Belted Kingfisher The Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) returns to the coast every year in October after months away at inland breeding grounds in the Piedmont or Mountains. A solitary bird, the kingfisher is blue-gray in color with a crested head that’s large in proportion to its body. The female has added brownish patches on the white breast… You usually see a kingfisher peering down into the water from above. It might perch on a tree branch or utility wire suspended above the water. Or on a fence or dock railing, or even on a sailboat rigging. After spotting a fish below the surface, it will plunge headfirst into the water to grab it. They’re especially easy to spot at public boat ramps or marinas in town as they squawk loudly while flying. The grasshopper flies about, but the kingfisher watches him.Samoan Proverb Here are posts about other shorebirds: Encountering Green Herons >>Coastal Sunbathers >>Winter Loons and Mergansers >>Double-crested Cormorant >> Please follow and like: Share this:FacebookXLike this:Like Loading... Post navigation Great Horned Owl NestlingsDucks on a California Lake