I went out that morning with a plan.
Plans, of course, are nature’s favorite things to ignore.
The Narrow River was just waking up. That half-light hour where the world is quiet enough to hear your own optimism. I was out early, tracking a pair of Bald Eagles that had been working the river like seasoned commuters—appearing, disappearing, reappearing just long enough to make you doubt your own patience. Each time they shifted, I shifted. New angle. New position. Longer lens. Shorter breath.
Eventually, I found myself on Middlebridge, scanning upriver with hope, habit, and an 800mm lens that has a way of encouraging commitment. That’s when I saw it.
The Christmas tree.
Every year, right there in the middle of the Narrow River, someone installs a floating dock with a fully decorated Christmas tree. Lights. Ornaments. Tinsel bravado. It’s festive, a little absurd, and completely perfect for Rhode Island. A Hallmark card meets maritime engineering.
I glanced at it, smiled… and then paused.
Something was off.
At the very top of the tree—where you’d expect a star, an angel, or maybe an ornament shaped like a clam—there was movement. Subtle. Intentional. Alive.
Now when something doesn’t belong in nature, it usually belongs in nature better than anything else. So I swung that 800mm around, dialed in, and leaned into disbelief.
Low and behold.
A Belted Kingfisher.
Perched proudly on the very tip of the Christmas tree.
If you’ve never seen a kingfisher, imagine a creature that looks like it was designed by a committee that couldn’t agree. Punk-rock crest. Oversized bill. Attitude for days. Not exactly your traditional symbol of peace on earth.
And yet… there he was. Spreading good cheer.
He sat there like he owned the place. Like he’d just finished stringing the lights himself and was waiting for applause. The ornaments twinkled below him, the river flowed quietly underneath, and the kingfisher surveyed his kingdom with the confidence of someone who knows he’s about to be part of a story.
The eagles? Forgotten.
The plan? Abandoned.
The moment? Perfect.
It was one of those scenes you couldn’t invent without sounding ridiculous. A Christmas tree floating in the middle of a river. A kingfisher as the tree topper. Dawn light. Still water. And a photographer who suddenly realized he’d just found next year’s Christmas card.
Nature has a funny way of reminding us that joy doesn’t always arrive dressed the way we expect. Sometimes it comes with feathers, a wild haircut, and a complete disregard for your agenda.
Kingfisher on a Christmas tree.
On the Narrow River.
Merry Christmas… apparently. 🎄🕊️
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