Well I expected a 'mauling' for my questioning the use of the term "what a great skill to have" as within the genre I see 'birders' as the Rottweiler of the species.
however I would liken that more to being drooled on by a labrador than savaged by a Rottie.
I was not questioning the beauty of the photograph or den's patience and application in capturing it, just the over-hyped terminology.
We photographers (pardon me for including myself) are a precious bunch are we not ?
I would use the term "a great skill to have" to describe the surgeon wielding the scalpel or Leonardo da Vinci painting 'The Last Supper' ?
I often see the term as used above by den " as you will know your equipment is just a tool " this is the oft repeated maxim of photographers (I may have even used it myself) that degrades the equipment from the picture taking process and gives the vast bulk of the credit to the human.
The scalpel is the surgeons tool, the brush is da Vinci's tool and without the human involvement there is nothing.
I cannot in all honesty see the modern day camera in this context "just a tool"
Assuming I have accepted den's very generous offer " i am quite happy to loan you what equipment i have " what next ? well after discovering where the best places are to see the kingfisher, word of mouth, local library (fieldcraft ?)
I set up my hide, let the local wildlife get used to it for a few days, then with my flask of hot chocolate, sandwiches, tripod, camera and 600mm f4 lens I settle down in my hide.
I train my lens on a likely resting place over the water, set the camera exposure/shutter speed/aperture/iso as desired, take a few test shots, and wait.
I repeat this for a week then on the 8th day after my hot chocolate and sandwiches I begin to feel sleepy so I set the intervalometer on my camera and doze off.
I wake up and after much 'chimping' I find I have got lucky, a beautiful well exposed shot of the Kingfisher !
I liken this to the chimp sitting playing at the piano, given long enough eventually he will play 'Rhapsody in Blue'
So I will meet you half-way 'a skill' of course, a great skill ? sorry that's overegging it.
Keep up the good work den you are obviously a talented photographer.
Hmm, when does talent become a great skill . . . . . . I guess I better leave it there.
Peace & Love.