The kingfisher who came to town for dinner
THEY are usually found in the heart of the countryside, but this kingfisher looks totally at home amid the hustle and bustle of a busy town centre.
Extraordinary pictures show the small bird hardly turning a feather as a big red bus rolls past only feet away.
In others, it is seen catching a fish supper from the Gade river, which flows through the middle of Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, before flying away.
Conservationist Alan Woodgate managed to picture the colourful bird on a sunny day last month, despite their reputation for being shy and difficult to photograph at close range.
The pictures caused a stir on Twitter, generating thousands of retweets. They were posted by Mr Woodgate’s daughter Vicky, who shares his love of wildlife and next month releases A World Of Birds, a guidebook she has written and illustrated featuring more than 74 types of birds.