Halcyon Morning

Spurred on by Benjamin Young's (The Young Birder) Stodmarsh post I spent a couple of hours in the Turf Fields hide this morning. When I arrived the three photographers already there were checking the pictures they'd just taken, before I got there. It seems the Kingfisher had been there but had been chased off its perch by a Common tern.

While we were waiting this Black-tailed Skimmer provided the opportunity to take some photos.

I didn't have too long to wait before the Kingfisher returned. The light was good and the bird stayed a while.

He, and judging by the all dark bill it was a male, turned round to check the other direction, but still sat there with out fishing.

He eventually did have a try for a fish but didn't succeed in catching anything and returned to the same post.

After a shuffle he was finally displaced by one of the common Terns.

Although there always good to see It was really the Kingfisher I was after, not the Tern.

The Kingfishers zoomed off, behind some reeds and hovered for a few seconds.

When it dived it went out of view, but when it came back a slightly closer perch it was still fishless.

It didn't stay here long before disappearing over the reeds, probably to try his luck somewhere else.

There was a good supporting cast, this handsome Great-crested Grebe, spent much of the time fishing, and although I didn't see a nest I suspect there was one near by.

In the reeds in front of the hide this Sedge warbler was backwards and forwards, collecting food for its brood.

Similarly the female Reed Bunting was energetically working away.

This pair of mating Black-tailed Skimmers landed on the nearest reeds.

I doubt if this coot was building a new nest, they like to continuously add bits to the structure every day.

Just as I was leaving a Grey Heron flew in, much to the disgust of most of the other birds. They're never pleased by the arrival of this bully boy.