Kingfishers (12 Viewers)

[zomerset]

Monday it was good to see the juv Dipper back for a good sing, a zip to the MAC and then back to the dam for another song before zipping up the Bourn Brook.
Yesterday it was just at the dam before zipping up the Bourn Brook. Good views of the Kingfisher all along the Rea.
Today it was the 2 Dippers at the MAC chasing and they zipped off into the distance.

 

[the Harborne Flyer]

Monday it was good to see the juv Dipper back for a good sing, a zip to the MAC and then back to the dam for another song before zipping up the Bourn Brook.
Yesterday it was just at the dam before zipping up the Bourn Brook. Good views of the Kingfisher all along the Rea.
Today it was the 2 Dippers at the MAC chasing and they zipped off into the distance.

On Monday a dipper was in a different location along the Bourn Brook, near to the large boulder about 100m from New Fosse Way. After that I could n't resist twitching the black redstart in Stirchley so walked up and was lucky to find it straight away on the wall outside the house with the feeders. Then bumped into Hughie King who later posted an excellent photo on Twitter.

 

[zomerset]

On Monday a dipper was in a different location along the Bourn Brook, near to the large boulder about 100m from New Fosse Way. After that I could n't resist twitching the black redstart in Stirchley so walked up and was lucky to find it straight away on the wall outside the house with the feeders. Then bumped into Hughie King who later posted an excellent photo on Twitter.

Nice one Paul!
That Dipper location sounds near to the one back in 2016.
Thanks.

 

[zomerset]

Hello Jason ,I won't say I told you so but today there were three dippers together on the Bourn Brook by the University near to the footbridge and coffee shop. Two grey wags by Austin Webb Boulevard and earlier on a K/f on the Rea behind the Nature Centre.

Hi Paul, now the three Dippers on the River Rea this morning. Close to the Bourn Brook ramp and dam. They were zipping up and down. Two Kingfisher. Great!

 

[zomerset]

2 Dippers again on the River Rea, I got some good film of one feeding.

https://flic.kr/p/2k9eNxv

 

[zomerset]

Hello Jason ,I won't say I told you so but today there were three dippers together on the Bourn Brook by the University near to the footbridge and coffee shop. Two grey wags by Austin Webb Boulevard and earlier on a K/f on the Rea behind the Nature Centre.

Hi Paul. The 3 Dippers were by the MAC centre at Cannon hill park this morning. One was singing loudly under a footbridge with extra echo. Then the other 2 appeared with it. Then they chased down the river, then they chased back up. Then there were 2 on the Bourn Brook & then they chased. Loud calling Kingfisher went past. Great!

 

[the Harborne Flyer]

Hi Paul. The 3 Dippers were by the MAC centre at Cannon hill park this morning. One was singing loudly under a footbridge with extra echo. Then the other 2 appeared with it. Then they chased down the river, then they chased back up. Then there were 2 on the Bourn Brook & then they chased. Loud calling Kingfisher went past. Great!

I'm flummoxed by the behaviour of the dippers. You'd think that a singing bird was on a feeding/ breeding territory intent on keeping other birds out. A singing bird may allow a potential partner into his territory but why are they in a group of three. This becomes more complicated when you read that females also sing. Could this group all be females ? It's a mystery, as Toyah Wilcox once said. The Bourn Brook Walkway has been shut for seven weeks to carry out work on the flood defence so there'll be no birding along here for a while.

 

[zomerset]

I'm flummoxed by the behaviour of the dippers. You'd think that a singing bird was on a feeding/ breeding territory intent on keeping other birds out. A singing bird may allow a potential partner into his territory but why are they in a group of three. This becomes more complicated when you read that females also sing. Could this group all be females ? It's a mystery, as Toyah Wilcox once said. The Bourn Brook Walkway has been shut for seven weeks to carry out work on the flood defence so there'll be no birding along here for a while.

Hi Paul, from watching the 2 River Rea Dippers closely, I think the juvenile Dipper of the 2, sings a lot to try and show it's their territory and then the 2nd adult bird which seems to just want to feed, chases the other one to stop it singing. They were clashing the other week but today it was just small chases. The juvenile bird certainly sings the most.

