Fogg Dam, Australia
September 2006
Fogg Dam Conservation area just east of Darwin, Northern Territory
En route to Kakadu National Park we spend a couple of days at Fogg Dam, a failed rice-growing project whose wetlands are now a Northern Territory birding hotspot. As always, when arriving in a new place for photography I’m lost. Sure, there are birds everywhere: Magpie Geese, Pied Herons, Comb-crested Jacanas. But, unlike a birder who needs just a glimpse of a bird to be able to identify it, a bird photographer needs predictability: a bird using a regular perch or a consistent feeding spot. An approachable subject that will tolerate stalking would be nice too!
After wandering up and down the track that crosses the wetlands for an hour, snapping shots as I go, I notice a brilliant blue Forest Kingfisher sitting at the top of a small leafless shrub over the muddy water’s edge. I watch, and as it goes about foraging it unwittingly reveals its favorite perches to me, just the information I need. One perch is a snag in a large tree. That’s where I’ll hang out a while, lens focused on that snag.
Forest Kingfisher
It’s late dry season, and by 8:30 A.M. the heat’s mounting and the light’s already getting harsh. Plus by now the kingfisher is way out in the wetland with its mate. Maybe my chance for the day is over. For several minutes I scan with my binoculars to see what else is around, when a flash of blue jolts my attention back. The kingfisher is on the snag with a green katydid in its bill. Catch of the day for the kingfisher. Shot of the day for me!