{"id":1645,"date":"2018-10-28T15:02:50","date_gmt":"2018-10-28T15:02:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/?p=1645"},"modified":"2022-03-31T20:19:27","modified_gmt":"2022-03-31T20:19:27","slug":"hurricane-florence-before-and-after","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/index.php\/2018\/10\/28\/hurricane-florence-before-and-after\/","title":{"rendered":"Belted Kingfisher"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"830\" height=\"621\" src=\"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_7152-830x621.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1664\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_7152-830x621.jpg 830w, https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_7152-830x621-300x224.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_7152-830x621-768x575.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 830px) 100vw, 830px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>Belted Kingfisher <\/strong>(<em>Megaceryle alcyon)<\/em> returns to the coast every year in October after months away at inland breeding grounds in the Piedmont or Mountains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"830\" height=\"623\" src=\"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_7164-830x623.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1663\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_7164-830x623.jpg 830w, https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_7164-830x623-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_7164-830x623-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 830px) 100vw, 830px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>A solitary bird, the kingfisher is blue-gray in color with a crested head that\u2019s large in proportion to its body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"830\" height=\"607\" src=\"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/kingfish-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3153\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/kingfish-2.jpg 830w, https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/kingfish-2-300x219.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/kingfish-2-768x562.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 830px) 100vw, 830px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The female has added brownish patches on the white breast&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"830\" height=\"657\" src=\"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/kingfish-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3154\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/kingfish-1.jpg 830w, https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/kingfish-1-300x237.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/kingfish-1-768x608.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 830px) 100vw, 830px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"830\" height=\"621\" src=\"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_4501-830x621.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1666\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_4501-830x621.jpg 830w, https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_4501-830x621-300x224.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_4501-830x621-768x575.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 830px) 100vw, 830px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>You usually see a kingfisher peering down into the water from above. It might perch on a tree branch or utility wire suspended above the water. Or on a fence or dock railing, or even on a sailboat rigging. After spotting a fish below the surface, it will plunge headfirst into the water to grab it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"830\" height=\"622\" src=\"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/kingfish-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3152\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/kingfish-3.jpg 830w, https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/kingfish-3-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/kingfish-3-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 830px) 100vw, 830px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"830\" height=\"621\" src=\"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_9705-830x621.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1668\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_9705-830x621.jpg 830w, https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_9705-830x621-300x224.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_9705-830x621-768x575.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 830px) 100vw, 830px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>They\u2019re especially easy to spot at public boat ramps or marinas in town as they squawk loudly while flying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"830\" height=\"594\" src=\"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_9704-830x594.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_9704-830x594.jpg 830w, https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_9704-830x594-300x215.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_9704-830x594-768x550.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 830px) 100vw, 830px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"830\" height=\"596\" src=\"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/kingfish-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3155\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/kingfish-4.jpg 830w, https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/kingfish-4-300x215.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/kingfish-4-768x551.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 830px) 100vw, 830px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-large is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><em>The grasshopper flies about, but the kingfisher watches him.<\/em><\/p><cite>Samoan Proverb<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Here are posts about other shorebirds:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/index.php\/2018\/09\/21\/encounters-with-green-herons\/\">Encountering Green Herons &gt;&gt;<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/index.php\/2018\/09\/02\/coastal-sun-bathers\/\">Coastal Sunbathers &gt;&gt;<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/index.php\/2018\/09\/02\/winter-loons-and-mergansers\/\">Winter Loons and Mergansers &gt;&gt;<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/index.php\/2020\/01\/07\/double-crested-cormorant\/\">Double-crested Cormorant &gt;&gt;<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) returns to the coast every year in October after months away at inland breeding grounds in the Piedmont or Mountains. A solitary bird, the kingfisher is blue-gray in color with a crested head that\u2019s large in proportion to its body. The female has added brownish patches on the white breast&#8230; [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1668,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"sfsi_plus_gutenberg_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_show_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_type":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_alignemt":"","sfsi_plus_gutenburg_max_per_row":"","iawp_total_views":12,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[9],"tags":[59,58],"class_list":["post-1645","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-shorebirds-of-north-carolina","tag-belted-kingfisher","tag-canada-goose"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_9705-830x621.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1645","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1645"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1645\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3873,"href":"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1645\/revisions\/3873"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1668"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1645"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1645"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1645"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}