On 18 November 2023, we took part in a photo shoot of kingfishers with my team mate Szabolcs Turuczki.
In the reeds of the lake near Ópusztaszer, on Saturday in the early morning hours, three of us sat out in the aviary of the Bird House, led by István Gera, prepared for a photo shoot with our cameras ready.
After several hours of waiting, the first bird appeared in the early afternoon and we noticed a sudden movement in the reeds. A kingfisher appeared unexpectedly in the distance, its blue feathers gleaming in the dusk.
We all watched in excitement as the bird landed on the landing pad that had been set out for it, under which small fish were swimming in a trap net. This was the moment we had been waiting for for hours. A wave of excitement washed over us, but we tried to remain silent. Slowly, carefully, we pressed the shutter button on our pre-set cameras to capture the moment.
The kingfisher quickly swooped down on a fish, which it caught skilfully above the water. The bird quietly continued to search for the fish while we watched and photographed the action, fascinated. The minutes slowly turned into hours, but every moment of the wait was worth it. The skill of the kingfisher and the wonder of nature were visible before us, and we experienced this wonder together.
Thank you very much to the Foundation and István Gera for the opportunity to capture this beautiful moment!
Luca Berta
Group 2 from Szeged