2014 Kingfisher madness!!

Ok, I've not kept my blog going but I have been writing my sightings on Birdforum. With all the sightings - it's time for an update to the blog. It's been a bumper year for me 2014 and my kingfisher sightings. I guess this is because I've been visiting reliable sites with kingfisher. I use BTO and last years sites to find good reliable sightings. Possibly also because the winter was mild? My total tally of kingfisher sightings in 2013 was approx. 25 at different sites. (note not repeat sightings at the same site but individual sites with kingfisher) This year in May, 2014, I am already at that same number approx. 25. I've been on a role with a number of kingfisher pair sightings. This has been pretty shocking as once it was just something to see one kingfisher but to see a pair is special. And then to see pair after pair at different sites is a bit lucky and even more of a surprise. What was also good was to see a pair and then see them again. This happened at both the River Cole and Warren Fishery. I shall have to remember then when each trip bought a pair sighting - that was a roll. I think it was the Cole and Mardyke. What was very surprising, a delight to hear and a bit of a din was the noise a pair make. At Warren fishery this was a right racket as it was in a confined space. Then at the Cole and Mardyke it was a delight to hear. At the Mardyke I heard them calling first, then said to myself 'that's a pair' and then hey presto - a pair sat next to each other on a branch. That was the other shocker - four pairs were sat together on a branch (obviously not all together but individual pairs) - until I disturbed them of course!! (and please note, I do try to keep my distance, and once I have seen them or got my photo, I do then leave them in peace)
The pair sightings have been at; 2 at Grimley GP, Surrey 2 on the R. Cole 2 on the Bourn 2 at Warren Fishery 2 on the Mardyke 2 on Sandwell Valley Forge Mill lake 2 at Chafford Gorges
A complete list of 2014 sightings is; Meercroft 2 at Grimley GP, Surrey 2 on the R. Cole 2 on the Bourn 2 at Warren Fishery (actually I think I've heard 3 here) 2 on the Mardyke R. Roding / Wanstead park Belhus Woods - now seen four at this site!! Meriden park, Kingsbury brook, Chelmsley Wood, Solihull 1 or 2 at Langdon Lake Another on the Bourn? A lone KF appeared one evening from no where and fished really fast Banbury Sandwell Valley and then a pair Sheepwash UP Chafford gorges - another pair this time fly past Rye Meads - didn't actually see it but heard it fishing in the reeds. And also note - none of these have been seen from a hide. All were just when I was merrily waking by. OK I admit some are at Nature Reserves or Country parks but some have taken some patience. Belhus Woods for instance, as it is a large site and throughout 2013 a number of visits had drawn a blank. Same for Sandwell Valley and I shall confess Sheepwash UP I only heard it go past. What was even more shocking and an absolute delight was. I was rewarded with a four kingfisher fly pass, sighting in Essex. I might have seen four fledglings as first I saw two kingfisher looking a bit lost flying into a bush. Then there was a lot of kingfisher calls and commotion. I then saw four kingfishers flying across a lake, two went straight across and two around an island. I took this to be the two parents chasing off the young. This was quite stunning.
Complete 2014 list;

1) Meercroft Pool, Birmingham

2) 2 Surrey

3) 2 River Cole - Hall Green, Birmingham

4) 2 Bourn - Bournville, Birmingham

5) 2 Warren Fishery, Essex

6) 2 River Mardyke, Essex

7) 2 River Roding / Wanstead, London

8) Belhus Woods CP, Essex - then 4

9) Chelmsley Wood / Kinghurst Brook / River Cole

10) 1 or 2 Langdon Lake, Dunton, Essex (20)

11) Another on the Bourn, BVT, Birmingham (21)

12) Banbury (22)

13) Sandwell Valley CP - 2 (24)

14) Sheepwash UP (25)

15) Chafford Gorge, Essex (27)

16) Kingsbury Water Park (28)

17) Another on R. Cole, Hall Green (29)

18) R. Cole - KCP, Birmingham (30)

19) River Rea juv, Birmingham (31)

20) Merecroft Pool, Brimingham (32)

21) Rye Meads (33)

22) River Rea - Digbeth, Birmingham (34)

23) Edgbaston Reservoir, Birmingham (35)

24) Ingreborne - Upminster (36)

25) Woking Leisure Centre park (37)

26) Bourn Brook walkway (38)

Phyllis Currie NR Kingfisher

I visited here a number of times and have seen this kingfisher on all visits but not been able to get a photo.

