About fell out of the boat when this kingfisher jumped off its perch and began flying down the waterway in the Biesbosch in Holland, home of the largest freshwater marsh in Europe. Without thinking I began cursing ecstatically and jumping up and down, hoping to catch another glimpse of it and show it to Stijn and the kids. It had the most brilliant irridescent blue back and greenish wings. Smaller than the Belted kingfisher in N.A. and with a more gentle, higher pitched 2-part vocalization. This was one sweet find.
2 comments:
I love Kingfishers. They alway seem to make an exciting entrance or exit when I see them.
Your post also reminded me about my theory on Robin vocalizations. To my ear, the ones in the western US sound harsher while the eastern robin populations sound more melodic and sing-songy. I'm not sure if it is because I grew up on the east or what, but the singing is more comforting to me in the east.
The robins in Washington state sound like a group of drunk hobos sloppily crooning in your backyard.
rob
I love kingfishers too and almost fainted when i saw one in Holland. They're practically endangered in Europe, since many of the waterways have been channelized and there's not much riverbank for nesting (esp. bad in Belgium).
Neat observation about the east-west song difference. I do find eastern birdsong more comforting (than birdsong here), prob because i'm more familiar with it. Certain birds just make you feel at home when they sing, like the red-winged blackbird, yellow warbler, wood thrush.
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