Birmingham Kingfisher January 2019

Birmingham Kingfisher present in January 2019 on the River Rea and Bourn Brook

Birmingham Kingfisher December 2018

Birmingham Kingfisher present in December 2018 on the River Rea and Bourn Brook

Birmingham Kingfisher present in December 2018 on Merecroft Pool

Birmingham Kingfisher Update November 2018

Birmingham Kingfisher Update November 2018;
So the Kingfisher return continues;
On the River Rea the Kingfisher has been tricky to find repeatedly on the Selly Park section. I took a look one weekend along the Lifford Lane and where the Rea crosses the canal and there were a couple there.
Last Saturday the Kingfisher was on the stretch down from the Bourn joining.
I then took a look Sunday and heard repetitive calling from the Bourn joining. On taking a closer look two Kingfisher flew out from the bank.
Then close to Dad's Lane there was another Kingfisher in the hidden section near where they've nested before. It was in the bushes over the river and flew up and over the bush.

These Kingfisher on the Rea could be the two I saw on the Bourn early one morning. They were chasing and calling. Before that I had seen one over the Bourn near the Cadbury works.

Meanwhile on the Bourn Brook, I've seen two chasing along there by the blue and grey bridges. A single Kingfisher is now pretty regular along the Bourn Brook from the New Fosse Way roundabout to the blue bridge.
I've seen one as far along as Woodgate Valley but always difficult to find there.

Back to the River Rea, I saw a Kingfisher on Merecroft Pool a couple times. It was very vocal.
Further along at the end of the River Rea, I found two Kingfisher where it joins the River Tame. I've not visited this area of the River Tame that much this year but during mid summer and late summer I saw a Kingfisher there so maybe they were there over Spring and Summer.

The other regular sight of course was the River Cole at Trittiford where I know the pair of Kingfisher had one brood of chicks fledge, plus I'm pretty sure another later brood fledged but I was away during the week so missed them.

The other Kingfisher I saw a few times was on the River Cole at Babbs Mill.
Then I saw one at Meriden Park.

Birmingham Kingfisher August 2018

So finally some new Kingfisher appeared back on the Bourn, Bourn Brook annd River Rea.
The new Kingfisher on the River Rea I saw a few times but always tricky to find.
The new Kingfisher on the Bourn Brook I've seen it once.
Trevor Jones saw a new Kingfisher on the Bourn.
These are all the first sightings since the beast from the east and all the rain that followed.
Also I saw one along the River Tame under Spaghetti Junction. I've only visited here a few times this year.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/88816303@N08/

Kingfisher Fledgling July 2018

It was great last month to see four Kingfisher fledge and I got photos of them all

https://www.flickr.com/photos/88816303@N08/

Kingfisher Summer Update 2018

After the disappearance of the River Rea and Bourn Brook Kingfisher it was good to find one along the River Cole at the end of April.

It was then present May, June and July.
There was also one at Babbs Mill Lake in June.
On the 14th of July after an absence of 3 months there was a Kingfisher on the River Rea, Selly Park.
In Essex there were Kingfisher at Chafford Gorge and the Stanford Warren fishing lakes.

Nightingale, Croome Park, NT

I was keen to hear a Nightingale singing closer to home.
So from the BTO website I saw they were at Croome Park in Worcester.
I made a visit late May on Sunday morning.
I was told I could hear Nightingales at the woods at the end of the park river.
But my ear was tuned to the call and I heard one singing in the hawthorn hedge, next to the cow field and meadows as I followed the path to the woods.
It was singing loudly and I listened to it for more than twenty minutes.
Great!