Kingfisher - Close Encounter

[Nightwalker]

The kingfisher, a beautiful, elusive bird that I've always wanted to see since being a kid. I've never gone out actively looking for one but just a couple of days ago I was fishing on my local etsuary with a friend and there we were sat, at the top of six foot muddy bank with the river below us. I was fishing with just a line & hook and my friend had a telescopic rod, we lent back away from the steep bank so that the fish didnt catch our profile.

My friend thought he'd just had the first big bite of the day, but infact he just missed a stunning sight... A Kingfisher swooped up from the bank below and landed on his rod which was pretruding over the edge of the bank, in the same instant it looked at me just 2 or 3 foot away it flew off as quick as anything! It was so amazingly quick my friend barely saw it fly off, but I saw its orange/brown underbelly and brilliant-blue ontop as it flew away, I couldn't believe it, my first sighting of a Kingfisher, very close to home and such a close-encounter shame it was o brief!

Image Source: http://stevenround-birdphotography.com/Kingfisher.htm

Next on the list to see... a woodpecker!

 

[Singeblister]

They are amazing birds its a real pleasure to see them , I have seen em on the river near where I live but its just a blue streak going down the river , or a distant view of one on a branch, sounds like you had a real treat there

 

[scanker]

Cor, it was only when I saw the credit that I realised it wasn't your photograph! They're great looking birds alright.

I once watched one for over 20 mins, just sat on a post, still, studying the water. Crikey, I was willing it to move! It struck in the end though and came up with a fish. Amazing to see.

 

[mace242]

Took a canoe trip down the exeter canal last weekend and saw one. First thing you often see is that electric blue flash shooting like a spark over the water. Quite easily the best looking british bird.

 

[Nightwalker]

They really do look magical. No the photo wasn't mine, I wish I had that good a view!

There is few beautiful photos of them in two galleries here:
- http://www.wildlife-imaging.co.uk/gallery/birds/Kingfisher/index.html
- http://stevenround-birdphotography.com/Kingfisher.htm

Im off to follow 3km of river today in hope of spotting one again, there's no trail on the river just healthy countryside surrounding it, it so even if I don't spot the Kingfisher hopefully I will see something interesting an otter even perhaps.

 

[mace242]

If anybody is ever in Yeovil I know a spot where I can nigh on guarantee seeing one. Let me know if you want the place.

 

[Tadpole]

I think it is really sad that when I was a lad, and mad keen on fishing I could see half a dozen Kingfishers in a single day. I used to fish in a park in the middle of Keynsham, near Bristol, even on the parks busy days you’d seen a couple of them perching on sticks over hanging the mill weir. Nowadays they just don’t seem to be any about, and people are delighted to see such a ‘rare’ bird