Powerpoint

Streaking out of the water like a bullet, his beak is a real power point.

Firstly - massive massive heartfelt thank you’s to everyone who dropped in on my Journal for my blip birthday yesterday. Big thank you’s too for all the lovely comments, the liberal sprinkling of hearts and stars and most of all for the positive encouragement over the last three years! Blip is such a terrific and supportive community. It means a lot to me especially when it comes to the really fabulous blippers I have met and friendships I’ve made in that time! For that I count myself very fortunate and lucky.


Perching from a branch to see the fish in the water underneath, the kingfisher uses monocular vision - that is - it uses each eye separately. However, whilst underwater this amazingly changes to binocular vision; using both eyes together to judge distance. Travelling at about 90km per hour into the water for it’s prey the tiny bird goes no deeper than 20cm, pivots, opens it’s wings to use like oars underwater and powers out - all in the space of 3 seconds flat. Looking at the stats that is as fast as a jet-fighter. In relation to it’s size there is very little splash due to the aerodynamic shape of the head and beak. A bird which lives up to it’s name I think.