The Joy of Kingfishers

Photo by Andrew Mckie courtesy of Pexels.com

Kingfishers have been my favourite bird since I was a child. I was often lucky enough to canoe behind families of these iridescent blue arrows with rust red chests as they flashed, in a single file from one tree to another 25 yards downstream just above the surface. Sightings, although reasonably regular, continue to make my day.

There is a photographer I sometimes bump into on one of the waters I fish and while I like these magical birds, they appear to be his passion. He was telling me about them the other day. Apparently they typically lay 5-7 eggs per brood and may raise 2 or 3 broods during the spring to summer months. (I’d still rather be a kingfisher than a blue tit who have up to 14 chicks each of whom might demand 100 caterpillars a day!!!) Eggs are laid in burrows up to a meter long they dig into the mud banks of rivers. Of course, this comes with the risk of heavy rain leading to flooding of the burrows. The other issue with high water is water clarity as apparently the kingfisher chicks, when kicked out of the nest by their parents sightfish so turbid water can result in them starving. The result is that populations fluctuate.

Watching them fish is simply magical. Perching on a branch, folding their wings back as they plunge into the water, smacking their prey’s head on a branch before swallowing it. But most sightings are fleeting. Irrespective they’re moments to be treasured, and a precious connection to nature.