Recently, I wrote how James Bond's uncle Carroll Tyson Jr., John James Audubon and Vincent Van Gogh all painted birds by posing birds that had been shot for that purpose.

I thought it would be neat to post all three artists' renditions of kingfishers. The cover of Carroll Tyson and James Bond's "Birds of Mt. Desert Island features the Tyson Kingfishers as well. (In Tyson's print, the male is feeding the juvenile.)

I should also mention that Ian Fleming wrote about a kingfisher in his classic short story, "For Your Eyes Only."

(Spoiler Alert!) 

It, too, was shot.

Fleming, Tyson and Audubon all painted Belted Kingfishers. Van Gogh, a Common Kingfisher.

I saw a kingfisher on my first visit to GoldenEye, Fleming's former retreat in Jamaica.

I did not shoot it, but wish I did (with my camera).

You can read my previous post on the common thread between Van Gogh, Tyson, and Audubon's bird art here.