Male Belted Kingfisher close up with prey – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 500, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Just a simple post this morning because I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed by the spikes of the coronavirus in Utah and across the country and have been wondering what that will mean as far as me getting out into the field this winter because of it. The number of cases is rising rapidly in Utah and frankly I see no signs of it improving because we have people here that simply don’t care if they put the lives of people around them in jeopardy, who don’t social distance, don’t avoid large gatherings, and refuse to wear masks. It is more than disturbing.
I was looking through images I had taken this summer and decided to share a close up of a male Belted Kingfisher with prey that I photographed in the Wasatch Mountains this summer. I believe the fish is a fingerling trout but I can’t be 100% certain.
It isn’t often that I can be this close to a Belted Kingfisher. They are well known for being very skittish.
I followed a family of kingfishers in from spring through late summer and of them all I photographed this male more than the rest of the family. He had a few favorite places he liked to perch and he was definitely the most visible of them all. I enjoyed observing and taking images of the Belted Kingfishers and hope that they will be in the same area next year and that I’ll be able to watch them again next spring and summer.
Belted Kingfisher are year round residents in northern Utah but they will move to areas with open water during the winter.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Belted Kingfisher photos plus facts and information about this species.
Dinner is served! What a wonderful pic! Perfect in every respect. Thanks Mia.
As for the virus – we have the same problem in San Diego Country. Some folks, especially young adults, don’t seem to take this pandemic seriously. Accordingly, we have had a huge upswing in positive cases and have just been downgraded to category one. This is one notch above another total lock down. The other problem we have is hoarding. People are loading up on Kleenex, paper towels and toilet paper…just like they did in March. Covid is scary enough but the behavior of some people is even worse. Hard times….
As a photographer who knows first hand how skittish – and swift-moving(!) – Belted Kingfishers are, I can truly appreciate your stellar image.Thanks for sharing! And take heart, it’s likely that few people will venture out to your winter haunts, with or without masks as the weather grows colder and snowier. I think you can still find your refuge and solace doing what you love by photographing birds this winter. Wishing you (and all of your blog followers) WELL!
I wonder if a spike in Covid-19 cases will show a corresponding spike in deaths. I doubt it. For medical reasons, I cannot wear a mask. Talk about feeling like a pariah 🙁 I mostly just stay home and suffer from deepening depression. Our Washington state governor has ordered another restrictive lockdown starting tomorrow. Such foolishness to believe that you can stop a flu virus. If it were possible, we wouldn’t lose 20-50,000 people every year to one of the many other various flu bugs. So thankful I live in a rural area where most folks are ignoring the whole thing. Just so you know, I do practice social distancing indoors where strangers are, and avoid “large” indoor crowds (my husband does all our shopping). Due to advanced COPD I am just unable to wear a mask. I shouldn’t be made to feel like some sort of horrible person because of it.
Karen, we currently have a high positivity rate of infection in Utah for those tested for the coronavirus and that means the actual rate of transmission is much higher. The death rate is going up here however people are dying several weeks to months after they are infected so comparing the death rates to actual cases per day isn’t really an accurate barometer of this novel virus called Covid-19.
I am sorry you can’t wear a mask because of your COPD and are stuck at home, that has to be difficult emotionally.
I wish we were doing as well in the U.S. as New Zealand has been throughout this pandemic.
Great shot Mia – keep wearing your mask, avoid all socializing, and you’ll be okay. So sorry there are so many misguided, ill-informed people who, in the name of personal freedom, are denying all of us our freedom. I’ve started taking zinc supplements based on current scientific studies. Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful photos.
Lovely! I hope they will return next spring to nest in the area again.
Kingfishers make me smile.
Thank you for sharing this today!
That is a truly beautiful photo of the skittish hunter. I am so glad that you have this photo (and many, many others) to turn to when the overwhelm gets tooo large. I watch and worry for you, and for your country.
I love this photo!
My nemesis!!!! Fantastic shot!