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| Belted Kingfisher - a male lacking the rufous belly-band |
My favorite sighting of a Belted Kingfisher occurred while on a jet-boat tour in Hell's Canyon where the Snake River creates the border between Idaho and Oregon/Washington. We were heading south from Lewiston/Clarkston one cool crisp morning and a Belted Kingfisher flew alongside the bow of the boat. There it remained just a few feet away from my smiling face for at least a full minute. Now a full minute of up-close observation in birding-time is equivalent to hours in normal human time. It was so cool to see its blue coloration and in-flight wing pattern. It's already over-sized noggin seemed all the bigger up close. Actually the whole bird seemed bigger.
Belted Kingfishers are notoriously difficult to photography as they burst off their perch with their rattling cry as soon as a 150mm lens gets within visibility. Knowing where one of them burrowed this last year, I plan to set up a blind in the Spring near a favorite perch overhanging the river. I was fortunate to get these in-flight photos recently and made another composite image just for fun. I was hiding in the shadow of a large wild bush and it perched for a split second on a nearby tree and I got the posed photo above by shooting as many frames per second as I could before it bolted. I also hope to one day get pictures of it diving for a minnow and emerging from the water.
Based on eBird sightings maps, it appears that some Belted Kingfishers are seasonal migrants. I'd want to clear out of the northern Midwest during winter too. My personal experience in Idaho and Utah are that they seem to be year-round residents. Interesting how the map shows they are few and far between in the American Southwest during June and July, but that could just be that its so stinkin' hot there that birders aren't out recording their presence.
nice post - love the composite image
ReplyDeletedan
Wow, nice Belted Kingfisher composite!
ReplyDeleteFantastic composite! I have tried and tried to capture some decent photographs of these amazing birds, but they are just too quick for me. These detailed in-flight images are outstanding!
ReplyDeleteLovely! They never let me get very close--I have lots of images, but they're all so small. Great shots!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic bird. I would love to see and thanks for the info, pretty interesting for one who want to see them ;-)
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty neat you've honed in on them, or a favorite perch. The photos will come them, and I'm looking forward to them!
ReplyDeleteI can tell you that birders are still out in the the southwest birding during summer but I think the water sources are dried up or stagnant then, so no food sources! Just like you wouldn't want to be in the pacific northwest during winter, I am guessing these birds do not want to be in the hot dry south during summer! Just a guess on my part but it sounds good to me!
ReplyDeleteLove the composite shot. You are giving Crossly a run for the money!
I agree, these are VERY difficult birds to photograph.
Love that composite photo Robert!
ReplyDeleteI love the 1st photo and the composite is outstanding. I once got a shot of one getting ready to dive only because the bird did it again and again, but never got one of it coming out of the water with prey.
ReplyDelete