I love the distinctive look and bright colors of the Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) and was thrilled to spot this female on Monday at Huntley Meadows Park.
She was initially perched on a rotten tree trunk in a meadow, which is actually a dried-up pond—the water levels at the marsh are perilously low at the moment. Before I could get a close shot, I managed to spook her and she flew to the higher perch that you see in the first image of this posting. The second image shows her in her initial position.
I like the way that the dark leaves provide a backdrop that draws our attention to the kingfisher in the first shot, but also like the softer quality of the second shot, with the grass and the out-of-focus treeline.
Unlike in most bird species, the female Belted Kingfisher is more colorful than the male—she has a rust-colored stripe that is absent in the male.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Great catch. They don’t hang around much.
Fabulous find ~ she’s a beauty! Didn’t realize the female is more colorful. I’ll keep a look-out for them.
Thanks. For some reason, most of the Belted Kingfishers that I have seen have been females and I love the rusty-red extra stripe that they have.
wonderful photos mike, kingfishers are such cool birds. I have never seen them perched this low.
Thanks, Rob. I was a bit shocked when I saw the initial perch, which was maybe only 3 feet above the water.
What a lucky sighting, and a great photo… I have never seen one, except for a blur waaayyy off
Thanks. I have been fortunate to see them a number of times when they were more or less in range of my camera’s lens. I still haven’t gotten a close-up shot, so there are always new goals to meet.
Both images are beautiful. Kingfishers are always stunning in their rich blues.
Thanks, Chris. I’d love to see them more often, but it is kind of rare for me to see one.