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Kingfishers (3 Viewers)

laughingtern

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Not so much for myself, but for a friend who comes birdwatching with us and drives us crackers about Kingfishers.

Can anyone recommend a good place to see them in the Midlands? Think if he gets a good view of one, he will much better to go birding with |:d|
 
River Rea cycle path Selly Park between Hazelwell Park and Canon Hill park. Especially the bit between Dogpool Lane and Canon Hill Park.
 
Not so much for myself, but for a friend who comes birdwatching with us and drives us crackers about Kingfishers.

Can anyone recommend a good place to see them in the Midlands? Think if he gets a good view of one, he will much better to go birding with |:d|

Venturing outside of Wesr Midlands County, Upton Warren NR just south of Bromsgrove is very productive, especially the Moors Pool
 
There are a pair of kingfishers at leasowes park, Halesowen. They can be seen sitting on a reed fishing on the brook or a twig on the breaches pool (entrance to the river.)
 
had a great view of one today at bumble hole warrens hall nature reserve in dudley.big pool near the canal arm opposite the visitor center.best view i,ve had so far very active around the pool banks
 
What a great list for your mate to ponder on and get out looking for some......even though Zomerset manages to get some great spots - and pics - of them all over the place if you mate wants some quality time with one then choose one of these sites and set up a place to let one get on with its business without any disturbance at close quarters.

Apart from some of the above sites I have a place where I see them then got pretty close -just hope all the wet weather and flooding will not stop them returning this year.
Here's a few pics for you mate to look at...
Keith :t:

Kingfisher by noisybugger, on Flickr


2012 KING 9 by noisybugger, on Flickr


Bash'im by noisybugger, on Flickr


U W King 1 by noisybugger, on Flickr


Squat Female. by noisybugger, on Flickr
 
From my Kingfisher spotting, the most reliable and repeatable Kingfisher viewing is at Leasowes, Beaches Pool, Halesowen. I have visited a few times and in the evening it settles on this perch at the opposite end to where you enter;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/88816303@N08/8339486972/in/photostream/
Today it was there again and when it saw me flew to the other end of the pool, to the same bush as previous, just by the entrance to the pool and by the bird notice board.
 
Maybe six years a go I saw a kingfisher on a stretch of the River Rea before Canon Hill park, I think I saw one there last year but it flew off too quick and I've not seen one on a couple visits there recently. But was happy to see someone else had seen one and captured it on film. Not a great shot - I know how difficult it is - as I got plenty of shots like this but here it is https://twitter.com/Kimbohud/status/292216998530805760/photo/1
 
OK I am kingfisher mad - I said the Leasowes kingfisher was the easiest to find and I found it again. Best thing was though, it was on great form and did some of the most stunning flying I had seen, bar hovering. The best bit was when it followed a fenced footpath and then took a 90 degree turn through an open gate to continue following the footpath - stunning. It was up and down the 3 spring pools, on a fishing mission and stopped at one pool to catch a fish within 3 minutes before flying off. http://www.flickr.com/photos/88816303@N08/8601822921/in/photostream
 
I did spot another kingfisher on the River Rea, Kings Norton by Wychall Reservoir on Saturday 30th March but it went past in a flash of blue. Too quick for me to follow. But a pretty good chance of spotting one in this location.
 
Hi zomerset I visit leasowes quite regularly and see the kingfisher sometimes, but want to see it more often is there a best time of day to see it and which spring it's normally at ?
 
I've seen it a number of times on the bottom pool - opposite end to where you enter from the car park. It's on a perch right by the footpath. Usually early evening 4ish.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/88816303@N08/8339486972/
or behind that tree that is in the pool. I think this was the male.
I have seen it a couple times on the top 2 pools. My last sighting was the third pool up.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/88816303@N08/8601822921/in/photostream/
I will admit though, I was up and down those pools like a yo-yo chasing it.
And it flashed past me until I found it stopped at all 3 pools, so it was luck and my timing.
 
Hi Sam09 - I see it's you who says there's a pair of Kingfishers at Leasowes. I think both my photo's taken a couple months apart are females. Would be good to find the male or see them together. Have you seen the two together? I see also you had a sighting at Seven Dwellings Bridge. I took a look but was not lucky.
 
hi, ive never seen them together but have seen one on the first spring, and then five minutes later one on the second spring, weather it was the same one i dont know.
And the one quite literally under the seven dwellings bridge i only saw because i was fishing with my friend for 5 hours there. We had great veiws of the kingfisher as it nealy landed on my rod i have a picture of it somewhere but dont know where, cause im photographer for fishin4youth.

a picture of the kingfisher at leasowes
age 13
 

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Nice capture Sam....I have visited here only twice and not seen the Kingy ...it was last year.
As far as I remember there is a large pool by the car park area then a stream leads to a smaller concrete pond then up to some other pools.One with a little island in the middle- this is where I was told to look for the Kingy.

Heres a jokey one as it's the only view I have had for months....as I looked over a hedge it was flying up stream.....Oh it was at Bittell.

Keith
 

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