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Kingfisher (1 Viewer)

Kenj

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New to bird watching the bird I have always wanted to see is the Kingfisher that is my target this year. Do many have birds they would like to see that is not rare but are unable to find.makes it a lot more interesting
 
Good luck with finding one! Cambridge should be a fairly good place for seeing one; stand quietly and still on a bridge over the Cam and look out for one flying along the river like a shining blue streak over the water.

One tip: they're not large birds, many people are surprised they're only a little larger than a sparrow.
 
I don't know about sites in Cambridgeshire, but in Yorkshire Potteric Carr used to be good; birds fish on the Mother Drain in winter and used to nest in a bank opposite Piper Marsh hide. I haven't been for a couple of years, though. Fairburn Ings is also good; in my experience the Cut Lane end is much better than the so-called 'kingfisher screen'.
 
otherwise, the Somerset Levels are a good place to see them, if you pass in that part of the world
on a recent visit i've seen them in Shapwick Moor (Canada hide) and Shapwick Heath (Noahs hide)

plus, in my local patch, Forest Farm on the outskirts of Cardiff, seeing a kingfisher has almost been a cert in the past half year - although now that the reeds are filling the ponds again that may be less of a cert until the reeds get cut back again
 
New to bird watching the bird I have always wanted to see is the Kingfisher that is my target this year. Do many have birds they would like to see that is not rare but are unable to find.makes it a lot more interesting

Hi Kenj. Rye Meads RSPB offers a great opportunity to watch Kingfishers and isn't that far from Cambridge. Check out the lower of the two nest boxes from the Kingfisher Hide as well, as a Tawny Owl was in residence there the other day. A good proportion of birders tend to keep a 'year list' which keeps you nicely motivated to see the commoner species each year, and you tend to build-up a knowledge of where to see the slightly scarcer ones as well. I agree you do have target species for a particular year that maybe I haven't seen for a while. For example, I'm hoping to see Black Grouse off the back of a work trip in the coming weeks. It's fun to do the research, and very satisfying if you 'score'. Good luck with Kingfisher. Phil
 
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If you can spend time at the same spot each visit, just sticking a perch in the bank (long stick angled to hang over the water) will increase chances of a bird stopping near you so you can get a pic. We used to live on a river and I have hundreds of pics. Really miss them now.
Magnificent bird.
Charlie Hamilton James's books are a must read.
 
If you've not seen your Kingfisher yet I can recommend Lackford Lakes (Suffolk Wildlife Trust) not far from Bury St Edmunds.
John
 
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