After The Dive

   The little female Belted Kingfisher that hangs around between the pier and my brother's pier has become rather accustomed to my presence.  At first, even getting that sought after photograph was difficult.  She darted here and there and was never sitting still enough for the camera to focus on her.  This morning was foggy but my little friend was still busy catching breakfast.  She was sitting on a rope strung between two posts on my brother's pier.  She would wait for an unsuspecting fish to swim close to the water's surface then dive down to retrieve it.  She is very adept at catching most any fish she deems to be a meal. 

  While I watched, she caught several before settling in to "clean up the mess".  Her feathers were soaked between the dive and the heavy fog...time for a bath! Using her long beak, the little bird thoroughly went through every feather...from head to toe!  Several times she fluffed the feathers out which made her look twice her actual size!

  Once she cleared the feathers of most of the water, she began preening.  Preening is a method of "oiling" the feathers to keep them somewhat waterproof but also in good condition.  Birds use oil from a uropygial gland that is near the base of their tails.  They use their beaks to smooth the oil on each feather then on their legs and feet.  It seems that birds have quite the "beauty" routine but this is merely a method of protecting their feathers and leg/feet scales.  

  After my bird friend finished, she flew off to another perch high in a pine tree near the marsh.  For me, I already had dozens of photographs and a light coating of fog settling on my clothing.  It was time for me to head back to the Little Bayou House and clean up myself!