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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Kingfishers (4 Viewers)

River Rea, Wychall - The Kingfisher and Grey Wagtail were waiting for me this afternoon, I saw them within a minute of arriving. Great!
(Then I was checking out Manor Farm Park and bumped into some birders who said they had seen the Kingfisher there a few months back, great news, funny enough I might have heard it whilst we were chatting)
 
As I was running along I saw the River Rea Kingfisher hovering and calling. I then thought it went into a hole in the bank and thought late nest. But it was just that I could not see it in the early morning bad light and it was on a bank perch before flying off. It was the same yesterday, in the early morning light I struggled to see it.
Great news on the Bourn Brook Kingfisher it has made it to the road bridge before the tunnel. This is the third year running a Kingfisher has been present before the tunnel. And yesterday it was sat on the bridge wall, just like last years Kingfisher (it might be last years Kingfisher). Today it was in a bush so when I first looked I could not see it until it flew out onto the wall opposite. It flew to the same place yesterday. But did not stop for long enough for me to get a photo. One reason it might not be last years Kingfisher is, it has not found a perch opposite the wall, which both last years Kingfisher and the year before used. Anyway, great to see and it then flew up and over the road and off up the brook. Great!
(later I might have heard the Spaghetti Junction Kingfisher, it was not in it's usual spot, it might have been further up the Tame, it sounded like a KF and gave one call, but I did not see it)
 
Kingfisher on Bournbrook,this morning, from bridge at roundabout on New Fosse Way and A38 Bypass.(New Bristol Rd)
Caught 1 fish, perching in willows and on the big pipes that cross the stream. 2 Grey Wags flew high over and seemed to drop onto elevated section of canal. The marshy area to the left that is becoming overgrown needs the trees clearing out and open water creating by excavating the central area. This could be part of flood prevention schemes but I dont know who to contact about it. It often has Reed Bunting and I have heard Sedge Warbler there and Whitethroat and Willow Warbler. It could make a cracking little nature area if properly maintained.
 
Got to visit the QE tomorrow.....have to try and get there early for a look around......see this from the train every day but not spotted a King yet...LOL
 
Dark dismal and slight rain at the QE today......spent an hour exploring the brook area.Walked from the Queen Elizabeth Island up to Harbourne Lane bridge without seeing a king ...but most of the brook is out of sight.
Came back and waited virtually by the Fosse way bridge down by the brook and after about 15 mins a King flew out of a low tree right by the 4 big pipes and underneath them and out of sight.
I followed and found a bit of a space in the bushes and could just make out the King by the brickwork after the pipes.....got a quick snap (see pic) and it flitted up by the pipes but then a minute later came back low over the water passed me and towards Harbourne Lane......followed again and just managed to see it go under the road and upstream. Looked over the road but the bridge wall is too high to get a view.....didnt carry on up the walkway...good job as just looked on map and theres a school....not best place to wave a 400mm around...lol

Grey wagtail feeding on brook by QE bridge and a few Moorhen in the brook.
Spotted a Rodent on waters edge through bushes - probably a Rat but wanted it to be a Water Vole...
 

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Three Kingfisher Saturday

keithr said:
I followed and found a bit of a space in the bushes and could just make out the King by the brickwork after the pipes.....got a quick snap (see pic) and it flitted up by the pipes but then a minute later came back low over the water passed me and towards Harbourne Lane......followed again and just managed to see it go under the road and upstream.
Click to expand...

Hi Keith, great you got a photo, I have heard it up through that section. I checked that area this morning and could not see it. I then went up the Bournbrook Walkway, Weoley Castle, I saw lot's of the KF sized fish by a bridge and thought there must be a Kingfisher near by. I then ran down the walkway and there was a Kingfisher flying, fishing and calling at the back of that school.
On my way back up the walkway I then saw another Kingfisher further up the brook. Great there is still two on this brook.
First thing this morning I was on the River Rea and in the early morning light the Kingfisher did not see me and I found it sat on a river perch before it flew off. Great!
 
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keithr said:
Walked from the Queen Elizabeth Island up to Harbourne Lane bridge without seeing a king ...but most of the brook is out of sight.
Came back and waited virtually by the Fosse way bridge down by the brook and after about 15 mins a King flew out of a low tree right by the 4 big pipes and underneath them and out of sight.
Click to expand...

