Forest Kingfisher

Photographing birds from a kayak isn't easy. Instead of a moving target, it's a moving photographer, at the mercy river currents. But I don't regret one river-run second photographing the Forest Kingfisher.

The electric turquoise of its feathers is, quite specifically, my favourite colour in the world. And when seen in flight, it is one of the great thrills of nature. Like a blue bolt of electricity, zapping from perch, to river, and back, in merely a second or two. With a tasty treat to boot, as though the river is some sort of convenience store. It's totally zap-ifying (yes, its description necessitates new words). It is other-wordly. It sends shocks down my spine, makes me gasp and go weak at the knees. Full body feelings of aliveness.

And the feeling of aliveness is one of the great triumphs of life. Those moments when the life force energy flows through the body uninhibited. I see this feeling as a strong and clear message from nature, saying: "Yes! This is living. Do more of this, it will energise you!". As such, aliveness is a great indicator that I am living in accordance with what life wants from me, and with what I (deep down) want from life.

It reminds me to follow the things that make me feel alive, and to harness that feeling of aliveness when it arrives, to express it and to share it with others. It is an infectious energy not to be kept to oneself.

What things make you feel alive? What things make you a conduit for life itself to buzz on through? Could you be doing more of them?

I'm a strong believer that when we're tired, it's not necessarily from doing too much, but from not doing enough of the things that make us feel alive. The Forest Kingfisher reminds us to do more of the things that energise us, giving us more energy to positively contribute to the world.