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

Kingfishers (2 Viewers)

A lone Kingfisher on the River Rea this morning, calling and flying down the river.
A few Swifts over the Bourn Brook.
(I wonder if yesterdays River Rea Kingfisher pair were looking for or checking out new nest sites as the Dutch CAM Kingfishers were also checking out a new nest today. This seems quite late, I'll have to check my dates)
Anyway great!
 
The River Tame water at Spaghetti Junction was fast and high early this morning. I wondered if there would be any Kingfisher. Then I heard and saw one flying along the river when another called from the canal opposite. I didn't know which way to look. I couldn't see the one on the canal, I assumed it crossed over to fly along the river.
At Stechford, the Kingfisher flew in quietly to the nest a couple times. I then took a walk to see were it was fishing. As I walked along the river path, I saw one fly and call as it flew over Gumbleberrys fishing lake. It flew to a couple trees still calling. There were two fisherman on the lake.
It's a good walk along the footpath next to the River Cole from the Lea Ford road bridge to Babbs Mill Lake. I heard the Kingfisher fly past and then it was on Babbs Mill lake and then it flew back. Or it might have been two. There was a GCG with one young, Tufted Ducks and House Martins at the lake. Several RNPs flew over, there were a few Heron, Whitethroats, Greenfinch in trees and Swifts overhead.
On the River Rea, I heard the Kingfisher call and Swifts screaming overhead.
That was five or six Kingfisher.
Great!
 
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First light this morning the Kingfisher headed up the River Rea calling and stopped by the flood defence work;
https://www.flickr.com/photos/88816303@N08/35296709603/in/dateposted-public/
It dived and caught a fish. A Grey Wagtail joined it looking for food amongst the stones.
I then checked out Trittiford and the River Cole and there were a couple Kingfisher there.
Then I checked out the River Rea in Kings Norton Park. I could see a minnow in the river on a bend. I then looked further along the river and a Kingfisher gave a call as it flew off.
I think that's ten Kingfisher in total this weekend. Great!
 
Not contributed here before, but my strange sighting has prompted me to do so ..................

A roadside Kingfisher!!
Seen just above curb height in the lower branches of roadside shrubs - Ray Hall Lane, near Sandwell Valley RSPB. About 50m from the Birmingham FA entrance. 11.00am.

A second KF at Swan Pool Sandwell Valley 11.30am.
 
pat36a said:
Not contributed here before, but my strange sighting has prompted me to do so ..................
A roadside Kingfisher!!
Seen just above curb height in the lower branches of roadside shrubs - Ray Hall Lane, near Sandwell Valley RSPB. About 50m from the Birmingham FA entrance. 11.00am.
A second KF at Swan Pool Sandwell Valley 11.30am.
Click to expand...

Hey Pat! Nice one!
My Kingfisher sighting today was a good one.
On the River Rea, King Norton's park.
I could hear a bird chirping away on the river. Then I looked closely and it was a Kingfisher repeatedly diving into the river for fish. It dived several times. One time it dived in, flew out and dived in again. I could see the minnows and other small fish. Great!
 
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July 30...5.30 pm..

Not an ideal place to get snaps of the Kings at the moment.....a tiny gap through the hedge on a busy road......the Kings perch on the rails around the overflow at the Resa......the hedge has not been trimmed this year - or most of last so cant see over and this is only way to see a King. Trying to push the long lens through the branches attracts the eye of the King and it flies off.....heres the hole and a branch affected King......

https://www.facebook.com/keith.reil...072222959538/2143995275827200/?type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2143995342493860&set=pcb.1740072222959538&type=3&theater
 
Today's Kingfisher, the regular on the River Rea with three Little Egrets and the pair on the River Cole, Trittiford. Great!
 
It was quiet by the Kingfisher nest at the River Cole, Stetchford so I went to the fishing lake and there was the Kingfisher on the same tree perch, high up as last time. (22nd July)
I then saw two Kingfisher and they chased each other round the lakes a few times, stopping a few times. This went on for 10 minutes. A pretty impressive chase, they did some high flying and banked corners lol.
There was a Heron and Little Egret and the Kingfisher flew past them.

At the River Tame, Spaghetti Junction, I could hear the Kingfisher calling as I approached. It sounded like two Kingfisher. But I could not see them. Then I saw one fly into the river bank. A nest hole I presume. I think it was checking it out. Meanwhile the male Kingfisher I presume, appeared with a fish. I assume they were doing some courting lol.
It flew up and down a few times and stopped outside the nest.
The next time I saw it the fish had gone. (There are concrete columns that support the motorway so I can't see all of the river clearly)
Then it caught another fish really quickly and was flying up and down with it. I decided to leave them to it and give them some privacy lol.
Not sure if it's a little late now for another brood. I'll check my dates.
Great!
 
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Kings Norton Nature Reserve Rea Valley
2 Kingfishers perched on the railings from the outflow pool below Wychall Res. Perfect views
 
discors said:
Kings Norton Nature Reserve Rea Valley
2 Kingfishers perched on the railings from the outflow pool below Wychall Res. Perfect views
Click to expand...
Great! I always check it out as there are KF size fish there. Never seen one there but seen one where that outflow meets the Rea and on the stream in the reserve. There was a photo on Flickr of a Kingfisher on the railings of that pool but looks like it's now deleted. I've been seeing them further along at King's Norton park!
 
Three Kingfisher this morning at the regular spots on the Tame, Cole and Rea.
A raptor flew over the Cole fishing lake but I couldn't tell what it was in the bad light.
Then finally this afternoon on the Bourn Brook I found the Kingfisher again.
On the lower part of the brook opposite Leasow Drive. I'd checked all the openings along the brook and then took a look where they cleared some trees and there it was! With a Grey Wagtail!
Plenty of minnows in the brook. Great!
 
Early this morning on the fishing lake next to the River Cole, Stetchford, a juvenile Kingfisher. It was waiting to be fed and chirping away. It's parent were flying around the lake and river. Great!
 
Way off patch, but just got back from a couple of days camping near Hay On Wye. Two Kingfishers chasing each other around just to the east of Whitney Bridge.
 
Rob_S said:
Way off patch, but just got back from a couple of days camping near Hay On Wye. Two Kingfishers chasing each other around just to the east of Whitney Bridge.
Click to expand...
Great Rob!
My best Kingfisher patch is now the fishing lake next to the River Cole at Stetchford as the Kingfisher does a few laps around the lake and then up and down the river. There was also a Heron and Little Egret.
After last weekend I was hoping there was a slow juvenile KF to get a photo of. I found this one on my way back;
https://flic.kr/p/WCpWjF
https://flic.kr/p/XMPLgY
Then checked out the the River Tame and the Kingfisher flew up and down a few times.
Then later a Kingfisher on the Chinn Brook at the Dingles.
Great!
 
The male Kingfisher was on the Stetchford fishing lake this morning. It did a couple laps before taking a high tree perch over the lake. It could then hear the call of another Kingfisher, a female I presume and off it went down the River to chase after the female. There were a couple Tufted Ducks on the late, I'd not spotted them before.
On the River Rea, I heard a Kingfisher calling in the distance and then it flew under the bridge and out the other side, still calling and flying pretty low above the water. Great flying.
On the Bourn Brook it's a good challenge to see if the Kingfisher is on the upper or lower Bourn Brook. This morning it was the upper Bourn Brook.
At Manor Farm park, a pair of Jays flew over and there were small fish in the brook by the footbridges. Great!
 

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