Dreamstime

Thursday, 26 May 2016

When The White-throated Kingfisher Comes Visiting

A White-Throated Kingfisher Perching On My Roof One Morning (click to enlarge)

Just outside my bedroom window, there is this more-than-50-year-old mango tree. Doves, both Zebra and Spotted, make this tree their home. Regular tenants every night, some 4 or 5 of them.

Every now and then though, a White-throated Kingfisher will make this tree its dwelling too. Not permanent but just temporary for over a couple of days, even weeks maybe. I sometimes wonder why? Why such a short stay unlike the Doves.

Doves, they are gentle and tranquil. I hardly notice them sometimes. White-throated Kingfishers, in contrast, are loud. Very loud if they are just outside your window.

The day begins for the Kingfisher by giving off a loud deafening cry, usually at around a quarter to 7 in the mornings or its thereabouts. It will them fly off to perch nearby - on my roof (as shown above), on another tree branch, or even the telephone wire - before wandering off further.

The day usually ends at around 7:00 P.M. It will usually perch on my roof for some 30 minutes or more, catching a meal from within the mango trees if luck is on its side, before hoping on onto one of the branches, retiring for the day. No more loud cries after that until the following morning.


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