Wanstead Park Kingfisher

I went to Wanstead park this evening and saw the kingfisher at 8.00 with a fish in it's mouth as it flew by.

Ryemeads Kingfisher

I took a visit to Ryemeads RSPB site.
It has a kingfisher bank with nests.
I'll write more but wanted to make a record of it.
I visited Monday 22nd July.

June Kingfishers 2013

Well, it's been quiet on my local Midlands patches for Kingfishers. I think because they had to go and find mates. With that in mind, I have been searching for some nests, but this has been like finding a needle in a hay stack. However in the process I have found new kingfishers. The first was in Chipping Ongar in Essex, on the River Roding. I read about this area online and it mentioned kingfishers so off I went. A beautiful area and town, with a nature trail through lovely meadows with a good river flowing at the bottom. When I saw the river and trees and vegetation, I knew it was perfect for kingfisher. It had plenty of cover and slow bends where I knew they could fish. So I'm on a bend just down from a footbridge - when yes!! A kingfisher!! It flew down the river and I found it again before it flew off - good result and good guide by the local council.

Of all the things............

OK a dead funny and silly tale; about my work pond!! It's a private work site with a pond on a green behind work. A colleague told me he had seen a heron near this pond and I have seen them flying over work so thought I best give the pond an early evening check. The pond is used at lunch time by workers, sitting on the benches and getting some fresh air or sun when it shines. So I had a look about 7.00 in the evening when it was dead quiet. It's a stone throw from the car park and trees shield it from work. Well imagine my surprise when I spotted, not a heron but a kingfisher, which took flight and flew around the pond. It looked unsure of where to land but decided on a tree, over on the far side to me. I went to grab my camera but was then unsure about the no camera's, site policy. Anyway what with my indecision, I then took another look but could not find it - I think with the lack of cover it flew off. Mega result and not what I expected at work! What's even more hilarious is colleagues said do you think a kingfisher uses the pond and me thinking I'm the expert said - no, too small, muddy or no stream/brook/river near by. Just goes to show what do I know!! Ho hum!!

More Kingfishers

Well - I think the Woodgate Valley Kingfisher has gone in search of a mate!! I am no expert and neither might be the person on a forum, who said around this time of year, Kingfishers return or find a suitable breeding ground area. I think this might be where the Woodgate Kingfisher has gone. Not only that one but it looks like the Langdon Meadows lake one and the Leasowes one. The good news is though I found some new ones. I've seen one in Wickford, on the River Crouch. Seen it once, on my first visit. Did not see it on a couple return visits. It was quite a distance when it flew off so could not get a photo. Then I saw another new one at Trittiford lake, Yardley Wood, Birmingham. It was on the River Cole next to the lake. It was a really quick sighting as there were people walking. As I saw it land on a tree over the river, I went to grab the camera but it had flown off. My most successful sighting has been on the River Mardyke, down from North Stifford, where I have seen a kingfisher on three visits. The first two visits I got very bad photo's as this bird flies off well before I get near. On my second visit it was landing about a hundred metres ahead of me and then flying off until it finally flew quite a distance up river. It was then as I walked back it flew past me. Probably back to where I first found it, as it seems to be in relatively the same place each time. It was there last week when it was very windy but I only saw it once as there were a couple runners out who might have made it fly, so I did not see where it went. On that visit I also saw a heron which really struggled to fly with the strong wind and another favourite of mine, the little egret. I can tell this is a good fishing area as the fish jump out and they surface for some time, poking their heads out. As it is the mating season, I'm expecting to find a couple but not seen that. Makes me wonder why some fly off to find a mate and some possibly remain on their own. It could be age I guess but it's all down to nature.