Female Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)
Whenever I'm near a body of water and hear what sounds like a rattle in the air, I search for what I know has to be a kingfisher. This one was easy to find, out in plain sight.
Belted Kingfishers are among the few bird species where the female is actually more colourful than the male. Here she is sitting on a branch above a shallow creek, looking for a fish or crayfish.
Concentrating on her next meal
Her territory is about one kilometer along this stream, and during breeding season she defended it fiercely from other kingfishers.
I am connecting to Stewart M's Wild Bird Wednesday HERE
FYI City Daily Photo members: September 1st is CDP Theme Day. The theme is "Pink." To participate, link your post to the CDP theme day page..
A truly majestic bird.
ReplyDeleteFinally!! A female bird who outshines the males. Go girls!!
ReplyDeletei feel that I need to send you this poem for this magnificent bird:
ReplyDeleteThe Kingfisher
by Mary Oliver
The kingfisher rises out of the black wave
like a blue flower, in his beak
he carries a silver leaf. I think this is
the prettiest world--so long as you don't mind
a little dying, how could there be a day in your
whole life
that doesn't have its splash of happiness?
There are more fish than there are leaves
on a thousand trees, and anyway the kingfisher
wasn't born to think about it, or anything else.
When the wave snaps shut over his blue head, the
water
remains water--hunger is the only story
he has ever heard in his life that he could
believe.
I don't say he's right. Neither
do I say he's wrong. Religiously he swallows the
silver leaf
with its broken red river, and with a rough and
easy cry
I couldn't rouse out of my thoughtful body
if my life depended on it, he swings back
over the bright sea to do the same thing, to do it
(as I long to do something, anything) perfectly.
Beautiful captures!
ReplyDeleteShe's a beauty. Blue/white/brown being one of my favorite color combinations.
ReplyDeleteDarla
Seems to me you're describing a girl from Paris! :o)
ReplyDeleteFabulous shots!
when the first photo popped up i actually said out loud, OHHHHHHHH... she is gorgeous. then i googled to hear the rattle and looked at her while i listened to the call..
ReplyDeleteShe's gorgeous! I had no idea that some female birds were more colorful than the males... Good for them!!
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful bird. I don't remember seeing one in person but I don't think I live where there are many of them. Next year I hope to get out into the wood more often and learn how to identify more birds, both by sight and by ear.
ReplyDeletei always smile when i see a female, too, knowing she has her chestnut belt accessory. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely bird!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous birds- I like that fancy female..so unusual to see.
ReplyDeleteThis is the way things are meant to be..she's a beauty EG..I had a Kookaburra sitting on my fence the other day, think she was checking out the pool for fish, no luck there :))
ReplyDeleteA real beauty! Love how his crest is standing up. :)
ReplyDeleteShe is a beauty.
ReplyDeleteTerrific photos of a beautiful bird. What lens do you use to get such fine photos?
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment today. Much appreciated.
Thanks for the tip on their 'song'. She's a beauty!
ReplyDeleteA beautiful bird that I'm not used to see - I feel privileged :-)
ReplyDeleteShe's a beauty!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beauty she is and great pics too!
ReplyDeleteSounds like she is aptly named! Fine-looking avian specimen. Don't think we have these down here.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen a Kingfisher. If I had I would have thought it was the male. She's very pretty.
ReplyDeleteFantastic shots of the kingfisher. I hear them and occasionally spot them at the lakes I walk at but they are usually too well hidden in the trees for me to get a shot. I'm very envious of these fantastic shots.
ReplyDeleteWhat lovely pictures of the kingfisher! Always interesting to see the colouring of the birds close-up as we miss a lot from a distance.
ReplyDeleteWow, wonderful captures! Sure love seeing these birds.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if wears gel in his feathers.
ReplyDeleteFabulous, EG. You sure are a good bird photographer.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful bird!
ReplyDeleteHave a nice day! RW & SK
Fantastic capture, she looks gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteShe is a beauty!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful bird this is!
ReplyDeleteWonderful images of this beautiful bird.
ReplyDeleteExcellent shots. When one sees me it squawks and takes off. MB
ReplyDeleteI've always wanted to see one of these birds. great shots.
ReplyDeleteFabulous photos of this cool looking bird!
ReplyDelete