You often hear a Belted Kingfisher before you see it, with a distinctive chatter as they swoop over ponds or marshes looking for a fish lunch.

This one landed in the Spoonie Tree, too far for a good photo of such a small bird, but a picturesque scene.

A little while later one that was clearly on a mission passed me as I walked along a dike.

And then he landed in another artful looking dead tree, creating an unmistakable silhouette.

Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
September 2, 2023