In many ways, finding and photographing a Belted Kingfisher has been my white whale this season. I’ve taken nine separate trips trying to spot one. The closest I’d come before yesterday was capturing audio—just once. Every time I’d post my eBird checklist after a trip, I’d see reports from other birders who had seen one, often while I was in the same area. Frustrating doesn’t begin to cover it.
My birding process has two basic rules:
- Only birds photographed with my digital camera count toward my Bird Nerd Project total, where I’m aiming for 150 species this year. I’m currently at 144.
- I only log a bird on eBird if I actually see it. Often, I identify birds first by song using the Merlin Bird ID app, then hunt them down with binoculars. If I both hear and see the bird, I feel good about confirming it.
Of course, I’ve gotten experienced enough to ID common species on sight, like Willets, which I can now identify from 50 yards without hesitation.
Field Notes
- Location: Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve
- Target Species: Belted Kingfisher
- Time/Conditions: 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., sunny and mild
- eBird Checklists: Checklist 1 | Checklist 2
The Sighting
Yesterday at Bolsa Chica, I heard a call I didn’t recognize as soon as I stepped onto the pedestrian bridge. I opened the Merlin app. Sure enough: Belted Kingfisher. But I couldn’t see it. I scanned the area, there were a few Snowy Egrets, Willets, and a single Great Blue Heron, but no Kingfisher in sight.
As I walked the bridge, it sounded like the call might be coming from beneath the superstructure. I checked carefully. Still nothing.
I was just about to give up when the call rang out again, clear and loud. I scanned the marsh and spotted a bird perched on a small solar-powered structure. It was my white whale. I snapped a dozen photos and watched it take to the sky. I even managed a few flight shots. It caught a fish, then flew beneath the bridge to eat in the shade.
Double the Luck
After that, I took a long walk through the reserve, logging over four miles. As is often the case, once I spotted one, I started seeing more. In a quiet corner of the wetlands, I saw another Belted Kingfisher, this one posed perfectly for a more artistic shot. Not my usual ID-focused photo, but something more expressive. A small gift from the birding gods.
I left a small offering, a handful of thistle and sunflower seeds to the pigeons in the parking lot. I counted them, too.
People and Moments
Birding always brings chance encounters. A few stood out:
- A volunteer who called herself the “Tuesday Volunteer,” walking the reserve picking up trash. She pointed me to a small group of Yellow-crowned Night Herons, a rare find here.
- A visitor from Iowa who recognized my name from recent birding reports. He mistook me for Joe Chandler, who I think of as “Joe of Bolsa Chica,” the local bird photographer. We laughed and chatted; he was loving his trip.
- A young birding couple I crossed paths with several times. I pointed out an Osprey eating a fish, and later, a second Kingfisher perched on a dead tree. Their excitement matched mine. That’s what birding is all about, discovery, connection, and shared joy.
Peanuts In My Pocket 
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