 

[the Harborne Flyer]

Hi Paul, from watching the 2 River Rea Dippers closely, I think the juvenile Dipper of the 2, sings a lot to try and show it's their territory and then the 2nd adult bird which seems to just want to feed, chases the other one to stop it singing. They were clashing the other week but today it was just small chases. The juvenile bird certainly sings the most.

yes,the singing/chasing behaviour must be connected .The young male could be flexing his muscles and perhaps two older females are slapping him down.

 

[zomerset]

yes,the singing/chasing behaviour must be connected .The young male could be flexing his muscles and perhaps two older females are slapping him down.

yes,the singing/chasing behaviour must be connected .The young male could be flexing his muscles and perhaps two older females are slapping him down.

No Dippers for a week until today I checked the lower Bourn Brook by the Dental Hospital and I heard the zipping noise. Checked along the Rea and found the adult Dipper alone feeding along the wall. It headed down river.
Before that was surprised to hear a River Rea Kingfisher with fast, muddy water.
Late afternoon run and the Bourn Brook Kingfisher was at the blue bridge.

https://flic.kr/p/2kdBHew

 

[zomerset]

A brighter sunrise along the River Rea.
I saw the Kingfisher fly up the Bourn Brook. I then heard some zipping & then singing & the juvenile Dipper was back on a stone in the river next to the ramp. It had a quick sing & then zipped off down the river. I then found it by the MAC. It sang at 2 weirs & under 2 bridges. It then zipped off. On my walk back a Grey Wagtail, my first along the walled section of the Rea.

 

[zomerset]

The juvenile Dipper was back along the River Rea at first light this morning.
It likes an outlet pipe from the Cannon hill park lake. It zipped along, sang, checked out the pipe & then zipped off.
The other day it went further along & checked out the weirs. Guess today the river was brown from the rain.
A Kingfisher went past & a Buzzard was overhead.
At the Bourn Brook a Kingfisher flew in and dived a few times.

https://flic.kr/p/2kg7bCN

 

[zomerset]

In a year of surprises, more surprises today.
River Rea at sunrise, the Kingfisher down and then back up the river, then a surprise pair of Bullfinch on the lower Bourn Brook.
The Kingfisher flew past the Bourn Brook at the blue bridge, the water was faster and brown from the rain.
I then bumped into Kate and as we walked back to the blue bridge and I just saw a surprise Dipper by the blue bridge.
I pointed it out to Kate. I then got a few quick photos;
It was dipping up and down, feeding. Then disappeared down the brook.
(I might have seen all three of the Bourn Brook / River Rea Dippers this week?)
Great!

https://flic.kr/p/2kgoE41

 

[zomerset]

At sunrise the Kingfisher along the River Rea.
The Rea colour was muddy/tea.
I was surprised the juvenile Dipper appeared from up the Rea. I wonder where it had roasted.
It had a quick sing, checked out the Rea but didn't stay long & zipped off.
Afternoon along the Bourn Brook, a white, patchy Buzzard flew in and then the Kingfisher. The Kingfisher caught a decent size fish.
I wonders of modern technology, I was able to get a photo from the footpath.

https://flic.kr/p/2khgE9f

 

[zomerset]

This morning before sunrise the juvenile Dipper was back at the River Rea ramp. I could just see it but heard it zip in and then sing. It sang at the pipe & MAC weirs & then zipped off.
Kingfisher a couple times.
Kingfisher yesterday along the Bourn Brook.

 

[Julie50]

Two great sightings today. One perched on a branch opposite the houses on Coleside Avenue. Great flight and perched sighting between Trittiford Pond and the sluice gate. It flew up the leet, across the front of us and along the Cole. We caught up with it again perched by the bridge at the Trittiford end. Weather not great for pic!

 

[pianoman]

You'll usually see them flash past in flight low over the water before you'll see them perched, it's possible to miss them if you just scan the foliage with bins.

 

[Julie50]

Popped into Plantsbrook today, first time, but had delivered present to friend in the area so thought would have a look.
No kingfisher, but pair of shovelers, pair of gosanders, GC grebe and cormorants so worth a walk

 

[zomerset]

Good to hear Julie. Keep me posted! Thanks.

 

[zomerset]

Kingfishers this week along the Bourn Brook & River Rea

https://flic.kr/p/2kijZu7