stork-billed kingfisher from BeachBum on Vimeo.
Came across this Stork-Billed Kingfisher at the near end of the central bridge at about 12 noon. It had just managed to swoop down from a branch into the water and catch a fish. As if to pose for the onlookers on the bridge (only about 4 metres away), it turned to face the spectators. It started to do quite a bit of gymnastics with it's catch flicking its head from side to side and whacking the fish against the branch as if reassure itself that the fish was well and truly dead. There was a chunk of flesh missing from about a third from the tail. Perhaps the kingfisher had torn that out during the dive and capture process. It spun the fish around in it's beak and swung it against the branch repeatedly. You can just about hear the 'slap'. At times, it looked as if the bird would only end up with the tail end in its beak. Luckily for the bird, the tail end separated and fell to the water below before the bird manouvered the rest of the fish into its beak and swallowed. It took about three minutes to down the fish.