Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)
Cemex Reserve, Fairborn, Ohio
"My wish is to stay always like this, living quietly in a corner of nature." - Claude Monet
Cemex to me is the epitome of wade-friendly areas in Greene county. The map at the trailhead shows an almost mile loop trail around the entire large pond or small lake, yet the entire western side is overgrown and muddy. This is a letdown as there could be some amazing potential of viewing wildlife from the other side! Because of this, throwing on the chest waders seems to be the only way to get a decent look at the birdlife, as close and careful as you can get to them.
Wading around all morning brought me back to my starting point. This root-submerged tree in the water had a single kingfisher perched for a quick 30 seconds. I had been hearing their "machine gun" call all day as they flew back and forth along the water, yet being such a small bird I never could get in the way for a good shot or even look. This was the best I could do that day, and they were my first images taken of them as well. While not a frame-filler, I like the vertical perspective and showing more of the tree it is perching from for a sense of place. Now one of my goal shots in the long term is a split second shot of them diving straight underwater for a fishy catch!
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