A fascinating video about building a Kingfisher nesting box and the Kingfishers that came to stay.
Posts Tagged ‘Kingfisher’
Naturelog: 17th December
Posted: December 18, 2017 in Birds, Kent, Natural History, UKTags: Great White Egret, Kingfisher, Long Eared Owl, RSPB Dungeness
Lagoons
Shingle Banks
A trip to the Kent coast with Bexley RSPB Group on a misty and cold morning. As we approached the reserve, a party of around 12 Swans were visible in a field. From the coach and in the early morning light identification was impossible, but I was later told by one of the volunteer wardens that they were a flock of Bewick Swans, which winter in this area. Arriving at the reserve the first stop was to try and find the roosting Long-Eared Owl which frequents the scrub at the back of the dipping pool. A long scan by many people drew a blank and as others headed off for the hides, I retreated to the visitor’s centre for a hot drink. Suitably refreshed I made my way back for another look for the owl. I was fortunate in that a group of birders from our group haa already located it and soon people were gathering to see the bird which was in vegetation but once found could clearly be seen. A Common Kingfisher paid a visit to the scrub whilst we were watching the Owl giving excellent views.
Spot the Owl
With the days primary objective completed a circuit of the hides reveals the usual wintering waterfowl, although sadly there are no Smew, Goldeneye or Goosander to be seen. With the milder winters, these once regular winter visitors may become more of a rarity in future. Highlights include a number of good views of Common Kingfisher along with more common ducks and Geese including a single Brent Goose.
Common Kingfisher
Northern Shoveller
Marsh Harrier
Common Kingfisher, Northern Shoveller and a Western Marsh Harrier
Great Cormorants
Great Cormorants
Greylag and Canada Geese
Greylag and Canada Geese
Great Cormorants and Flight of Geese (Canada and Greylag Geese)
At the end of the afternoon, a small group of us walk out to the ARC hide at the farthest extent of the accessible part of the reserve. We were well rewarded for this trek as on the way we found some Tree Sparrows on a feeder and on the ARC pit we got good views of a Great White Egret and on the return walk to the visitor centre saw a Western Cattle Egret fly into one of the small pools by the reserve entrance.
Great White Egret
An excellent day.
Greylag Goose [sp] (Anser anser)
Canada Goose [sp] (Branta canadensis)
Brant Goose [sp] (Branta bernicla)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Bewick’s Swan (Cygnus columbianus bewickii)
Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
Gadwall (Anas strepera)
Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope)
Mallard [sp] (Anas platyrhynchos)
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
Eurasian Teal [sp] (Anas crecca)
Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
Little Grebe [sp] (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Great Crested Grebe [sp] (Podiceps cristatus)
Western Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
Grey Heron [sp] (Ardea cinerea)
Great Egret [sp] (Ardea alba)
Little Egret [sp] (Egretta garzetta)
Great Cormorant [sp] (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Western Marsh Harrier [sp] (Circus aeruginosus)
Common Buzzard [sp] (Buteo buteo)
Common Kestrel [sp] (Falco tinnunculus)
Common Moorhen [sp] (Gallinula chloropus)
Eurasian Coot [sp] (Fulica atra)
Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Common Gull (Larus canus canus)
Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)
European Herring Gull [sp] (Larus argentatus)
Lesser Black-backed Gull [sp] (Larus fuscus)
Common Wood Pigeon [sp] (Columba palumbus)
Long-eared Owl [sp] (Asio otus)
Common Kingfisher [sp] (Alcedo atthis)
Eurasian Magpie [sp] (Pica pica)
Western Jackdaw [sp] (Coloeus monedula)
Carrion Crow [sp] (Corvus corone)
Great Tit [sp] (Parus major)
Eurasian Blue Tit [sp] (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Cetti’s Warbler [sp] (Cettia cetti)
Long-tailed Tit [sp] (Aegithalos caudatus)
Common Starling [sp] (Sturnus vulgaris)
Common Blackbird [sp] (Turdus merula)
Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)
European Robin [sp] (Erithacus rubecula)
European Stonechat [sp] (Saxicola rubicola)
Eurasian Tree Sparrow [sp] (Passer montanus)
Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii)
Common Chaffinch [sp] (Fringilla coelebs)
European Greenfinch [sp] (Carduelis chloris)
European Goldfinch [sp] (Carduelis carduelis)
Common Reed Bunting [sp] (Emberiza schoeniclus)
How do your like the new hole?
