Bird Walk Highlighted By Kingfishers

copywrite©Marjie Gemmell

BIRD WALK HIGHLIGHTED BY KINGFISHERS

These past few months of near drought-like conditions have altered the amount of water in the river that flows along-side my bird walking route. Normally it flows swiftly, rushing on its merry way, bank high. Due to the lack of rain however, the topography has changed. Sand and gravel bars and shallow pools with exposed rocks are evidence of the lack of water.

Nearly everyday I hear Belted Kingfishers (Ceryle alcyon) along the river. Most often their loud rattling call alerts me to their presence. The calls ring out for long seconds, and I play ‘find the kingfisher’ by sound. But today the Belted Kingfishers were easily viewed as they took advantage of the low water to perch on stubs of long submerged trees, not available to them when the current is high.

It was delightful to watch them perching in quiet vigil. The sunlight showed off their slate-blue breast band and punk-looking, ragged head feathers. These are two great bird identification field marks by the way. Male and female birds were present, often vying for the same perch. The quiet was often broken with some raspy rattles of complaint when one couldn’t convince another to move on. But, the food source was apparently plentiful because I saw kingfisher after kingfisher plunge in head first and make a yummy catch. They have some seriously wicked bills and it was fun to watch them use their sharp spears on the unwary prey.

It just goes to prove that even when nature’s ways are not beneficial to us, as when we lack adequate rainfall, nature often makes up for the lack in other ways. Case in point my up-close observations of the kingfishers today. We have only to be observant enough to see what is before us. Keep your eyes open! Good Birding.

Cheeps & Chirps!
Marjie Gemmell

To learn more about bird identification go to:
www.easybirdidentification.com