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

Kingfishers (4 Viewers)

I thought it was going to be a no show this afternoon. A Grey Wagtail flew in fast on the lower Bourn Brook. Then just as I was leaving I heard a Kingfisher calling really loudly. It was just by Harbourne Lane bridge. Then it called again and I could just see it. Great!
(In Northern Germany this week on a works business trip there was a Goosander & Heron on a lake)
 
9am - Kingfisher on the Bourn, sat on a low branch over the stream by the pedestrian bridge just east of the boating lake. No sign of a Heron at the outflow.

My first Kingfisher of the year, species no. 82

Also a Siskin in the oak tree at the end of our garden around 11am. That's a once/twice a year bird for us.
 
Rob_S said:
Also a Siskin in the oak tree at the end of our garden around 11am. That's a once/twice a year bird for us.
Click to expand...

Turned out the single Siskin was a precursor to the gradual evolution of a large flock of Goldfinch, Siskin and a single Lesser Redpoll, which spent the afternoon touring our and neighbouring gardens. At one point we had four Siskins and a Goldcrest on the feeders, being harassed by several territorial Blue Tits.

The other highlight was a solitary Fieldfare - species no. 83 for the year.
 
Rob_S said:
9am - Kingfisher on the Bourn, sat on a low branch over the stream by the pedestrian bridge just east of the boating lake. No sign of a Heron at the outflow.

My first Kingfisher of the year, species no. 82

Also a Siskin in the oak tree at the end of our garden around 11am. That's a once/twice a year bird for us.
Click to expand...

Hi Rob. Yes I saw the Bourn Kingfisher not long before you.
You had an impressive garden bird list today!
Late afternoon I found the Bourn Brook Kingfisher on the upper walkway by a small pool.
Great!
 
It was still pretty dark at 8.00 this morning.
When I got to the Bourn past the pond I just could make out the Kingfisher sitting on a branch over the inlet pipe.
It was motionless in the zone but I was not sure it was the Kingfisher or dead leaves on the branch.
So I took a closer look and could see it's beak and could just make out the blue strip.
It confirmed it was a Kingfisher when it dived in the brook and flew to another branch. Great!
There was a Mistle Thrush clicking overhead. The Heron was by the pond outflow.
When I got home there was a Mistle Thrush clicking on next doors TV aerial.

Later in the day I could see a Goldcrest feeding in my garden pine tree then it flew up to my oak tree and there were a couple more.
 
At the Valley Parkway I waited a short time and then surprise, surprise the Kingfisher appeared on the Bourn.
On the lower Bourn Brook the Kingfisher was by the three big pipes. It flew from the side under the pipes. It sat in a tree and it took a dive. That's three Fridays in a row. Great!
Oh upper Bourn Brook a surprise Little Egret. The first one I've seen this far up.
 
No Kingfisher on the Bourn this morning. I was late so might have missed it lol.
There was a Pied Wagtail.
I was straight down the Bourn Brook and straight away heard short possible KF calls. Looked along the water and there it was a Kingfisher. Dazzling colours in the sunlight. It was by the boulder/concrete outlet. Not seen one go past there for ages.
Later Trevor Jones saw the Kingfisher on the Bourn.
Great!
 
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Kingfisher at the Valley Pool outflow around 9am, flew off when it spotted me but I found it again further up the stream.

No sign of the Heron today.
 
Rob_S said:
Kingfisher at the Valley Pool outflow around 9am, flew off when it spotted me but I found it again further up the stream.
No sign of the Heron today.
Click to expand...

Hi Rob, yep I saw the Bourn Kingfisher at 7.38. First I saw the blue stripe down its back.
Heron was there at late afternoon.
I almost missed the Kingfisher on the lower Bourn Brook this afternoon as the light was so bad.
I was not expecting to see it and took a last look at the tunnels. I didn't see anything until it flew past. Not seen one by the tunnel for ages. Great!
 
First thing on the Bourn today a Little Egret, it was there later again today as by Trevor Jones on twitter.
Then there was a Heron and then the Kingfisher over the brook in the very bad light.
I was not going to run that far but I carried on to the River Rea.
There I just heard the faint call in the distance and then a Kingfisher flew past.
Due to all the rain and high water not seen one much along the Rea so good to see one again.
Then I carried on to the Bourn Brook and up near the footbridges another Kingfisher that flew off the instant I saw it.
Finally 20 odd Redwings amongst the leaves in Weoley Hill cricket field and a few Mistle Thrushes.
Great!
 
Kingfisher on the usual Valley Parkway stretch of the Bourn around 10am.
Also two Mistle Thrushes and and a flock of around 20 Starlings.

Plenty of activity along the Bourn Brook in Selly Oak, although no sign of either Kingfishers or Grey Wagtails - water levels too high?
Flushed a Snipe near the New Fosse Way bridge, flew off weaving towards the electricity pylon.
Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming by the allotments.
Someone's put some feeders up along the Bourn Brook around the back of the student flats between the railway/canal bridges and the University. These were being well used by Blue Tits and Robins, with Long-tailed Tits and Goldcrest in the trees nearby.
 
Hi Rob, yes I saw the Bourn Kingfisher at first light.
I saw a Grey Wagtail by the Bourn brook bridge at 8.30.
I checked out the Bourn Brook again at mid day further up and found the Kingfisher flying fast past the grey bridge. I've now found the Little Egret a few times up on the walkway.
Great!
In my back garden I had a Sparrowhawk fly through.
 
I was there before the Kingfisher at first light on the Bourn. The Kingfisher flew in and then sat over the second inlet.
Trevor Jones reported on twitter he saw it later.
The Kingfisher on the Bourn Brook was more difficult to find.
I finally found it fly fast along the brook in a location I've not seen a Kingfisher for sometime and in the opposite direction to what I expected.
I think I know what it's doing.
Spring is on the way.
Great!
 
I thought it was going to be a no show lol. I took one last look at a regular spot on the Bourn Brook and there it was a Kingfisher. I keep on being surprised when I see a Little Egret but it is a still a new sight along the Bourn Brook. Great!
 
A quiet weekend for Kingfisher lol. I couldn't find any.
None on the River Rea, none on the Bourn Brook in the usual spots..
There were surprise Little Egrets on the Bourn, Bourn Brook and River Rea.
On Saturday in the sunshine a Grey Wagtail was jumping for the insects on the lower Bourn Brook.
The Bourn Kingfisher on Valley Parkway seems to have moved on.
Funny how it put up with all the wind, rain and snow of winter and has now moved on.
Maybe it needs higher water levels to wash the fish out of the pond and lake lol.
Anyway I thought where can it be.
So I took a look in Woodbrooke and there it was sat over the Bourn.
Great!
(On Friday there were 27 Buzzards along the M25 and M40, they outnumbered the Kites for once and 7 Kestrels)
(Back garden news, the Nuthatch was on my feeder. Great!)
 
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Bournville officially Merrits Brook not Bourn brook but that just confuses me.
Kingfisher on 'brook' alongside yachting pool little bit below outflow by the meanders and the Alders.
For such a colourful bird still can disappear in the tangle of branches.
 
discors said:
Bournville officially Merrits Brook not Bourn brook but that just confuses me.
Kingfisher on 'brook' alongside yachting pool little bit below outflow by the meanders and the Alders.
For such a colourful bird still can disappear in the tangle of branches.
Click to expand...

Nice one Trevor! Great!
 

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