![\"belted](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/belted-kingfisher-2905b-ron-dudley.jpg\")
1\/2500, f\/7.1, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nI photographed the female Belted Kingfisher just over 3 weeks ago\u00a0as she was beating up on the loach before swallowing it. When caught these fish are slippery, squirmy and flexible and in my other shots of the behavior the loach had almost tied itself in knots so its body couldn’t be seen particularly well. This is one of the few shots where its slender, eel-like\u00a0body is extended for better viewing.<\/p>\n
These loaches\u00a0(there are several species) are native to East Asia and invasive in North America. They’re a popular aquarium fish, partly due to a fascinating behavior.\u00a0They’re able to detect changes in barometric pressure and approaching storms make them noticeably hyperactive with frantic swimming and standing on end – thus the name “weather loach”. They’re actually used to predict weather (I’ll bet they’re more accurate than our local forecasters too…).<\/p>\n
Loaches (they can reach a foot in length)\u00a0are\u00a0a common human food fish in East Asia with large-scale fish farming providing great quantities of them to local markets and restaurants. Personally, I’m grateful that (as far as I know)\u00a0in North America\u00a0these bottom dwelling scavengers are\u00a0only eaten by our birds. They don’t look very\u00a0appetizing to me.<\/p>\n
Ron<\/p>\n
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This is a look at the weather loach (fish) not seen in my previous posts of this bird.<\/p>\n