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Morning catch 20230913

This is a belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon), it flew over this morning while I was sitting outside. Interestingly, several minutes earlier, I used Merlin to record the songs of birds in the area and the belted kingfisher popped up. I considered walking to the pond down the road to take a look, but I was comfortable drinking my coffee.

"With its top-heavy physique, energetic flight, and piercing rattle, the Belted Kingfisher seems to have an air of self-importance as it patrols up and down rivers and shorelines. It nests in burrows along earthen banks and feeds almost entirely on aquatic prey, diving to catch fish and crayfish with its heavy, straight bill. These ragged-crested birds are a powdery blue-gray; males have one blue band across the white breast, while females have a blue and a chestnut band." -allaboutbirds.org