BIRMINGHAM BOURN BROOK DIPPER

BIRMINGHAM BOURN BROOK DIPPER

It was great to find a Dipper on the Bourn Brook, my second one after an earlier one in January.

It was in the spot normally frequented by a Kingfisher, but none of this years Kingfisher have used this spot much. It was good several others saw it as well and it hung around for a couple months.

Kingfishers 2016

As it get's to the end of the year it's good to look back on another cracking year for Kingfisher. I will slowly write up my top ten highlights of Kingfishers 2016; 
1) Number one has got to be Kingfisher nesting. In 2016 I saw more Kingfisher nesting than any other year. OK I only saw my first Kingfisher nests in 2015. In 2015, I saw one Kingfisher pair nesting, in 2016, I saw three pairs in three Birmingham locations. The first location was the River Rea, where I was lucky to see them nesting in three locations. Unfortunately one nest was flooded by the high water due to all the rain. The next location was the River Cole at one end of Birmingham and the third location was again the River Cole but at the opposite end of Birmingham. These were actual sightings of Kingfishers going in and out of the next. Other nests locations were another on the River Rea, I couldn't see the next due to the tree hidden valley. The final one had to be a nest on the River Tame. The Kingfisher were busy flying up and down and carrying fish. Great!

Bourn Brook Kingfishers

For the past few years there have been Kingfishers present over winter on the Bourn Brook in Birmingham. Late 2016, this has been repeated with two Kingfishers very close together on the Bourn Brook Walkway. One appears to cover the distance from the QE up to Reservoir Road. Another is then present where the Stone Brook joins the Bourn Brook. I've seen one here before maybe in 2014 but never checked it our regularly as it's hidden by trees. But in 2016 I've seen it a few times. It will do a u turn just before the bridge and fly back up the brook. I've managed to get photo's of them both. One was a juvenile. In winter 2015 there were a few Kingfisher, maybe four from the River Rea to the Bourn Brook walkway. I used to stop at every bridge and have a look and sometimes, bingo, there was a Kingfisher. In 2016 I've seen five, three close together on the Rea and the two on the Bourn Brook. It's always great to see them!