Kingfisher update

On the Easter weekend, April 2015 I got way more than I bargained for in my Kingfisher pursuit. The week before I had been to Germany for work which was quite a stressful challenge so it was nice to leave it all behind and forget it. I got home just before midnight but after a good nights sleep I was up early the next day. I headed to the River Rea where I had last seen the kingfisher couple and they were still present, calling to each other. I had to take a look and saw them both and from the cover of trees I took the following photographs.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/88816303@N08/16405982014/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/88816303@N08/17027545721/in/photostream/

Now what was interesting for me, is that the female appeared to have the same markings as the female I had been watching on the Bourn Brook for 5 months. Good to see that it had gone from a juvenile to an adult and had now found itself a mate. Also good to see it had wintered quietly on the Bourn, before moving up to the Rea for Spring. Especially as I had seen possibly 3 other female kf on the Rea over the winter. There seems to be have been a high number of female kingfisher on the Rea. I wonder where the male kf had come from, the only one I knew of was further along the Rea near Wychall. I thought that one had a partner there. But I guess the Rea has plenty of new kf who discover the territory.

The next day, I thought I best check out the River Cole kingfisher and as before with a bit of patience I found it by Sarehole Mill. I have run the length of the Cole from Trittiford to Sparkhill to try and find where it might be nesting this year. But have not got lucky. I had a good idea in 2014 where they nested but have not seem them there yet in 2015.
I then took another look on the Rea and the kingfisher couple were still present.

The next morning I was up really early with a plan to use the trees as cover to get some photographs. I can honestly say I got far more than I bargained for as I was party to the kingfisher mating ritual. This involved the male catching fish and giving them to the female.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/88816303@N08/16418004294/in/photostream/
Then the mating took place and they had a few goes at it. Lucky for me they did as it took me a few times to get some photos.
These photos are sessions 2 and 3;
https://www.flickr.com/photos/88816303@N08/17038494232/in/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/88816303@N08/16417196674/in/photostream/

The fourth morning I also took a look but they were back to just calling each other, flying up and down, fishing and stopping by the nest. Funny enough the nest is right next to a wren nest. Only a few feet away. The wren was constantly calling, patrolling it's territory.

All in all. It was a great weekend!!!!

Brandon Marsh Juv KF 2014

Kingfisher update

Saturday 28th March. 6.30AM River Rea
A great morning on the River Rea, a pair of kingfisher. I could hear them calling in the distance as I cycled along the track. They were hidden by the bushes along the track. I went on the opposite bank to see them. They were doing the two tone call to each other and one did a continuous call as it flew along. They flew up and down a couple times, stopping on perches together. I didn't want to disturb them too much so left them to it.
I then took a look on the Bourn Brook. I thought the kingfisher might have left to look for a mate but I was very surprised to find it. I don't think I had seen it for a month. I was not looking that closely for it and then heard it calling just further up from where I was looking. After I left it, it then flew a long to where I next stopped and much to my surprise stopped next to me. It sat on a perch bobbing it's head ready to dive. It only flew off when disturbed my someone walking past us and off it flew under the road bridge.
I had a great evening at Chafford Gorge in Essex, Thursday 19th March. I could hear kingfisher calling as I walked down the path. I could see it was going to be great for kingfisher as the water was clear. I've seen kingfisher here previously but it's always difficult as they quickly fly past. This visit for about 10 minutes there was kingfisher flying past or on a perch every turn I took. One kingfisher I watched it fly past along a long bend on the pool. It was great. I then stood on the track which divides 2 pools and the kingfisher came flying past me. One head height and then one over my head. One stopped a couple times on perches over the pool. A great evening!!

Kingfisher pair on the River Rea and River Cole, Birmingham

Saturday 7th March 2015 - River Rea, Selly Park 7AM

As I got to the River Rea I could hear 2 Kingfisher calling each other from Pershore Road. Over a hundred metres from the river. They were continuously calling each other! I knew I was in for a treat. I was running so did not have the camera but this enabled me to keep up with them as they chased each other along the river, stopping off at perches, sometimes the same perch, sometimes nearby, sometimes then joining each other at the same perch. They were never far apart. I was able to see them from three bridges over the river. At one bridge I used a bush as camouflage and had 2 long tail tits feeding the bush, one metre away. The kingfishers pursued each other for up to a mile in distance, I watched them for 30 minutes. They got so far down the Rea before they turned back and flew up the River. They caught fish, they checked out the bank, each taking a look, I presume looking for nest sites. It was a thrilling site. Last year I was lucky to see a pair on the River Cole, now seen a pair on the River Rea. Great!

