Feb 20, 2009: Ice Diver

[xoxoxoBruce]

Everybody wants to join the Polar Bear club.



This may be shopped.
I don't know what kind of bird it is, so it could be tropical for all I know.
I just liked the picture.

[Thunder.gryphoN]

The bird is a Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis). It is widespread across most of Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa.

I am thinking photo manipulation on this one, comparing the size of the bird with the texture of the snow and ice, and the artifacts surrounding the kingfisher.
The bird looks to be a tad too small (The common kingfisher is roughly sparrow-sized), though birds can often seem to vary greatly in size because they can raise or lower their feathers.
Additionally, since the kingfishers rely heavily on fish and other aquatic prey, they need a sizable amount of open water, and I find it unlikely the kingfisher in the photo would have stuck around for a winter like that.

[SPUCK]

Yeah why would he leave his beak open?

[capnhowdy]

Originally Posted by SPUCK

Yeah why would he leave his beak open?

He could be attempting suicide.

[Leokins]

Originally Posted by capnhowdy

He could be attempting suicide.

On a tree by a river a little tom-tit
Sang "Willow, titwillow, titwillow!"
And I said to him, "Dicky-bird, why do you sit
Singing Willow, titwillow, titwillow'?"
"Is it weakness of intellect, birdie?" I cried,
"Or a rather tough worm in your little inside?"
With a shake of his poor little head, he replied,
"Oh, willow, titwillow, titwillow!"

He slapped at his chest, as he sat on that bough,
Singing "Willow, titwillow, titwillow!"
And a cold perspiration bespangled his brow,
Oh, willow, titwillow, titwillow!
He sobbed and he sighed, and a gurgle he gave,
Then he plunged himself into the billowy wave,
And an echo arose from the suicide's grave —
"Oh, willow, titwillow, titwillow!"

[Diaphone Jim]

Lot s of giggles as usual and pretty pics, but I vote for just plain fake.
No possible way he or she manages to grab ahold of three fish in one dive.
Looks like work the pencil kitty drawer could do with pastels.

[TheMercenary]

Because he is thirsty.

[Sundae]

I don't know - it could be real. Lovely, lovely picture anyway.

Dads used to cycle to work, going over a small humped back bridge over the Grand Union Canal, which comes to a not-so-grand dead end in Aylesbury. Sorry, I mean a basin. Because of his shift patterns he was often there early in the morning, and very often saw kingfishers. He always lamented his lack of skill with a camera, because he would have loved to capture them. The truth is, my Dad is not great with a camera. He occasionally lucks out with a good shot, but nothing like the semi-pros we have here. The irony is, he could draw one better than most of the Cellar. Probably, haven't seen your drawing skills.

Anyway.

This might have been taken in England this year. For the first time in my memory, the canal froze over. And we had snow at least this deep. It's a feasible shot in my opinion.

And I love kingfishers. And halycon days.

[wolf]

They're migratory, and shouldn't be where there's snow, right?

(I didn't think kingfisher because you can't see the crest. I spent some unsuccessful time on a birdfinder site last night)

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by wolf

They're migratory, and shouldn't be where there's snow, right?

UK kingfishers certainly aren't migratory.
And they feed from slow moving water (hence their prevalence on canals). This might turn out to be 'shopped, but not because of any anomaly in bird facts.

[monster]

that looks like a hole drilled for ice fishing. There are Kingfishers on the lake here where they ice fish, biut I've never seen one in Winter

[xoxoxoBruce]

Ouch! Good reason cover your icehole.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Ouch! Good reason cover your icehole.

[Sarasvati48]

Oh, y'all think this is Photoshopped, but you believed every single frame of the junk that was being pulled out of that skate! LOL!

[xoxoxoBruce]

It's a fool that plays it cool by making his life a little colder.