Bali 2013 - The Java Kingfisher

Yesterday morning Macaela and I were out on the porch early in the morning when I noticed something blue across the rice field.  I wasn't wearing my glasses so I asked her to take a look.  It turned out to be the top of a drink bottle, but I launched into an educational moment about the Java Kingfisher.  "If you see a flash of blue in the rice field, grab your camera because it might be the elusive Java Kingfisher."

Meanwhile, there was a dark bird sitting with his back to us in a small tree.  I knew he was there, I thought he was black, and I wasn't really paying attention.  And remember, I wasn't wearing my glasses.  Well, he turned his head, and I saw that huge red beak, and realized that I had been lecturing while my photographic prey sat there right in front of me.  Within a very short time, there were three of us lined up along the edge of the veranda with cameras.  I'm sure we were a funny sight for anyone who happened to be looking back our way.




So here he is, the elusive Java Kingfisher.  The fishing was good, because he stuck around for several minutes.  Thank goodness for digital; that would have been an expensive film moment.









Here he is eating an eel he's just caught out of the rice field.  They really are beautiful birds.