After the Saturday treat I checked out the River Cole the next Sunday and suprise, surprise another kingfisher pair. At first I thought it was one kingfisher sat on a favoured perch. I got a bad photo before getting closer and seeing it fly off, up and over into the trees and bushes behind that I know it uses to take cover in. It was only as it flew off, I saw another where it flew from and I realised another kingfisher pair. Great!!. I have to say they were not making as much noise as the Rea pair and they did fly off quickly but maybe I was too close. The previous year the pair did not fly off so quickly and allowed me to get these photo's

https://www.flickr.com/photos/88816303@N08/14087905403/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/88816303@N08/14044733426/in/photostream/

2015 Kingfisher update

Not a bad start to 2015 and kingfisher sightings
All the old haunts so far plus one new location;
Birmingham;
River Tame tributary Salford junction
Bourn Brook
River Cole - three seen
River Rea - two seen - surprisingly both female
Essex;
One at Warren Fishery - Stanford-le-Hope
One flew from the sluice on Mucking creek - I saw it do this twice on different days.
A new one on the Ingrave village pond - we saw it a couple times in a week.
10 seen total in 2015.
Some good photo's on the Rea
https://www.flickr.com/photos/88816303@N08/15688732673/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/88816303@N08/16355458755/in/photostream/
On the Bourn Brook
https://www.flickr.com/photos/88816303@N08/16323563886/
It was also good to find 2 on the River Cole about half a mile a part.
Very close to where I found 2 last year.
Last years photo's
https://www.flickr.com/photos/88816303@N08/14087905403/in/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/88816303@N08/14044733426/in/photostream/

Kingfisher Friday

Friday 2nd Jan 2014 I took a bicycle ride into the City Centre. I took the Bourn Brook Walkway and River Rea Valley route, then the canal to Salford Junction. Three Kingfisher sightings today; No.1 - Bourn Brook, Selly Oak, 11:00 I could only just see this kingfisher as it was on a small channel off the brook and it had it's back to me. From a distance it looked like a piece of plactic bag. A quick photo confirmed it was a kingfisher. it then flew past me and under the bridge. Great to see it flying as I like to see kingfisher flight. No. 2 - River Tame, Spaghetti Junction, 13:00 - I never imagined I would see a kingfisher under Spaghetti Junction. It was funny because only minutes earlier I said to myself 'I'll never see a kingfisher here, the waters too murky'. And next minute a kingfisher flew past. No. 3 - River Rea, Selly Park, 15:00 - I first saw it on a section before Canon Hill park - then it flew under the Dogpool Lane bridge, up the River. I know many people have seen KF along this stretch of the River Rea but it could be 10 years since I last saw one here. Usually see them at Kings Norton / Wychall Reservoir. I thought there would be one along this section, guarding it from the Bourn Brook KF above. It was a great day!

River Cole, Kingfisher Country Park, Small Heath

Thursday 1st January 2015 River Cole, Kingfisher Country Park, Small Heath 12:20 My first KF for 2015!! I watched this fishing on a couple perches. It caught a couple fish!! I had questioned if the Kingfisher Country Park had any Kingfisher. I now remember I had seen a Kingfisher on this stretch a couple years ago. I was told about this kingfisher by a fishermen when I saw the Digbeth Canal / River Rea Kingfisher. I've seen it on most visits. Even when I've visited early morning with very poor light, I have heard it call as it's flown along the river. Also saw a small flock of starlings and a pied wagtail.

River Cole, Birmingham Kingfishers

The River Cole in Birmingham in 2014 has been good for kingfisher. Not the kingfisher country park section, not seen any there in 2014 though there is one at Meriden park. I found a couple together early in the year on the River Cole next to Sarehole Mill https://www.flickr.com/photos/88816303@N08/14087905403/
and then saw them a month later in exactly the same place. I saw them further along the river where I think they had a nest. Worse though was I saw a mink right next to where I think the nest was. I saw them chase off another kingfisher. Or one adult chasing off two. Then another weekend I saw one kingfisher chasing off another kingfisher. I assume this was juvenile kingfisher being chased away. Since the breeding season I've now seen the lone kingfisher further along the river. I guess it has chosen the stretch which is the best fishing section. The female could be further along the river now.