Bird Observations

The american dippers (Cinclus mexicanus) that frequent Indian River near its mouth were singing today as I made my way through the forest towards the river bank. I later saw two of them wading in different parts of the river. I imagine that they were feeding. I hoped to see a kingfisher as I had a couple of days ago. When I first reached the estuary, I did not see the kingfisher. However, as I made my way out towards the point, I heard its call on the other side of the river mouth and looked through the trees in time to see the flash a kingfisher flying up to along the far shore. There was a man walking along that shore and I suspect that he had inadvertantly disturbed the kingfisher. I continued to the beach at the point and tried to see where the kingfisher was perched, but I was unable to find it. As I sat watching, the movement of the kingfisher taking flight caught my eye. It flew across the river mouth towards a tree that was not too far from where I was sitting. Suddenly, as it neared the tree, it made a u-turn and headed back out towards the water (perhaps it saw me and was not comfortable). I watched as it did a mid-air hover over the water and then lost sight of it as it flew across the bay.

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