that branch and I wanted to mix it up a bit. So I found a long twig and started putting it out closer to my position in the hide. Four months had passed but he never came. So there I was on that cold October morning asking myself why I put myself through it, why I drag myself out of bed before dawn every weekend and sit in that hide all day when nothing ever happens. I reminded myself as I always do in these moments of self doubt that wildlife photography is a waiting game. Patience is your greatest ally and so I settled in for the day, already resigned to the fact that I would probably yet again go home that evening with nothing.

In an instant everything changed. The stage was set (had been for months) but this time the star showed up.

I didn’t dare move or even breathe. One time after many hours of waiting he landed close to me and I gasped with excitement and scared him off so I was determined not to make that same mistake again!

Elvis was busy scanning the water so he didn’t notice me. I composed myself and slowly moved into position. He dived and caught a fish, knocked it off the branch a few times and then quickly devoured it. He dived again and caught another. I missed the dive but I did catch some lovely shots of the interaction between Elvis and his prey. I expected then that he would fly away and I hoped I might catch one sharp flight shot.

Little did I know that this would be my best ever day. He sat on my twig for about 90 seconds and in that time he contorted his head and wings into so many exquisite shapes that it was hard to keep up. On this day, in those precious seconds I captured so many amazing twists and turns of his little body that it has taken me a full 6 weeks to whittle it down to this final selection.

Nine images which I feel showcase this mesmerising bird in all his iridescent glory.

It is only thanks to the amazing technology we photographers have at our disposal that these fleeting moments can be preserved. I consider myself very privileged to be able to share these images with the people who feel a connection to nature or to this specific spot on the River Dodder.