Birds around Yangshuo (4)
Kingfisher (Alcedo Atthis)
When you're floating on a bamboo raft down the Yulong River you often see a blue spot bulleting just above the water. This is the fast and the beautiful: The Kingfisher. With a bit of luck you can see this bird sitting on a branch at the side of the river and if you can watch him a bit longer you might even see him dive in the river and catch a fish. To get this beauty on camera isn't so easy though. You sure need a lot of patience or luck. As I don't have much of the first I tried my luck one day. I took my camera, went to the Dragon river and started to walk upstream along the river bank. It was the first time I deliberately set out to get a picture of this nice little bird. Not expecting anything, an exciting shock went through me when after only 5 minutes walk I saw a bright blue spot through the bushes. Though telling myself it would probably be a piece of plastic or something, I very quietly moved further. And then, wow! There it was relaxing on a green branch! Fantastic to see this colourful bird from a short distance.
