Prospecting Kingfishers
A cool cloudy morning in East London and the hope for some early migrants.
Walthamstow Marshes was quiet with nothing present on the horse paddocks apart from a singing Chiffchaff and three Redwing near to the Lea Bridge Road.
The Waterworks NR looked great this morning. Two flyover Shelduck headed west and the water bodies on the reserve held a total of 14 Teal, six Pochard (four males), seven Little Grebe, seven Shoveler, and a single Reed Bunting. A typically explosive Cetti's Warbler was my first for the reserve and good views of this usually skulking reed dwelling species were enjoyed from the reed bed by the Sand Martin nest 'cylinder' from Bay 16. A single Meadow Pipit called and flew briefly over the old Pitch and Putt site.
Moving onto Middlesex Filter Beds and having observed a pair of Kingfisher on my previous visit, I was surprised to see the pair again sitting low amongst the foliage along the relief channel. This time, the male bird was prospecting over potential real estate, busily excavating a burrow in the soft mud against the bank.
Walthamstow Marshes was quiet with nothing present on the horse paddocks apart from a singing Chiffchaff and three Redwing near to the Lea Bridge Road.
The Waterworks NR looked great this morning. Two flyover Shelduck headed west and the water bodies on the reserve held a total of 14 Teal, six Pochard (four males), seven Little Grebe, seven Shoveler, and a single Reed Bunting. A typically explosive Cetti's Warbler was my first for the reserve and good views of this usually skulking reed dwelling species were enjoyed from the reed bed by the Sand Martin nest 'cylinder' from Bay 16. A single Meadow Pipit called and flew briefly over the old Pitch and Putt site.
Moving onto Middlesex Filter Beds and having observed a pair of Kingfisher on my previous visit, I was surprised to see the pair again sitting low amongst the foliage along the relief channel. This time, the male bird was prospecting over potential real estate, busily excavating a burrow in the soft mud against the bank.
Very surprising, probably speculative, I think the site is far too disturbed for this to be considered a viable nest site but I will definitely be checking this again.
Great photos Jonathan.
ReplyDeleteAm heading there tomorrow so I will keep my eyes open for them.
Found the elusive Firecrest at last! Was beginning to think it was a mythical bird used to torment novice birders!
Best wishes
Sue