Patience is key to seeing a Kingfisher
THERE’S a thing that happens in our village where people say: “Have you seen the kingfisher?”
It’s happened every couple of years since I have been here and it makes me think about various questions that need to be answered.
Is THE kingfisher that same kingfisher that people saw 17 years ago?
That would be pretty amazing as the average lifespan of this beautiful bird is just two years.
Is there only one kingfisher?
They definitely bred here a couple of years ago, I was watching a busy nest during summer.
So there must be at least two and then a couple more when the fledglings take flight.
Why does the kingfisher hide from certain people while others see it – or them – every day?
About a week ago, Julie and I were out with the dog and I got a clear view of a flash of blue feathers. Julie missed it.
I saw one at the same spot a few years ago.
The dog was sitting, staring at the river – pondering his lovely life - and I could see a bird on a branch above him watching with interest.
I watched it for about 30 or 40 seconds.
Then I was being interviewed about wildlife by a journalist live on the radio when a kingfisher flew in front of us and we able to watch it on a nearby stream.
So, I have been lucky to have had a few kingfisher encounters while other people have never seen one in their lives, my mum Elsie included. It’s not as though non-kingfisher spotters are not out in the country a lot, it’s just down to luck and keeping your eyes open.
One thing you need to realise if you are looking for kingfishers is that they are really quite small, only about 15cm in length, just a bit bigger than a sparrow.
And they might be a bright blue and copper in colour, but that is not easy to spot over a shimmering blue stream or river.
Your best chance to spot a kingfisher is if it stops to perch on a branch overlooking its larder, your local water course.
Younger birds will sit on the perches for some time if they are not disturbed.
A good starting point is listening out for the squeaky song of the kingfisher and then waiting, patiently, for it to appear.
Like all nature watching, patience is important here.
Just relax, enjoy the sounds of the countryside and see what appears in front of you.
With the kingfisher you may only see a flash of blue as it darts from one spot another looking for its dinner.
If you are really fortunate you will see one catching a fish in its long, black bill. They are often on the lookout for a perfect spot for fishing and will make use of branches.
I know photographers who set up their own posts in the hope that a kingfisher will land on them.
Most of us, though, are happy enough to let nature do its own thing.
That is the pathway to content and happiness – and, hopefully, a kingfisher.