No need to get wet!

On this rainy day, I have been rewarded with a sighting on the reserve of a little grebe; a kingfisher; & two swans... all from the warmth & dryness of my kitchen. Magic!

Spring has Sprung

A balmy day at the reserve today. I can almost feel the plant life spring back up. The kingfisher was extremely accommodating - perching in the sun close to me. This is a male as the whole bill is black. A female would have a red lower bill (though juvenile males have some red on the lower bill).

Much Excitement

A gloomy day on the reserve, especially at 3:30pm, but I stumbled upon one of the kingfishers on a branch behind the fallen elder on the inlet stream, just a foot or so above the water. I shot these from the farthest bridge.





I also then saw the water rail plodding along below him and then scooting off into the reeds. I didn't manage to get a photo of it, but it was easily my best view of him personally.

There's still a pair of teal on the mere, but they flew off each time I walked anywhere near their preferred resting spot (at the base of the spit). This was about the best shot I managed to get. A 'record shot' only I'm afraid: 400mm, ISO 3200, 1/30s, through some branches - for the photographers to appreciate why it's so poor!

Kingfisher Dive

The kingfishers have been active over the last month. I managed to get a sequence of one of them diving, albeit unsuccessfully. This was from a very low hanging branch way up at the far end of the mere, beyond the fallen tree, taken from the bridge - so a long shot! Click the image for the larger version else you won't see any of the (limited) detail.

kingfisher parade

a selection of kingfisher shots from 27.12.07
in each case it is the same male bird

elusive visitors

there has been a solitary little grebe on site for a week or so,
fishing voraciously -this has been perhaps the best shot so far,
just as darkness loomed over The Mere. (taken 29.11.07)

two collared doves on the feeder today, quite an odd effect as the front and back of the birds are presented simultaneously.

at last a snap of this elusive fellow, a male kingfisher
-quite close to the main bridge, just as the light was failing before a huge rainstorm.