It’s all about expectations.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
By now I’m sure all of my regular readers recognize this perch overhanging a stream in the mountains. In recent months I’ve posted over two dozen photos of immature and adult Belted Kingfishers that were perched on it. I’ve spent so much time looking through my lens at kingfishers perched here that I habitually refer to this dead branch as the ‘kingfisher perch’.
This photo was taken two days ago and the kingfisher is a mess. He’s wringing wet from a recent dive to catch the fish in his bill and he’s molting (in other photos I can see many missing wing and tail feathers). I actually laughed at him when I took the shot because once again he’s in a defensive posture in response to an attacking Barn Swallow but he couldn’t open his bill to look more menacing like he usually does in this situation because if he did he’d drop the fish. So here he’s trying to look mean but he can’t open his bill to look more aggressive to the swallow. It must have been frustrating for the kingfisher.
But my real point with this photo is to emphasize the fact that when I see this perch my mind screams kingfisher!
1/4000, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
So when this male Lazuli Bunting landed on the ‘kingfisher perch’ on the same morning the previous photo was taken it briefly threw me a bit off kilter. I rarely see other birds perched here and the small size and bright colors of the bunting are so shockingly different from those of a kingfisher I had a moment or two of discombobulation as I looked through my lens.
Here I’ve left the bunting small in the frame to allow a more complete view of the perch but…
here’s a tighter crop to provide a better look at the beautiful little male.
My friends know me as the poster child for ‘creature of habit’ and I was conditioned to seeing almost nothing but kingfishers here so this colorful little bunting threw me for a bit of a loop.
But given my predilection for and comfort with routine that’s easy to do when something new and unexpected comes along.
Ron
Nice bonus to have the Lazuli Bunting land on the same perch. Like both shots though the Kingfisher looks a little ragged-or is he just wet?
THIS creature of habit is smiling broadly at being able to start her morning here again, knowing that she would do a very happy dance if she saw either of these beauties.
I assume the barn swallow left the bunting alone?
Yup, there was no attack on the bunting that I saw. Apparently the swallows just dislike kingfishers.
Spending most of my life discombobulated, I totally understand. 😉 Love those “old-fashioned” words (except that they remind me that I’m as antique as my vocabulary 😂).
I don’t think I’ve ever realized just how tiny Lazuli Buntings are — and don’t think I would have without your perch shots for scale. Makes the Belted Kingfisher look like a gorilla (a very disheveled gorilla) by comparison. As long as I have your blog, I know I can learn something new every day.
Thank you, Marty. They’re small enough that this far away I’d normally not even take the shot but who can resist those gorgeous colors, small in the frame or not.
I’ve had a more than a few few bad hair days like that kingfisher! 😬
Have yet to see a lazuli bunting in person, think I might fall over from delight if and when I finally do. Gorgeous creature.
They sure are, Chris.
They are beautiful. I need to take one up for release but it wasn’t ready this morning for me to take, so it is to be another day.
April, as you know there are many appropriate areas to release a bunting up there.
LOVE the kingfisher. Life is all about priorities, isn’t it? Food is more difficult to acquire, requires more energy, and so keeping that meal is more important than the attacking swallow who’s not likely to pose that big a problem!
Molting time can be stressful. Mariah had a bad feather day yesterday, looking all disheveled and discombobulated. Today, however, she’s back to where her feather loss/growth is not real visible unless you’re looking closely. Preening is a marvelous ability!
And the bunting…just WOW on all aspects of that beauty! There’s such a magic about birds. What outrageous wonderfulness they bring to our lives!
And from one creature of habit to another, I’ve been using old words for a while just because they’re so perfectly descriptive of the situation. Words like flabbergasted, kerfluffle, gobsmacked, and yes, discombobulated! They are so often useful (among others on the list that won’t come to mind at the moment) when talking/writing about birds, aren’t they? Keep using them! Let’s bring ’em back–REAL words!
Thanks, Laura. I’d be lost without many of those old-time words.
You got me! I shared your lack of combobulation as I scrolled down to the colorful usurper.
And I’m guessing the Barn Swallows were nowhere to be seen, no doubt pursuing the Belted Kingfisher.
Yup, the swallows left the bunting alone, Lyle. But they really don’t like those kingfishers!
Can I ask again what camera you are using for these crystal clear photos? What lens did you use for the Bunting? Where I live and work in California we have many Lazuli buntings and over the years have taken so may bad shots of them! It is definitely one of my favorite birds and your photo is beautiful!!! Thanks again for your comments!
Marisela, all my image techs including the answers to your questions are beneath the first two photos.
What a beauty! That color of blue is almost too much for a ‘native’ bird. It’s the color I would expect from a tropical. Would love to see one of these birds someday. I can almost see that kingfisher pleading with the swallow…’please let me eat!’ I envy your time with the kingfishers this summer. 🙂
“It’s the color I would expect from a tropical”
I agree, Kathy. The males almost seem out of place around here.
Laughing as a fellow creature of habit and comfort! 🙂 Discombobulated is a wonderful word I haven’t heard in awhile…… The kingfisher certainly is a mess – at least he didn’t lose breakfast! 😉 The “kingfisher perch” here (other than the power line over the creek) finally ended up in the creek a number of years ago. The bunting is gorgeous – beautiful little birds…… 🙂
Judy, I remember using discombobulated as a kid (probably because I thought it was a challenge to pronounce) and then it mostly escaped my vocabulary for years. Recently I’ve taken a liking to it again.
The word does have a nice feel an roll in the mouth. Discombobulated. gives the face a mouth a workout!
And the tongue!
I’ve never seen one of these handsome guys before. Beautiful pic!
Thanks, Rick. When you see the males you don’t forget them.
Their colors are so bold and beautiful. I rarely get to see them and then when I do I don’t think I have ever seen one so open and exposed as this. Usually I am fighting branches, twigs, and leaves just hoping it will step out into the open for a couple seconds. The Kingfisher must have been happy with his fish, but frustrated by the swallows and the fact that this pretty bird had taken his favorite perch for a couple minutes. Great shots all. On my way out hoping for some good eagle shots.
Good luck with your eagles, Everett.
As a fellow creature of habit, that bunting is a little disconcerting. Would the kingfisher give chase if he saw him on “his” perch?
I’m not sure, Cathy. I haven’t seen those kingfishers chase off birds of other species at that location. My guess is that they wouldn’t.