Posted: April 11, 2016 in Birds, Natural HistoryTags: Kingfisher, London Wetland Centre
The eye doesn’t always see. When Keith and I were watching the Kingfisher nest at the London Wetland Centre last week, neither of us noticed that at one point we had both Kingfishers present. It was only when Keith was going through his pictures that he realised.
photo by Keith
It may be fanciful but to me it looks like a couple inspecting the exterior of their new house or perhaps they are discussing which hole to use this year?
Naturelog: Friday 12th September
Posted: September 13, 2014 in Birds, Butterflies and Moths, Dragonflies, Natural HistoryTags: Common Darter, Greenwich Ecology Park, Grey Heron, Kingfisher, Little Grebe, Red Admiral, Sutcliffe Park LNR, Tarn
Keith joined me today for a trip around some of my local birdwatching sites. First stop was the Tarn I had been watching one of the local Sparrowhawks being harassed by Crows whilst I waited for him to arrive and typically it disappeared from sight at the moment he did. It was good to see that the algal bloom has begun to recede on the Tarn – hopefully a sign of improving conditions although a man from the water-board who was testing the water confirmed that it still had a very low oxygen level.
The Little Grebe seen 10 days ago was again present although it was tucked up against an island in undergrowth. We heard a Grey Wagtail call on two occasions during our visit but we could not locate it.
Then it was onto Sutcliffe Park LNR. Here the stars of the show were the dragonflies with over 20 Common darters and approx 6 Migrant Hawkers plus a single Comon Blue damselfly and a single Brown Hawker.
Common Darter
Our final stop was the Greenwich Ecology Park where the Kingfisher posed for us.
Grey Heron
Little Grebe
We found a Red Admiral on a bush by the Thames
An intresting sighting was one of the boats from the Tall Ships festival still present on the river
Finally The one that was not a bird. When first seen this piece of wood was doing a very good impression of a skulking Bittern!
Canada Goose [sp] (Branta canadensis)
Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata)
Mallard [sp] (Anas platyrhynchos)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
Little Grebe [sp] (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Grey Heron [sp] (Ardea cinerea)
Eurasian Sparrowhawk [sp] (Accipiter nisus)
Common Kestrel [sp] (Falco tinnunculus)
Common Moorhen [sp] (Gallinula chloropus)
Eurasian Coot [sp] (Fulica atra)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Common Pigeon [sp] (Columba livia)
Common Wood Pigeon [sp] (Columba palumbus)
Rose-ringed Parakeet [sp] (Psittacula krameri)
Common Kingfisher [sp] (Alcedo atthis)
European Green Woodpecker [sp] (Picus viridis)
Eurasian Jay [sp] (Garrulus glandarius)
Eurasian Magpie [sp] (Pica pica)
Carrion Crow [sp] (Corvus corone)
Great Tit [sp] (Parus major)
Eurasian Blue Tit [sp] (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Long-tailed Tit [sp] (Aegithalos caudatus)
Common Chiffchaff [sp] (Phylloscopus collybita)
Eurasian Blackcap [sp] (Sylvia atricapilla)
Goldcrest [sp] (Regulus regulus)
Eurasian Wren [sp] (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Common Blackbird [sp] (Turdus merula)
European Robin [sp] (Erithacus rubecula)
Grey Wagtail [sp] (Motacilla cinerea)
European Goldfinch [sp] (Carduelis carduelis)
Large White (Pieris brassicae)
Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
Speckled Wood [sp] (Pararge aegeria)
Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)
Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta)
Brown Hawker (Aeshna grandis)
Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum)
Bird Pictures: Kingfisher
Posted: June 14, 2013 in Birds, Natural HistoryTags: Birds, Kingfisher, nature
Bird Pictures: Kingfisher
Posted: June 5, 2013 in Birds, Natural HistoryTags: Birds, Kingfisher, nature