Hi Keith, the Kingfisher this morning was on the other side of the bridge. I've seen them a few times in the past three years sat on the wall. Today I finally got a photo. I had to walk wide around the pavement not to disturb it;
https://www.flickr.com/photos/88816303@N08/29579658674/in/dateposted-public/

Then it flew to the brook;
https://www.flickr.com/photos/88816303@N08/29579644433/in/dateposted-public/
Before flying back up the brook.
I checked out the River Rea, Selly Park and the Kingfisher was further up the river. Great!
 
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Walked all around Kings Norton Reserve today and as I was approaching the stepping Stones on the Rea a King was on a low rock bashing a tiny fish.I was only feet away and got low but it still saw me and went over the stones upstream.....i went and stood on the stones to see if it was just upstream but then it came back down stream about 10-15 foot over me and off towards KN park.
Only saw it for a moment with the fish but had the feeling it was not an adult.
 
keithr said:
Walked all around Kings Norton Reserve today and as I was approaching the stepping Stones on the Rea a King was on a low rock bashing a tiny fish.
Click to expand...

That's a good spot Keith, only seen them on that section a few times, usually for me on the Rea from Wychall road bridge. I've also looked at Merecroft recently, heard one, not seen one, though I did see a family of Herons which was good.
 
I've been walking my dog at Elmdon park for a long time now, and have always thought that the park would be ideal for Kingfishers with the lakes and small stream.

I have now over the past week been watching a pair of Kingfishers on a daily basis moving around the park between the lakes, basing predominantly on the wetland area at the bottom of the hill near the main "duck pond".

Really hoping they stick around as it would be great to keep track of them over time! :)
 
A Kingfisher again this afternoon on Merritt's Brook, Manor Park Farm, that's four weeks in a row, I'm still surprised to find one here with Woodbrook lake over the road. Then there were two again on the Bournbrook, Weoley Castle/Selly Park which is also surprising how two can be so close due to territorial rights. But then in Essex we saw two on a lake the other week and one went past the other without any chasing so maybe it depends on the location.
 
I ran along the footpath next to the River Rea, Selly Park at 7.00 in the early morning light, I must have disturbed the Kingfisher and it flew alongside me calling but I could not see it due to the poor light. It then gave a few twin calls before stopping or flying off.
Then I checked out the River Cole, Sarehole and the Kingfisher flew up and down the river.
This afternoon I checked Merritt's Brook again. I heard the Kingfisher calling, on a twenty metre stretch where I've found it a few times that is inaccessible due to tree and bushes. it sits on a fallen tree over the brook and the other trees along this stretch. Then it flew off along the brook. Then I heard it calling in the distance and found it sat on the low wall at the side of the brook;
https://www.flickr.com/photos/88816303@N08/30042302750/in/dateposted-public/
Not the greatest photo but a good record shot. Great!
 
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River Rea, Selly Park. It was very dark at 7.00 this morning, I could not see the Kingfisher but as I ran I disturbed it and heard it calling as it flew off. Then I had to laugh as another Kingfisher in the distance called as well. Two Kingfisher, great!
 
Kingerfisher

Kingerfiser perched beside 4 big pipes. Saw me, then flew under bridge. Walked over to fosse way bridge and he was perched then dropped down to bank. I watched him for a couple of minutes then left him for 10 minutes or so. I had a last little glimpse and he was still there so i left him in peace.
All black beak. Great to see and a welcome sight so close to home.
Cheers Zomerset for the info..
 
ouzel68 said:
Kingerfiser perched beside 4 big pipes. Saw me, then flew under bridge. Walked over to fosse way bridge and he was perched then dropped down to bank. I watched him for a couple of minutes then left him for 10 minutes or so. I had a last little glimpse and he was still there so i left him in peace.
All black beak. Great to see and a welcome sight so close to home.
Cheers Zomerset for the info..
Click to expand...

No problems. I think it flies up towards Weoley. Friday there were two on the brook. The other one frequents the hidden tree valley where the Stonehouse Brook meets Bourn Brook. I've been checking out Woodgate Valley as well but no luck. Personally I've not seen one there for a few years, but there were sightings last year. The one on Merritt's Brook has been the biggest surprise to me and then one the Bourn itself by the Valley Parkway boating pond, but then there's fish present and clear slow water so makes sense. Great!
 
Both the Kingfishers present on the Bourn Brook this afternoon, they were only a few hundred metres apart. A few Grey Wagtails as well. (On BTO a Kingfisher has been seen at Bartley Res) Great!
 
Early morning Kingfisher on the River Rea, Selly Park. I could here it approaching, calling and then it stopped opposite me because it could not see me in the early morning light. At Manor Farm Park, the Kingfisher flew along the brook under the bridges at the bottom of the grass slope, calling. Great!
 

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