the Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon)

Sometimes I am just plain lucky by being in the 'right place at the right time' like I was yesterday. I had stopped on the bridge above the river and had noticed a Spotted Sandpiper fly under it and land on some rocks on the other side. I crossed to the other side too and tried to get a few good shots but the bird was quite a distance away and even with my lens at its furthest extension I still could not get a good picture.

I was going to turn away when suddenly I saw a Belted Kingfisher dart out from some where. It perched on a rock and started throwing something in the air and then caught it and repeatedly seemed to bang it against the rock a few times. It was only after I got back home and down loaded my pictures that I could see that it was a frog that it had caught.
I have made a previous posting on the Belted Kingfisher on September 6, '06. It can be found in the archives section under 2006-09-03