What is a sea-kingfisher? Why would it attack a sailor? Why would the sailor have a stick handy to attack it with? And how did the bird win?
All these questions will probably never be answered. And then there is this: “According to sources, incidents of sea birds’ attack on sailors have increased recently.”
Corey is a New Yorker who lived most of his life in upstate New York but has lived in Queens since 2008. He's only been birding since 2005 but has garnered a respectable life list by birding whenever he wasn't working as a union representative or spending time with his family. He lives in Forest Hills with Daisy and Desmond Shearwater. His bird photographs have appeared on the Today Show, in Birding, Living Bird Magazine, Bird Watcher's Digest, and many other fine publications. He is also the author of the American Birding Association Field Guide to the Birds of New York.
Pied Kingfisher at a guess. And they would attack sailors because they are badass.
Everyone gets better and no one dies at Little Flower Hospital.
Sounds like he got his reward for chasing it with a stick. Sadly the story doesn’t reveal the fate of the ‘kingfisher’; I think you should contact them Corey and explain there is a whole world of birders out here that would love to know (and might even consider a cruise if they can gurantee Pied KIngfishers in the dining room!).
Hopefully not on a dinner plate in the dining room though,,,,