Birds · Field Record

Belted Kingfisher

Megaceryle alcyon

A Belted Kingfisher perches on an exposed branch at Grindstone Marshes Trail, photographed in late autumn. The sequence shows the bird from both close and wider perspectives, with its large head, shaggy crest, long heavy bill, blue-grey upperparts, white collar, and chestnut banding clearly visible. The chestnut coloration across the lower breast and flanks identifies this individual as a female Belted Kingfisher. The bird remains perched throughout the sequence. Its elevated position on a bare branch provides a clear vantage point above nearby wetland habitat, although the photographs do not establish whether it was actively hunting at the moment of observation. This record is especially strong as field documentation because the subject, perch, and surrounding marsh context all read clearly together. It captures a species closely associated with water while also showing how small vertical elements such as bare branches function as important observation and hunting perches within wetland landscapes.