Kingfisher Diving above a River

The kingfisher is a moment away from the water. Its pointed beak leads the dive, with blue wings raised behind its head and an orange breast turned towards us. Tiny pale marks cover the crown. The bird has left a mossy branch above the river, where sunlight picks out the tips of the moss.

Below it, ripples bend the outlines of the pebbles on the riverbed. The shallow water looks golden near the front and greener under the shaded bank. Large rocks break up the surface on either side. There is plenty of blue on the bird, but only narrow streaks of it among the reflections.